The Right Words

Shama Futehally (1952-2004) was a 'writer's writer', unique among contemporary Indian authors for the sophistication and integrity of her work. This posthumous collection of her non-fiction writing provides a rare and rewarding insight into the literary life; into the art of observation and creation. In these essays, Futehally writes on a variety of subjects, ranging from the complexities of translation and her discovery of Meera, Premchand and Naguib Mahfouz, among others, to her early experiences as a teacher and the pleasures of bird watching. Apparent in each essay is her effortless scholarship, refined sensibility and craftsmanship of the highest order.