About this product

Product Identifiers

PublisherPenguin Books India Pvt, The Limited

ISBN-100670095907

ISBN-139780670095902

eBay Product ID (ePID)16057241864

Product Key Features

Number of Pages168 Pages

LanguageEnglish

Publication NameMy Family

SubjectAbsurdist, Subjects & Themes / Plants & Animals, Linguistics / General

Publication Year2021

TypeTextbook

AuthorRuth Vanita

Subject AreaArt, Fiction, Language Arts & Disciplines

FormatHardcover

Dimensions

Item Height0.6 in

Item Weight8 Oz

Item Length9 in

Item Width6 in

Additional Product Features

Intended AudienceTrade

LCCN2021-317770

Dewey Edition23

IllustratedYes

Dewey Decimal891.431

Synopsis'As [Neelkanth the peacock] stepped forward and backward, left and right, he would pause at some invisible point where rhythms meet ... I cannot say how Neelkanth came to know that I liked his dancing very much, but one day, as soon as I approached the aviary, he suddenly descended from his swing and, spreading out the circular rainbow umbrella of his feathers, he stood in a dance pose.' 'Animals recognize humans' unpretentious affection but not high and low social status. I absorbed this truth from Sona [the doe] by osmosis. What had Sona to do with the grave and solemn Guru-ji [Mahadevi] of the girl-students? ... If Sona felt it necessary to jump over my head to express her affection, she would do so. It was impossible for her to be impressed by my status or circumstances.' Book jacket., MY FAMILY is a collection of pen portraits on a few of the many animals with whom Mahadevi Varma chose to spend her life. Set in a time when human and non-human worlds were still permeable, the book describes the singular personalities of Mahadevi's adoptive animals and the unique relationships she enjoyed with each of them. There is Gillu the frisky squirrel, Neelkanth the gorgeous caring peacock, Sona the affectionate doe with liquid eyes, Neelu the imperious yet loyal mountain dog, and others whom Mahadevi magically brings to life on the page. Brilliantly translated by Ruth Vanita and peppered with Mahadevi's sparkling wit, these sketches depict a memorable life lived with a special chosen family. In her erudite introduction, Vanita analyses various dimensions of Mahadevi's life and work, illuminates her historical and literary legacy, and reviews the myriad debates on humans' coexistence with animals.

LC Classification NumberPK2098.V3Z4713 2021