Apr 01, 2001 the struggles that have made burma, india, and malaya the places they are today are illuminated in this wonderful novel by the writer chitra divakaruni calls a master storyteller. Books similar to the glass palace goodreads share book. When she suspects that her uncle and master, geryon, is responsible for her fathers death, alice, an apprentice reader, boldly seeks out a spell in the palace of glass that could trap geryon and help her get some answers. A recreation of one of the key moments of twentiethcentury history.
Rich in detail, lyrical and profound, the glass palace is a book to be savored with your full attention. Jun 24, 2001 the glass palace chronicles the fortunes of a burmese man, rajkumar raha, and his family. The crystal palace at sydenham 18541936 first edition by piggott, jan isbn. A vibrant blockbuster of a novel, a london critic described the glass palace as a doctor zhivago for the far east.
For the glass palace resembles less a contemporary american plotdriven novel, than a sprawling work like dos passos usa or a greek epic. The glass palace questions and answers discover the community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you might have on the glass palace. Glass palace translator wins myanmar national literature. This is a small complaint, however, and one that perhaps should not be applied to an epic, episodic novel of this sort. At its core, the glass palace is the story of ordinary peoples life being taken over by politics and drowning them into insignificance. There was only one person in the foodstall who knew exactly what that sound was that was rolling in across the plain, along the silver curve of the irrawaddy, to the western wall of mandalays fort. It tells the story of an orphan boy from indian named rajkumar who creates an empire in burma, the presentday.
The glass palace chronicles the fortunes of a burmese man, rajkumar raha, and his family. Such jarring noise was unfamiliar and bewildering to the people of the royal capital in the interior of burma in the 1880s. This superb story of love and war begins with the shattering of the kingdom of burma and the igniting of a great and passionate love, and it goes on to tell the story of a people, a fortune, and a family and its fate. May 19, 2018 the glass palace chronicle of the kings of burma was sonamed because of the glass lined royal chamber in which the konbaung scholars combed through the earliest available historical texts to present what they say is an unbroken royal line that stretches back four centuries before the birth of the buddha. Coetzee there is no denying ghoshs command of culture and history. The glass palace by amitav ghosh is a family saga and a work of historical fiction. The glass palace was the eurasian regional winner in the best book category of the 2001 commonwealth writers prize, making the book a finalist for the prize itself. Find books like the glass palace from the worlds largest community of readers. There is almost too much here for one book, as over the years the lives and deaths of principal characters go flying.
There is the formidable indian widow, uma, a spearhead of the indian nationalist movement and a final refuge for the battered remnants of the family as they flee from burma before the japanese advance. Book palace books publishes books for collectors that we are proud to put on our own bookshelves. Alice creighton is out for revenge in this third book in wexlers forbidden library series. The glass palace by amitav ghosh january magazine book. Buy the glass palace book online at best prices in india on amazon. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your. Buy the glass palace book online at low prices in india the. He also talks about the younger generations of rajkumar and dolly, the fall of king thebew as the japanese invade burma, their flee to ratnagiri amongst other things. Its historical drama on a grand scale, swiftmoving yet packed with detail, as naturally cinematic and romantic as gone with the wind. Beginning in mandalay at the end of the nineteenth century.
More often then not one feels that glass palace is several books edited and seamed into one and more often then not they keep coming out like an over used cricket ball. Made into a movie starring patrick swayze, this is the inspiring story of an american doctor who experienced a spiritual rebirth in an impoverished section of calcutta. It is set in burma, malaya, and india and follows the fortunes of the fictitious rajkumar and his family from the time of the deposing of king thibaw to the burma of the 1990s. He says he got a copy of amitav ghoshs popular work from a friend in his neighbourhood. What effect does it have on the book as a whole, on your perception of the characters and their stories. The glass palace was a pavilion situated in the centre of the royal palace, in the middle of a sequence of state rooms leading from the great hall of audience at the eastern end of the palace, facing the main city gate of mandalay, towards the private womens apartments occupied by queens of various rank at the western end of the palace. Goodreads members who liked the glass palace also liked. Buy the glass palace book online at best prices in india on.
Ghosh infuses warmth and empathy into the telling, bringing history to life in a way thats both subtle and strong. A group for anyone who likes books or is in any way connected with books, including readers, authors, librarians, editors. Beginning in 1885, with the british invasion of mandalay and the capture of the burmese king and queen, and encompassing over 100 years to modernday india and burma myanmar, amitav ghosh has created in the glass palace a monument to life in colonial central and southeast asia. What is the glass palace chronicle and why is it important. The story begins in burma with the dethroning of king thebaw and his exile to india, to spend rest of his life in the little known western.
The glass palace chronicle of the kings of burma is the only english language translation of the first portions of hmannan yazawin, the standard chronicle of konbaung dynasty of burma myanmar. Timber and elephants are important parts of the story. If one reads the glass palace critically, the novel would reveal the. The novel is set in burma, bengal, india, and malaya, spans a century from the fall of the konbaung dynasty in mandalay, through the second world war to modern times. The glass palace is a 2000 historical novel by indian writer amitav ghosh. Can you think of some examples by which devastating. Beginning in mandalay at the end of the nineteenth century, when the british forcibly deposed the burmese. Sep 18, 2001 many more fascinating stories unfold in the pages of the glass palace. Read free book excerpt from the glass palace by amitav ghosh, page 1 of 2. The glaspalast opened for the erste allgemeine deutsche industrieausstellung wikidata first general german industrial exhibition on july 15, 1854.
Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. The story opens in the mandalay neighborhood surrounding the residence and seat of government of burmas last king, thebaw min. As much defeat as there is present in the glass palace, there are also extraordinary tales of survival and hope. Hmannan was translated into english by pe maung tin and gordon h luce in 1923, who gave it its english name. Beginning in mandalay at the end of the nineteenth century, when the british forcibly deposed the burmese king thebaw and moved him and. The palace of glass by django wexler, 9780552568692, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. The glass palace amitav ghosh new york random house 2002 paper london harpercollins uk 2000 cloth b ooming sounds break into the lives of people at a food stall in mandalay. The glass palace book by amitav ghosh amitav ghosh occupies a rather curious place in the landscape of contemporary englishlanguage authors from the indian subcontinent. Ghosh was apparently not aware that his publishers had submitted his book, and he withdrew it upon learning that he had won the regional rou. Praise for the glass palacean absorbing story of a world in transition, brought to life through characters who love and suffer with equal intensity. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. He proves a writer of supreme skill and intelligence. People of book club are very diverse, from teens to 72 yrs old.
Apr 05, 2016 amitav ghoshs the glass palace spans more than one hundred years. Do you think this was an intentional literary choice on ghoshs part. A year later she wrote to me about a book club meeting in yangon something that would have been unthinkable in the past. The glass palace perhaps is the best example of the postmodernist, postcolonial, histori ographic fiction.
Set in burma during the british invasion of 1885, this masterly novel by amitav ghosh tells the story of rajkumar, a poor boy lifted on the tides of political and social chaos, who goes on to create an empire in the burmese teak forest. The glaspalast glass palace was a glass and iron exhibition building located in the old botanical garden munich in munich modeled after the crystal palace in london. The glass palace is indeed history masqueraded as finely crafted fiction, and politics discussed is ever relevant. The book palace illustrated books for collectors and fans of illustration art. This is a major accomplishment from an important writer, worth reading if only for a. The book starts with a burst of cannon fire by british troops arriving in mandalay. The novel sprawls across more than a century of burmas history, from the british invasion of northern burma in 1885 until 1999. At fiftyfive years of age, he cant be classed with the younger crop of writers who are snatching up booker prizes and pulitzers. The glass palace was the eurasian regional winner in the best book category of the 2001 commonwealth writers prize, but amitav ghosh was. Buy the glass palace book online at low prices in india. Brilliant and impassioned, the glass palace is a masterly novel by amitav ghosh, the gifted novelist peter matthiessen has called an exceptional writer.
A mitav ghoshs the glass palace is an epic novel that traces the political, social and cultural transformation of british colonies india, malaya and especially burma in the period 1890s to 1990s. The story it tells isnt always reliable, but it remains a key guide to the regions history. The novel is set in burma, bengal, india, and malaya, spans a century from the british invasion of burma and the consequent fall of the konbaung dynasty in mandalay, through the second world war to late 20th century. One of the most important sources of burmese history is a document known as the glass palace chronicle. The glass palace is a historical novel by indian writer amitav ghosh. The glass palace was the eurasian regional winner in the best book category of the 2001 commonwealth writers prize, but amitav ghosh was not aware that his publishers had submitted his book, and he withdrew it upon learning that he had won the regional round. The books memorial power is so strong that, near the end, when rajkumar, an old man, reflects, ah, burmanow burma was a golden land. Buy the glass palace by ghosh, amitav from amazons fiction books store. Brian bolland illustrators special edition the art of commando illustrators special edition fleetway picture library classics presents larrigan featuring the art of arturo del castillo limited edition fleetway picture library classics presents jetace logan. Nov 11, 2010 buy the glass palace book online at best prices in india on. Praise for the glass palace an absorbing story of a world in transition, brought to life through characters who love and suffer with equal intensity.