” And this reminds me of a quote attributed to Toni Morrison which goes something like “If there is a book you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it”.
When you are fighting for livelihood and life, the language and idioms acceptable are those used by power structures and governments.
Manu Dash is a bilingual poet, editor, translator, publisher and director of the Odisha Art & Literature Festival. An author of almost thirty books, Dash joined the Anam Writers Movement—an anti-establishment movement in Odia literature—shortly before the imposition of Emergency in India in 1975. He is the founder of Dhauli Books, which won the prestigious Publishing Next Industry Award for the Best Printed Book of the Year (Indian Languages) in 2018.
” In an era when gadgets and media are conspiring to shorten the attention spans of readers, turning human beings into cyborgs, or even worse- living, breathing AI models, I see the act of sitting in your favorite spot with your favorite beverage and sinking into your book as an act of silent rebellion. “
Rohan Monteiro’s Shadows Rising brings to life an unlikely hero-irreverent, witty and foul-mouthed-who seems to not have a care in the world. Until someone crosses a line. it is an exciting, fresh and unique take on timeless Indian myths told from the POV of a protagonist who might just be a lot more involved in the epics than he cares to admit.
But nowadays we are more aware of racism and other forms of bigotry, which fed all kinds of oppression and subjugation of peoples in the past.
This is a very great liberation for the suffering, struggling person, who always thinks that he is alone. This is why art is important.
Bodhini Samaratunga is an accomplished emerging writer from Sri Lanka who is now based in Sweden. Her writing is firmly centred on social change, powered by her extensive experience as a medical professional working with marginalised populations. Bodhini is a strong advocate for purposeful writing, asserting that it transcends mere leisure.
Beneath Divided Skies deals with the lives of the migrants, concentrating on the women and chronicling their journeys–painful and inspiring–as they were. The Rescue and Restoration Act was repealed in 1957, and for almost a decade, the people who carried out the act brought back hostages, at times unwilling ones, across the borders.
” I would say when you write regularly and read widely, you slowly develop your voice.” Says Vikas Prakash Joshi.
All my works of fiction, in my perspective, involve a dialogue with my readers as well as with the Creator. As a postmodern writer, I intentionally avoid creating closed texts.
The Galle Literary Festival just concluded with a bang! And the literary excitement that ignited late last year won’t slow down as the Ceylon Literary Festival is around the corner! And Asian […]
It was in the heart of winter, in 2020. I was writing an essay for my German language class, in which I had to describe my home country, when the words slipped out of me: ewiger Sommer meiner Heimat. Eternal Summer of My Homeland reflects not only the context in which I was writing the book, but also the themes interwoven in the work.
The title aligns with the literary tradition of naming a book after its main character, you know, like ‘Harry Potter,’ when the narrative revolves around them. ‘Teacher Narit’ is one of those stories where the plot’s rhythm hinges on Narit – his experiences, struggles, and personal growth. To me, Narit is more than just a character.
I wove a lot of my stories from memory. Years ago, I ditched the practice of carrying a notebook to record insights in life’s other settings. I intended to turn my subconscious and unconscious mind into a trustworthy and bottomless repository of my original thoughts and insights. I practised my intuitive perception. It took me five and a half years to write the novel.
My affinity and love for ‘seeing’, whether it be art, built and natural environments has, in many ways, directed my vocational journey and also connected me to the various cultures and communities I have entered.
Taking the high moral ground, I wanted to write stories that showed up these awful women and suitably ‘punished’ them.
Asha Relapanawa is a Sri Lankan writer and won the “Kawitha” award for best fiction in 2013 for her debut novel SalapathanaMandiya. KAWITHA TALENT Awards Ceremony 2013 . Her 3rd Novel was nominated for the Godage Awards for best youth fiction in 2019.
“Dennis Mombauer lives in Colombo, Sri Lanka, where he works as Director: Research & Knowledge Management at SLYCAN Trust, a non-profit think tank focused on climate change. He is also a writer […]
By Susanna Brail It is a recurrent reality that when war hits a nation, the soldiers brush their rusted barrels and walk to the front line, the authors dip their pens in […]
The Asian Review 