The Greatest Bengali Stories Ever Told

The Bengalis are the third largest ethno-linguistic group in the world, after the Han Chinese and the Arabs. A quarter of a billion strong and growing, the community has produced three Nobel laureates, world-class scientists, legendary political leaders, iconic movie stars and directors and an unending stream of writers, philosophers, painters, poets and musicians of the first rank. But, bald facts aside, just who are the Bengalis? What is the community all about? In order to find the answers, the author delves deep into the culture, literature, history and social mores of the Bengalis.

Sunil Gangopadhyay is an icon of contemporary Bengali writing. Poet and author of over 200 books, he is currently the President of the Sahitya Akademi. His works have been the basis of several Satyajit Ray films like Aranyer Dinratri and Pratidwandi. His work of historical fiction, Sei Somoy, won the Indian Sahitya Akademi award in 1985, and continues to be a best-seller after 25 years. He is also the winner of the Bankim Puraskar (1982) and the Ananda Puraskar (twice, in 1972 and 1989).

Detective fiction has never lacked devoted fans. The undying popularity of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot vouch for that fact. In the early thirties, a detective by the name of Byomkesh Bakshi made an unobtrusive entry into the world of Bengali fiction. He preferred calling himself a satyanneshi, a seeker of truth, and within days was a household name, courtesy his cerebral skills and the exciting situations he found himself in. In the tradition of Doyle and Christie, Byomkesh is accompanied on his adventures by his friend, Ajit, slightly obtuse and the perfect foil to him.

Urdu bhaasha ke prakhyaat kahaaneekaar Saaadat hasan Manto vishv katha sahitya kaa ek aisa naam hai, jisase sahitya kee samajh aur prem rakhne vaala pratyek paathak parichit hai. Manto ne apane jeevan kaal mein samaaj kee jis gandagee aur ghinaunepan kaa anubhav kiya tatha jindagee ke jahar ko mahasoos kiya, use hee apnee kahaaniyon mein utaara. Manto kee kahaaniyaan ek arth mein manovaigyaanik sansanee paida karne vaalee kahaaniyaan hain. 

Satyajit Ray is well known for his contributions to Indian literature. His short stories often explore the macabre and the supernatural and are often marked by keen characterization. This collection brings together Ray’s best short stories - including such timeless gems as ‘Professor Hijibijbi’, ‘Ratan Babu aur Veh Admi’ and ‘Bhakt’. A collection of 12 short stories.

Night Train at Deoli is a collection of stories, most of which are set in the valleys of Uttarakhand, a place where the author himself grew up. The stories revolve around the lives of simple folk who live a serene life away from the hustle bustle of cities. These simple and heartwarming stories are sure to hit a chord and bring smiles to the faces of listeners.

In Revolution Twenty20, Chetan Bhagat explores the lives of three close friends from Varanasi, set against the backdrop of India's corrupt political system. Gopal and Raghav are the best of friends. Although they hail from completely different family backgrounds, they share a common passion for success and realizing their dreams in life. Gopal's family has been caught up in a never-ending property dispute, and he aspires to come out of the mess and amass a lot of wealth, Raghav, on the other hand, desires to bring about a revolution in the system and do something significant for society.

A Suitable Boy is Vikram Seth's epic love story set in India. Funny and tragic, with engaging, brilliantly observed characters, it is as close as you can get to Dickens for the twentieth century. The story unfolds through four middle class families: the Mehras, Kappoors, Khans, and Chatterjis. Lata Mehra, a university student, is under pressure from her mother to get married. But not to just anyone she happens to fall in love with.

Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore needs no introduction. Poet, author, artist, playwright, musician, philosopher, Nobel laureate, and above all, an Indian. He created so much of what it means to be an Indian today: our national anthem, Santiniketan, Rabindra Sangeet, stories of several Satyajit Ray films.The spiritual and emotional beauty of his elegant prose and magical poetry was beautifully captured in his stunningly beautiful short stories.

Suffused with warmth and passion, the stories in Falling in Love Again showcase the myriad variations of romantic love - fleeting, intimate, joyous, heartbreaking. Featuring classic stories by Ruskin Bond, such as 'The Eyes Have It' and 'The Girl from Copenhagen', this stirring collection captures the range of feelings that are indubitably part of the infinite spectrum of love.

In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women - mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends - view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don't.

Is it possible to write a sidesplitting novel about the breakup of the perfect marriage? If the writer is Nora Ephron, the answer is a resounding yes. For in this inspired confection of adultery, revenge, group therapy, and pot roast, the creator of Sleepless in Seattle reminds us that comedy depends on anguish as surely as a proper gravy depends on flour and butter.

Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She's even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. Jess and Jason, she calls them. Their life - as she sees it - is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy. And then she sees something shocking. It's only a minute until the train moves on, but it's enough. Now everything's changed.

A collection of highly imaginative short pieces that speak to our times with deadly accuracy. Vintage Atwood creativity, intelligence, and humor: think Alias Grace. Margaret Atwood turns to short fiction for the first time since her 2006 collection, Moral Disorder, with nine tales of acute psychological insight and turbulent relationships bringing to mind her award-winning 1996 novel, Alias Grace.

An incident near the desolate Chhinnamasta temple on the rocky riverbank of Rajrappa leads to the death of Mahesh Chowdhury, the head of a Hazaribagh family. Adding to the mystery are a set of coded diaries, a valuable stamp collection that is missing, and a tiger that is roaming the streets of Hazaribagh. One of Feluda’s most intriguing adventures, this shows the master sleuth at his best.