Favorite Books 8

Book: The Amphibian Man (Original Russian Title Transliteration 'Chelovek-Amphibia')
Author: Alexander Belyaev (Russian, 1884-1942)

Original Language: Russian
Year: 1928
Category: Science Fiction

Summary: On the outset of Argentina, the maverick and witty doctor Salvador makes various experiments with living creatures. One of his creations is the amphibian man Ichtiandr. But the locals call him a 'Sea Demon'. A greedy Pedro Jurita wanted to use the demon to collect pearls and tries to capture him. Ichtiandr is incapable to live outside water for a long time. He falls in love with Guttiara. Ups and downs started occurring in his life. Eventually Dr. Salvador was summoned by court for his experiments. The local Arch Bishop Garcilaso wants to kill Ichtiandr. Finally with the jailer's help he could escape to Tuamotu islands abandoning his love.

Comment: This is an unorthodox sci-fi where the author outspreads his imagination to the possibility of an amphibian human race. The reasons he put to the transformation are on legitimate ground that people can opt for successful organic transformations that will assist their survival in worse conditions. For example people need intestinal appendix operation to survive an appendicitis. The amphibian species can solve the food problem of present world and unleash the beauty of underwater to their mind. The author supports Darwin's evolutionary theory and shouts against religious fundamentalists' view that a race cannot be changed. The ending of the story is heart-breaking, but the author stuck to reality rather than emotions. (Off-topic: Google with 'Tuamotu' and see the beauty of nature.)

Link: High quality audio book is available at WorldEbookFair at: The Amphibian Man (Audio Book)

Bangla translated paperback should be available at Seba Prokashoni, Segunbagan, Dhaka.

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Book: The Manual of the Warrior of Light
Author: Paulo Coelho (Brazilian, 1947-)

Original Language: Portuguese
Year: 1997
Category: Philosophy, inspirational

Summary: The boy embarked on the quest to hear the ringing bells of a drowned temple. He lost interest in his studies and friends and tried on and on to hear the ringing bell. Eventually he understood that his endeavor was not in vain at all as he learnt to respect nature. When he came back to reality and decided to go back to his normal life, and deviated his attention to listening to seagulls and the waves rather than the bells, he was able to hear the ringing of the bells. Then the perplexing woman influenced him to write down the manual of the warrior of light.

Comment: These are the philosophical teachings of Paulo Coelho. Very much inspiring. A very short book. Worth of reading as everybody is a warrior, a warrior of light...

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Book: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Author: Samuel Langhorne Clemens (Mark Twain) (American, 1835-1910)

Original Language: English
Year: 1876
Category: Adventure, Child

Summary: Tom Sawyer is a young laddie who is always running into mischief. Always dreaming of adventure, playing with beetles, making friend with vagabond Huck Finn, fleeing to an island to play pirates - these are all things he does. He became infatuated with Becky Thatcher. Accidentally Tom and Huck become the witness of a murder when they went to the cemetery in the dark night. Tom later confesses the truth to save Muff to whom the killer Joe diverted shrewdly the offense of the murder. Tom and Becky were lost in a cave while enjoying a picnic. They discovered Joe inside the cave with a treasure. They sneaked out and later found the way out of the cave and Joe died of starvation. Finally their adventures were appreciated by everyone and Widow Doglas took the responsibility to take care of vagabond Huck.

Comment: My favorite childhood adventure. The book directly flies one back to the childhood where s/he becomes an adventurer with Tom Sawyer. Wonderful creation of Mark Twain.

Link:
English PDF ebook is available at PlanetPDF.

Let us buy paper books. Let's enrich our mind and home library.

Che Guevara and John Lennon

Power of Photo faking - Watch out the following fake (which is revolving around Facebook pages in recent times):

The real one is the following one where Lennon is practicing with Wayne Gabriel, who had been a contemporary guitarist then:

So think twice before trusting any pic. Try to use common sense. Beatles released their first album in 1963. There is no way Che would be playing guitar with Lennon in the next 4 years (Che died in 1967) when he was fighting in Havana and Bolivia. Also in 1963, Lennon was merely 23, in 1967 he was 27. But this is way ahead for a 27 years old Lennon - this may be his 35 years or over. Following is the young John Lennon when The Beatles just released their first album in 1963. Beside is a picture of Lennon in 1976. Which one is a closer match to the above snap (and the fake)?

John Lennon in1963

John Lennon in 1976

I myself was fooled at first. Later tried to think about it and was getting strong against the fake. Then did some research and found out this.

Enough to make one a jackass ;)

Favorite Books 7

Book: Amar Bondhu Rashed (Translate from Bangla as 'Rashed, My Friend')
Author: Md. Jafar Iqbal (1952 - )

Original Language: Bangla
Year: 1998.
Category: War, fiction

Summary: Rashed is a meverick laddie studying in merely standard class 7 in high school. War broke out and he along with his 3 classmates started co-operating and helping the freedom fighters. Sometimes they risk their lives by carrying ammunitions through checkposts. They made one successful guerrilla operation to free one of the freedom fighters from military custody in hospital. Sometimes he fools rajakars (anti-liberation parasites) with his witty moves. Finally...

Comment: This is a nice book on war. The setup of the story is different as it gives us some messages apart from the obvious ones. This tells us how a war can affect all age groups. Everybody can be part of it, and the courageous ones can take steps further for the welfare of the war. It teaches us to be courageous abandoning the limitations of age. But this has a mixed critique because a child (below age 15) should not take part in active fighting, or porting, or as a messanger according to UN Conventions on the Rights of the Child, article 38, 1989.

Bangla hard-bind is available everywhere in Bangladesh.There is a movie depiction with English subtitle. I have a copy with me.

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Book: La Nuit Bengali (Translate from French as 'The Bengal Nights')
Author: Mircea Eliade (Romanian, 1907-1986)



Original Language: Original in Romani and the title was 'Maitreyi'. But the French translation is the most popular.
Year: 1933 in Romani, 1950 in French.
Category: Romance



Summary: Mircea had a visit to India as part of his job in 1930s. During his sojourn, he fell in love with his host's daughter Maitreyi. It eventually ended up in bitter consequences because of crucifixion of Maitreyi's father about this love affair. Because of fear of clash between Oriental philosophy and culture with Western culture, the love could not see the end.

Comment: There is a bollywood movie titled 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam' that depicts the initial plot from the book (uncredited). The love, torments and troubles of both Mircea and Maitreyi was written with extreme affection throughout the book. You might have read a lot of romantic novels, you might have watched a lot of romantic movies, but you might have missed this one. People even say that, they bleed if they touch the book.

This is a fiction based on his sojourn. For example in reality, Mircea went to India to study philosophy, but in the story he depicts himself as a visiting engineer there. Mircea later became a polyglot scholar and a professor of University of Chicago. There is a movie depiction of the novel (Hugh Grant as Mircea).


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Book: Na Hanyate (From Sangskrit, translate as 'It Does Not Die')
Author: Maitreyi Devi (Indian, 1914-1990)



Original Language: Bangla
Year: 1974
Category: Romance, Reminiscence, Philosophy



Summary: After a long time of the publication of 'La Nuit Bengali', Maitreyi Devi got the trace of the book and Mircea in 1972. It seemed her love for Mircea didn't die and suddenly after so long it burst into tears. She told us the same story but with a different viewpoint. Also she denied any physical love affair that was described by Mircea in his book. Rather she tried to uphold the love affair with purity of consciousness.

Comment: The title was taken from 'Bhagavad Gita', and the actual line is 'Na Hanyate Hanyamane Sarire' that means 'Consciousness is eternal, it is not perished with the destruction of the temporary body'. The books together make an absolute romantic love affair that took place once upon a time on this marvellously romantic world. Due to fantasized physical love affair between herself and Mircea, she first accepted it as a libel. But later she forgave him when she found the torments and she felt his love for her.

There is one wrong information in the book that, Mircea was jailed for pornography. The fact is, Mircea lost his position due to conspiracy against some eroctic contents of one of his novels. He later sued against them and regained his position. He was jailed for his fascist and antisemitic movements, but not for pornography.

A book lying idle on a shelf is wasted ammunition. Like money, books must be kept in constant circulation... A book is not only a friend, it makes friends for you. When you have possessed a book with mind and spirit, you are enriched. But when you pass it on you are enriched threefold.” ― Henry Miller 

Let us buy paper books. Let's enrich our mind and home library.

Favorite Books 6

Book: The Mother
Author: Pearl S. Buck (American, 1892-1973)



Original Language: English
Year: 1933
Category: Fiction/Drama



Summary: The mother is a peasant wife whose husband left the family and never came back. She had emotional torments inside fighting alone, waiting for her husband, but she takes good care of her mother-in-law and sons and a blind daughter. She brings in false letters from her husband to keep her respect in the village. Occasionally she feels the hotness of youth and feels for her husband. Eventually one day she had to have an illicit sexual event with a tax collector. But she kills the unwanted baby by abortion with medicines and became very weak physically. Her elder son takes the responsibility of the house, and the younger one gets involved in the secret communism movements which nobody knows. Her elder son gets married and she feels the loss of her position as the chieftain of the house. She eventually had bigger blows from the fates of her younger son and daughter. Even it looks like she is fateless all through her life, but at last she found something to grab and she feels she is not so fateless like it shows. It is the hope of joy that keeps us alive amidst all our troubles.

Comment: Pearl S. Buck lived in China for a long period of time in her early years. She won Noble prize in literature in 1938 for her contemplative portrayal of Chinese peasant lives. This book was one of the influential factors for her to win the Noble prize. The book immensely portrays the hardship of a helpless woman who fights throughout her life where her smiles are mostly covered with griefs. I remember someone through the story. The story is a melancholic one, but certainly a wonderful piece of creation. Excellent collection.

Link: No ebook available. Please purchase the paper book. Your bookshelf won't regret having a masterpiece in its collection.

Bangla translated hard-bind is available at Aziz Super Market bookstores at Shahbagh, Dhaka. Price less than 200 BDT.

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Book: Two Women (Original Italian title 'La Ciociara')
Author: Alberto Moravia (Italian, 1907-1990)



Original Language: Italian
Year: 1958
Category: War



Summary: This is the story of a widow and her daughter surviving through the horrors of the Second World War. The mother Cesira, and the daughter Rosetta who fled to their native village Ciociara (interestingly, 'Ciociara' in Italian means 'Two Women' which is the Italian title of the book (checked in google translate)). Rosetta was a devout and a young beauty all through her life. At the end of the war, unfortunately Rosetta was brutally raped by a gang of allied soldiers. After this, she lost her faith in religions and God and became comfortably numb to follow a promiscuous sexual life like a prostitute.

Comment: This is a very nice book that portrays the pain and anguish a war brings to mankind. Being an Italian (which was allied with Hitler), Moravia made the allied soldiers villain. But that's not the point (well, whoever finds a way to oppose someone s/he dislikes, s/he mostly goes for it, for example in many hollywood movies, Russians are villains). The ugly face of war is the same no matter who you are, what you do. It brings the same misfortune to mankind in all its way, and especially to young women to whom being raped seems to be sealed in their fate, no matter what the outcome of the war is. There is a 1960 Italian film of the same title (La Ciociara) for which Sophia Lauren (played Cesira) won Academy Award for the Best Actress.

Link: No ebook available. Please purchase the original paperback.

Bangla translated hard-bind is available at Aziz Super Market bookstores at Shahbagh, Dhaka. Price less than 200 BDT.

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Book: Ami Birangona Bolchi (Translate as 'Saying a War-Heroine, I')
Author: Nilima Ibrahim (Bangladeshi, 1921-2002)



Original Language: Bangla
Year: 1997 (Merged Edition)
Category: War/Crime



Summary: This is collection of 7 different stories from 7 different rape-victims of Bangladesh liberation war. It tells you the stories of their lives in and out of the war. It tells you how they were raped by Pakistani armies, as well as by Bangladeshi people - by their own family, kiths and kins. It is like they have fallen into the burning fire from a heated cauldron - like they just changed place to be raped once again. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman embraced them as 'Birangona' (heroine), but the foolish people around took them as 'barangona' (prostitute). Their pathetic fate only bruised them inside and out thorughout their lives - there was seldom anybody to sympathise with them.

Comment: It was a great effort by Dr. Nilima Ibrahim to capture the lives of the raped women in Bangladesh liberation war. It perfectly tells you what a social and societal rape is. They had to survive on their own. They knew that they would not be accepted in this rotten society. Many of them had to suicide as they could not fight anymore. Some of them fought on their own and eventually established themselves outside the country. But unfortunately the people who could not save them, could not later hug them with love. I see those people more unfortunate who missed the opportunity to accept these women - who are as precious as gems and goddesses. I would rather say try to stare at the big blue sky for the rest of your life and try to make your heart as big as the sky. I completely hate this attitutde. Sadly, there is no book yet that shouted against this. I only read one book by Md. Jafar Iqbal where this odd bit was shown in some two sections - but anyway may be that was small, but that was very powerful (I forgot the title - please check later mails). No English translation is available.

Bangla hard-bind is available at Aziz Supermarket bookstores at Shahbagh, Dhaka. Price less than 250 BDT.

Let us buy paper books. Let's enrich our mind and home library.

Favorite Books 5

Book: The Alchemist (Original in Portuguese 'O Alquimista')

Author: Paulo Coelho (Brazilian, 1947-)



Original Language: Portuguese
Year: 1988
Category: Philosophy/Adventure/Fiction



Summary: The story begins with an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who had a prophetic dream two times to pursue a treasure. The pursue is his destiny and he set out for it after consulting a Gypsy woman. He would have to move across the Sahara and go to the pyramids to find his treasure. He sold his sheep to have enough money for the travel. On way he met a king, he was robbed, he worked with a crystal merchant, he set out with a caravan, they reached an oasis, he met Fatima, he met an alchemist. The alchemist taught him many philosophies of life, and to talk to the 'heart' and the 'soul of the world'. He helped him to know alchemy and to be an alchemist. He had strange examinations to win over and finally reach his destiny. The end is an excellent twist - read out and find on your own. Don't read the summary (with ending) in advance, otherwise the fun will be lost!

Comment: The book was suggested by my Kenyan friend Moses. This book has been translated in 71 languages so far which is a Guinness World Record holder for most translated book by a living author (source: wikipedia). Also it is one of the best-sellers in history. The book takes you back to an ancient time and flies you through Sahara, simums, and bedouins. It teaches you some wonderful philosophies of life. Excellent reading and collection.

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Book: The Motorcycle Diaries (Original Spanish Title 'Diarios de motocicleta')

Author: Ernesto Che Guevara (Argentine, 1928-1967)



Original Language: Spanish
Year: 1952 (written in this year)
Category: Travel/Adventure



Summary: Arensto and Granado were two friends who decided to travel across the Latin America on their bike 'La Poderosa'. Arnesto was a doctor on leprosy and Granado was a biochemist. The diary is a day-to-day travel-log written by Che. Their real-life experiences with laborious people, 'ostracized lepers', parsimonious mine workers, and downtrodden Inkan descendants were very much of the Marxist revolutionary seed that was sowed inside him during the journey.

Comment: What a journey! I find a resemblance to my Swedish friend 'Jan Braunisch' (http://r6.se/) who set out to travel Africa only with a rucksack. It is awesome when you are travelling a whole continent only on a motor bike where you need to find shelter, food, medicines on your own. There are two types of travels - one that is relaxed, and pre-planned, and the other is uncertain, and full of danger. They were on the later one, but felt the life of common people being a part of them. Che's writing is well-balanced - well, he is more a revolutionary than a writer - we all know that. But anyway, this is an excellent travel story. A masterpiece by a masterpiece Che himself! (Off topic: Che was very smart and handsome - what do you think?)

Link: English translated free online reading at: The Motorcycle Diaries

Bangla hard-bind is available at Aziz Super Market bookstores at Shahbagh, Dhaka. Price less than 200 BDT.

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Book: Crutch-er Colonel (Translate as 'The Colonel on Crutch')
Author: Shahaduzzaman (Bangladeshi, 1962 -)



Original Language: Bangla
Year: 2009 or 2010
Category: History/Revolution/Biography



Summary: The book is mainly a biography of Martyr Colonel Abu Taher. But along with biography, it is a valuable resource of the real history of the liberation war, revolutions, and coups occurred in Bangladesh. It is a historical masterpiece for the next generation of Bangladesh. I was shocked to see how some of the national heroes suddenly became greedy on power. Looks like power is the ultimate will of a man, not peace - that's also a truth about the world powers anyway.

Comment: This book is likely to be banned by BNP once they are in power in Bangladesh as nobody likes the bitter truth about himself/herself. It directly embossed parts from Colonel Taher's testimony about Zia as a traitor. Salutes to Colonel Taher as a real patriot and hero who could not make his dreams come true because of people he saved from inevitable death.

Link: No ebook available. But this is a masterpiece on historical books on Bangladesh. Your bookshelf won't regret purchasing this book for your lifetime.

Bangla hard-bind is available at Aziz Super Market bookstores at Shahbagh, Dhaka. Price less than 400 BDT.

Let us buy paper books. Let's enrich our mind and home library.

Favorite Books 4

Book: Comrade
Author: Alexei Maximovich Peshkov (Maxim Gorky) (Russian, 1868-1936)

Original Language: Russian
Year: 1906
Category: Socialism/Salvation/Enthusiasm

Story: This is not a story really, may be merely 4/5 pages. It talks about a gloomy city, day, and people who suddenly had a spiritual awakening by the word 'comrade'. It portrays the power of the word 'comrade' in the gloomy facade of the day-to-day life of ordinary people.

Comments: In Russian Maxim means 'The Greatest', Gorky means 'Bitter'. This was the pen name of the author. The story is an

excellent example of how concisely and deeply one can draw the scenario in his writing; that's why he is a Maxim. His portrayal of resemblance of various stages of the story is very profound and correct.

Links: Free online reading at: Comrade
 

Some other Gorky stories at the root: Gorky Books

 

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Book: Toilers of the Sea (original in French 'Les Travailleurs de la Mer')

Author: Victor Hugo (French, 1802-1885)

Original Language: French Year: 1886
Category: Fiction/Adventure/Romance.

Story: Gilliatt is a solitary fisherman in the island Guernsey, who is thrown a love gesture by Deruchette. On promise of Deruchette to marry anybody who can bring back her wrecked ship-engine, Gilliatt sets on the task risking his life fighting with cold, stravation and octopus. On successful return, he declines to marry as he came to know that she is already in love with someone else. He arranges for her marriage, and...
Comments: I read the Bangla translated paperback published around 1960 - the book was given to my mother as an accolade to her academic merits; may be they knew she herself would become a toiler of the sea. You can distinguish a skyscrapper from surrounding buildings; so can you distinguish this book. The ending pounds on your heart, might enrage you with the betrayal of Deruchette.
 
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Book: The Call of the Wild
Author: Jack London (American, 1876-1916)

Original Language: English
Year: 1903
Category: Adventure

Story: The story revolves around Buck - a stolen dog being used for sledge-pulling. The ups and downs in Buck's life and finally reaching the hands of a good man Thornton are the climaxes of the story. Later Thornton won a bet for the strength of Buck. At the end Thronton was killed by nomads and the revenge of the dog is the other side of the story. Finally he found his niche in the wilderness by socilizing with wolves, but he comes back each year to mourn his master's death.

Comment: It is a touching pet story where the pet is the main character. Wonderful reading.

Link: English PDF Download Link made available by ibiblio: The Call of the Wild

Bangla translated paperback should be available at Seba Prokashoni, at Segunbagan, Dhaka.

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Book: Maa (translate as 'Mother')

Author: Anisul Haque (Bangladeshi, 1965-)

Original Language: Bangla
Year: 2003
Category: Drama/Fiction/War

Story: This is the story of a mother who discovered the brutal tortures upon her only son by enemy soldiers; but even then she urged the son not to disclose the names of companion guerrilla warriors. This is the story of a mother who didn't eat rice or sleep in bed for the rest of her life after she had last seen her son sleeping on floor of jails and wanted to eat rice. This is the story of a mother who left a palace and lived a poor life because of betrayal of her husband.

Comment: All the stories in the world on 'mother' are somewhat very touchy. Every mother has some story of her own and it is the adept writer who can portray the story, and make us cherish. This is a very nice 'Mother' story by Anisul Haque.

 

Bangla hard-bind is available at

Aziz Supermarket Bookstores at Shahbagh, Dhaka. Price is about 200 BDT.

Let us buy paper books. Let's enrich our mind and home library.

Favorite Books 3

Book: Sophie's World
Author: Jostein Gaarder (Pronounce as Yesten Gaarder) (Norwegian, 1952 -)

 

Original Language: Norwegian
Year: 1991
Category: Philosophy

 

Story: This is a story where a young girl starts learning about the mysterious questions like who we are and where do we come from. And how to stand firm against odds. It takes you through philosophical thoughts spanning across ancient theologies to presence.

Comments: This is a national (if not international) best-seller. I could not finish the paper book; left in the middle of reading. But hope to finish it someday.

Links: Online reading of short summary of chapters at: Summary - Sophie's World

Wikipedia Link: Wikipedia - Sophie's World

Bangla translated paper book should be available at Aziz Supermarket Bookstores at Shahbagh, Dhaka.


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Book: Pagla Dashu (May be translated as 'The Crazy Dashu')

Author: Sukumar Ray (Indian, 1887 - 1923) 

 

Year: Around 1940
Original Language: Bangla
Category: Child

Story: This is a collection of funny incidents that took place in Sukumar Roy's childhood, mostly wrapped around the character 'Dashu'. Sukumar Roy's excellent representation of fun worths admiration.

Comments: Unfortunately no English translation is available. Even if there, it would not be the same as the original.

Links: Free e-book created by BDNews24.com, available at (1 MB): Sukumar Ray - Pagla Dashu

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Book: The Rape of Bangladesh

Author: Anthony Mascarenhas (Pakistani, 1928 - 1986)

Year: 1972

Original Language: English
Category: History

Story: The book is about the various atrocities that were imposed upon East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) by West Pakistan (now Pakistan).

Comments: It is not about the numerous raped victims of Bangladesh during liberation war. Interestingly, Mr. Anthony was a Pakistani journalist (1928-1986).

Links:

No English ebook is available. Paperback is available in Amazon.

Bangla translated paper book should be available at Aziz Supermarket Bookstores at Shahbagh, Dhaka. The price is less than 150 BDT.

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Book: Phire Dekha 71 (May be translated as 'A melancholic Glance at 1971')
Author: It is a collection of stories/incidents/telegrams/letters/testimonies concerning the liberation war of Bangladesh
Year: 2008
Original Language: Bangla
Category: History/War

 

Story: The book is a compilation of scattered information throughout the web where the contributors talk about historical liberation war incidence with live testimonies.

Comments: Excellent collection.

Download Link (6.47 MB): Phire Dekha 71

Bangla paper book should be available at Aziz Supermarket Bookstores at Shahbagh, Dhaka.

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Book: The Metamorphosis (Original in German 'Die Verwandlung')
Author: Franz Kafka (German, 1883 - 1924)

 

Year: 1915
Original Language: German
Category: Fiction

Story: This is a story about a travelling salesman, who in one night unfortunately turns into a monstrous worm and becomes a burden to the rest of the family. It silently throws the question of humanity if you pay attention so you can see the hidden tears.

Comments: This is the most wonderful work of Kafka. It perfectly portrays the situation when the sole breadwinner of a family becomes an abominable and despicable burden to the rest of the family members when the ultimate wish is to get rid of him/her. It may be anyone - our parents at their old age, or any breadwinner of the family - who would metamorphose into such monstrous figure once they cannot earn anymore. A lot of allegories will be appreciable if you read with concentration. The dimension of Kafka's thinking is simply marvellous in this novella. It may be the shortest possible novella.

It is said that Kafka's writing is unique to German language and a translation might not yield the actual flavor.

Links: Ebook is made available by project Gutenberg: Metamorphosis

You can choose a format suitable for your mobile phone (epub for example) and load the book in your smartphone. You can read it anywhere.

Bangla translated paper book should be available at Aziz Supermarket Bookstores at Shahbagh, Dhaka.

Let us buy paper books. Let's enrich our mind and home library.