Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri

Audiobook.  Such a beautiful, gentle book.  The characters in these stories may have a hard life or in some way be foolish or ridiculous, but they or their circumstances are moderated.  I love the description of the young family visiting India from America who are thoughtless and childlike, but also display kindness and a true, if fleeting interest in others.  My favorite is the story of the Indian man who studied in Britain, then came to America to be a librarian at MIT and spent 6 weeks living in a old house with a very old woman.  When he arrived in the house, the moon landing had just occurred.  Each night he and the landlady had the same conversation.  "They put a flag on the moon.  Isn't that splendid, boy?"  And he was to reply, "Yes, that's splendid."  His shy kindness to her was just what was needed in the circumstances.