If you're looking for an enjoyable read, order a copy of Nitin Deckha's Shopping for Sabzi. A collection of humorous, well crafted short stories, Shopping for Sabzi embodies many of the concerns and questions young South Asians face in the Western world. Each story has a subtle leitmotif - an idea or image that strings the narrative together, and makes the stories more nuanced and fascinating to read.
"Enterprising Widow" tells the story of a young South Asian man dating outside his culture, and how his girlfriend and his mother develop a friendship. "Ketchup" enters the mindset of a young father, and his memories of being a rebel and activist in university. "Spick and Span" is a hilarious look at the dating scene in the South Asian community, from the perspective of a single South Asian woman. Deckha's strength lies in his ability to de-scribe images with precision and detail. For example, "Kamala was near statuesque in a cream and soft pink sari, save for her slightly protruding caramel belly." Deckha weaves humor and sarcasm in the text, and his characters are people we recognize in our own lives: the young activist fighting for commu- nity projects, the friendly waitress with bigger dreams, the self conscious young man who fears his own mother, the newly arrived immigrant.
ONE ON ONE WITH NITIN DECKHA
By: Sheniz Janmohamed
Q: Which story is your favourite in Shopping for Sabzi?
A: "Enterprising Widow," with "Diva Desperada" as a very close second.
Q: Is there a character you loathe?
A: There aren't too many villains in these stories, but Heath in "1 900 Hey Baby" is probably the most loathsome and morally bankrupt character in the collection.
Q:Which story was the most difficult to write?
A: "Will Model for Food"
Q: Is there a character in the collection who shares your personality (i.e., you with a different name)?
A: I suppose the character that is closest to me is Kish in "Ketchup."
Q: What is your favorite collection of short stories?
A: I am a big fan of short stories. I enjoyed Hanif Kureishi's "Love in a Blue Time" and Nell Freudenberger's "Lucky Girls" a great deal.
Recent Comments