Dear Reader: A Writer’s Memoir
Sankar Translated by Arunava Sinha
HarperCollins
Pp320, Rs 499
When his first novel Kato Ajanare (The Great Unknown) came out, writer Sankar was dismissed by his peers as a one-book writer. But he persevered to produce a rich body of work that includes bestsellers like Chowringhee, Jana Aranya and Seemabaddha. In his new book, Dear Reader, originally published as Eka Eka Ekashi in Bengali, he reflects on his life. Eka Eka Ekashi has been superbly translated into English by Arunava Sinha
The Garden of Tales
Vijaydan Detha Translated by Vishes Kothari
HarperCollins
Pp368, Rs 499
Among the most prominent Rajasthani writers, Vijaydan Detha is known for drawing readers into the complex yet quirky world of Rajasthan. His writings are about both rich and poor, saint and sinner, along with gods, goddesses, ghosts, trees, animals, rain and wind. And amid all this, he explores the basic human emotions of love, desire, innocence, greed and deceit. The Garden of Tales is a selection of Detha’s work, translated by Vishes Kothari.
Oblivion and Other Stories
Gopinath Mohanty Translated by Sudeshna Mohanty
Penguin
Pp288, Rs 499
Oblivion and Other Stories is a collection of 20 short stories written by Padma Bhushan awardee writer Gopinath Mohanty, the doyen of Odia literature. Set in the 20th century with marginalisation as the running thread, this anthology talks about the forgotten others — poor, tribals, disenfranchised and dispossessed. Originally written in Odia, it has been translated into English by Sudeshna Mohanty.
The Indian Metropolis
Feroze Varun Gandhi
Rupa Publications
Pp840, Rs 1,500
India’s cities face many challenges, from a lack of basic amenities to concerns over liveability and law and order. In a bid to ape Western models the cities have also lost their character and soul. Climate change is another reality. In a bid to begin a conversation on these issues is MP and writer Feroze Varun Gandhi’s latest The Indian Metropolis, which suggests ways to turn our cities around to to enhance the lives of the average city dwellers.
Cursed Bunny
Bora Chung Translated by Anton Hur
Hachette
Pp256, Rs 599
A genre-defying collection of short stories is Cursed Bunny, by Korean author Bora Chung. The lines between horror, realism and science-fiction blur here as the writer delves into the horrors of patriarchy cruelties and capitalism in modern society. The book has been skillfully translated by Anton Hur. Cursed Bunny is the winner of a PEN/Heim Grant and shortlisted for the 2022 Booker International Prize.
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