Henry Kissinger is infamous in Bangladesh for allegedly terming the newly-independent country a “bottomless basket”, but this statement appears to be the least of his crimes against the people of Bangladesh.

Whereabouts (Penguin India, 2021) is Jhumpa Lahiri’s third novel, published originally as Dove mi trovo (2018) in Italian and translated to English by the author herself, as she did with her work of nonfiction, In Other Words (2015).

Journalist Mohammad Al-Masum Molla, one of The Daily Star’s lead reporters of environmental, political, and human rights issues, sees the launch of his new book, Bhasan Char: Bastion in the Bay (Agamee Prokashoni, 2021), on August 25. 

South Asia Speaks, a literary mentorship programme for early career writers in South Asia, will open applications starting September 1 and closing on September 30, 2021.

Mohammad Nazim Uddin’s fictional offering ultimately hovers somewhere between pulp fiction and feminist commentary, but it fails to satisfy readers on either count.

Star Books Report

Goethe-Institut Bangladesh, in collaboration with Dhaka Lit Fest, North South University, and University of Liberal Arts, Bangladesh, are hosting a series of author talks and readings from August to November 2021, with the aim of bringing German literature to Bangladeshi readers. 

Won-Pyung Sohn’s Almond (HarperVia, 2021), translated to English by Sandy Josun Lee, is a mesmerizing novel that captures the heart of a reader indelibly. Fifteen-year-old Yunjae cannot feel emotions due to alexithymia and is deemed a monster by others. Feelings such as love and empathy are mere words to him. At the age of six he sees a child gang-beaten to death by other children. More than a decade later, he watches a man stab his grandmother and hammer his mother into a comatose state, without batting an eyelid. At school he is tormented and at home, he becomes aware of an ever-growing void due to the absence of a loving family, but nothing can penetrate his heart. His lonely days pass in nonchalance until one day an unusual request from a stranger ends up connecting him with another ‘monster’ named Gon. 

With this list, we bring to attention the books recently released which deal with the politics and loss associated with this defining moment in history, in the form of both fiction and nonfiction. 

Empathy, the Wikipedia entry on the word tells us, includes “caring for other people and having a desire to help them; experiencing emotions that match another person’s emotions; discerning what another person is thinking or feeling; and making less distinct the differences between the self and the other.

The women in Selina Hossain’s books are strong, because the author herself likes to be inspired by the reality around her.

Young adult (YA) literature can be great sources of comfort, but they also bring their fresh and unique perspectives on issues concerning identity, love, and friendship, themes that are universal and pertinent to all age-groups. Be it a sweet romance, or a gripping suspense, these stories cover it all. 

The book is a complete treatise on the development of the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).

Famed poet Helal Hafiz's physical condition has deteriorated. He has not been able to eat for the last two weeks.

Shengdey awoke suddenly on a bed with an old man sitting beside him. “Are you okay, my child?” He asked, idly stirring a boiling pot of tea.

Darkness on a piece of paper Black soaks the white

They took away my land, I said: Thank you for building the railroad.

Two flats facing each other He’s on the stairs, she’s at the door

The nation is observing the 80th death anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore today recalling the great poet who did not leave any human emotion untouched in his works, especially poems and songs.

Create some space in your bookshelf for these.