Nirmala

Premchand's novella Nirmala, first published in 1928, is one of the most poignant novels in Hindi on the theme of the young adolescent yoked to an elderly husband. Clearly reformist in its agenda, this novel succeeds in exploring sensitive and even dangerous terrain. Alok Rai's English translation includes an Afterword which takes note of the novel's special context, placing it in perspective and making a contemporary reading of the work possible.

Literature & Fiction

PREMCHAND

Rai, Alok

World Literature

Oxford University Press

Humor & Entertainment

Premchand (1880-1936) was a pioneering figure in modern Hindi literature. This omnibus edition of his works gathers together two distinguished novels (Nirmala and Gaban) and two short-story collections (The World of Premchand and Widows, Wives and Other Heroines). It also includes an introduction by Premchand scholar Francesca Orsini.

The Oxford India Premchand (Oxford India Collection)

Rubín, David

King, Christopher R.

History & Criticism

Alok Rai recognises that George Orwell was both a political writer and a literary artist, and that any adequate study must do justice to both aspects of his work. Drawing on a wide range of Orwell's writing, including unpublished and previously unused material, Rai charts his progression from rebellion through reconciliation to despair. Making use of the insights of contemporary critical theory, he demystifies the idea of Orwell as a 'transparent' writer, simply concerned with basic human values, and by means of close reading relates the literary style to the political beliefs, asking how a writer who is from one perspective, a relatively minor talent, can come to occupy such a culturally central position. Rai's discussion reopens the question of the nature and necessity of Cold War attitudes and perceptions, and examines the ideological apparatus of the Cold War consensus, of which Orwell was an influential guarantor.

Orwell and the Politics of Despair: A Critical Study of the Writings of George Orwell

British & Irish

Cambridge University Press

Alok Rai recognises that George Orwell was both a political writer and a literary artist, and that any adequate study must do justice to both aspects of his work. Drawing on a wide range of Orwell's writing, including unpublished and previously unused material, Rai charts his progression from rebellion through reconciliation to despair. Making use of the insights of contemporary critical theory, he demystifies the idea of Orwell as a 'transparent' writer, simply concerned with basic human values, and by means of close reading relates the literary style to the political beliefs, asking how a writer who is, from one perspective, a relatively minor talent, can come to occupy such a culturally central position. Rai's discussion reopens the question of the nature and necessity of Cold War attitudes and perceptions, and examines the ideological apparatus of the Cold War consensus, of which Orwell was an influential guarantor. He discusses Orwell's changing attitude to participation in the Second World War, and looks at his relation to post-War social democracy. Finally, he recognises Orwell's international perspective, showing that for him the world did not stop at the Elbe, nor even at Suez.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Rai, Alok. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Rai, Alok