The Quilt and other Stories - Ismat Chughtai

 

Ismat Chughtai is a prominent female figure in Urdu Literature. She is the first muslim woman in India to secure both B.A and B.Ed. degrees. She is better known for her controversial short stories. She fights 4 years in Lahore court in 1944 and wins the case against obscenity, lesbianism  and blasphemy arraigned on her short story- The Quilt. Feminist? I don't think so. Her female characters celebrate womanhood to the tilt. That's all.

A tribute to Ismat Chughtai

The Shah Affair

Ismat Apa Ke Naam is a Hindi play directed by Naseeruddin Shah starring Shah, his wife Ratna Pathak Shah and their daughter Heeba Shah. It's one act one-man show. Each actor enacts one story. Of course, the 3 the stories are that of Ismat Chughtai ! It's been a huge success in India n abroad. Pity Begum Chughtai is not around to enjoy the show.

The Quilt and other Stories

 

First of my Penguin Evergreens. Wonder why Penguin cover designs are so drab n dull. Evergreens are a wee bit better than the normal editions. Any ways... There are 10 short stories including the much disputed The Quilt.  I find Gainda most endearing followed by The Homemaker and Touch-Me-Not. The women in all the stories are quite feminine, strong, heady and passionate. Kudos to Ismat Chughtai. Cheers to Penguin Evergreens. And thanks to M.Asaduddin for translating the stories from Urdu to English.                                                                                                                                                                          

A strange and sublime Address and nine stories - Amit Chaudhari

Amit Chaudhari

A living Bengali writer. Famous and successful at that. I mean, I've read and liked a few Bengali writers like Tagore, Ashapoorna Devi, Ray....... but long after their demise. What do you do with puraskars n praises when you get it posthumously? So, Amit Chaudhari. He was born in Calcutta, brought up in Bombay and did college studies in UK. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and bagged Sahitya Akademi Award and Rabindra Puraskar and......many more important awards n accolades. Yeah, big shot he is. Wait... he can sing too. He is a renowned classical singer n composer. Apani mahana Amit bhai !

The book

   A strange and sublime address  is his first novella, an excellent autobiographical piece and he pockets Betty Trask Award and Commonwealth Writer's Prize for the best first book in 1991. Bravo ! The story is the account of Bombayite Sandeep's holiday visits to Calcutta. It takes you back to all those heavenly days spend in your mother's house during summer holidays ! Nostalgia. Euphoria. That's it. Rest of the nine stories sketches Calcutta of 90's in myriad colors. Actually the book should be renamed as 'Calcutta Tales'. Thanks to Picador omnibus, I enjoyed reading the stories and is eager to read the rest of the 2 novels. ♡

The expatriates celebrate their national festival

ഒന്നാം  ഓണം 

രണ്ടാം  ഓണം

മൂന്നാം  ഓണം

Artemis Fowl - Eoin Colfer

In Greek mythology, Artemis is the Goddess of the Hunt, Forest and the Hills and the Moon. Fowl means any kind of edible bird. Then, who is Artemis Fowl? A 12 year old child prodigy from Ireland, filthy rich, tech savvy, brainy , a devious criminal. Unlike Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, Master Fowl has no magic but is impossibly gutsy and doughty. He operates on his own with his bodyguard- Butler ! I like that. 

This is the first book of the series. The book is categorized as young-adult fantasy novel. But I find it too simple for teens. Junior has read all the books. He says the first is the simplest, rest are truly criminally good. So be it. Let the misadventures continue.....

Newroom Live - Prabhat Shunglu

Hats off to Prabhat Shunglu, the senior journalist, he has a big fat profile to boast off. I'm more impressed with his portfolio than his book. Way to go !

Compiled by the veteran reporter of 20 yrs, Newsroom Live rephrases what makes it live and what makes it ticktock. Most of the truths are bitter to swallow though dipped in humor. The book tickles the ribs, makes the reader blow up with rage and sad too. Good work.

Tara Lane - Shama Futehally

nostalgia

This book is like a rivulet - calm, quiet and graceful. And painfully poetic. It takes you back to your childhood memories and lost paradises. The story is of Tahera, her carefree days at her parent's house, marital conflicts, financial challenges and corruption in the society.

Beautiful.