BOOK REVIEW: FICTION / Lost in translation, looking for home

25 September 2026 • Books & Literature
I think what stayed with me most about R. F. Kuang’s Taipei Story was not its politics, its questions about diaspora, or even its fascination with a new language.

Literary Curtains / Patriarchy inversed: Reimagining Rokeya’s Ladyland in 2026

“Ladyland is not perfect,” remarks Sultana, one of the protagonists in the much awaited play, “Project Ladyland 2026”. Produced by HerStory Foundation in collaboration with the British Council and Women of the World Foundation, the play was greeted by a full house this weekend. Staged at the Bangladesh Mohila Samiti theatre, the performance made a splash on Friday, August 14.
Event Report / Special Discussion Marks Abul Hasnat’s Birth Anniversary: ‘Nabiner Shahittya: Shwapna O Shwapnabhongo’
19 July 2026
A special literary discussion titled ‘Nabiner Shahittya: Shwapna O Shwapnabhongo’ was held on Friday, July 17, 2026, at 5:00 P.M. on the third floor of Bengal Shilpalay in Dhanmondi, Dhaka. This discussion was organised to commemorate the birth anniversary of distinguished poet, essayist, and literary editor Abul Hasnat. The event brought together prominent writers and editors to discuss the literary pursuits of emerging authors and the pivotal role editors play in nurturing new literary voices.
News Report / Jamir Nazir wins 2026 Commonwealth Short Story Prize following AI review
3 July 2026
Set in rural Trinidad, “The Serpent in the Grove” explores themes of betrayal, survival and the resilience of a woman's will.

Gabriel García Márquez’s unseen novel will be published next year

The novel, which will span around 150 pages, tells the story of a woman named Ana Magdalena Bach, who visits a tropical island to lay flowers on her mother’s grave, and ends up having an affair. 
7 May 2023

Tagore’s 'Shesher Kobita': A timeless exploration of love and freedom

There are times I envy Labanya, sometimes I wish I could be as rebellious and as free-spirited as her; other times I feel empathy for her, it makes me believe and accept myself more as an individual
7 May 2023

“Books need to be highlight to elevate a country to the global level”: Abdullah Abu Sayeed

This is how the gradual exchange of literature and culture takes place.
6 May 2023

The Mandalorian

The Mando, having more pressing matters To protect the kid, no bounty, no task ordained To him. He loves its cooing, its soft forehead, Appealing spell cast by the marveled eyes.
5 May 2023

An odd memory in Dhaka city

The only thing I like about this city is the thought of leaving it. And I was leaving it finally, after one and a half months, my longest stretch of stay in the last three years. Juggling my luggage with one hand and my phone with the other to get Google Maps directions while I balance myself on the rickshaw racing through bumpy Dhaka roads–it is a metaphor that sums up my life in this city.
5 May 2023

So, ChatGPT can write? Ahem!

The correlation between writing and technology is as old as writing, for writing IS technology.  Technological advances such as papyrus, the printing press, the mechanical pencil, the fountain pen, and  the typewriter have complemented writing.
5 May 2023

4 books that explore press freedom

Here are four books that explore the stories of journalists, and the issues surrounding press freedom.
5 May 2023

In conversation with South Asia’s preeminent literary agent, Kanishka Gupta

I always tell the authors to make subjective, qualitative decisions. So many of my authors say no to higher offers from publishing houses if they don’t feel comfortable with the publisher or editor.
4 May 2023

Language can be the ultimate colonial weapon

Despite these heavy themes, Babel remains inherently readable. It is quick to attract the reader’s attention and then hold it captive, making it a very difficult book to put down.
4 May 2023

How you too can nearly, almost, probably become a Jedi Knight

At its core, 'Star Wars' is a classic tale of underdogs taking on a powerful enemy; it's a story of hope and perseverance, of standing up for what's right even when the odds are against you.
3 May 2023

Books exploring workers’ rights in South Asia

In order to understand the background of the labour movements in South Asia or the plight of workers, here are some books to add to your reading list.
2 May 2023

My first foray into fiction with Feluda

Growing up, I never analysed what drew me to the Feluda novels. It is only now that I marvel at how Feluda remained the fiction novel read at leisure by a self-proclaimed Bookworm such as myself for so long in my childhood.
2 May 2023

5 books to read for International Workers’ Day

Concentrating on women workers from Bangladesh, Nepal, India and Pakistan, Women and Work in South Asia also tackles the advancement of individual corporate sectors due to the involvement of women workers.
1 May 2023

Robbers, teachers and graveyards

'In Extreme Need of Guidance', the book being serialised here, captures the first 16 years of Sultana Nahar's life. "The Engineer" is the sixth chapter in the book.
30 April 2023

‘The Hunger Games’ and the danger of desensitisation to violence

In making the Hunger Games unglamorous, Suzanne Collins challenges the audience to reflect on how they view violence in entertainment
30 April 2023

Ranajit Guha was the youngest at heart: Dipesh Chakraborty

"The enthusiasm which Ranajit Guha created in our minds in the field of thinking and writing history for more than a decade has never been replicated in the past nor will it be replicated in the future", Dipesh Chakraborty said.
29 April 2023

Zeenat bookstore closure delayed

New Market’s Zeenat Book Supply Ltd announced today that they will remain open until May 15, 2023
29 April 2023

The birth of Smriti

Inside her womb, my tunneling vision
28 April 2023

One rainy evening

An overcast sky,
28 April 2023

Alternative routes

The book as a whole is a rigorously pursued exercise in the close reading of a fascinating and diverse array of modern texts that aren't quite in the category of the canonical mainstream.
28 April 2023
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