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Jhumpa Lahiri born 1967
Born London, England
A signal voice of the Indian American immigrant experience, Jhumpa Lahiri won the Pulitzer Prize with her debut short-story collection, The Interpreter of Maladies (1999), which catapulted her into the public eye. Born in London to Bengali parents, Lahiri moved to Rhode Island at age two. During her childhood, she was acutely aware of her unique background and sought solace in reading. It was as an adult, while obtaining a doctorate in literature, that she realized the expressive outlet that writing offered and changed course to pursue a literary career.
David Levine's caricature of Lahiri, accompanying a book review of Unaccustomed Earth (2008), emphasizes her cerebral personality. Her intellect is the star here. At the same time, by showing her in traditional dress, seated on the floor with a computer, Levine suggests the dual Western/Eastern identity that Lahiri has explored in written form. Her most recent novel, The Lowlands (2013), was a finalist for the National Book Award.
David Levine (1926–2009)
Ink over graphite on paper, 2003 |