Books

Books

REFLECTIONS / The first American months

The sun was up. The sky was a perfect cerulean blue, the neighbourhood blissfully quiet. Through my window, I relished the sunny first day of 2020, with a cup of tea in my hand.

1w ago

BOOK REVIEW: FICTION / A list of life lessons

Set in 1979, this is a story of monsters—the ones who prey on the vulnerable, the ones that exploit our weaknesses, and the ones that we elevate to positions of power.

1w ago

FICTION / The loss of essentiality

Umar stood in line with all the patience in the world. He could smell the anxiety and fear in the air. The room was filled with people once glorifying death and taking pride in solitude, now filled with panic in the face of reality.

1w ago

POETRY / There’s no way you’ll outrun a bear

Smoother violence fills our hearts like charming splinters. The irony is I am the first of my women

1w ago

POETRY / Be a tree

Be a tree Get wet in sorrow’s shower and you’ll recover. From envy’s scorching sun gather strength

1w ago

New Garcia Marquez novel launched 10 years after his death

Gabriel Garcia Marquez died a decade ago, but a previously unpublished book by the author who popularised the Latin American "magical realism" narrative genre will hit the stores on Wednesday, somewhat despite his wishes

3w ago

ESSAY / The promises and pitfalls of decolonial thinking

The craze that once prevailed in academia over postcolonialism no longer seems to hover around there anymore.

4w ago

THE SHELF / 5 mystery thriller books to look out for at and after Boi Mela

Sanjana has killed her husband. She had not meant to kill him, but the odds never seem to be in her favour. Desperately trying to grasp the reality of her situation, she flees the crime scene, leaving her family, friends and life behind.

4w ago

The progressive depiction of women in ‘Devdas’

In some ways, Sharatchandra places the blame for Devdas's ensuing sorrow on his lack of courage, made all the more noticeable in comparison to Parbati's courage in breaking social norms despite the dire consequences it could have for her.

Discovering enlightenment and creativity at Dhaka Flow Festival

In addition to the activities, the event offered an array of distinctive stalls for festival goers, featuring sustainable and healthy products rooted in Bangladesh.

The Hermitage Residency: In Conversation with Arif Anwar and Julia Philips

Last week, Daily Star Books interviewed Bangladeshi-Canadian writer Arif Anwar, author of The Storm (2018), and American novelist Julia Phillips, author of Disappearing Earth (2019).

Witnessing the council of animals in the Sundarbans

Mayurpankhi’s books have the calibre to engage readers of all ages. This book is not an exception either.

A pressed flower

Pressed between pages Of a heavy book, a rose-– Neither flourishes nor wilts.

How to write a love song

500 years ago, Edmund Spenser wrote a poem to celebrate a wedding taking place beside the River Thames. Each stanza ends with the refrain: “Sweet Thames, run softly till I end my song”.

Small dreams

On the heart of a place where heather blossoms, Dreams of scattered bodies and burnt heath Against the walls where children live

An evening of spooks and screams

Each submission, whether poem or prose, was limited to 250 words, and the first team to complete all the prompts would be crowned the winning house.

‘Island Life’: A collaborative children’s book

Through visualising the beautiful island nation of the Maldives and the unique environmental features of Bangladesh, the book hopes to foster an appreciation for our shared natural heritage and raise climate awareness.

4 witchy romance novels to read this Halloween

The fascination with October’s magic and mystery hasn’t subdued over the centuries. And what can be more magical than falling in love in October?

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