Nana Chokhe Jibanananda Edited by Faizul Latif Chowdhury [Hardcover]

Jibanananda Das (1899–1954) once said that in the literature of every nation, the era finds such profound human reflection in the works of its greatest poet that other poets of the same period—trying to express themselves through thought, language, poetry, gesture, or implied meaning—find it nearly impossible to avoid the influence of that supreme poet. He made this remark in the context of evaluating Rabindranath Tagore. Today, we can confidently say that among the select few writers who enriched Bengali poetry, short stories, novels, and literary thought in the twentieth century, Jibanananda Das stands as one of the foremost. He is considered the preeminent modern poet of the Bengali language. But not only that—he also wrote 128 short stories, 19 novels, and several essays and articles. His poetic sculptures remain a source of profound wonder. His prose is extraordinary. His life experiences resonate deeply with our consciousness and sensibilities. During his lifetime, Jibanananda published very little. Over a thousand of his poems, along with many novels and short stories, are still waiting to be read and discovered. This book is a collection of some of the finest writings on the poet, storyteller, essayist, and above all, the human being that was Jibanananda Das. The contributors to this volume are all acclaimed Jibanananda scholars, both in India and abroad. Through multifaceted analyses, these essays illuminate the essence of his poetry, novels, and essays. Kothaprokash has continued to publish various works by Jibanananda Das. Among the most notable are *Jibanananda Das-er Shreshtha Prabandha*, compiled from original manuscripts, and *Jibanananda Das-er Shreshtha Kabita*, a remarkable publication that includes facsimiles of his original handwritten poems.