‘In Other Words’ by Jhumpa Lahiri
Every one of Lahiri’s books has helped me in my quest for being, but I’ve chosen In Other Words for this list because it’s about learning a new language in adulthood, a “what the hell am I doing?” experience if ever there was one. Feeling alienated by both languages she already spoke, English and Bengali, Lahiri goes on an intensely personal and singularly focused quest to learn Italian. There was almost no reason to become fluent in a new language in her forties when there were other pressing duties at hand—raising children, writing books, generating income. But learning Italian was central to Lahiri’s own becoming, and therefore rightfully took priority in her life. The memoir is incredibly inspiring and highlights the threat others may feel in the face of one’s own transformation. Lahiri writes, “They don’t understand why I want to take such a risk. These reactions don’t surprise me. A transformation, especially one that is deliberately sought, is often perceived as something disloyal, threatening.” The key, then, in becoming is to be fearless in the devotion to oneself.
