Chitra divakarunis new novel is a wise and spiritual work that is. She has in certainty kept her initial life covered up for every one of the years when she was in america, where she was hitched to a good man, brought up her youngsters, and ran a market. Chitra banerjee divakarunis novel one amazing thing tells the story of nine people trapped in an elevator in the basement of an indian consulate in an. Immersed in regret or hope or trepidation as is usual for persons planning a major journey, they took it to be a passing cablecar. One amazing thing is one powerful and beautifully written book. Jhumpa lahiri, author of interpreter of maladies and the namesake i was up very late. In chaucers work, twentynine explorers are traveling from london to visit the sanctuary of st. As the water gets higher, they decamp to the tops of. The characters in one amazing thing are stuck in a passport and visa office in an unnamed american city. Seven visa applicants wait for the services of two bureaucrats in the basementlevel visa office of an indian consulate. One amazing thing by chitra divakaruni, paperback barnes. Malathi is an embassy employee who wants to bone mr.
The book opens from the point of view of the graduate student as she surveys the indian embassy and its occupants during the start of the earthquake. Chitra banerjee divakarunis novel one amazing thing tells the story of nine people trapped in an elevator in the basement of an indian consulate in an unnamed american city after a tragic. Out of the nine people in the visa office, did you identify with any in particular. Nine strangers, one amazing thing by jane ciabatta. From chitra divakaruni, author of such finely wrought, bestselling novels as sister of my heart, the palace of illusions, and the mistress of spices, comes her most compelling and transporting story to date.
I think the author draws on typical human interactions and perception to accomplish this for as we meet new people, arent our. Uma in an american indian girl who rebels against her parents wishes by having a relationship with a. It was first published in the united states in voice by hyperion 2009 and later published in hamish hamilton by penguin books india 2010. A series of linked narrative poems and prose pieces by geoffrey chaucer, composed during the last two decades of the 14th century. One amazing thing collapses the walls dividing characters and. It was a great conversation and i highly recommend it for other book clubs across the country. Chitra banerjee divakarunis new novel, one amazing thing, has been getting a lot of publicity lately.
Lawrence once said that the novel is a perfect medium for revealing to us the changing rainbow of our living relationships and it can help us to live, as nothing else can. One amazing thing by chitra banerjee divakaruni goodreads. The stories spin the characters in different directions, even as their physical proximity grows closer. One amazing thing for this assignment, you are to write a 46 page thesis driven essay, in mla format. One amazing thing hyperion is a passionate creation about survivaland about. As a massive earthquake strikes the city, nine people trapped in the basement of. The perspective shifts seamlessly from one character to another, partly through each persons sharing. May 15, 2016 one amazing thing by chitra banerjee divakaruni nine people, nine stories, one disaster that is what this book is about. Mangalam to get their visas so they can visit india except mangalam and malathi of course. When the earthquake strikes, her arm is seriously wounded or broken.
They are, as the blurb suggests, a diverse bunch of people. One amazing thing, her sixteenth book connects so strongly that together with her nine characters, we are tethered on a raft of emotions as we await the next tremor. The whole doc is available only for registered users open doc. Winner of a pushcart prize for poetry and an american book award for her short stories, chitra banerjee divakaruni explores themes of women, immigration, and her vibrant indian culture to great effect. One amazing thing is a passionate creation about survivaland about the reasons to survive.
One scene, one event, one moment has drawn a complex set of diverse actors together in this novel, and divakaruni does an excellent job of giving each character the perspective and depth that we need to not only listen to their voice, but to stand outside of them and see. Cameron is a black guy who works at the indian embassy. One amazing thing, divakarunis eleventh novel and sixteenth book. Unfortunately, its the kind of publicity that an author would rarely court, even if it results in highprofile interviews, glossy profiles and an uptick in book sales. Jhumpa lahiri, author of interpreter of maladies and the namesake chitra divakaruni understands the power of stories to heal us, make us laugh, and comfort us in the most difficult of circumstances. One amazing thing kindle edition by divakaruni, chitra. I read straight through because this is the sort of book. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. Click below for more about one amazing thing by chitra banerjee divakaruni. Towards the end of a normal work day, there are nine people remaining in the basement of the indian consulate waiting for their visas. One amazing thing by chitra banerjee divakaruni is a smattering of short stories within the context of a larger story.
It was first published in the united states in voice by. I like how loving nathan is and how he helps others and mostly his family. Late afternoon sun sneaks through the windows of a passport and visa office in an unnamed american city. Thanks to all the wednesday night bookclub members for a great discussion of one amazing thing by chitra banerjee divakaruni. After initial resistance everybody agrees and uma suggests that each one shares the. A group of nine people are stuck in the visa office of the indian consulate in an american city after a massive earthquake. Chitra divakarunis one amazing thing begins with uma reading chaucers canterbury tales as she waits in the basement visa office of an indian consulate in california. Chitra divakarunis new novel is a wise and spiritual work that is also amply entertaining and touching. The book is a fun read from the first page to the last.
One amazing thing is a 2010 novel by awardwinning novelist and poet chitra banerjee divakaruni. This 27page guide for one amazing thing by chitra divakaruni includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 16 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis. One amazing thing is a story, which brings together nine people from diverse backgrounds at an indian consulate where they have gone to get visas to travel to india. Jiang is a chinese woman who lets a strange man bang her so she can go to. Trust me, one amazing thing is one of the best book that ive read this year. One amazing thing collapses the walls dividing characters and cultures. One amazing thing by chitra banerjee divakaruni 7,182 ratings, 3. One amazing thing by chitra banerjee divakaruni essay. To pass the time, the narrator, a young graduate students, asks each person to share a story of one amazing thing. One amazing thing is one amazing set of wellwoven characters and stories. Your essay should include a close reading of the text. One amazing thing major character analysis supersummary.
Its weakness is that she fails to give her characters their own voices when they are telling their tales, relying on a polished narrative. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Most customers and even most office workers have come and gone, but nine people remain. A storyteller of exquisite lyricism and compassion, divakaruni weaves a suspenseful, astute, and unforgettable survivors tale. One amazing thing chitra banerjee divakaruni, 2010 hyperion everywomans voice 220 pp. I read straight through because this is the sort of book that pulls you along. In one amazing thing, divakaruni has transposed those experiences to an unnamed city in what appears to be california just as an earthquake strikes strangers who have been waiting impatiently in a. Ha jin, author of a free life and the national book awardwinning waiting chitra divakaruni understands the power of stories to heal us, make us laugh, and comfort us in the most difficult of circumstances. Why was each character s one amazing thing remarkable. Divakarunis latest the palace of illusions, 2008, etc. In divakarunis novel one amazing thing, the action takes place in a visa office, in what appears to be california.
In the book one amazing thing, i wanted to explore the spiritual question of what we do in such circumstances, a question for each of the characters and hopefully for the readers. Was there an action or behavior by a character that resonated with you. Cultural, india, fiction, contemporary, literary fiction, short stories, adult, novels, asian literature, indian literature, book club, asia. One amazing thing by chitra banerjee divakaruni excerpt.
As divakaruni wrote her novel, queen of dreams, in response to 911, she imagined one amazing thing after surviving hurricane rita. Divakaruni expands on these ideas in one amazing thing, a project long in the making and full of electric prose. Uma is a young student of english literature who arrives at the visa office of the indian consulate at an american city. When the first rumble came, no one in the visa office, down in the basement of the indian consulate, thought anything of it. Chitra banerjee divakaruni s novel one amazing thing tells the story of nine people trapped in an elevator in the basement of an indian consulate in an unnamed american city after a tragic. The first onethird of the book shows each character in a certain firmly set plasterofparis role. One amazing thing book by chitra banerjee divakaruni. The pressure brought out the worst in some and the best in others. One scene, one event, one moment has drawn a complex set of diverse actors together in this novel, and divakaruni does an excellent job of giving each character the perspective and depth that we need to not only listen to their voice. I think the book introduces these characters as twodimensional, and as we get to know them better, and gain more understanding, they are fleshed out in to wellrounded threedimensional characters. Mar 26, 2010 in one amazing thing, divakaruni has transposed those experiences to an unnamed city in what appears to be california just as an earthquake strikes strangers who have been waiting impatiently in a. Her arrival to india is both down to earth she will get together with her sibling and sentimental.
The novel takes place in the basement of the indian embassy in san francisco, and the tension ramps up as an earthquake traps the nine characters in the basement hoping and waiting for help to come. Buy one amazing thing book online at low prices in india. Chitra divakaruni will be the keynote speaker at freshman convocation. Truly a book well written full of such love, compassion and an ending you wont believe. Jan 01, 20 this is the second book ive read written by kevin alan milne and it is just as good as or even better than the first. Click here for the complete analysis of the entire book. We read it for our book club and we were inspired to share one amazing thing that happened in each of our lives. One amazing thing by chitra banerjee divakaruni nine people, nine stories, one disaster that is what this book is about. Basically an earth quake hits some town in california, so i think nine people are trapped in the indian consulate office. When writing of ethnicity, an author risks stereotyping. An old chinese woman jiang and her granddaughter lily, an angry muslim.
This 27page guide for one amazing thing by chitra divakaruni includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 16 chapters. One amazing thing by chitra banerjee divakaruni kirkus. This book the one good thing is one of my favorites for 20. A diverse group trapped in the aftermath of a disaster shares tales of love, loss and desire. One amazing thing major character analysis freebooksummary. Listen to one amazing thing by chitra banerjee divakaruni at. One amazing thing is a wonderful read, mainly for the many stories that weave together to make a coherent unit. This 27page guide for one amazing thing by chitra divakaruni includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 16 chapters, as well as several. Listen to one amazing thing by chitra banerjee divakaruni. Erin delaney csu northridge one amazing thing book group meeting, march, 2012 background information. I loved it, and im sure that readers everywhere will embrace it too. If i am in a situation of true danger where the primal urge for survival kicks in, would i be able to rise to a level of compassion.
One amazing thing by chitra divakaruni published by hachette books on february 2nd 2010 genres. Then, sure enough, the character of the book that suggests the storytelling does so. One amazing thing chapter 12 summary freebooksummary. Divakaruni moves effortlessly from one character to another, and across a. Jan 27, 2010 one amazing thing is a passionate creation about survivaland about the reasons to survive. Therefore, you must include at least four quotes from the book with commentary and analysis as support for your thesis. An acclaimed novel by the author of the mistress of spices, and before we.
One amazing thing by chitra banerjee divakaruni librarything. The first one third of the book shows each character in a certain firmly set plasterofparis role. Chitra banerjee divakaruni born chitralekha banerjee, july 29, 1956 is an indianamerican author, poet, and the betty and gene mcdavid professor of writing at the university of houston creative writing program her short story collection, arranged marriage won an american book award in 1996, and two of her novels the mistress of spices and sister of my heart as well. The book begins and ends with uma sinha, the graduate student. In one stunning thing, divakaruni gives a purposeful gesture to geoffrey chaucers medieval era story the canterbury stories. One amazing thing themes, motifs, symbols freebooksummary. One amazing thing summary and study guide supersummary. One amazing thing is a passionate creation about survival.
True, the nine characters are captives of a disaster, but they are also pilgrims of the spirit, seeking one amazing thing, affirming that life, for all its pain, is miraculous. One amazing thing quotes by chitra banerjee divakaruni. She is in love with a man named ramon, a scientist. Tariq is a violent muslim who likes to strangle people. Uma is a young college student traveling to india to visit her parents.
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