Something Barely Remembered

Exquisite Indian short stories

Lukose is ready to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps and enter the priesthood; Anna’s parents are drowned as they make their way to a wedding by boat and she must now go and live with her uncle and his Italian wife in Rome; Chako, a doctor, meets a sad little girl whose mother has run away, and then, many years later, he encounters the mother at a party but cannot bear to share with her his knowledge of her daughter.

These fifteen stories give us sharp, acute fragments of Indian lives, all linked by family or friendship, or just sheer coincidence, and give us a poignant reminder of how even the smallest event can cause the greatest effect. Beautifully crafted, written with great feeling, this story collection marks the debut of a new and original voice.

Reviews

‘Family, freedom, tradition, rebellion, death and faith, Visvanathan handles her difficult subjects lightly. Written with a gentle wit, all the stories in this impressive debut collection seem both modern and timeless.’
Independent on Sunday

About the author

Susan Visvanathan is a Professor of Sociology at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi. Something Barely Remembered is her first work of fiction.