THE book is a voluminous work on the late politician, lawyer, journalist and litterateur Abul Mansur Ahmad who has left behind a rich legacy of literary works for the present day readers to read and draw on.

A600 page engaging novel may badly wear you out, but the marks it leaves in your mind are profound enough to take all the pains of reading it.

“We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.” — Anaïs Nin

Dinesen nearly thirty years ago. Like nothing I'd ever read before, it was poised somewhere between Andersen's tales and the 1001 Nights, but with a storytelling panache entirely unique to the author.

TRANSLATION is a risky job, but somebody has to do it. After all, a translator runs the risk of being lost in the act of crossing the language or cultural barrier.

EXPERTS in an authoritative book explores many aspects of the bureaucracy and offers food for thoughts to address the crisis in the administration.

The author had the rare opportunity of closely observing the techniques and strategies of governance being a personal secretary to former President Hussain Muhammad Ershad and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

A sweeping saga spanning four generations weaves itself through the bustling, pell-mell metropolis that is Calcutta and its antipode - a calm orderly small-town in Rhode Island, USA.

One is a much desired alcoholic consumer item the world has ever known while the other is a mode of armed conflict between countries.

For the ultimate intrepid global traveller, there is Timbuctoo and there is Tibet.

In order to exist, man must rebel, but rebellion must respect the limits that it discovers in itself - limits where minds meet, and in meeting, begin to exist. (Albert Camus)

Most people, including his close associates, don't see Syed Mujtaba Ali as a rebel. He had all the traits of a regular guy: a family, love for his siblings, dedication to parents, and commitment to one's roots.

Rahman, a young man on the doorstep of thirty, falls to the ground as the knife plunges deep into his back; piercing his muscles to almost reach his heart but, missing it by a hair's breadth hits his ribs.

Golden diseases are born in blood, Then they grow, flesh out as ghastly sores. See, the nation bears incurable diseases today, Bigoted demons are after-life businessmen, Phthisis, severity of diseases gradually burgeoning.

A grimace envisaged—his medieval shawm as pulsates: on the way being sharks' dinner, to know half is more perilous than not knowing at all; there sits the poet, crosslegged. He smirks. And trillions of illustrations on their trapeze of words, swing in the brain-stomach.

LYING on the Couch is a story that opens up like the unfolding petals of a blooming flower.

THIS novel, published in 1979 in France, by Czech writer Milan Kundera explores the basic human nature of how people tolerate the torture and suffering of which they have no control. People tend to forget their past and we learn nothing from history. This novel even alludes to our Liberation War in 1971 and the torture unleashed by the Pakistani junta.

Mossad or “the institute” – if translated literally, is that formidable Israeli Secret Service which needs no introduction. And this is the first time that 21 of its greatest missions have found their way to the public domain.

Who was this champion whose bodiless head lay sprawling on the sand; whose body had been pierced by hundreds of holes because of the very sharp arrows that had penetrated it, but the hero whose back showed not even one wound, whose chest showed that he had taken all assaults frontally, who could this brave champion be? His protective garment, waistband, spear, skin, steed, battle dress, equipment—all signified his heroic status, and yet he was so young—how well-built was this youth! Alas! Alas! Could you be Abdul Wahab?

QTN: I feel like as I progress with writing a story, I lose the pace and the interest. As a result, the conclusion of my story/article seems rash and out of place. Do you have any suggestions on how I can control this?