The Epic City The World on the Streets of Calcutta
The Epic City: The World on the Streets of Calcutta by Kushanava Choudhury, published by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc on August 9, 2018, offers a vivid exploration of Calcutta through the eyes of an author who returned to his childhood city after years abroad. This 272-page work presents a personal narrative that captures the essence of a bustling metropolis, reflecting on its enduring characteristics and the vibrant life that fills its streets.
Readers will find a blend of biography, memoir, and social commentary as Choudhury recounts his experiences in Calcutta, a city marked by its rich customs and traditions. The book delves into the everyday realities of urban life, from the lively hawkers to the political landscape, providing insights into the complexities of this South Asian city. With themes rooted in sociology and history, The Epic City invites readers to engage with the multifaceted nature of Calcutta, making it a significant addition to literary collections and essays on urban life.
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SHORTLISTED FOR THE ONDAATJE PRIZE
SHORTLISTED FOR THE STANFORD DOLMAN TRAVEL WRITING PRIZE
‘Witty, polished, honest and insightful, The Epic City is likely to become for Calcutta what Suketu Mehta’s classic Maximum City is for Mumbai’ William Dalrymple, Observer
When Kushanava Choudhury arrived in New Jersey at the age of twelve, he had already migrated halfway around the world four times.
After graduating from Princeton, he moved back to Calcutta, the city which his immigrant parents had abandoned. Taking a job at a newspaper, he found the streets of his childhood unchanged. Shouting hawkers still overran the footpaths, fish sellers squatted on bazaar floors; and politics still meant barricades and bus burnings.
The Epic City is a soulful, compelling and often hilarious account of this metropolis of fifteen million people that is truly a world unto itself.
‘A beautifully observed and even more beautifully written new study of Calcutta’ Guardian
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