Bøger af Arunabha Sengupta

"The novel is racy and the language is simple. The writer brings to the reader the scents and smells of America. The writer's exuberant prose regarding Aikido made me think of learning it too." The Sunday Tribune. "The novelist deals with great sensitivity with the issues of 9/11, the loss of jobs ... disillusion with the corporate environment. There is a lot of enjoyable humour. The entire book is written in the second person, adding a touch of freshness to the narrative." The Journal of Commonwealth Literature. Sen is an unusual young statistician happy when delving into literature and the esoteric martial art of Aikido, and morose while doing his job of a consultant. Nevertheless, it is his job that lands him in Manhattan twice on business assignments, once on each side of 9/11. The story revolves around his undying passion for Aikido and semi-romantic relationship with the beautiful Allison set against a backdrop of issues and incidents that changed the course of history during a tumultuous three-year period punctuated by the World Trade Center mayhem and its far-reaching ripples. Seen through the eyes of a cynic and recounted with unconventional humour, it provides snapshots of all aspects of life - covering segments as diverse as outsourcing and martial arts, war and philosophy, international economics and corporate politics, chasm and similarities between the East and West, human emotions, love, truth, deceit and numerous other issues that define the chancy, unpredictable modern world. The novel deals with topics of weight and importance with an irreverence that is almost mocking, while dissecting the society and laying it bare, tipping more than its share of sacred cows ...

The Oval, 1882. WG Grace, the great champion of England cricket, and Fred 'The Demon' Spofforth, that diabolical Australian bowler, are locked in a titanic tussle as England and Australia play out a thriller of a match. That was the day when giants clashed, sparks flew and it resulted in the lore of The Ashes. We know all about that. But, it has seldom been revealed that in the pavilion on that famous August day sat Sherlock Holmes, his services recruited by Charles W Alcock, Secretary of the Surrey County Cricket Club. After a century and a third thereof, the facts of the matter have finally been made public; Dr John Watson's account of the sensational events have at long last seen the light of the day. We are taken on a journey of knuckle-cracking, nail-biting cricket action along with suspense, tension, villainy and death, and the Birth of the Ashes. In this intricate tale of mystery and cricket, much of the described action and dialogues are scrupulously accurate and did take place at The Oval on that day. The narrative also remains faithful to the timeline, personal characteristics and idiosyncrasies of the Holmes canon. A gourmet treat for the lovers of Sherlock Holmes, mystery stories, as well as a delight for the cricket fans. Testimonials Stephen Chalke: "The whole idea of the book is a delight, and Sengupta has gone about the writing of it with great playfulness which appealed to me very much. He has also mastered the language of a Holmes story and the period detail, not to mention all the cricketing history. I am most impressed." David Frith: "I found it richly entertaining. I was on full alert throughout for historical inaccuracies - not necessarily expecting them, though the author's undertaking was fraught with risk. It rang true throughout. The fidelity to personality (such as we know it) was so pleasing. He knows his stuff."

India's first Test series win in England in 1971 was epic and magical, with a resonance far beyond the scorecards. The cricket was riveting, with twists and turns right up to the last ball, and the excitement was garnished by a baby elephant parading the outfield of The Oval on the final day. The victory had immense significance for a country that had gained independence from Britain less than 25 years earlier and was tottering on the brink of a history-defining war. In the background were the British illusions of moral and cultural superiority even as decolonisation went through its final phase. The Indians often accepted these illusions as they struggled for the most basic necessities of life, battling against poverty, malnutrition and illiteracy. Thus, the victory provided a major equaliser for the national psyche. Elephant in the Stadium examines the many reasons for the myth and magic that still surround the triumph, including the complex historical relationship between Britain and India.