Book Summary and Reviews of The Other Language by Francesca Marciano

Book Summary

Hailed by The New York Times as "a natural-born storyteller," the acclaimed author of Rules of the Wild gives us nine incandescently smart stories, funny, elegant, and poignant by turns, that explore the power of change - in relationships, in geographies, and across cultures - to reveal unexpected aspects of ourselves.

Taking us to Venice during film festival season, where a woman buys a Chanel dress she can barely afford; to a sun-drenched Greek village at the height of the summer holidays, where a teenager encounters the shocks of first love; and to a classical dance community in southern India, where a couple gives in to the urge to wander, these remarkable tales bring to life characters stepping outside their boundaries into new passions and destinies. Enlivened by Francesca Marciano's wit, clear eye, and stunning evocations of people and places, The Other Language is an enthralling tour de force rich with many pleasures.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. How does the very first, and title, story of the collection explore the chasms and common ground that can be found between different cultures through language? Consider Emma's observation of how her brother Luca and Nadia relate—"They no longer needed a common language to get along"—and her own almost magical, unconscious assimilation of English (11). What happens to people when they are forced to speak a language not their own—do they stay the same or become someone else?
2. In "The Other Language," the three siblings who lose their mother at a very young age assume that "death must be an impolite subject to bring up in conversation, a disgrace to be hidden, to be put behind" (7). How does this belief affect Emma...