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In a Violent Land
One of the meanings of the word ‘olio’ is ‘a miscellany’. The books in the Aleph Olio series contain a mélange of the finest writing to be had on a variety of Indian themes—the great
cities, aspects of Indian culture and civilization, uniquely Indian phenomena. Filled with insights and haunting evocations of a country of unrivalled complexity, beauty, tragedy and mystery, each Aleph Olio book presents India in ways that it has seldom been seen before.
In a Violent Land contains some of the best fiction and non-fiction that has been written on the violence that permeates every layer of Indian society. Rising out of fault lines of religion, caste, gender, language, class and geopolitics, this brutality has scarred the country for centuries now.
cities, aspects of Indian culture and civilization, uniquely Indian phenomena. Filled with insights and haunting evocations of a country of unrivalled complexity, beauty, tragedy and mystery, each Aleph Olio book presents India in ways that it has seldom been seen before.
In a Violent Land contains some of the best fiction and non-fiction that has been written on the violence that permeates every layer of Indian society. Rising out of fault lines of religion, caste, gender, language, class and geopolitics, this brutality has scarred the country for centuries now.
- GenresFiction
152 pages, Hardcover
First published January 20, 2019
2 people are currently reading
112 people want to read
About the author
Khushwant Singh
298 books1,431 followersKhushwant Singh, (Punjabi: ਖ਼ੁਸ਼ਵੰਤ ਸਿੰਘ, Hindi: खुशवंत सिंह) born on 2 February 1915 in Hadali, Undivided India, (now a part of Pakistan), was a prominent Indian novelist and journalist. Singh's weekly column, "With Malice towards One and All", carried by several Indian newspapers, was among the most widely-read columns in the country.
An important post-colonial novelist writing in English, Singh is best known for his trenchant secularism, his humor, and an abiding love of poetry. His comparisons of social and behavioral characteristics of Westerners and Indians are laced with acid wit.
An important post-colonial novelist writing in English, Singh is best known for his trenchant secularism, his humor, and an abiding love of poetry. His comparisons of social and behavioral characteristics of Westerners and Indians are laced with acid wit.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
March 26, 2019
"In a violent land" bring forth essays and stories, panning the length of our vast country of India, a collection of some of the best fiction and non-fiction stories that have been written on the violence that infiltrate all sections of the Indian society.
🌻
As you go through each recital, you hear the cries of the Babri Masjid incident, the pangs of the Gujrat riots, experience first hand the brutality shown in the name of casteism, the atrocities meted out in the Naxalite bound regions of North East India, or the sadism exhibited in the garb of social status.
🌻
In a country which inhabitants populace of such varied characteristics, divided by religion, caste, gender, language, class or geography, clashes are bound to happen and more so in a place where politics thrive on the differences between people.
Such are these tales that reminds you of the catastrophic past that has scarred the land for centuries now and acts as a constant reminder of the folly of not being tolerant of each other's differences, even in this time and age.
🌻
Stories featured comes from writers like
Khushwant Singh, Mahasweta Devi, Udayan Ghosh, Anna Bhau Sathe, Manoj Mitta, Harvinder Singh Phoolka, Salam Bin Razzaq, Suketu Mehta, Vijaydan Detha, Sonia Faleiro, Barkha Dutt, Shahnaz Bashir, and Sanjoy Hazarika.
🌻
So one cannot doubt how beautifully woven each narrative is, in it's all entirety.
Some stories are more impactful than others but there is no doubt that every single one of them is equally alluring.
Pick this one for a pretty hardcover coupled with powerful and compelling tales that blotch the history of our glorious nation.
.
.
.
.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Genre: essay, shortstories, politics, IndianLiterature, cultural
🌻
As you go through each recital, you hear the cries of the Babri Masjid incident, the pangs of the Gujrat riots, experience first hand the brutality shown in the name of casteism, the atrocities meted out in the Naxalite bound regions of North East India, or the sadism exhibited in the garb of social status.
🌻
In a country which inhabitants populace of such varied characteristics, divided by religion, caste, gender, language, class or geography, clashes are bound to happen and more so in a place where politics thrive on the differences between people.
Such are these tales that reminds you of the catastrophic past that has scarred the land for centuries now and acts as a constant reminder of the folly of not being tolerant of each other's differences, even in this time and age.
🌻
Stories featured comes from writers like
Khushwant Singh, Mahasweta Devi, Udayan Ghosh, Anna Bhau Sathe, Manoj Mitta, Harvinder Singh Phoolka, Salam Bin Razzaq, Suketu Mehta, Vijaydan Detha, Sonia Faleiro, Barkha Dutt, Shahnaz Bashir, and Sanjoy Hazarika.
🌻
So one cannot doubt how beautifully woven each narrative is, in it's all entirety.
Some stories are more impactful than others but there is no doubt that every single one of them is equally alluring.
Pick this one for a pretty hardcover coupled with powerful and compelling tales that blotch the history of our glorious nation.
.
.
.
.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Genre: essay, shortstories, politics, IndianLiterature, cultural
August 15, 2020
In A Violent Land is a collection of stories and essays written around the violence that prevalently exists in Indian society. With works of some of India’s celebrated authors and journalists like Khushwant Singh and Barkha Dutt, the book is a painful reminder of all the violence that has swept the country, and continue to do. It briefly touches upon the brutality arising from issues of religion, caste, gender, language, class, and geopolitics.
The book is a part of Aleph Book Company’s series – Aleph Olio. Centred around various Indian themes – from the diverse cultures to the great cities – Aleph Olio showcases some of the finest writings from some of India’s best writers. The amount of work that has gone into the compilation of this book is evident in the quality of the stories; hats off to the publisher for this.
From the India-Pakistan Partition of 1947 to the 1984 Sikh riots and the 1992-93 riots following the Babri Masjid demolition in Ayodhya, these stories touch upon some of the worst violence India has ever witnessed. While some of these stories are literary fictions, others are real, harrowing accounts of some of the brutalities that occurred.
The book starts with Khushwant Singh’s infamous ‘Train To Pakistan,’ which takes us through the Partition of India in the perspective of Mano Majra, a fictional village bordering India and Pakistan. Suketu Mehta’s Powertoni gives a glimpse into the narrative of a couple of men from the Shiva Sena party who mercilessly killed Muslims during the ’93 riots. Meanwhile, Sonia Faleiro’s 13 Men talks about the horrific gang rape of a Santhal tribe woman in West Bengal, as a village council given punishment for having an affair with a married man from a different community.
At a time when India is witnessing communal riots and massive protests, In A Violent Land becomes a very important and relevant read. The book is a horrific reminder that violence in the name of religion, caste, and gender has been existing in the country since time immemorial, and it is far from over.
I highly recommend In A Violent Land if you’re on the lookout for a great collection of stories and essays. However, be warned that some of the stories have graphic details of rape and violence.
Rating: 3.5/5
The book is a part of Aleph Book Company’s series – Aleph Olio. Centred around various Indian themes – from the diverse cultures to the great cities – Aleph Olio showcases some of the finest writings from some of India’s best writers. The amount of work that has gone into the compilation of this book is evident in the quality of the stories; hats off to the publisher for this.
From the India-Pakistan Partition of 1947 to the 1984 Sikh riots and the 1992-93 riots following the Babri Masjid demolition in Ayodhya, these stories touch upon some of the worst violence India has ever witnessed. While some of these stories are literary fictions, others are real, harrowing accounts of some of the brutalities that occurred.
The book starts with Khushwant Singh’s infamous ‘Train To Pakistan,’ which takes us through the Partition of India in the perspective of Mano Majra, a fictional village bordering India and Pakistan. Suketu Mehta’s Powertoni gives a glimpse into the narrative of a couple of men from the Shiva Sena party who mercilessly killed Muslims during the ’93 riots. Meanwhile, Sonia Faleiro’s 13 Men talks about the horrific gang rape of a Santhal tribe woman in West Bengal, as a village council given punishment for having an affair with a married man from a different community.
At a time when India is witnessing communal riots and massive protests, In A Violent Land becomes a very important and relevant read. The book is a horrific reminder that violence in the name of religion, caste, and gender has been existing in the country since time immemorial, and it is far from over.
I highly recommend In A Violent Land if you’re on the lookout for a great collection of stories and essays. However, be warned that some of the stories have graphic details of rape and violence.
Rating: 3.5/5
March 12, 2019
‘In a Violent Land’ puts the spotlight on violence as a spectre that underlies and haunts the socio political landscape and history of the country. The collection starts with an excerpt from Khushwant Singh's Train to Pakistan and ends with a short piece on how the armed unrest in Mizoram in North East India fermented and took shape, told through the moving story of an Army Brigadier whose son joins an armed group that his forces are fighting against and how he reacts to a gamut of emotions when confronted about his son’s death. Incidentally, many of the stories in this collection follow the cycle of acute exploitation of landless and lower caste people by land owners or those occupying Government positions: Seeds by Mahasweta Devi is a blistering story about how a low caste man seemingly loses his sanity due to the violence meted to him and that he is made part of while Gold from the Grave by Anna Bhau Sathe follows a quarry worker who becomes a grave/pyre looter by default due to his poverty.
March 1, 2019
I want to talk about this book and it has been occupying my senses since I read this book.
I'm still reeling over with what I have read. This book ‘In a Violent Land: Short Stories & Essays’, shook me out of my comfort zone. There were no emotions in me that could do justice to these stories.
Each story left a gaping hole in my heart, some left me in smiles and some left me longing for people that I have never met.
But what really shook me was the fierce and intense narratives of the Authors like Khushwant Singh, Mahasweta Devi, Anna Bhau Sathe, Suketu Mehta, William Dalrymple, Pamela Timms and the list goes on and on.
I couldn’t pinpoint a single story which I did not like. Each was a story I savored deep within. And a few stories are so hauntingly beautiful that I had to re-read them.
The narratives is timely, rich, and surprisingly nimble. Each story in harmony with the other. Each spoke of eclectic range of human emotions and the era it represented.
Mahasweta Devi’s Seeds, Khushwant Singh’s A train to Pakistan, Barkha Dutt’s In the name of God and Vijaya Detha’s Countless Hitlers haunts you long after you have read the book.
A lot of thought has gone into structuring the book. We get to read stories from great Authors of past and present: Khushwant Singh, Mahasweta Devi, Udayan Ghosh, Anna Bhau Sathe, Manoj Mitta, Harvinder Singh Phoolka, Salam bin Razzaq, Suketu Mehta, Vijaydan Detha, Sonia Faleiro, Barkha Dutt, Shahnaz Bashir, Sanjoy Hazarika.
I could hardly stop myself from talking about this book to almost everyone. Sharing the stories with them. The book is a melange of Indian culture and it’s emotions, its land and people. In a Violent Land: Short Stories & Essays is a delight to read.
These books deserve more than 5 star ratings. This book deserves to be treasured on a Bookshelf. I recommend this book to every reader, be that a fiction lover or a nonfiction lover.
Thank you @alephbookco for the review copies.
I'm still reeling over with what I have read. This book ‘In a Violent Land: Short Stories & Essays’, shook me out of my comfort zone. There were no emotions in me that could do justice to these stories.
Each story left a gaping hole in my heart, some left me in smiles and some left me longing for people that I have never met.
But what really shook me was the fierce and intense narratives of the Authors like Khushwant Singh, Mahasweta Devi, Anna Bhau Sathe, Suketu Mehta, William Dalrymple, Pamela Timms and the list goes on and on.
I couldn’t pinpoint a single story which I did not like. Each was a story I savored deep within. And a few stories are so hauntingly beautiful that I had to re-read them.
The narratives is timely, rich, and surprisingly nimble. Each story in harmony with the other. Each spoke of eclectic range of human emotions and the era it represented.
Mahasweta Devi’s Seeds, Khushwant Singh’s A train to Pakistan, Barkha Dutt’s In the name of God and Vijaya Detha’s Countless Hitlers haunts you long after you have read the book.
A lot of thought has gone into structuring the book. We get to read stories from great Authors of past and present: Khushwant Singh, Mahasweta Devi, Udayan Ghosh, Anna Bhau Sathe, Manoj Mitta, Harvinder Singh Phoolka, Salam bin Razzaq, Suketu Mehta, Vijaydan Detha, Sonia Faleiro, Barkha Dutt, Shahnaz Bashir, Sanjoy Hazarika.
I could hardly stop myself from talking about this book to almost everyone. Sharing the stories with them. The book is a melange of Indian culture and it’s emotions, its land and people. In a Violent Land: Short Stories & Essays is a delight to read.
These books deserve more than 5 star ratings. This book deserves to be treasured on a Bookshelf. I recommend this book to every reader, be that a fiction lover or a nonfiction lover.
Thank you @alephbookco for the review copies.
August 17, 2025
In a Violent Land is a collection of stories that focus on the violence prevalent in the Indian society. Covering riots, rapes and massacres, these stories explore the psyche of the individual and the collective in understanding the reasons for the blinding division in society which separates man from man and makes them each other's enemy. There are pieces here on the 1984 riots, the Godhra massacre and the 1992 Bombay riots too. It also touches upon man made divisions of religion, caste and region that add fuel to fire.
The writers who feature in this volume are Khushwant Singh, Mahasweta Devi, Udayan Ghosh, Anna Bhau Sathe, Manoj Mitta, Harvinder Singh Phoolka, Salam Bin Razzaq, Suketu Mehta, Vijaydan Detha, Sonia Faleiro, Barkha Dutt, Shahnaz Bashir and Sanjoy Hazarika. Each of them have written with passion and intent, as writing on these themes is not easy. Definitely worth a read.
The writers who feature in this volume are Khushwant Singh, Mahasweta Devi, Udayan Ghosh, Anna Bhau Sathe, Manoj Mitta, Harvinder Singh Phoolka, Salam Bin Razzaq, Suketu Mehta, Vijaydan Detha, Sonia Faleiro, Barkha Dutt, Shahnaz Bashir and Sanjoy Hazarika. Each of them have written with passion and intent, as writing on these themes is not easy. Definitely worth a read.
April 3, 2019
In a violent land is a collection of essays and short stories that stitch together the underbelly of Indian history. In popular discourse, India is presented as a peaceful nation. But what often gets covered up is the violence that premiates the many layers of Indian society.
The book brings together some of the finest writers of the country and their powerful stories speaking about the fault lines that define the country.
Be it partition, the emergency, the Sikh riots, the Bombay riots, Gujrat riots, the Babri Masjid riots etc. These stories and essays also weigh in how religion, the caste system are one of the biggest driving force of the violence in the country. It also weaves in the troubles surrounding gender, language and class.
For many of us who grew up in a sheltered and pervilaged environment, this collection is a strong insight into the lives of those who don't grow is such protected spaces.
An extremely powerful collection, it's a good reminder of our history, of how our State has failed in numerous instances to stand for its people, even worse at times perpetrate violence against civilians through an unaccountable and corrupt form of governance.
With the current political climate, that sits on the edge of violence and war constantly, I would urge each one of you to read this book and get some much needed perspective.
The book brings together some of the finest writers of the country and their powerful stories speaking about the fault lines that define the country.
Be it partition, the emergency, the Sikh riots, the Bombay riots, Gujrat riots, the Babri Masjid riots etc. These stories and essays also weigh in how religion, the caste system are one of the biggest driving force of the violence in the country. It also weaves in the troubles surrounding gender, language and class.
For many of us who grew up in a sheltered and pervilaged environment, this collection is a strong insight into the lives of those who don't grow is such protected spaces.
An extremely powerful collection, it's a good reminder of our history, of how our State has failed in numerous instances to stand for its people, even worse at times perpetrate violence against civilians through an unaccountable and corrupt form of governance.
With the current political climate, that sits on the edge of violence and war constantly, I would urge each one of you to read this book and get some much needed perspective.
March 11, 2019
‘In A Violent Land’, as the name suggests, is a collection of stories about terrible times in the history of India. Be it the ‘2002 Gujrat riots’, or the other kinds of ‘war’ happening throughout the country, these stories bring us the gruesome details and the mindset of the people who actively participated in these events.
These riots are mostly community driven. The Babri Masjid incident, or the massacre of Sikhs after the assassination of Indira Gandhi, the brutal rape of thousands of women in the name of violence and the ineffectiveness of the politicians and public servants to do anything about it or their role in instigating these fights.
The authors whose stories are a part of this collection include Barkha Dutt, Khushwant Singh, Suketu Mehta, Sanjoy Hazarika etc. My most favorite story would be ‘Powertoni’ which is based on the authors account of his experience while doing research on the 1992-93 riots in Mumbai. The story gives us a glimpse of the mindset of a Hindu activist who murders numerous Muslims in cold blood and the irony is that he also needs this community to earn money and make an easy livelihood.
This collection is a very powerful and compelling one. It is also full of raw violence, cheap and double standard mindset and stories which only see the light of the day through one particular narrative-the one who emanates power.
These riots are mostly community driven. The Babri Masjid incident, or the massacre of Sikhs after the assassination of Indira Gandhi, the brutal rape of thousands of women in the name of violence and the ineffectiveness of the politicians and public servants to do anything about it or their role in instigating these fights.
The authors whose stories are a part of this collection include Barkha Dutt, Khushwant Singh, Suketu Mehta, Sanjoy Hazarika etc. My most favorite story would be ‘Powertoni’ which is based on the authors account of his experience while doing research on the 1992-93 riots in Mumbai. The story gives us a glimpse of the mindset of a Hindu activist who murders numerous Muslims in cold blood and the irony is that he also needs this community to earn money and make an easy livelihood.
This collection is a very powerful and compelling one. It is also full of raw violence, cheap and double standard mindset and stories which only see the light of the day through one particular narrative-the one who emanates power.
April 15, 2021
Beautifully painful and painfully beautiful
April 26, 2019
In a violent land ( Stories & essays) of the Olio collection from Aleph books @alephbookco is a thoughtful lot of real life events and few fictions that depict the violence that occurs in our land , India , in the name of all kinds of ways people differentiate each other through gender , caste , religion when they donot step back from harming others by killing them , massacring a full community through riots , gang raping women and children and forgetting all relations they go on a murder spree. Goosebumps creating accounts of the situations during partition of India and Pakistan by eminent writers like Khushwant Singh , Mahashweta Devi , How a tender aged tribal girl from Subalpur got gangraped by 13 for loving a man from another community in 2014 and many such real cases like Mumbai riots where people didnot think twice loosing humanity before killing their own brothers and friends for religious fanaticism and bigotry have been mentioned in thia bright blood red coloured hardcover book with 12 such write ups. I will be reading few more of them soon. If they release another part i would like them to include the case of Bilkis Bano . One of a kind collection to have for sure.
March 31, 2019
Name- In a Violent Land
Published By- Aleph book company
Genre- Non-fiction
Pages- 137
My thoughts-
In a Violent Land is more like retrospective glasses than a book.
It talks about violence. Violence of every kind and creed. Violence that doesn't differentiate between right or wrong, between man or woman, adult or children, or rather between humane and inhumane acts.
This book talks about violence that spreads across the land affecting generations through ages.
This book shows that it never matters which land the violence is taking place as each and every creature is affected by it.
The book begins with a story from Khushwant Singh's famous Train to Pakistan. The story by Mahasweta Devi was also beautiful. A bengali whose stories I wanted to read from a long time and I am glad this was my first story by her.
There are several short stories from many brilliant writers. All the 12 stories gives a vivid introspection of life and violence alike.
Published By- Aleph book company
Genre- Non-fiction
Pages- 137
My thoughts-
In a Violent Land is more like retrospective glasses than a book.
It talks about violence. Violence of every kind and creed. Violence that doesn't differentiate between right or wrong, between man or woman, adult or children, or rather between humane and inhumane acts.
This book talks about violence that spreads across the land affecting generations through ages.
This book shows that it never matters which land the violence is taking place as each and every creature is affected by it.
The book begins with a story from Khushwant Singh's famous Train to Pakistan. The story by Mahasweta Devi was also beautiful. A bengali whose stories I wanted to read from a long time and I am glad this was my first story by her.
There are several short stories from many brilliant writers. All the 12 stories gives a vivid introspection of life and violence alike.
November 11, 2020
A compilation of stories telling the hard truth and realities of our nation. I would call it an essential read.
April 18, 2019
Warning: This collection of short stories and essays is not meant for a light, stress free read. It contains few scenes that could be triggering or disturbing for some readers.
After completing and thoroughly enjoying ‘The Essence of Delhi’ from Aleph Olio, I picked up ‘In a Violent Land’ that is also published by them.
'In a Violent Land' is a collection of short stories and essays on a range of Indian systems and phenomenon. The basic subject matter is Violence, its different forms and causes and the extent of its effect across many generations. The major Indian writers featuring in this volume are Anna Bhau Sathe, Barkha Dutt, Harvinder Singh Phoolka, Khushwant Singh, Mahasweta Devi, Manoj Mitta, Salam Bin Razzaq, Sanjoy Hazarika, Shahnaz Bashir, Sonia Faleiro, Suketu Mehta, Udayan Ghosh and Vijaydan Detha.
Stories in this book reflects on the countless horrors whether it be in a mother’s pathos, a father’s burden, the prolonged impact of an attack, the depths of poverty, or even, in the life span of a recurring dream. It may be a collection of short stories and essays but it is a heavy read that reap such strong emotions into the readers. I could feel the sorrow and the madness of the characters, there helpless situations and their wars with the existing yet invisible forces. ‘Seeds’ by Mahasweta Devi was the most impressive short story for me and although it was a wretched setting, Mahasweta Devi wrote it credibly and with such honesty.
And, I think, the outstanding opening line in this whole book was from the narrative called ‘Powertoni’ by Suketu Mehta where the author starts with the question, “What does a man look like when he’s on fire?’ And, the heartrending reply to that question jolted me. What follows is a vigorous recounting of the Bombay riots with intriguing phrases like “Schizophrenia became a survival tactic.” Reading these stories made me ponder on the nature of such ferocity and, on life itself.
At last I would like to add that if anyone wants to read on the spectrum of violence based on socio – political situations in India, this book is definitely recommended as 'In a Violent Land' contains some of the finest works from India’s prominent authors.
After completing and thoroughly enjoying ‘The Essence of Delhi’ from Aleph Olio, I picked up ‘In a Violent Land’ that is also published by them.
'In a Violent Land' is a collection of short stories and essays on a range of Indian systems and phenomenon. The basic subject matter is Violence, its different forms and causes and the extent of its effect across many generations. The major Indian writers featuring in this volume are Anna Bhau Sathe, Barkha Dutt, Harvinder Singh Phoolka, Khushwant Singh, Mahasweta Devi, Manoj Mitta, Salam Bin Razzaq, Sanjoy Hazarika, Shahnaz Bashir, Sonia Faleiro, Suketu Mehta, Udayan Ghosh and Vijaydan Detha.
Stories in this book reflects on the countless horrors whether it be in a mother’s pathos, a father’s burden, the prolonged impact of an attack, the depths of poverty, or even, in the life span of a recurring dream. It may be a collection of short stories and essays but it is a heavy read that reap such strong emotions into the readers. I could feel the sorrow and the madness of the characters, there helpless situations and their wars with the existing yet invisible forces. ‘Seeds’ by Mahasweta Devi was the most impressive short story for me and although it was a wretched setting, Mahasweta Devi wrote it credibly and with such honesty.
And, I think, the outstanding opening line in this whole book was from the narrative called ‘Powertoni’ by Suketu Mehta where the author starts with the question, “What does a man look like when he’s on fire?’ And, the heartrending reply to that question jolted me. What follows is a vigorous recounting of the Bombay riots with intriguing phrases like “Schizophrenia became a survival tactic.” Reading these stories made me ponder on the nature of such ferocity and, on life itself.
At last I would like to add that if anyone wants to read on the spectrum of violence based on socio – political situations in India, this book is definitely recommended as 'In a Violent Land' contains some of the finest works from India’s prominent authors.
May 16, 2019
❤In A Violent Land❤
In a violent land contains some of the best fiction and non-fiction that has been written on the violence that permeates every layer of Indian society. Rising out of fault lines of religion, caste, gender, language, Class and geopolitics, this brutality has scarred the country for centuries now. .
📚My Thoughts: Whenever it comes to essays or short stories or write ups, I am the first person to stand in the queue for waiting to read it, so the same happened with this book too. When picked this book, I felt that it was going to be a bit slow but then it was really fast then expected so the book is a collection of essays and some write ups, some short stories & some good philosophical excerpts from different kinds of authors, so Aleph Co Book has got all the loving others in a single book, I really appreciate that.
.
The book has authors like Khushwant Singh, Mahasweta Devi, udayan Ghosh, Anna Bhau SA the, Manoj mitta, harvinder Singh phoolka, Salam bin razzaq, Suketu Mehta, Vijaydan detha, Sonia Faleiro, Barkha Dutt, Shahnaz bashir and Sanjay Hazarika, so it becomes a real fun to read it as this are the most loved authors of a country. The best part about the book is that the stories end real soon but then, they leave a lifetime impact on a reader's mind. As, it is an amalgamation of different topics, this book provides to be a very diverse read and one of the most amazing read coming into this genre.
.
All I can say that, it is strong bold, it is very diverse, it is very much gripping and entire thing is a page turner. If you are reading it expect a lot of humour, emotions & even a bit of sarcasm. I definitely loved it and highly recommend it to everyone who looking are looking for a strong and a complete combination of every possible thing.
.
Rating: 4🌟
In a violent land contains some of the best fiction and non-fiction that has been written on the violence that permeates every layer of Indian society. Rising out of fault lines of religion, caste, gender, language, Class and geopolitics, this brutality has scarred the country for centuries now. .
📚My Thoughts: Whenever it comes to essays or short stories or write ups, I am the first person to stand in the queue for waiting to read it, so the same happened with this book too. When picked this book, I felt that it was going to be a bit slow but then it was really fast then expected so the book is a collection of essays and some write ups, some short stories & some good philosophical excerpts from different kinds of authors, so Aleph Co Book has got all the loving others in a single book, I really appreciate that.
.
The book has authors like Khushwant Singh, Mahasweta Devi, udayan Ghosh, Anna Bhau SA the, Manoj mitta, harvinder Singh phoolka, Salam bin razzaq, Suketu Mehta, Vijaydan detha, Sonia Faleiro, Barkha Dutt, Shahnaz bashir and Sanjay Hazarika, so it becomes a real fun to read it as this are the most loved authors of a country. The best part about the book is that the stories end real soon but then, they leave a lifetime impact on a reader's mind. As, it is an amalgamation of different topics, this book provides to be a very diverse read and one of the most amazing read coming into this genre.
.
All I can say that, it is strong bold, it is very diverse, it is very much gripping and entire thing is a page turner. If you are reading it expect a lot of humour, emotions & even a bit of sarcasm. I definitely loved it and highly recommend it to everyone who looking are looking for a strong and a complete combination of every possible thing.
.
Rating: 4🌟
April 28, 2019
💭💭 R. E. V. I. E. W 💭💭
@boocklish
Title : IN A VIOLENT LAND
Author : Various
Publication : @alephbookco
This is a very short book containing stories and essays of various renown authors..
Like Khuswant Singh, Barkha Dutt and Mahasweta Devi etc...
Most of the stories are translated from their original languages into English..
This book contains stories
essays about all the tragedic incidents occurred In India!!
Like -🔺 INDIA - PAK WARS
🔺GUJRAT RIOTS
🔺AYODHAYA RIOTS and MASSACRE etc ..
It has stories about other social issues too like
Zamindari and Caste system etc...
I really liked this book. Language is easy and translation is understandable..
This book will also aware you about the history of riots and other issues occurred in India !!!...
I would like to recommend this book to all ..
My ratings - 4.5 🌟 / 5
Thank you so much @rizwan6k and @rupa_publications
For sending the review copy 💞
@boocklish
Title : IN A VIOLENT LAND
Author : Various
Publication : @alephbookco
This is a very short book containing stories and essays of various renown authors..
Like Khuswant Singh, Barkha Dutt and Mahasweta Devi etc...
Most of the stories are translated from their original languages into English..
This book contains stories
essays about all the tragedic incidents occurred In India!!
Like -🔺 INDIA - PAK WARS
🔺GUJRAT RIOTS
🔺AYODHAYA RIOTS and MASSACRE etc ..
It has stories about other social issues too like
Zamindari and Caste system etc...
I really liked this book. Language is easy and translation is understandable..
This book will also aware you about the history of riots and other issues occurred in India !!!...
I would like to recommend this book to all ..
My ratings - 4.5 🌟 / 5
Thank you so much @rizwan6k and @rupa_publications
For sending the review copy 💞
May 29, 2019
This book left me with a deep sense of guilt..
The guilt of being safe in a violent land.
Highly recommended read for anyone who is curious to know more about what's happening outside the safe walls of their home.
The guilt of being safe in a violent land.
Highly recommended read for anyone who is curious to know more about what's happening outside the safe walls of their home.
June 10, 2019
In a Violent Land is the second book from the Aleph Olio series that I read. As the title suggests, this collection consists of writings on the theme of violence.
There are twelve pieces of writing in this collection, four of which are translated from Bengali, Marathi, Urdu and Rajasthani. Several well-known names such as Khushwant Singh, Mahashweta Devi, Suketu Mehta and Burkha Dutt are part of this anthology.
The collection opens with an excerpt from Khushwant Singh’s famous novel Train to Pakistan, which captures the turbulent time of the Partition. Mahashweta Devis’ short story Seed talks about the violence experienced by the poor peasants in the hands of feudal lords. Udyan Ghosh’s story Swapan is Dead, Long Love Swapan explores not only violence in the hands of the state but also the ensuing psychological trauma. Salam Bin Razaq’s story A Sheet traces the death of humanity in the name of Hindu-Muslim conflicts. Burkha Dutt’s In the name of God (an extract) takes up with isse of sexual violence as experienced by women.
The writings in this collection deftly capture the different facets of violence, which assumes different shapes in different landscapes. Different coordinates of violence are traced as the writings take the reader to different coordinates of India itself, from Punjab through Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Bengal to Mizoram. I thoroughly enjoyed each and every piece of writing. My favourite ones from the collection are Seed, Gold from the Grave, A Sheet, Countless Hitlers and The Gravestone. Highly recommended.
My Rating: *****(4.5/5)
~Originally published on https://booksnmyself.wordpress.com
There are twelve pieces of writing in this collection, four of which are translated from Bengali, Marathi, Urdu and Rajasthani. Several well-known names such as Khushwant Singh, Mahashweta Devi, Suketu Mehta and Burkha Dutt are part of this anthology.
The collection opens with an excerpt from Khushwant Singh’s famous novel Train to Pakistan, which captures the turbulent time of the Partition. Mahashweta Devis’ short story Seed talks about the violence experienced by the poor peasants in the hands of feudal lords. Udyan Ghosh’s story Swapan is Dead, Long Love Swapan explores not only violence in the hands of the state but also the ensuing psychological trauma. Salam Bin Razaq’s story A Sheet traces the death of humanity in the name of Hindu-Muslim conflicts. Burkha Dutt’s In the name of God (an extract) takes up with isse of sexual violence as experienced by women.
The writings in this collection deftly capture the different facets of violence, which assumes different shapes in different landscapes. Different coordinates of violence are traced as the writings take the reader to different coordinates of India itself, from Punjab through Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Bengal to Mizoram. I thoroughly enjoyed each and every piece of writing. My favourite ones from the collection are Seed, Gold from the Grave, A Sheet, Countless Hitlers and The Gravestone. Highly recommended.
My Rating: *****(4.5/5)
~Originally published on https://booksnmyself.wordpress.com
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