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Book reviews

From exile to anthem

The feeling a reader is left with while reading a Marinaj poem is best described by the word ‘whisper’ from the title of the book itself - “Teach me how to whisper”.

A miscellany of book reviews

From books on US policies, the Russia-Ukraine War to notorious terrorist bodies operating in India and the trans-national arena, here' a miscellany of book reviews.

Resurrecting forgotten souls

Lahiri’s poetry spans the archives and the arcane to their presence in the present, reclaiming the significance of forgotten relics that assert their relevance in the second millennium.

A poet’s journey through chaos, faith and feminine strength

Navamalati’s eleventh collection of poems, I’d Once Erased Those Margins, is a thought-provoking exploration of the quiet spaces between emotions, a deeply intimate journey that leads readers into the crevices of her mind and consciousness, delving into the poet’s longing for love, friendship and peace.

Glimpses of human sentiments

Ari Gautier’s first novel was The Thinnai (Le Thinnai in the French original), a novel that brings the Franco Indian world of Kurusukuppam, its people and streets. Nocturne Pondicherry takes us back to that world once again

Salma: A Voice of Courage and Protest

I, Salma is not just a book but a celebration of a woman who has become a feminist icon through her lived experiences and her writings against patriarchy. As the title suggests, it is the reiteration of the self, as pitted against the authoritative forces that stand against the freedom, dignity and identity of an individual, particularly if the identity is that of a marginalised person.

An ode to the diverse depth of the poetic mind

When I chanced upon the recently published anthology of Indian English poetry, The Violet Sun, what first struck me was the care with which it had been curated and crafted. Like any publication by the Writers Workshop, this volume was bound in exquisite Indian handloom sari cloth and had the title regally embossed in gold.

Beyond traditional perspectives

This English translation by Seema Jain of renowned poet and president of the Sahitya Akademi, Sri Madhav Kaushik’s long dramatic monologue comprising around 40 pages titled Listen Radhika (original Hindi title Suno Radhika) introduces readers to a unique voice of Lord Krishna as he implores the attention of his beloved, the playful, bewitching Radhika or Radha.

Negotiating land and power

Remaking History is based on the oral accounts of those who witnessed the Police Action, it also draws on written accounts and historical documents to reveal the history of Hyderabad, the Telangana armed struggle, and most importantly, the cultural and political discourses that characterise Hyderabad.