THE BIG BOOK OF ODIA LITERATURE, EDITED BY MANU DASH

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BOOK NAME: THE BIG BOOK OF ODIA LITERATURE 

EDITOR NAME: MANU DASH

GENRE: POETRY, SHORT STORIES

PUBLISHER: PENGUIN INDIA 

BOOK BUY LINK: https://amzn.in/d/gQhsbf6


BOOK COVER IMAGE



BOOK REVIEW

When in Rome, be a Roman. But wherever you are in the world right now, you must read this translated Odia literature. Very well curated and wonderfully edited, this monumental book is a collection of poems, essays, short stories and plays translated from Odia from the fifteenth century to the modern time. The book is a mix of literary fiction, mythology, spirituality, drama, humour and social commentary.


It is divided into 4 sections for ease of reading. Section 1 contains 82 brilliant poems translated from various languages like Odia, Sanskrit, Sambalpuri, Sandha, Santali, Kui, Oraon, Mundari, Kisan, khadia, Sadri, Kondh and Paraja. Section 2 features two interesting plays filled with wit and drama. Section 3 is my favourite featuring 30 short stories from across centuries. Section 4 is a feature of 23 profound and deeply insightful essays. I had no idea Odia literature is so rich and diverse until I found this one.


This book offers something to everyone and serves as an encyclopaedia of Odia literature for literary enthusiasts. The only drawback is that the collection understandably doesn't include many female writers, and so certain works are casually sexist and demeaning. But it's not the case in most stories or poems, which are classically beautiful and inspiring. If you are a writer looking for inspiration or a bibliophile who is fond of collecting books, this must definitely be on your bookshelf. 



MY REVIEW: 4/5

This is a part of Blogchatter’s #TBRchallenge

#penbooksandscalpel

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