Book Title: The Earth Quakes: Late Anti-Stories
Author: Subimal Misra
Translator: V Ramaswamy
Publisher: Harper Perennial India
Number of Pages: 468
ISBN: 978-9356991767
Date Published: Feb. 26, 2024
Price: INR 250
Book Review
Reading “The Earth Quakes: Late Anti-Stories” by Subimal Misra, translated by V Ramaswamy, transports readers into a realm of experimental fiction that defies traditional narrative. Subimal Misra, a Bengali writer recognized for his anti-establishment mindset, presents a collection of twenty stories (1991-2010) that challenge typical narrative patterns and prompt readers to profound contemplation. Ramaswamy’s translation conveys Misra’s linguistic complexity by stressing the author’s use of multiple Bengali registers, ranging from ascetics’ language to street vernacular, which presents distinct hurdles in English translation.
Misra’s creative disobedience extended from form to substance, as he deliberately avoided mainstream publishing, disseminating his work through lesser-known Bengali publications and selling his novels independently at book fairs. His rejection of copyright reflects a larger mindset of attacking established power institutions, with a specific focus on the organized left, notably West Bengal’s Left Front administration. Misra’s novels are interrogations of power dynamics, undermining standard political rhetoric by depicting the intricacies of human connections against the backdrop of societal change.
Navigating Misra’s stories requires intellectual agility. His narrative approach, as shown in “The Great Renunciant,” entices readers with seeming simplicity before leading them down a rabbit hole of characters and views. Ramaswamy accurately replicates Misra’s hard grammar while retaining the purposeful ambiguity that distinguishes Misra’s language. The reader is drawn into a textual maze, forcing them to confront Misra’s anti-literary approach, which requires active participation and critical evaluation.
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Author Subimal Misra’s emphatic caution that his writing is not for passive consumption is repeated throughout the book. Misra’s unique storytelling, such as “A Green-Coloured Asur at the Idol under a Single-Roofed Pavilion and Below, Placed Visibly, the Symbolic Bride Made up of Nine Leaves,” pushes readers beyond their comfort zones, requiring mental strain and patience. Each narrative fragment, jump cut, and language innovation defy traditional storytelling, demonstrating Misra’s dedication to challenging literary standards.
“The Earth Quakes” eventually demonstrates Misra’s bold worldview. His narratives, replete with vignettes of marginalized life and political opposition, resist easy interpretation. While some may find Misra’s writing style perplexing, he encourages readers to confront hard facts and challenge conventional narratives. Misra’s impact is rooted not just in his language innovation, but also in his emphasis on involving readers as active players in decoding his unsettling tales, making “The Earth Quakes” an intriguing and thought-provoking read for anyone ready to face its challenges.
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