Book Club: The Namesake

Schedule

Wed Oct 29 2025 at 01:00 pm to 03:00 pm

UTC-04:00

Location

St. James School | Philadelphia, PA

Advertisement
Pulitzer Prize winner Jhumpa Lahiri's debut novel is a dazzling story about being caught between two conflicting cultures.
About this Event

Join us for coffee, conversation, and community as we discuss Pulitzer Prize winner Jhumpa Lahiri's bestseller The Namesake on Wednesday, October 29 at 1:00pm. Deemed "quietly dazzling" by The New York Times when it was first released in 2003, The Namesake is a modern classic about the struggles of assimilation and what it's like to come of age caught between two opposing cultures. Available wherever books are sold and from the Free Library of Philadelphia.

The Namesake takes the Ganguli family from their tradition-bound life in Calcutta through their fraught transformation into Americans. On the heels of their arranged wedding, Ashoke and Ashima Ganguli settle together in Cambridge, Massachusetts. An engineer by training, Ashoke adapts far less warily than his wife, who resists all things American and pines for her family. When their son is born, the task of naming him betrays the vexed results of bringing old ways to the new world. Named for a Russian writer by his Indian parents in memory of a catastrophe years before, Gogol Ganguli knows only that he suffers the burden of his heritage as well as his odd, antic name.

Lahiri brings great empathy to Gogol as he stumbles along the first-generation path, strewn with conflicting loyalties, comic detours, and wrenching love affairs. With penetrating insight, she reveals not only the defining power of the names and expectations bestowed upon us by our parents, but also the means by which we slowly, sometimes painfully, come to define ourselves.

Advertisement

Where is it happening?

St. James School, 3217 West Clearfield Street, Philadelphia, United States

Event Location & Nearby Stays:

Tickets

USD 0.00

Icon
Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.
The Welcome Table

Host or Publisher The Welcome Table

Ask AI if this event suits you:

Discover More Events in Philadelphia

Ursinus Bears at La Salle Explorers Mens Basketball (Exhibition)
Wed, 29 Oct at 07:30 am Ursinus Bears at La Salle Explorers Mens Basketball (Exhibition)

John E. Glaser Arena

EXHIBITIONS CONTESTS
Wills & Estate Planning Workshop
Wed, 29 Oct at 11:00 am Wills & Estate Planning Workshop

5011 Baltimore Ave

WORKSHOPS CALENDAR
Penn Engineering Commercialization Speaker Series: VC Investment Trends
Wed, 29 Oct at 12:00 pm Penn Engineering Commercialization Speaker Series: VC Investment Trends

Raisler Lounge, 2nd floor (Room 225)

Introduction to Analysis of Public Survey Data
Wed, 29 Oct at 01:30 pm Introduction to Analysis of Public Survey Data

Parkway Central Library (ROOM 407)

HEALTH-WELLNESS WORKSHOPS
Flores de Ofrenda
Wed, 29 Oct at 02:00 pm Flores de Ofrenda

Tu Rinconcito

ART
Outdoor Costume Parade!
Wed, 29 Oct at 03:30 pm Outdoor Costume Parade!

1901 Vine St, Philadelphia, PA, United States, Pennsylvania 19103

PARADES
PrEP & Pour
Wed, 29 Oct at 04:00 pm PrEP & Pour

The Little Gay Pub

Memorization Course (3Books)
Sun, 11 May at 04:00 pm Memorization Course (3Books)

Philadelphia

WORKSHOPS
B.K. Borison signs GOOD SPIRITS on Tuesday October 21st at 1pm - BN Philly
Tue, 21 Oct at 01:00 pm B.K. Borison signs GOOD SPIRITS on Tuesday October 21st at 1pm - BN Philly

Barnes & Noble - Philadelphia

ART LITERARY-ART
Ray Didinger celebrates The Eagles Encyclopedia: Champions on October 21st
Tue, 21 Oct at 06:00 pm Ray Didinger celebrates The Eagles Encyclopedia: Champions on October 21st

Barnes & Noble - Philadelphia

SPORTS ART
The Elements of Marie Curie
Wed, 22 Oct at 06:00 pm The Elements of Marie Curie

Science History Institute

ART LITERARY-ART
Kiran Desai celebrates THE LONELINESS OF SONIA AND SUNNY on 10\/22 at 6pm
Wed, 22 Oct at 06:00 pm Kiran Desai celebrates THE LONELINESS OF SONIA AND SUNNY on 10/22 at 6pm

Barnes & Noble - Philadelphia

ART LITERARY-ART
Books, Bites & Big Fun: An Evening of Ideas, Laughter & Networking
Thu, 23 Oct at 06:00 pm Books, Bites & Big Fun: An Evening of Ideas, Laughter & Networking

Pyramid Club

ART LITERARY-ART
Bonding Through Books
Fri, 24 Oct at 06:00 pm Bonding Through Books

20 S 33rd St

NONPROFIT
Start With You - Philly
Sat, 25 Oct at 02:00 pm Start With You - Philly

3525 I St floor 4

FOOD-DRINKS SHOPPING
The Alley Book Club: BRING OUT YOUR DEAD
Sat, 25 Oct at 04:30 pm The Alley Book Club: BRING OUT YOUR DEAD

124-126 Elfreths Alley, Philadelphia, PA, United States, Pennsylvania 19106

ART LITERARY-ART
PhillyPOP #5 | Silly, Spooky, Scary: 101+ Years of Halloween Music
Sat, 25 Oct at 08:00 pm PhillyPOP #5 | Silly, Spooky, Scary: 101+ Years of Halloween Music

Renata's Kitchen

HALLOWEEN MEETUPS
Pre-Release Author Event w\/ Ava Wilder in conversation with Betty Corrello
Mon, 27 Oct at 06:30 pm Pre-Release Author Event w/ Ava Wilder in conversation with Betty Corrello

Cupid’s Bookshop

ART LITERARY-ART
Book Club: The Namesake
Wed, 29 Oct at 01:00 pm Book Club: The Namesake

St. James School

WORKSHOPS ART

What's Happening Next in Philadelphia?

Discover Philadelphia Events