Shards of Memory

By Ruth Prawer Jhabvala

Book Overview

A young man named Henry sits down with his grandmother, a genial lady still called Baby by everyone, in her Manhattan townhouse where he has lived all his life, to record the history of a spiritual movement that has woven itself into the fabric of their family's lives for four generations. What unfolds is a mesmerizing family saga:??the imperious great-grandmother Elsa and her husband, an Indian poet, whose marriage is as unconventional as the movement they help to found; Baby, their cheerfully pragmatic daughter, married to the aloof English diplomat Graeme; bemused and brooding Renata, Baby and Graeme's daughter, married to an idle dreamer; and finally Henry, Renata's son, who in many ways bears the legacy of all that has gone before. Their lives--and that of the movement's elusive yet ineluctable founder, known only as the Master--intertwine, diverge, and collide with each other in a masterfully orchestrated story spanning the twentieth century and several continents. By turns brilliantly satiric, insightful, and profoundly moving,Shards Of Memoryis a beautifully wrought tale of love and devotion, of family and faith, and of the complex nature of memory itself--a literary tour de force from one of the most distinguished novelists of our time. From the Trade Paperback edition.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385477228
• ISBN13: 9780385477222
• Release Date: August 1995
• Publisher: Doubleday Books
• Length: 221 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.4" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Good portrayal of subservience to a "Master"

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.

A Terrific Little Novel

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.

Imperfect memories

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.

Shards Of Memory

This book was amazing I enjoyed it emensly I am 16 and Female I got the book on my birth day in september I read it and some things I could relate back to my life I enjoyed the book and would like to thank Ruth for her skills I recomend that all who shall come across to read it its amazing seriously I enjoyed it!