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The Lives of Others
The Lives of Others | Neel Mukherjee
9 posts | 11 read | 20 to read
Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, this dazzling (Entertainment Weekly) saga of epic scope is both a family and a political drama. The aging patriarch and matriarch of the Ghosh family preside over their large household, made up of their five adult children and their respective children, unaware that beneath the barely ruffled surface of their lives the sands are shifting. Each set of family members occupies a floor of the home, in accordance to their standing within the family. Poisonous rivalries between sisters-in-law, destructive secrets, and the implosion of the family business threaten to unravel bonds of kinship as social unrest brews in greater Indian society. This is a moment of turbulence, of inevitable and unstoppable change: the chasm between the generations, and between those who have and those who have not, has never been wider. The eldest grandchild, Supratik, compelled by his idealism, becomes dangerously involved in extremist political activisman action that further catalyzes the decay of the Ghosh home. Ambitious, rich, and compassionate, The Lives of Others anatomizes the soul of a nation as it unfolds a family history, at the same time as it questions the nature of political action and the limits of empathy. It is a novel of unflinching power and emotional force.
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AnneCecilie
The Lives of Others | Neel Mukherjee
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Pickpick

The Goshes, 3 generations. Set in Calcutta between the 1920s and 1970. The rise of Communism. The rise and fall of the individual members of the family.

I must admit that after the 3p prologue, I wondered what I had gotten myself into. It starts with a farmer killing his kids, his wife before killing himself.

The first chapter left me confused introducing all the characters in this large family, but after that I was hooked.

This is a quiet

AnneCecilie book that will stay with me. I finally got to read this book that I‘ve owned since 2014. #foodandlit #India @Texreader @Catsandbooks 1y
Catsandbooks Yikes that beginning! 1y
AnneCecilie @Catsandbooks I know. At least it makes you intrigued about the story and it also has a meaning it what happens later in the book. 1y
55 likes5 stack adds3 comments
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AnneCecilie
The Lives of Others | Neel Mukherjee
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#BookReport

I kept up with the buddy reads with #PemberLittens; Villette and Jane Austen‘s Letters.

I kept up with my reading of The Christmas Chronicles.

I finished Black and Female.

I‘m still reading The Lives of Others. I had some problems getting into to story, but now I‘m hooked.

So not much finished this week, but that‘s okey.

Cinfhen Lives of others looks like a real chunkster!!! 1y
AnneCecilie @Cinfhen I think it looks bigger than what it actually is. It‘s just over 500 pages. 1y
Cinfhen That‘s still hefty but maybe not full chunkster material 😂😅 1y
63 likes3 comments
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Vansa
The Lives of Others | Neel Mukherjee
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#Two4Tuesday
1. I received 4 books in the mail from Blossoms Bookstore in Bangalore, my husband and I make a yearly visit there and couldn't this year!
2. The book on the left was a gift for my dad, from Shakespeare and Co, Paris!
@TheSpineView #supportindependentbookstores

TheSpineView Thanks for playing! 😀 3y
9 likes1 comment
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wifey.n
The Lives of Others | Neel Mukherjee
Panpan

For me this book dragged and took way too long. In a way I couldn't keep up with it and ditched it halfway through.

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EchoLogical
The Lives of Others | Neel Mukherjee
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Hi friends! I feel like it's been forever since I've posted here. Life has been crazy busy, borderline just plain crazy. Between regular life, work, gearing up for a move, and classwork I've been tapped out. I'll have to update my "read" shelf soon. I've been working on a special project for my library and it's happening in about 2 weeks. I'm excited but terrified so wish me luck! #litsyloveslibraries #livinglibrary #livingbooks

Liatrek Wow! This sounds awesome 🎉 Good luck ❤️ and look forward to seeing your thoughts on 6y
EchoLogical @tpixie Thank you! I work in the children's department so this is completely new for me. 6y
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BarbaraTheBibliophage Wow! I love this idea. Wish I was closer and could come meet the “stories!” 6y
EchoLogical @Liatrek Thanks and it's coming! I finished it weeks ago and told myself that I'd take a minute to sort my thoughts and post a review... I've def read 2 or 3 other books since then. 😅 6y
EchoLogical @BarbaraTheBibliophage Thank you and I wish you could too! I don't know any Littens nearby which stinks because y'all are so open minded and supportive, I wish I could meet you all. 6y
BarbaraTheBibliophage Aww. I understand! I feel lucky to live in the MidAtlantic where there are LOTS of us. I said a long time ago that we need a convention. Now I‘m thinking about it again! 6y
megt This sounds like an awesome event! Wishing you all the best with it (and with school and the move and everything else going on right now!) 6y
MarriedtoMrT Awesome event! 6y
Graciouswarriorprincess I love this idea! @tpixie Thank you for tagging me! 6y
MrBook Oh my goodness, this sounds phenomenal!!! Very cool. 😁👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 6y
ghosthost Best of luck! 💜 6y
minkyb Looks amazing. Good luck! 6y
EchoLogical Thank you guys so much! I was just able to enlist the help of someone diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I can't wait for the big day. @minkyb @ghosthost @MrBook @Graciouswarriorprincess @MarriedtoMrT @megt 6y
Graciouswarriorprincess @EchoLogical Best wishes! Let us know how it goes! 6y
61 likes15 comments
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Bookgirl_Sulagna
The Lives of Others | Neel Mukherjee
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MrBook Welcome to @Litsy ! We hope you enjoy your stay with us 😊👍🏻. We're the most positive, tight-knit, passionate bibliophile community you'll meet. Careful: this'll take over your life. 😂👏🏻🙌🏻 7y
14 likes1 stack add1 comment
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LauraReads
The Lives of Others | Neel Mukherjee
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Bailedbailed

I tried so hard to finish this book! It's not often I stop reading a book (particularly when I buy it new), but I just could not get through this book.
I had high hopes, particularly with the reviews; the fact it was shortlisted for the Man Booker prize; & my love for Indian fiction, but this book did nothing for me. It was a shambles of family drama, that didn't intrigue me at all. Do yourself a favour & read something else like 'A Fine Balance'

JoeStalksBeck That is depressing when that happens 8y
Trav Awww sad face. 8y
8 likes2 comments
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LauraReads
The Lives of Others | Neel Mukherjee
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I've heard mixed reviews about this book, but often enjoy books set in India - particularly around the history of India, so let's see how we go.