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Shake the bottle and other stories
Ashapurna Debi gazed into the heart of the domestic life of the Indian woman as no other writer in the world has done. In one story after another, numbering into thousands by the time she was done, she examined the imprisonment of the women within their homes and their responses to the power play, pressures and hypocrisies lying beneath the surface of the apparent solidity of the middle-class urban family. Nobody has written as relentlessly, with as much insight and yet with as light a touch, of the darkness of both the interior and the behavioural life within the four walls of the home. Over more than 70 years of a writing career, she created an extraordinary oeuvre, whose depths will be mined for generations.
Twenty-one of Ashapurna Debi’s most shocking stories, cherry-picked from over a thousand, have been brought together in this collection. Why these stories in particular? Each of them unravels an unexpected, even dreadful, side to the personalities of the women who feature in them. In every story, a deceptively quiet but potentially explosive act of revolt takes place – or comes close to taking place. Far from the sweet and submissive stereotype of the wife/mother/daughter/woman of the house that familial structures have enforced, it is the rebellious side of the woman, often forced to emerge through cruelty, viciousness and even hatred, that stands revealed. these are scandalous stories, each one of them.
Twenty-one of Ashapurna Debi’s most shocking stories, cherry-picked from over a thousand, have been brought together in this collection. Why these stories in particular? Each of them unravels an unexpected, even dreadful, side to the personalities of the women who feature in them. In every story, a deceptively quiet but potentially explosive act of revolt takes place – or comes close to taking place. Far from the sweet and submissive stereotype of the wife/mother/daughter/woman of the house that familial structures have enforced, it is the rebellious side of the woman, often forced to emerge through cruelty, viciousness and even hatred, that stands revealed. these are scandalous stories, each one of them.
288 pages, Paperback
Published August 2, 2018
20 people are currently reading
325 people want to read
About the author
Ashapurna Devi
143 books161 followersAshapurna Devi (Bengali: আশাপূর্ণা দেবী), also Ashapoorna Debi or Asha Purna Devi, is a prominent Bengali novelist and poet. She has been widely honoured with a number of prizes and awards. She was awarded 1976 Jnanpith Award and the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 1976; D.Litt by the Universities of Jabalpur, Rabindra Bharati, Burdwan and Jadavpur. Vishwa Bharati University honoured her with Deshikottama in 1989. For her contribution as a novelist and short story writer, the Sahitya Akademi conferred its highest honour, the Fellowship, in 1994.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
November 20, 2022
This was the October Pick for my Instagram Book Club and was absolutely brilliant. These stories are so well-crafted, clever, fun, and often hilarious. I can definitely recommend this as an entry, and the first of many steps, into Ashapurna Debi's body of work.
February 29, 2020
It was a sweet pleasure to finally read Ashapurna Devi's writing. Reading this collection of 21 short stories, one can only marvel at the finesse with which the author brings the intricacies of human relationships in the confines of domesticity. Each story throbs with the tension of possibilities as the characters (mostly the women but men too) stand on a precipice of emotions, actions and repercussions mirroring the fragile ties that bind couples or family members.
The stories are simple yet complex in nature:simple in the ordinariness and complex in the way they leave you gasping for breath. The stories are everyday fare in middle class families: the palpable tension between a widowed mother who has brought up her son who lives with the change that a daughter in law brings with her entry into the family but there is then another story of a widowed father who smarts due to the changes that enters the family when a daughter in law enters! And then as a reader, you begin to see the author is positioning how individuals react with suspicion, fear and ill will when a new member enters the intimate space of a family. Each story in this collection is about the contours of human relationships and I can only recommend picking this book and be enthralled.
The stories are simple yet complex in nature:simple in the ordinariness and complex in the way they leave you gasping for breath. The stories are everyday fare in middle class families: the palpable tension between a widowed mother who has brought up her son who lives with the change that a daughter in law brings with her entry into the family but there is then another story of a widowed father who smarts due to the changes that enters the family when a daughter in law enters! And then as a reader, you begin to see the author is positioning how individuals react with suspicion, fear and ill will when a new member enters the intimate space of a family. Each story in this collection is about the contours of human relationships and I can only recommend picking this book and be enthralled.
July 2, 2021
4.5*
Oh, I don't think I will find words to express the brilliance of Ashapurna Debi and her magic with words. She manages to capture the soul and essence of the domestic life of Indian women unlike any other. The women in her short stories, within such few pages, display such a varied range of personalities, emotions, and mannerisms. I was left in shock/awe at almost every single one of them!
My only gripe, as always, is my inability to read and understand her brilliance in Bengali. Although, this translation by Arunava Sinha did as much justice, as possible.
Thanks for gifting me a copy, Subhankar Roy!
Oh, I don't think I will find words to express the brilliance of Ashapurna Debi and her magic with words. She manages to capture the soul and essence of the domestic life of Indian women unlike any other. The women in her short stories, within such few pages, display such a varied range of personalities, emotions, and mannerisms. I was left in shock/awe at almost every single one of them!
My only gripe, as always, is my inability to read and understand her brilliance in Bengali. Although, this translation by Arunava Sinha did as much justice, as possible.
Thanks for gifting me a copy, Subhankar Roy!
July 9, 2021
Shake the Bottle and Other Stories is a collection of twenty-one stories by the prolific writer Ashapurna Devi, translated from Bengali by the equally prolific translator Arunava Sinha.
Devi's stories, as she tells us in the introduction, are set within the four walls of the house. And in her four inches of ivory, Devi manages to write so many tales with such diverse themes, techniques and view points, that one can not help marvel at her observation skills and her writing powers. She uses different lenses to explore the same relationships- the relationships within the four walls are limited in number- and every exploration presents us with a facet of that relationship which is entirely fresh and unique.
To give a few examples, she explores the relationship between a mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law in Chhinnamasta in a manner that is different from the expected norm, she presents two very different faces of motherhood in The Deceiver and in A Defeated Heart. While stories like The Deceiver and the Deceived, The Game, Birds of a Feather, The Source of Power and Fragrance and its Essence chart the territory of marriage in its myraid forms and diverse possibilities.
And Devi does all this in a way that is accessible to the reader. Her stories are deep and often deal with protagonists standing on the cusp, but never quite managing to make the jump. A great collection from a master storyteller that is definitely recommended.
Devi's stories, as she tells us in the introduction, are set within the four walls of the house. And in her four inches of ivory, Devi manages to write so many tales with such diverse themes, techniques and view points, that one can not help marvel at her observation skills and her writing powers. She uses different lenses to explore the same relationships- the relationships within the four walls are limited in number- and every exploration presents us with a facet of that relationship which is entirely fresh and unique.
To give a few examples, she explores the relationship between a mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law in Chhinnamasta in a manner that is different from the expected norm, she presents two very different faces of motherhood in The Deceiver and in A Defeated Heart. While stories like The Deceiver and the Deceived, The Game, Birds of a Feather, The Source of Power and Fragrance and its Essence chart the territory of marriage in its myraid forms and diverse possibilities.
And Devi does all this in a way that is accessible to the reader. Her stories are deep and often deal with protagonists standing on the cusp, but never quite managing to make the jump. A great collection from a master storyteller that is definitely recommended.
July 18, 2024
Shake the Bottle and Other Stories by Ashapurna Debi is a collection of 21 short stories that offer a glimpse into the lives of Bengali women in the mid-20th century. The stories are set within the confines of the home, and they explore the complex relationships between wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, and mothers-in-law.
Before this book, years ago, I had read the Malayalam translations of Ashapurna Debi's most renowned novels, Prothom Protishruti (1964) (പ്രഥമപ്രതിശ്രുതി), Subarnolata (1967) (സുവർണ്ണലത), and Bakul Katha (1974) (ബകുളിന്റെ കഥ), which are collectively known as 'Satyavati, Subarnalata, Bakul Trilogy'. As I mentioned, her female characters range from different levels of womanhood, and their sufferings and resistances in that era are firmly woven into Indian literature. This volume consists of the following stories:
Before this book, years ago, I had read the Malayalam translations of Ashapurna Debi's most renowned novels, Prothom Protishruti (1964) (പ്രഥമപ്രതിശ്രുതി), Subarnolata (1967) (സുവർണ്ണലത), and Bakul Katha (1974) (ബകുളിന്റെ കഥ), which are collectively known as 'Satyavati, Subarnalata, Bakul Trilogy'. As I mentioned, her female characters range from different levels of womanhood, and their sufferings and resistances in that era are firmly woven into Indian literature. This volume consists of the following stories:
1. The TerraceI liked all the stories in this collection. I am a huge fan of Bengali literature, and I am thankful to the translator, Arunava Sinha, for his contributions through his translations of these literary gems. And this collection is a must-read for all who love Bengali stories.
2. Chhinnamasta
3. A Farewell To Spring
4. Blue Blood
5. The Revelation
6. The Game
7. The Weapon
8. Love
9. The Deceiver And The Deception
10. Shake The Bottle
11. Perspective
12. Balancing Everything
13. The Deceiver
14. A Defeated Heart
15. The Whirling World
16. The Source Of Power
17. The Fragrance And Its Essence
18. The Title Role
19. Defeated
20. Birds Of A Feather
21. The Butcher
August 31, 2019
I finished this book while at my hometown and it stirred a series of thoughts related to parents, family, love, and responsibility. The stories in this book constantly delve into tension stemming from various relationships within a family. Whether it's a mother's anger and pain at her son's shift of affections towards his wife, a son speaking back to his overbearing father, a working mother trying to manage her daughter and social life, all create an atmosphere where emotions within a house take the center stage. The world will never get to see them or hear about them openly in the office or public.
However, Ashapurna Debi manages to bring them out by keeping women at the centerstage. The author's characters are diverse and will make you relate to numerous members of your family. The stories somewhere also manage to show that how a lack of communication and ego can sour relations within a house. What can be solved with a mere apology or an honest conversation, turns into a tug of war. It also shows the strong influence of patriarchy and how some women try to fight back in their own ways.
Though the stories were written quite a while back, they still manage to be relevant. Debi has passed away but the author, with an ouvre of numerous novels and short stories, can be easily counted among India's greatest writers.
However, Ashapurna Debi manages to bring them out by keeping women at the centerstage. The author's characters are diverse and will make you relate to numerous members of your family. The stories somewhere also manage to show that how a lack of communication and ego can sour relations within a house. What can be solved with a mere apology or an honest conversation, turns into a tug of war. It also shows the strong influence of patriarchy and how some women try to fight back in their own ways.
Though the stories were written quite a while back, they still manage to be relevant. Debi has passed away but the author, with an ouvre of numerous novels and short stories, can be easily counted among India's greatest writers.
February 23, 2023
I have participated in the blog chatter’s activity of the month: “reading translated work of woman by woman.” And when I was doing research, I found many good books I was aware of, and I felt like living under a stone. I must say that when we trace the growth of Indian women in society, literature plays a significant role as our authors give a voice to many women. The ruthless, vulnerable, strong, and independent characterization of Indian woman create a feminist culture.
Among those authors, I discovered the author, “Ashapurna Debi,” a renowned novelist and poet whose book “Shake the bottle and other stories,” gives me a peek into the life of women, their relationship dynamics, insecurities, daily mundane activities, and a conversation between husbands and wife and many more.
I want to thank Arunava Sinha for translating it beautifully and making it real for readers to read this fantastic book. Due to language barriers, sometimes we miss the gems of literature. In all the stories, one thing I found familiar was the domestic tinge, like watching a soap opera, like a tussle between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.
This is a brilliant collection of 21 stories showing the unbiased relationship dynamics of women and men in various life scenarios. While reading the stories, it feels like common and usually heard stories; however, they are complex and full of raw sense power. What I liked the most was that these stories tested my thoughts, beliefs, and prejudice.
I would say the title did justice to the stories, as each story has shaken up the bottle of our thoughts. I love how Arunava Sinha keeps the authentic essence of the stories by keeping the Bengali culture and vocabulary as it is.
Undoubtedly, this short stories book is must read for everyone, as it’s one of the fine works that will bewitch you by its charm.
Among those authors, I discovered the author, “Ashapurna Debi,” a renowned novelist and poet whose book “Shake the bottle and other stories,” gives me a peek into the life of women, their relationship dynamics, insecurities, daily mundane activities, and a conversation between husbands and wife and many more.
I want to thank Arunava Sinha for translating it beautifully and making it real for readers to read this fantastic book. Due to language barriers, sometimes we miss the gems of literature. In all the stories, one thing I found familiar was the domestic tinge, like watching a soap opera, like a tussle between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.
This is a brilliant collection of 21 stories showing the unbiased relationship dynamics of women and men in various life scenarios. While reading the stories, it feels like common and usually heard stories; however, they are complex and full of raw sense power. What I liked the most was that these stories tested my thoughts, beliefs, and prejudice.
I would say the title did justice to the stories, as each story has shaken up the bottle of our thoughts. I love how Arunava Sinha keeps the authentic essence of the stories by keeping the Bengali culture and vocabulary as it is.
Undoubtedly, this short stories book is must read for everyone, as it’s one of the fine works that will bewitch you by its charm.
September 11, 2018
Some stories never grow old.they emerge through the pages, writer has just touched your nerve.you can always relate them with contemporary society though those stories were not written by a contemporary person in interpretating for modern reader.As" Shake the Bottle and the other Stories" is.
Ashapurna Debi The epitome of feminism dreamed of women's emancipation.the bengali life of early 20th century, especially the live of ordinary woman, the image of psychology was the the main theme of her writings.Her stories
delve deep into the tensions, conflict, ambiguity, , existence gender discrimination,the emergence, evolution of middle class Bengali woman,their oppression, position, conscientiousness ,defiant gesture which is relevant even today.this is book on conglomeration of 21short stories like a garland with glittering beads threaded one after another.the depth of every female characters she portrays through her books... Far ahead of her times.i never read short stories anthing by her. But I found endings of every short stories are different,which keeps you wanting more. That is the beauty of her writings lies in the subtleties which enhances my reading experience .
The Translation shines.i loved the translation which does not attempt to remake the stories in english.The pain is hidden,it is known to us,it is for us(reader) to decide.you can feel the words & the senses merge.the essence of Bengali phrases comes through brilliantly.
Ashapurna Debi The epitome of feminism dreamed of women's emancipation.the bengali life of early 20th century, especially the live of ordinary woman, the image of psychology was the the main theme of her writings.Her stories
delve deep into the tensions, conflict, ambiguity, , existence gender discrimination,the emergence, evolution of middle class Bengali woman,their oppression, position, conscientiousness ,defiant gesture which is relevant even today.this is book on conglomeration of 21short stories like a garland with glittering beads threaded one after another.the depth of every female characters she portrays through her books... Far ahead of her times.i never read short stories anthing by her. But I found endings of every short stories are different,which keeps you wanting more. That is the beauty of her writings lies in the subtleties which enhances my reading experience .
The Translation shines.i loved the translation which does not attempt to remake the stories in english.The pain is hidden,it is known to us,it is for us(reader) to decide.you can feel the words & the senses merge.the essence of Bengali phrases comes through brilliantly.
March 25, 2020
These book contains 21 short stories from the author and I bet if you can predict the ending of even one story correctly. The way she builds the story around her characters in such few words...that when you reach the closure your eyes would actually pop out due to astonishment. Yet If you discuss the story among your friends and family(asians of course) you might conclude just like her. That's an art right (juicing up reality with fiction) and it's a wonderment to know the artist never stepped outside her house to learn.
This is the first time I'm reading the author and I'm in love with her. Also a huge applause to arunavasinha , very few translated works sound as lyrical as the original and this man has done a beautiful adaptation here. Don't forget to read the article 'What I see Is What I Write' at the start of the book written by the author in 1993 (there are some great advices and eye-opening thoughts in it). There are very few writers who can present you a naked picture of human nature without uncovering even a single body part of their characters.
Last thing this book and the stories aren't centralized around women but there are many male protagonist too and none of the stories disappoint you. Like I couldn't pick one favorite story among the 21.
This is the first time I'm reading the author and I'm in love with her. Also a huge applause to arunavasinha , very few translated works sound as lyrical as the original and this man has done a beautiful adaptation here. Don't forget to read the article 'What I see Is What I Write' at the start of the book written by the author in 1993 (there are some great advices and eye-opening thoughts in it). There are very few writers who can present you a naked picture of human nature without uncovering even a single body part of their characters.
Last thing this book and the stories aren't centralized around women but there are many male protagonist too and none of the stories disappoint you. Like I couldn't pick one favorite story among the 21.
September 27, 2024
Shake the Bottle and the other stories is another book which came into my notice through one of my friends on bookstagram who was planning to read it, and since I have started reading shoet stories I couldn't miss a chance to add another one to my current read pile (it's literally a pile😔), especially since it was free on Kindle Unlimited (yippie). So the stories were completely different as expected, each story told about a household in various settings, in few stories no one is guilty, while in a few the male/ female protagonist are having dark thoughts which never come into play, while in some they do come in play. Each story leaves you with a question so many a times I placed myself in the shoes of the protagonist and then tried to figure out how would I react if I was in the place of him/her, and by doing this regular activity I did learn/uncover what really happened in the story. To pick out few favourites of my favorites would be a difficult task....
December 28, 2023
3.5 stars.
'Society had to be presented with solid food. How else was its voraciously inquisitive appetite to be satiated?'
This is my first Ashapurna Debi book. It's a collection of 21 short stories. The stories are emotion-driven, and the author has handled some commonplace situations in a unique way.
I particularly chose this book because it's translated by Arunava Sinha ― there's something about his writing; it's always very engaging. I really his crisp writing and instantly connect with his style.
A couple of stories didn't work for me for some reason, but overall it was a good read.
'Society had to be presented with solid food. How else was its voraciously inquisitive appetite to be satiated?'
This is my first Ashapurna Debi book. It's a collection of 21 short stories. The stories are emotion-driven, and the author has handled some commonplace situations in a unique way.
I particularly chose this book because it's translated by Arunava Sinha ― there's something about his writing; it's always very engaging. I really his crisp writing and instantly connect with his style.
A couple of stories didn't work for me for some reason, but overall it was a good read.
May 27, 2019
The Intricacies of human mind and relations are beautifully woven into short tales. The deep-seated fears, wishes, hopes, selfishness and love are presented in the most truest of their colours. It's a must read.
February 7, 2022
The collection of stories was unique in the way the narratives were done and in the focus points of several of the stories. The translation seemed seamless and was done well.
While some of the 21 stories were not great, most were good and had satisfactorily twisted endings.
While some of the 21 stories were not great, most were good and had satisfactorily twisted endings.
May 9, 2023
It's a fairly nice collection of Ashapurna Devi's short stories ranging from the Average to Very Good. Unfortunately I didn't find any of the twenty odd stories outstanding. The translation is good but it is however possible that some flavour has been lost in the process.
August 25, 2020
Loved some stories, and was indifferent to some.
Short stories are not my thing and hence the 3 stars, you'll enjoy it thoroughly if short stories are your thing.
Short stories are not my thing and hence the 3 stars, you'll enjoy it thoroughly if short stories are your thing.
November 30, 2022
4.5 stars.
Brilliant piece of literature.
Brilliant piece of literature.
January 8, 2022
Short stories some uncomfortable, others.. uncomfortable. Very important stories nonetheless.
June 8, 2025
Its a 4.5*
A voice to the rebellious side of Indian women and these stories tested my thoughts, beliefs, and prejudice.
The translated work maintains the authenticity by keeping the Bengali culture and vocabulary as it is …
A must read !!!
A voice to the rebellious side of Indian women and these stories tested my thoughts, beliefs, and prejudice.
The translated work maintains the authenticity by keeping the Bengali culture and vocabulary as it is …
A must read !!!
January 1, 2019
The first english translation of her short stories in English is one of my best reads of the year. She is my favourite Bengali writer and gosh was she precocious. The book charters stories of domestic life as if she lived them herself and they provide a vicarious experience like a few others.
If you are into short stories, regional literature or want to read about the issues that plague society this is the one to read.
If you are into short stories, regional literature or want to read about the issues that plague society this is the one to read.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews