Launch Of A New Book In Indian Metropolis

Launched in Calcutta, Memory's Gold is a book of variety in expressions to fascinate all who are attracted to the littlest nook and cranny of the City of Joy.

From Rudyard Kipling and Mark Twain to Jawaharlal Nehru, Gunter Grass and V. S. Naipaul, Calcutta has provoked extreme reactions from anyone who has happened to encounter it. Despite of all doomsday predictions of its being a "dying city", it throbs with life and vitality all its own, drawing people from all walks of life to engage with it. An extraordinary anthology of literary works, Memory's Gold: writings on Calcutta, brings together a rich treasure trove of essays, short stories, works of poetry and memoirs of people who have happened to have shared an ardent connection with the city. This sumptuous collection, a delight to every reader interested in getting to the core of culture and places, have been edited and meticulously put together by Amit Chaudhuri, one of India's foremost novelists and writers. Almost all aspects of life in the City of Joy are deftly addressed in this book. While the artistic letters of Michael Madhushudan Dutt talks about Calcutta's amazing literary acumen, Nirad Chaudhuri's account introduces us to the "natives" and mansions of the city. Bibhutibhisan Bandyopadhyay's lifelike portrayal of an occupation typical to the place offers a striking contrast to Utpalkumar's Basu's surreal take on office culture in the city. Fervent, passionate and nostalgic, the attractive chronicles of Buddhadeb Bose, Sunil Gangopadhyay, Shakti Chattopadhyay and Jug Suraiya, among others, bring the perspectives of the city, bubbling with variety, to the fore. All these writings celebrates Calcutta with as much enthusiasm with which it is often despaired. The book has been released on the evening of December 13th, '08, Saturday, by eminent author Sunil Gangopadhyay. The launch was followed by readings and discussions with contributors to the anthology. Hosted by Penguin Books India and Oxford Bookstore Calcutta.