Meena alexander born 1951 is a wellacclaimed poet, scholar, and writer. Spine creases, wear to binding and pages from reading. Described as undoubtedly one of the finest poets of contemporary times by the statesman india, she was the author of numerous collections of poetry, including atmospheric embroidery 2018, birthplace with buried stones 20, and. Search for selfidentity in meena alexanders nampally road. Described as undoubtedly one of the finest poets of contemporary times by the statesman india, she was the author of numerous collections of. Though writing and poetry have always provided meaning in miras. The short, semiautobiographical first novel nampally road by meena alexander. Hariharan writes, nampally road is the landscape alexanders young protagonist, mira kannadical, must negotiate on a quest that involves personal as. Her father was posted by the indian government to sudan, after the bandung agreement. Her memoir, fault lines, was chosen as one of publishers weeklys best books of 1993.
Praise for nampally road like meena alexanders poetry, her first novel is a deeply moving blend of lyric beauty and uncompromising toughness. Nampally road is the first novel of 39yearold meena alexander, who was born. Universe a united nations of poetry meena alexander. She has published six volumes of poetry including illiterate heart, which won the pen open book award, raw silk and quickly changing river. Nov 21, 2018 meena alexander, indian poet and teacher whose works reflect her multicultural life in india, sudan, and the united states. Meena alexander was born into a syrian christian family from kerala, south india. Nampally road, meena alexander, 1991, india, novel. Nampally road by meena alexander, 9780916515904, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide.
In 1964, when she was only thirteen, alexander enrolled in khartoum university, where she studied english and french. She spent her early years both in khartoum and in her ancestral home in kerala, south india. The poet from india who lived and wrote with sensitivity for the world a tribute to the poet, novelist and essayist, who died in new york, where she. Her novella nampally road is a look at the fight for independence in india following the partition of pakistan. Nov 24, 2018 literary tribute meena alexander 19512018.
Nampally road, her first novel, comes out of that experience. Poet, essayist and scholar meena alexander died in new york on wednesday. Alexander has published eight volumes of poetry, which include illiterate heart 2002 and raw silk 2004. Born in allahabad, india, and raised in india and sudan, alexander lives and works in new york city, where she is a distinguished professor of english at hunter college in the mfa program in creative writing. She has also published two novels nampally road 1991 2012 republished. For several years she lived in hyderabad, teaching in the english department, central university of hyderabad, which was housed in the golden threshold, once upon a time the residence of sarojini naidu. Hariharan writes, nampally road is the landscape alexanders young protagonist, mira kannadical, must negotiate on a quest that involves personal as well as political challenges, choices and. A memoir by alexander nampally road, 1990, tracing her life from childhood in india through youth and education in africa and england to marriage and motherhood in manhattan. Nampally road by meena alexander 1991, paperback for.
She is the author of two novels, nampally road, and manhattan music, and seven collections of poetry, among them birthplace with buried stones and house of a thousand stones. Meena alexander born 1951 is an internationally acclaimed poet, scholar, and writer. Click and collect from your local waterstones or get free uk delivery on orders over. Possible ex library copy, will have the markings and stickers associated from the library. Meena alexander is known as an indian feminist writer who has produced a modern commentary on mary wollstonecrafts the vindication of the rights of women. She now lives in new york city, where she is a distinguished professor of english at hunter college and the graduate center at the city university of new york. The story of the book focuses on the experiences and perception of.
Meena alexander was born in allahabad, india, on february 17, 1951. She published two novels, nampally road 1991which was a village voice literary supplement editors choiceand manhattan music 1997. Accessories such as cd, codes, toys, may not be included. She earned a ba at khartoum university and a phd at nottingham university. She was raised in both india and the sudan in north africa. Reflections on postcolonial experience 1996, as well as two books of academic scholarship. Celebrated indian american poet meena alexander, seen at a dinner and discussion hosted by the norman mailer center at the norman mailer house june 2, 2011 in new york city, died nov. Her poetry publications include stone roots l980, house of a thousand doors l988 and two long poems. Book awards book club selections books by author books by series coming soon kids books new releases teens books this months biggest new releases. Meena alexander 17 february 1951 21 november 2018 was an indian poet, scholar, and. Dec 24, 2007 meena alexander notes on the novel nampally road principal characters siddharth siddharth was a friend of mira. Meena alexander notes on the novel nampally road principal characters siddharth siddharth was a friend of mira. She was also a visiting fellow or poet in residence at a number of institutions. Nonetheless, alexander, the author of both fiction nampally road and non the shock of arrival, has produced another sophisticated novel reflecting the psychological realities of people coping with hyphenated identities, divided loyalties, fragmented dreams.
Fault lines was chosen by publishers weekly as one of the best books of the year in 1993. Two chapters from meena alexanders nampally road warscapes, 12202012. She is the author of several books of essays and an autobiography published in 1993. Home archives reading room search editorial info books subscribe west links winter 1998, volume 15. Meena alexander was the recipient of the 2009 distinguished achievement award in literature from the south asian literary association an organization allied to the modern languages association for contributions to american literature.
Her works have been widely anthologised and translated and include illiterate heart winner of the pen open book award, quickly changing river and the forthcoming birthplace with buried stones. Meena alexander, distinguished professor of english at hunter college and the graduate center of the city university of new york, is the author of several books of poetry, most recently illiterate heart northwestern, 2002, winner of a 2002 pen open book award. Nampally road by meena alexander 1991, paperback for sale. She has also written two novels, nampally road 1991 and manhattan music 1997. Born in allahabad, india, poet meena alexander was raised in kerala and sudan. Manhattan music by meena alexander, paperback barnes. Search for selfidentity in meena alexanders nampally road p. Meena alexander was born in allahabad and raised in both india and the sudan. She has published numerous books, including two novels, manhattan music and nampally road, and a book of poems and essays, the shock of arrival. She has also published two novels nampally road 1991 2012 republished by orient blackswan and manhattan music. Meena alexander 17 february 1951 21 november 2018 was an indian poet, scholar, and writer. Buy nampally road book online at low prices in india.
Her poems first saw the light of day in arabic translation, when she was a. The heroines of these books, academic meera kannadical and manhattanite sandhya rosenblum, cannot find peace within the received political or. Her husband, david lelyveld said the cause was endometrial serous cancer, reported the new york times. In this sweeping novel set in manhattan and india, alexander lyrically and poignantly explores crossing borders, the indian diaspora, fanaticism, ethnic intolerance, interracial affairs and marriages, and what it means to be an american today. Nampally road meena alexander this book authored by meena alexander is of special importance to me. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Meena alexander simple english wikipedia, the free. Sandhya rosenblum, an immigrant from india married to an american jewish man, tries to make sense of her life in a time of turbulence. Click and collect from your local waterstones or get free uk.
While her poetry might be her bestknown work, her works span a variety of literary genres. Explore books by meena alexander with our selection at. Meena alexander was born in allahabad, india, raised in india and sudan. Meena alexander 19512018 was a poet with an indian. Alexander is considered one of the foremost poets of her generation. She was distinguished professor of english at hunter college and at the cuny graduate center in the phd program in english she published two novels, nampally road 1991which was a village voice literary supplement editors choiceand manhattan music 1997, and two academic studies, the. Mira kannadical returns to india after graduate school in england to teach, but when she moves into a house on nampally road in hyderabad, she must come to terms with the conflicts and contradictions of life in modern india. Her first book, a single lengthy poem, entitled the birds bright wing, was published in 1976 in calcutta. Nonetheless, alexander, the author of both fiction nampally road and non the shock of arrival, has produced. Meena alexander, indian poet and teacher whose works reflect her multicultural life in india, sudan, and the united states.
Two chapters from meena alexanders nampally road warscapes, 12202012 landscape and poetry. Meena alexander has 36 books on goodreads with 3173 ratings. Alexander was born in allahabad and raised in kerala and sudan. Described as undoubtedly one of the finest poets of contemporary times by the statesman india, she was the author of numerous collections of poetry, including atmospheric embroidery 2018, birthplace with buried stones20, and pen. The royal festival hall in london commissioned a poem by her on new york for. The reminiscences of this indianborn poet and novelist nampally road are both evocative and moving, and she presents them in a circular yet completely logical fashion.
She has edited indian love poems from the everymans series, and published a critically acclaimed memoir fault lines picked as one of publishers weeklys best books of the year. Notes on nampally road by meena alexander notes on. Meena alexander biography and latest books by meena alexander. The present paper reflects the internal turmoil of a displaced and dislocated woman in meena alexanders first novel nampally road. Meena alexanders most popular book is charlie chan is dead. Born in allahabad, india, and raised in india and sudan, alexander lived and worked in new york city, where she was distinguished professor of english at hunter college and at the cuny graduate center in the phd program in english.
Buy nampally road by meena alexander from waterstones today. Meena is a poet and a literary figure, based in new york, and it was a pleasure meeting her when she came to the hyderabad literary festival 2012. The experience she brings to the reader is sensual in many senses of the word, as she invokes bright colors, sounds, smells, and feelings. Summary of nampally road written by meena alexander. She published two novels, nampally road 1991which was a village voice literary supplement editors choiceand manhattan music 1997, and two academic studies, the poetic self 1979 and women in romanticism 1989.
Meena alexander, the critically acclaimed indian american poet, scholar, and professor at the city university of new york, died on november 20, in manhattan. Born in allahabad, india, and raised in india and sudan, alexander lives and works in new york city, where she is distinguished professor of english at hunter college and at the cuny graduate center in the phd program in english. Jul 24, 2018 with her strong voice and precise language, meena alexander has crafted this visceral, worldly collection of poems. May contain limited notes, underlining or highlighting that does affect the text. Meena alexander interviews from yale university radio wybcx. She received a bachelors degree in french and english from khartoum university and a doctorate degree in english from nottingham university in england. Meena alexander considered one of the foremost indian poets of her generation, was born in india and raised both there and in sudan. The book focuses on a young woman who has returned from. The storm, a poem in five parts l989 and nightscene, the garden l992. Mira kannadical returns to india after graduate school in england to teach, but when she moves into a house on nampally road in hyderabad, she must come to terms with the. She lived in allahabad and kerala until she was almost five when her fathers workas a scientist for the indian governmenttook the family to khartoum in newly independent sudan. When she was eighteen she went to study in england.
Meena alexander indian poet and teacher britannica. Books by meena alexander author of indian love poems. Meena alexanders novel nampally road takes place in the city of hyderabad. Meena alexanders literary career began early, at the tender age of ten, when she began writing poetry. Nampally road plunges into the tumult, squalor, and corruption of postcolonial india, yet stands back from it at the same time. Nampally road is a short novel by meena alexander which was. Meena alexander has published many books, including several volumes of poetry, criticism, a memoir, lyric essays and two novels. They met each other during a protest march organized by the students against margaret thatcher. Oct 16, 2012 meena alexander considered one of the foremost indian poets of her generation. Dec 20, 2014 presents meena alexander on nampally road.
Editor of indian love poems and author of several other publications, her memoir fault lines was picked as one of publishers weeklys best books of the year. See meena alexander speaking on her book nampally road. Lopamudra basu and cynthia leenerts, cambridge scholars publishing, 2009. Alexanders rejection of the wordsworthian ideal is more fully explored first in her short and brilliant novel nampally road, but more extensively in her second and more complex novel manhattan music. After returning from england to hyderabad, india, to teach literature.
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