Ebook221 pages3 hours
Diamond Dust: Stories
By Anita Desai
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
4/5
()
About this ebook
A collection of stories stretching from India to New England to Mexico from the author of Fasting, Feasting—an “undeniable genius” (TheWashington Post Book World).
The men and women in these nine tales set out on journeys that suddenly go beyond the pale—or surprisingly lead them back to where they started. In the mischievous title story, a beloved dog brings nothing but disaster to his obsessed master; in other tales, old friendships and family ties stir up buried feelings, demanding either renewed commitment or escape. And in the final exquisite story, a young woman discovers a new kind of freedom in Delhi’s rooftop community.
This is a richly diverse, “quiet but deeply satisfying” collection of stories, from a three-time Man Booker Prize finalist (Kirkus Reviews).
“Anita Desai is one of the most brilliant and subtle writers ever to have described the meeting of eastern and western culture . . . Both serious and wonderfully entertaining.” —Alison Lurie, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Foreign Affairs
“Served up with characteristic perspicuity, subtle humor and attention to the little hypocrisies of the middle class.” —Publishers Weekly
The men and women in these nine tales set out on journeys that suddenly go beyond the pale—or surprisingly lead them back to where they started. In the mischievous title story, a beloved dog brings nothing but disaster to his obsessed master; in other tales, old friendships and family ties stir up buried feelings, demanding either renewed commitment or escape. And in the final exquisite story, a young woman discovers a new kind of freedom in Delhi’s rooftop community.
This is a richly diverse, “quiet but deeply satisfying” collection of stories, from a three-time Man Booker Prize finalist (Kirkus Reviews).
“Anita Desai is one of the most brilliant and subtle writers ever to have described the meeting of eastern and western culture . . . Both serious and wonderfully entertaining.” —Alison Lurie, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Foreign Affairs
“Served up with characteristic perspicuity, subtle humor and attention to the little hypocrisies of the middle class.” —Publishers Weekly
Author
Anita Desai
ANITA DESAI is the author of Fasting, Feasting, The Art of Disappearance, The Zig Zag Way, Clear Light of Day, and Diamond Dust, among other works. Three of her books have been shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Desai was born and educated in India and now lives in the New York City area.
Read more from Anita Desai
Clear Light of Day: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fasting, Feasting: A Novel Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Artist of Disappearance: Three Novellas Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Zigzag Way: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Museum of Final Journeys: A Novella Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Translator Translated: A Novella Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
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Reviews for Diamond Dust
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
4/5
2 ratings4 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5So far, this year's challenge (Iran to Bangladesh, by book) is a winner. And only two books in!
Anita Desai writes delicate short stories of frustration and love and families. She has the ability to draw me into a sense of place so swiftly and completely I felt elsewhere whenever I was reading. I particularly liked the first, second and last stories, Royalty, Underground and The Rooftop Dwellers.
Moyna, the protagonist in The Rooftop Dwellers, just made me happy, in the end. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Funny sad and charming stories about every days live,without any violance and sex!The beauty is in the detail.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5There was palpable discomfort in some of these stories, so it it evident that the emotionality was well-presented. But overall, I am not sure if I really enjoyed it.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Excellent stories by Anita Desai, with a variety of settings and precise, crystalline prose. Most of them tend to be quiet, slice-of-life stories with sharp portrayals of discomfort and isolation. My favorites were the first and last. In ?Royalty?, the life of a comfortable, successful couple ? Sarla and Ravi ? is upended temporarily by a visit from their charismatic, capricious famous friend Raja. Desai nicely shows all the little annoyances caused by the visit - they have to cancel their trip and stay in the sweltering heat; invitation etiquette causes some snubs; Raja is cheerfully selfish. There is a long backstory between Raja and several of the characters, but Desai leaves that to the reader?s imagination. The final story, ?The Rooftop Dwellers?, follows Moyna, a single woman carefully guarding her independence, as she moves to a rooftop apartment after being kicked out of a women?s hostel. All the major events in the story ? which is comparatively long ? are the stuff of everyday life ? moving, job troubles, problems with the landlord, but the writing is wonderful and I was caught up in Moyna?s story.?Winterscape?, the second story, creates a nice contrast between the life of a modern couple in Canada and the complicated situation with the husband?s mother and aunt ? who are both mothers to him, in different ways ? back in India. The title story has some humor, as it is about the antics of a badly behaved dog, Diamond, and his owner who spoils him nonstop, creating problems with his wife and friends. However, this one comes to a bad end.?Underground? is deftly written, although the two halves feel a little disjointed. A couple is desperately looking for a hotel, but everyone tells them that the White House, which appears to have vacancies, isn?t an option. The owner of the hotel refuses to let them in ? he unhappily recalls his past and marriage. ?The Man Who Saw Himself Drown? is a little surreal, but feels a bit distant as well. The narrator, well, sees himself drown and is taken for dead. Desai skillfully evokes Polly?s dreamy adolescent interest in art in ?The Artist?s Life?. Polly is still on a high coming back from summer camp with a fascinating art instructor, but the odd tenant living behind the house also takes up some of her interest.?Five Hours to Simla or Faisla? is a somewhat comical, absurdist story where an angry truck driver randomly decides to hold up traffic. Everyone is overheating, angry, and attempting to get him to move. ?Tepoztlan Tomorrow? was the weakest I thought ? the writing was still vivid, but the story was mainly Louis returning to his hometown and seeing his relatives rigidly clinging to their old ways and his old friends passionately protesting the development of the town, while he is stuck and passive.
Book preview
Diamond Dust - Anita Desai
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