The Dattas have lived in Bangladesh all their lives. Despite being members of a small Hindu community, they refuse to leave the country. And then, on 6 December 1992, the Babri Masjid at Ayodhya is demolished by a mob of Hindu fundamentalists. The nightmare inevitably arrives at the Dattas' doorstep, and their world begins to fall apart.
A touching story of war, family, innocence, and memory from one of the top Bengali writers of all time. For the first time translated into English. Bangladesh, 1971: the war of independence from Pakistan has torn through peaceful villages and turned life upside down. In the midst of war, one young girl holds on as she discovers the world's unpredictability. During her father's prolonged absence, she reminisces about the essence of her abbu, an esteemed professor, loving community leader, and now unexpected warrior. She is moved by his quiet determination to preserve Bengali language and cultur... continue
“A remarkable debut, in which fiction vividly portrays specific events in history.”—Booklist (starred review) “This powerful and important debut is a story for our time.” —Library Journal (starred review) From an immensely talented new voice in international fiction, a sweeping tour de force that seamlessly interweaves five love stories that, together, chronicle sixty years of Bangladeshi history. Shahryar, a recent PhD graduate and father of nine-year-old Anna, must leave the US when his visa expires. In their last remaining weeks together, we learn Shahryar’s history, in a village on the Ba... continue
"Bangladesh, 2028. A biographer begins to document the life of an enigmatic and controversial political luminary -- Babu, also known a 'Babu Bangladesh'. In unearthing the story of the man who many thought was the leader of his generation, he begins to uncover the story of the nation itself."--Fly leaf