
I had no idea that Dumbo in NYC was an abbreviation of this
I just love the name Dumbo since I love the Disney movie with the same name

I had no idea that Dumbo in NYC was an abbreviation of this
I just love the name Dumbo since I love the Disney movie with the same name

“Oh, I can miss someone after a day. Let‘s meet somewhere -“
“Where?”
“Anywhere - let me think. Portofino!” He was delighted by his proposal. “Where the film stars go. Everyone must go to Italy - (…)”
(This dialogue reminds me of Taylor Swift‘s song Elizabeth Taylor. Picture of Portofino found online)

Finally finished this chunkster! I usually get a bit itchy at any book over 300 pages, but the #Booker2025 shortlist made me pick it up (thank you, my library system).
Some great moments, but mostly I felt disconnected from the young titular characters. Think for me a book centring Pooja or Mama's story/ies would be more interesting. Acknowledging a criticism (trope of predatory older artist) within the narrative doesn't "fix" the issue, either!

When he told Sunny the ingredients in what he'd brought....he always added at the end: y amor!
"Huauzontles y amor! Frijoles, epazote y amor! Tomatillo, serrano y amor!"
Ulla would say, "The love is in the sauce," which had always irritated Sunny. He wanted only sauce in his sauce. Or, if anything, a touch of irony in his sauce, or the devil in his sauce, or sauciness in his sauce.
"Please leave amor out! I'm allergic to it," begged Sunny.

I was so happy to have spent some time in the world of this book; I was a little sad to come to the end. I‘ll be thinking about these characters for awhile, and this book will definitely be on my list of favorites this year. Such an expertly woven story from start to finish. 🩵

This section reminds me of a neighbour from the subcontinent, who also thinks this kind of comment to near-strangers is perfectly fine...
#CultureShock

They played Iqbal Bano singing "Hum Dekhenge." The picture on the cassette cover showed the singer wearing a black sari to protest the dictatorship of Zia....
What happened within a family, what happened between a couple, was no different from that which happened in a nation under dictatorship, running on fear. Far above, planes blinked across the sky, and below, the madman in the ruins of the idgah came out and shouted....

25 Sep-2 Oct 25 (audiobook)
#Bookerlonglist2025 No 12
A sprawling tale of loneliness, love and longing. I do not remember anything about Inheritance of Loss, others than so enjoyed it and read it as part of the Booker longlist many years ago.
I enjoy sprawling family sagas, which seems to be a genre at which some modern writers from India excel, and this deserves it place in the shortlist.

At home Sunny said: "Ulla, why did you say I put curry in everything? I put spices in everything, not curry in everything. There's no such thing as curry, in fact. It's a fake word invented by the British."
He distinctly heard his mother's voice in his ear say, Who is this stupid person?

This novel is a bit like a more serious, more introspective, and more sprawling When Harry Met Sally, but saying that doesn't remotely convey the scope of Desai's story, which includes commentary about and criticism of at least four countries, the art world, journalism, and the nature of familial and romantic ties. Her characters are silly, maddening, and so relatable, and I love that they engage in productive introspection without therapy.