Interpreter Of Maladies

by Jhumpa Lahiri

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Book of the Day, NPR · September 15, 2025

Jhumpa Lahiri says the phrase ‘Interpreter of Maladies’ came to her in grad school

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A short story collection debuted in 1999, including a title story about an American family visiting India whose guide develops an infatuation with the wife. Lahiri discusses the book's title inspiration, her relationship with speaking Bengali, and her experience writing from a male perspective.

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