An Illustrated History of Indian Literature in English

Covers two hundred years from 1800 to 2000 of Indian literature writing; with biographical information. This book is an illustrated history of two hundred years of Indian literature in English. It starts by looking at the introduction of English into India's complex language scenario around 1800. It then takes up the canonical poets, novelists, and dramatists, as well as unjustly forgotten figures, who have made significant contributions to Indian literature in English. It comprises twenty-four chapters, written by India's foremost scholars and critics. Each chapter is devoted either to a single author (Kipling, Tagore, Sri Aurobindo, R.K. Narayan), or to a group of authors (the Dutt family; diasporic writers), or to a genre (the novel; poetry; drama). This is a book for the non-specialist general reader. Biographical information on major literary figures is provided, and in most cases their work is historically contextualized. A unique feature of the book is the illustrations. They range from rare photographs and drawings to comic books and popular prints, and have been collected especially for this volume, making it the first illustrated history of any of the Indian literatures. William Jones and Thomas Macaulay, Henry Derozio and Toru Dutt, Bankim and Tagore, Kipling and Naipaul, G.V. Desani and Raja Rao, R.K. Narayan and Nirad C. Chaudhuri, Sarojini Naidu and Anita Desai, Gandhi and Nehru, Mulk Raj Anand and Aubrey Menen, Verrier Elwin and Salim Ali, jim Corbett and M. Krishnan, Nissim Ezekiel and A.K. Ramanujan, Salman Rushdie and Vikram Seth, Gieve Patel and Girish Karnad, social reformers and religious thinkers, conservationists and hunters, Presidency College and St Stephen's College, drama and translation, this volume covers everything of literary significance that has happened in India. For anyone interested in the story of English in India, or in the finest English storytellers of India, this is the essential companion.

From Ram Mohan Ray to Arundhati Roy, two hundred years of Indian literature in English are covered in this volume, essential for anyone interested in this increasingly important literary tradition. Spanning a period from 1800 to the present, this collection of historical essays covers the canonical Indian poets, novelists, and dramatists writing in English -- names like Rudyard Kipling, Rabrindanath Tagore, R.K. Narayan, and Salman Rushdie -- as well as lesser-known literary figures -- scientists, social reformers, anthropologists -- who have made significant contributions to the evolution of Indian literature in English. The essays in this volume are arranged chronologically and are devoted to a single author, a group of authors, or to a genre. The book includes 150 rare and interesting photographs and sketches of writers and their contexts.

Columbia University Press

Annotation This volume surveys 200 years of Indian literature in English. Written by Indian scholars and critics, many of the 24 contributions examine the work of individual authors, such as Rabindranath Tagore, R.K. Narayan, and Salman Rushdie. Others consider a particular genre, such as post-independence poetry or drama. The volume is illustrated with b&w photographs of writers along with drawings and popular prints. Annotation (c)2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)