Shards of Memory [Import] [Hardcover]

Ruth P. Jhabvala (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: JOHN MURRAY (1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 071955571X
• ISBN-13: 978-0719555718
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Terrific Little Novel, August 22, 2002

By 

Chris Elliott (Oakland, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shards of Memory (Paperback)

I've read a number of Jhabvala's novels and short stories and this is by far my favorite. It's the story of a family's relationship with an Indian guru. Whether this spiritual advisor is a charlatan or a true holy man is never completely clear, but his impact on the family reverberates over four generations.

My only complaint about the book is that it suddenly shifts narrative tone about a third of the way through, from the grandmother's first-person account to a third-person tale focussing primarily on her grandson. Other than that, a wonderful, engrossing story about family, spirituality and memory.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good portrayal of subservience to a "Master", April 2, 2007

By 

Katherine Masis - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shards of Memory (Paperback)

An insightful novel that shows family relationships across generations. Jhabvala also does a superb job of portraying the extreme and at times ridiculous subservience of some of the family members to the words of a so-called spiritual "Master." The resemblance of the "Master" to Gurdjieff is quite striking, in my opinion.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Imperfect memories, May 20, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Shards of Memory (Hardcover)

This is a really lovely book. Ruth writes very lightly and speaks eloquently through her character. As with all memories, you feel the story is imperfect. Sections are missed and then recalled in a very beautiful manner which imitates our own flawed memories. More than anything else, the book shows the unity of the generations and expresses the passions within families.