It was The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable, published in 2016, that introduced us to a new Ghosh. No longer content to simply invent new worlds, Ghosh was urging his fellow writers to join him on a mission—the forging of a literature that will not just try and understand our reality, but one that might even better it. His 2019 novel, Gun Island, was a step in that direction.
Earlier this year, Ghosh released Jungle Nama, the verse adaptation of a Bengali folktale. Set in the Sundarbans, the book cautioned against human greed and excess. His latest, The Nutmeg’s Curse, employs a scholarly non-fiction framework to further those warnings. In telling the story of how Europeans robbed the Indonesian Banda Islands of its nutmeg, Ghosh shows us how colonialism exploited human life and nature, reducing both to inert resources. As he joins the dots between imperialism, capitalism and climate change, he demonstrates just how destructive a mechanistic view of the earth proves to be. The author explained his thoughts to Reader’s Digest.
The nutmeg doesn’t just look like a planet, it is also a stand-in for it. Given the hyper-nationalism and individualism of today, how hard has it been to try and begin a ‘planetary discourse’?
Denne historien er fra November 2021-utgaven av Reader's Digest India.
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Denne historien er fra November 2021-utgaven av Reader's Digest India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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READER'S DIGEST-BOOKS
These book summaries highlight Siddharthya Roy's exploration of conflict and violence, Michael Castleman's deep dive into the history of publishing, and Swadesh Deepak's examination of social issues and masculinity through Hindi literature.
Man with printed sarong
A lawyer, pianist, critic, and mentor to artists, Lionel Wendt is best known for his photographs of Sri Lanka, especially those of people indigenous to the island, captured amidst the lush landscape or posing in his studio.
Too Much?
New studies show that even moderate drinking is a health hazard. Here’s a frank look at the toll alcohol takes on the body
ME & MY SHELF
Coimbatore-born Prashanth Srivatsa is a science fiction/fantasy writer whose stories have appeared in magazines such as Asimov’s, Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction and Three-Lobed Burning Eye, among others. Prashanth’s debut fantasy novel, The Spice Gate chronicles the journey of Amir, a young man born with special abilities who unravels the power that keeps the world in balance. magazines such as Asimov's, Magazine of Fantasy Science Fiction and Three-Lobed Burning Eye, among others. Prashanth’s debut fantasy novel, The Spice Gate chronicles the journey of Amir, a young man born with special abilities who unravels the power that keeps the world in balance.
Small Business, Big Heart
Caring for people is part of the deal at family-run shops
Spill the Beans
Everyone has secrets. Here's why you should share yours
It Happens ONLY IN INDIA
Angry lovers are like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get.
FULL STEAM AHEAD!
I GOT THE CHANCE TO DRIVE THE WORLD'S LAST SCHEDULED STEAM TRAIN
Stressed and Worn Down
More and more people are clenching and grinding their teeth. Here's what to do about it
THIS BACON FAKERY MUST STOP
I was recently given bacon-flavoured dental floss for my birthday.