Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913 "because of his profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse, by which, with consummate skill, he has made his poetic thought, expressed in his own English words, a part of the literature of the West."
Tagore modernised Bengali art by spurning rigid classical forms and resisting linguistic strictures. His novels, stories, songs, dance-dramas, and essays spoke to topics political and personal. Gitanjali (Song Offerings), Gora (Fair-Faced), and Ghare-Baire (The Home and the World) are his best-known works, and his verse, short stories, and novels were acclaimed—or panned—for their lyricism, colloquialism, naturalism, and unnatural contemplation. His compositions were chosen by two nations as national anthems: India's Jana Gana Mana and Bangladesh's Amar Shonar Bangla.
My edition was from Bangladesh and the blurb said it was in simplified English and served as a good introduction to Tagore. Not to me. I just couldn't relate to the stories. They all had an emotional hook, but it didn't work on me because the subjects (eg. a maid who wanted desperately to go with the master she had served like a slave when he failed to get promotion and was going 'home') and culture were so different and unknown to me. Men treating women as ciphers and only really dealing with men, sons being like little princes, I would need far more background than a short story in simplified English to really get into these.
It hasn't put me of reading Tagore, but adult books in 'proper' English translations next time.
A beautiful collection of stories from the Master. What more can one say?
A poet who has to fight a war of words to maintain his place in the king's court, in an attempt to perhaps remain with his true loved one; a rebel teenager, who wants out from his claustrophobic conditions, to be pushed into even worse situations; an island of cards, where everyone lives by hierarchy: can unexpected guests on their abode change lives that they have lived for an eternity?; the Cabuliwallah, who developed a special relation with a little girl, only to have it snatched away by fate; and lastly the story of a king, who had a queen, and there was a princess who got married to a boy: an exquisite tale of understanding, bonding and perhaps loving. The Master at his best.
My favourite: The Cabuliwallah
My rating: 4/5 Why? I feel the original script, in Bengali, would have done more justice to the tales.
But do read - you will witness brilliance, albeit translated.
No doubt Rabindranath Tagore sir is one of the best writers India has ever seen, discovering his work is pleasure to any reader. I haven't read much of his work but I do want to start step by step.
As name says, book includes 5 short stories ( mostly Childern) out of which 3 I really liked and rest two though the message at the end is strong, I didn't like the stories that much. It's just 30 mins read, pick it up if you want to read something simple and relaxing. And absolutely great book for kids if you have one!
Exceptional story telling by the genius writer. Personally, I was expecting better ending for a couple of stories (hence 4 star) but the way he crafted his stories was amazing. Overall a good quick read.
My first Tagore book and I found it hard to connect with the stories for some reason. I didn't enjoy the book as much. It hasn't left me wanting to read more of Tagore books, perhaps in translation the true meaning and feelings are lost..
I loved the cabuliwallah and once there was a king. Every story was different and I liked Tagoreji's work. This is my first read of his work and I'm here to read more from his work.
Rabindranath uses simple language and writes touching stories showing sometimes water is thicker than blood (eg. relation between a maid and her master, relation between a hawker and a child etc) These are my kind of stories <3
This is my first Tagore book to read. Except some emotional hooks, did not enjoy much. May be because its not my taste. But its a quick read whoever want to try out Legend's work.
A simple and entertaining collection of short stories. Specially Cabuliwalah was my favorite since it created a nostalgia in mind. The Cabuliwalah I had read when I was in junior school.
The edition I got was having Kabuliwallah and 4 other stories. Rabindranath Tagore was great writer and poet,but while reading other 4 stories it hit me like whether he was sad,while penning down these short stories? because all these 4 stories are tragedies except Kabuliwallah. The way he wrote Kabuliwallah he won my heart once again with his narration and imagination.