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Showing posts from December, 2015

That Time of Year

The year's ended on a wonderfully happy note for Permanent Black, with several of our books featuring in year-end Best Book lists. In Open, Ramachandra Guha gave a five star to BODIES OF SONG by Linda Hess: "I have read many good books this year, none better than Linda Hess’ BODIES OF SONG: Kabir Oral Traditions and Performative Worlds in North India . This book examines the rich after-lives of a man who, with the possible exception of Tulsidas, is the most famous of all Indian poets. Dr Hess focuses on how Kabir is sung, performed, and interpreted, combining lyrical descriptions of what she saw (and heard) with subtle translations of the poetry. This is a magnificent work of scholarship, and a rollicking good read. In Biblio ,  Amita Baviskar's Book of the Year: "Thomas Trautmann’s ELEPHANTS AND KINGS: An Environmental History (Permanent Black) was the best book I read this year.. .Pulling together a vast array of sources, this erudite and engag