A soothing balm for genre
Of course, compatibility is not a fullproof science — there are couples who got along very well before marriage but got separated after tying the knot due to compatibility issues.”
Online matchmaking sites are popular with Omani men and women who believe they are past the ‘most eligible’ threshold for marriage. Some desperate people also falsify their details in the hope of snagging a good match. Take the example of 34-yearold Muna, who had recently approached a
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jhumpa Lahiri’s latest book, at first glance, is a sort of soothing balm that brings much-needed relief in the non-fiction genre — addressing a significant aspect of the publishing industry, ignored for far too long — which instantly catches the imagination of readers.
But, does the offering answer as many questions as it raises remains to be decided.
The axiom that advises readers not to judge a book by its cover finds a challenge in Lahiri’s examination of book covers. And why not, if you look at the extent to which book covers have been decisive in the success, as also the failure, of books in contemporary times.
In short, the attention span of a normal reader is shrinking while the number of books on offer is multiplying manifold. Thus, the jacket plays a much more vital role today than it would have in the past.
The author’s clarity is commendable, her choice of diction and simple flow of words are sufficient to keep the readers involved for the duration of a 71-pagelong quick read. But the offering, which is more of a lengthy essay, demands sincere and uninterrupted attention to understand the subtle yet complex issues around book covers that Lahiri explores. Interestingly, the book begins on a rather unusual note, “The Charm of the Uniform”. Lahiri recalls being fascinated by the school uniform of her cousins in Calcutta (now Kolkata) and was herself “tormented” by the freedom to wear whatever one wanted in her school in the US and says she would have matchmaker for assistance.
“Having crossed my thirties, my chances of getting married were not too bright. In desperation, I decided to seek out a matchmaker. But in the information that I had disclosed, I did not furnish my exact age — a mistake that came back to haunt me. Not long thereafter, a man came to propose to me but found out I was older than I had claimed. I was truly embarrassed.”
Muna is determined to get the help of a matchmaker in her quest for wedded bliss, but she urges prospective brides to furnish their correct details because, as she stresses, the “entire matchmaking process and the build-up to a relationship between two individuals requires truthfulness”.
Muna cautions against matchmakers who charge exorbitant amounts of up to RO 1,000 per couple upon a successful match. “I think since she is doing this business for a good cause, she should keep the prices affordable. After all, the preferred a uniform herself.
But is the author hinting at some sort of uniformity in book covers? If so, what would be the ideal uniform for all books?
Lahiri reminds readers that her mother “barely tolerated my American clothes. She did not find my jeans or T-shirts cute. The older I grew, the more it mattered to her that I, too, wear Indian or, at the very least, concealing clothing. She held out for my becoming a Bengali woman like her.”
This is customary for many Indian families. It is the context of book covers that lends an altogether different dimension to Lahiri’s childhood protests against, both, freedom to wear what one wanted at school and her mother wanting her to wear concealing clothing.
Was it regressive for a mother to demand that her child wears only the “traditional clothing of her country” or was Lahiri’s “American clothes”, a normal result of her upbringing in the Western world?
In any case, if the same formula is applied to the theme that Lahiri explores, one again falls short of answers.
Lahiri says that she would “certainly prefer the uniformed elegance of a series to an insipid cover” and calls for upholding aesthetic values of book covers. Lastly, a word on the cover of “The Clothing of Books”. A simple blue cover, displaying only the title and author’s name, it just falls short of appearing elegant. It looks simple, unadorned and even undecorated. While this may not be among the eye-catchers in a bookstore displaying hundreds of books, it is perhaps close to how the author expects her book covers to be. cost of wedding arrangements is huge,” she lamented. Al Kharousi, a 27-yearold man, opines that prospective brides and grooms have their own reasons and circumstances for depending on matchmakers to find suitable spouses. “For me, although I am still relatively young, I stammer when speaking. I proposed to many girls but with no luck. So I sought the help of a matchmaker. She is still searching for the right girl for me.”