Delicious descriptions from Down Under: Jahnavi Barua on reading

In my recent review of Jahnavi Barua's Rebirth I quoted the following line: "No, I will not buy a book today. I will try and live in my life instead". I really wanted, though, to quote the entire preceding paragraph, but it didn't really suit the direction of my review. And so, instead, I'm posting … Continue reading Delicious descriptions from Down Under: Jahnavi Barua on reading

Jahnavi Barua, Rebirth (Review for the Shadow Man Asian Literary Prize, 2011)

What a shame Jahnavi Barua's novel, Rebirth, is, to the best of my knowledge, available "for sale in the Indian Subcontinent only" (backcover). Our Shadow Man Asian team had real problems tracking this one down, but I'm very glad we did manage to obtain some copies, eventually, because this is a beautiful book. The title, … Continue reading Jahnavi Barua, Rebirth (Review for the Shadow Man Asian Literary Prize, 2011)

Shadow Man Asian Literary Prize 2011: Reviews from the week January 1-7

Week 8 of our Shadow Man Asian Literary Prize 2011 longlist reviewing project and we now have only a few days to the shortlist announcement on January 10. This week's reviews are: Tahmima Anam's The good Muslim (Bangladesh) by Fay of Read, Ramble. She says "it is beautifully structured, the story well told, the characters alive" … Continue reading Shadow Man Asian Literary Prize 2011: Reviews from the week January 1-7

Shadow Man Asian Literary Prize 2011: Reviews from the week December 26-31

Week 7 of our Shadow Man Asian Literary Prize 2011 longlist reviewing project and we're moving along with less than two weeks now to the shortlist announcement. This week's reviews are: Jahnavi Barua's Rebirth (India) by Fay of Read, Ramble who thinks it has some interesting things to say about women's lives in contemporary India … Continue reading Shadow Man Asian Literary Prize 2011: Reviews from the week December 26-31