Mulk Raj Anand, the Doyen of Indian English fiction, whose writing career spanned nearly four decades, has carved out a permanent niche in the literary world. Anand’s writings are marked by his fine perception of the Indian ethos, the sinister forces that operate in the Indian society, his humanitarian outlook and profound sympathy for the down-trodden and the under privileged. His novels are thus faithful transcripts of and serious comments on the contemporary social reality. The twelve insightful essays that constitute this volume not only shed new light on the old classics like Untouchable, Coolie, Two leaves and a bud, and The Old woman and the cow, but also deals with issues like despair and delight in the novels of Mulk Raj Anand, the identity crisis, Anand’s creative exploitation of the linguistic resources of the English language, his narrative technique, his humanism, his treatment of individuals as social constructs, the symbiotic relationship between art and culture studies, and other unexplored facets of Anand’s writings. The detailed bibliography at the end serves as a useful research tool for the scholars studying Anand. The students of Indian English literature would find this book immensely useful, and also those who keep interest in the writings of Anand would find the essays quite thought-provoking and illuminating.
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