“So much darkness”: Looking for the Light in Bitan Chakraborty’s The Mark, by Indrajit Bose

Book Reviews Indrajit Bose The author at the Zakir Hussain Delhi College during the Bengali Literary Festival 2018 / Photo courtesy of bitanchakraborty.com Simplicity and quiet elegance never fail to impress us. The effect of a good short story often is like a fugue or an adagio in a musical composition, creating impressions fugitifs, in the best manner of the impressionists, sketching in a mood or elaborating on a motif or theme. Bitan Chakraborty’s The Mark (Shambhabi Imprint, 2020) is unquestionably a collection of short stories revolving around the everyday lives of ordinary characters that leaves an impression of serious engagement with the contemporary Indian milieu and is also aesthetically pleasing. Chakraborty is already an established author of the novel; his foray into the short story adds a further dimension to his existing repertoire. A writer must “convincingly create an illusory world if he is to captivate his readers,” Chakraborty has said, and he appears to have lived up to his aesthetic or writerly principles in The Mark. Peripheral and marginal lives lived by characters grappling with the challenging socioeconomic realities of our times, mediated with narratorial control and poise—these are what make the stories in The Mark a testament to the craft of a storyteller and short fiction writer par excellence. The stories in the collection revolve around everyday life and broad human themes—the despair and... Continue reading at 'World Literature Today'

[ World Literature Today | 2020-04-21 13:18:37 UTC ]
News tagged with: #short stories #literary festival

Other Publishing stories related to: '“So much darkness”: Looking for the Light in Bitan Chakraborty’s The Mark, by Indrajit Bose'


Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg summonsed after no-show

Zuckerberg and Sandberg will be required to come before Canada's Parliament should they venture to into the country. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2019-05-29 06:41:19 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #mark zuckerberg


BookExpo 2019: Amazon Publishing Marks Its First 10 Years

Almost exactly 10 years ago, in May 2009, Amazon expanded from selling books to publishing them as well with the launch of Amazon Encore, a publishing program for promising self-published books and out-of-print works from major houses. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-05-29 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishing program #selling books #amazon encore #major houses


Northern Lights launched to unite Scottish and Northern publishers

Bradford Literature Festival and Edinburgh Book Festival have joined forces to launch a new collaboration to unite publishers from Scotland and the North of England. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-05-27 18:45:49 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #joined forces


Little Free Library Marks a Decade of Book Sharing

It has been a year of joy mixed with sorrow for Little Free Library, but the Wisconsin nonprofit just keeps growing. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-05-24 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book sharing


Mark Zuckerberg brushes off 'break up' during Facebook safety check

Facebook issued its latest report on enforcing decency standards on the social network Thursday, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg took the opportunity to criticize calls for the company to be broken up by regulators. In its "Community Standards Enforcement Report" posted online, Facebook provided... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2019-05-23 19:54:32 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #artificial intelligence #silver bullet


Holt Will Publish Mantel's 'The Mirror & the Light' Next March

Henry Holt will publish 'The Mirror & the Light,' the final book in Hilary Mantel’s bestselling and prize-winning series about Thomas Cromwell, on March 10, 2020. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-05-22 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #henry holt #final book #hilary mantel #thomas cromwell


Mark Saunders, UVA Press Director, Dies of Heart Attack

Mark Harril Saunders, director of the University of Virginia Press since 2013, died suddenly of a heart attack at his home over the weekend. He was 52. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-05-21 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #heart attack #died suddenly


Coronet buys 'dark and funny' debut from Fielding

Coronet has landed the “compassionate, dark and funny” debut novel from Kit Fielding, an author of gypsy descent, telling the stories of six marginalised women. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-05-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #funny debut


Trade marks Mental Health Awareness Week

Publishers and booksellers are marking Mental Health Awareness Week by holding morning mindfulness sessions, sharing advice from their authors and hosting talks on wellbeing. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-05-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Ones to Watch: Illustration trio Collins, Davies and Low make their mark alongside author duo

Little Tiger UK's brand director Lauren Ace picks five Welsh creatives to watch out for. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-05-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


If you read one Mark Zuckerberg takedown today, read this one

Facebook cofounder Chris Hughes has harsh words about Facebook and its founder. Thursday morning, the New York Times published an op-ed by Facebook cofounder Chris Hughes that pulled no punches. Hughes’s message was right there in the headline: “It’s time to break up Facebook.”Read Full Story Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2019-05-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #harsh words #thursday morning


HarperCollins marks 'biggest ever' retail showcase with Slater, Baddiel and Chevalier

HarperCollins welcomed 240 people to its “biggest ever” ‘Big Book’ event aimed at retailers, featuring authors such as David Baddiel, Tracy Chevalier and Nigel Slater. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-05-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #david baddiel #tracy chevalier #nigel slater #harpercollins marks #big book #event aimed #featuring authors


Making their Mark: Triple celebration in store as Hamilton comic book shop turns 30

There's a lot of work - and a lot of fun - involved in the business of selling comics, Chris Lander tells Mike Mather. Continue reading at Stuff

[ Stuff | 2019-05-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


MariNaomi Shines a Light on Diverse Cartoonists

In 2014 cartoonist MariNaomi launched, and continues to maintain, the Cartoonists of Color database and the Queer Cartoonists database, two DIY online resources on diversity that offer contact information on a total of more than 2,000 cartoonists. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-04-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


European Union Copyright Directive Gets Final Green Light

Many of he continent's book business leaders hail council approval of the European Union's hard-fought copyright measure in Brussels today. The post European Union Copyright Directive Gets Final Green Light appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-04-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #european union


IBPA University 2019 Receives High Marks

The Independent Book Publishers Association lived up to its motto of “helping each other achieve and succeed” during this year’s IBPA University. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-04-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ibpa university


Batsford exhibition marks publisher's 175-year history

An exhibition charting the 175-year history of art book publisher Batsford will be held at Holborn Library. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-04-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Virago marks Bueno publication with walk for miscarriage charity

Little, Brown staff and other Hachette imprints will take part in a 9km charity walk marking Virago’s publication of Julia Bueno’s book on miscarriage. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-04-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


5 Writing Tips: Mark Bowden

Mark Bowden, author of 13 books, including "Black Hawk Down" and the riveting new true crime book "The Last Stone," shares some writing tips, including "scenes are gold." Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-03-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #black hawk #writing tips


Amazon introduces its latest Kindle, the first version under $100 with a front light

Amazon unveiled the latest model of its popular Kindle e-reader Wednesday, the first version of the device with a front light that costs less than $100. The new Kindle, priced at $89.99, is one-third of an inch thick and weighs 6 ounces, making it easy to use with one hand, Amazon said. But the... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2019-03-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #latest kindle #amazon unveiled #latest model