Daily Star Books

Daily Star Books

BOOK REVIEW: FICTION / Meditations on sanity in ‘Hospital’

Though on its surface Sanya Rushdi’s  Hospital, translated into English by Arunava Sinha and recently longlisted for the 2024 Stella Prize, looks to be a breezy, short read—it is anything but. With her rather flattened, sparse prose, Rushdi has managed to write an enduring piece of autofiction, a compelling account of psychosis that neither sensationalises nor withers away any sentimentality from the struggles of mental health.

BOOK REVIEW: FICTION / ‘Shubeik Lubeik’, wishes, and the vulnerability of human beings

In Deena Mohamed’s Shubeik Lubeik (originally published in 2015 and translated in 2023 by Mohamed herself), wishes have not only drastically altered the fabric of daily life in Egypt, but the world at large.

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.

BOOK REVIEW: FICTION / ‘Father of the Nation Bangabandhu’ marries the art of Japanese storytelling with the rich tapestry of Bangladesh’s history

A review of 'Father of the Nation Bangabandhu' (NRB Scholars, 2024) by ME Chowdhury Shameem and Iwamoto Keita

1w ago

BOOK REVIEW: NONFICTION / The ‘new oil’ transforming the world

Chip War, a highly praised book written by Chris Miller who teaches International history at Tuft University’s Fletcher School, USA, is a New York Times bestseller.

2w ago

BOOK REVIEW: NON FICTION / Designing our past and for our future

The author, architect Tanwir Nawaz, besides expressing his thoughts, ideas, and artistic struggles within a body of professional works, has poured his emotions and nostalgic memories into Exploring the World of Architecture and Design.

2w ago

BOOK REVIEW: FICTION / A country coming to life

Weaving the grand themes of politics and history, the book is a revelation into how the ordinary lives within a country are buffeted by constant changes.

2w ago

EVENT REPORT / ‘Untranquil Recollections’: Revisiting the past with Professor Rehman Sobhan

On March 9, 2024, University Press Limited (UPL) hosted a discussion with Professor Rehman Sobhan, moderated by Dr Akhter Mahmood, on the two volumes of 'Untranquil Recollections'

2w ago

BOOK REVIEW: NONFICTION / Stories of survivorship, courage, and hope for a country that cares

A closer look into these stories reveal reasons why cancer continues to be dreaded—it is not just fear of the malady itself, but also the challenges of undergoing treatment through an overburdened healthcare system and its exorbitant costs.

2w ago

EVENT REPORT / ‘Living Letters’ with Iffat Nawaz: A shared journey towards resolution and emotional clarity

On March 5, 2024, the writer held the inaugural session of her writing workshop series, “Living Letters”, at The Daily Star Centre in collaboration with Goethe Institut Bangladesh, Sister Library, and Star Books and Literature

2w ago

ESSAY / Between falling and failing

Although there is much merit to the representation of women’s pain, the evolution of the heavily aestheticised “sad girl” trope in popular culture has started to make a mawkish caricature of real women’s suffering

2w ago

Has the Boi Mela been reduced to photographic aesthetics and vacuous controversies?

In the last few years, there has been a paradigm shift in the traditional book fair culture. The commercialisation and curation of hyper nationalist books have led to the absence of literature and stories of “others”.

Goodreads, transparency, and the perils of the publishing world

Cait Corrain's reviewbombing practices serve as a cautionary tale. As readers and writers engage with online book communities, the issue of transparency becomes more vital than ever

Ekushey Boi Mela: Children's books and what to expect

With only a few days to go, there’s still a chance to take the younger ones to the book fair and check out the wide range of books available

BTS of Ekushey Boi Mela: Is our publishing industry overly reliant on one event?

Most publishing companies in Bangladesh are not big enough for them to have a fully functioning marketing team or a viable marketing strategy.

She’s a terrible person, but that’s the point

A review of Ottessa Moshfegh's 'My Year of Rest and Relaxation' (Penguin Press, 2023)

Dynamics of race and riches in ‘Such a Fun Age’

In the thick of it is a young woman of colour who’s a late bloomer and eventually finds her footing.

Unveiling ‘L’État, C'est Moi’: A journey through French aesthetics and culture

Last week, on February 15, 2024, Alliance Française de Dhaka hosted a book launching event for Dr Mahbubur Rahman’s 'L'État, C'est Moi'

Trends in horror and graphic novels at this year’s Boi Mela

According to the publishers, the classic horror books are among their best selling novels this year.

Behind the scenes: Preparing stall layouts for the Ekushey Boi Mela

For most of the publishers, pavilion planning commenced as early as mid January and the organisers left no stone unturned in terms of planning the layout.

The lack of fantasy at Boi Mela

With Ekushey Boi Mela now in full swing, the excitement surrounding the discovery of new releases should be hanging palpably in the air.

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