India’s Rabindranath Tagore was the first Asian Nobel Laureate and possibly the most prolific and diverse serious writer ever known. The largest single volume of his work available in English, this collection includes poetry, songs, autobiographical works, letters, travel writings, prose, novels, short stories, humorous pieces, and plays.
This biography of Rabindranath Tagore draws upon his letters to reveal two aspects of his life: the mystic poet and writer who also strove, through his work as an educator and social reformer, to do something practical and constructive for his country.
Tagore's supressed book now available in an English-Bengali edition For the first time in English, here is the sequence of poems Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941) worked on his entire life—the erotic and emotionally powerful dialogue about Lord Krishna and his young lover Radha. These "song offerings" are the first poems Tagore ever published, though he passed them off as those of an unknown Bengali religious poet. As the first and last poems Tagore wrote and revised, they represent the entrance and exit to one of the most prolific literary lives of our contemporary world. The translation rights to Tagore’s poetry were tightly guarded until 2001, when they entered the public domain, making publication of this book possible. These English versions are the result of a five-year collaboration between Bengali scholar Tony K. Stewart, who provided richly associative literal translations, and the celebrated poet Chase Twichell, who shaped the poems into English. This bilingual Bengali-English edition also includes the "biography" Tagore wrote of the unknown religious poet who supposedly authored these poems. Rabindranath Tagore was born in Bengal, the youngest son of a religious reformer and scholar. He wrote successfully in all literary genres and is the author of the national anthems for both India and Bangladesh. In his mature years he managed the family estates, which brought him into close touch with common humanity and increased his interest in social reforms. He participated in the Indian nationalist movement, and was a devoted friend of Mahatma Gandhi. Tagore received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913; he was knighted in 1915 by the British Government, but later resigned the honor as a protest against British policies in India.
Unlike previous Tagore collections that focus on a single genre, Dutta and Robinson's anthology offers a full range of Tagore's talents--a play, poems, songs, a novel, selections from his memoirs, travel writings, and essays--in one graceful volume.
Stray Birds (1916) is a collection of poems by Rabindranath Tagore. Translated into English by Tagore after he received the 1913 Nobel Prize in Literature, Stray Birds is a powerful collection of short poems by a master of Indian literature. “Stray birds of summer come to my window to sing and fly away. And yellow leaves of autumn, which have no songs, flutter and fall there with a sigh.” The poems of Stray Birds are a masterclass in clarity and concision. Like birds themselves, they flutter across the sky of the page before passing beyond the limit of sight. In prayer, in celebration, and in evocations of the natural world, Tagore comes as close to the truth as possible, catching a glimpse before it can fly away forever: “Let me live truly, my Lord, so that death to me become true.” In plainspoken language, Tagore gives voice to the soul. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Rabindranath Tagore’s Stray Birds is a classic of Indian literature reimagined for modern readers.
The author of this book, Rabindranath Tagore, was a genius poet and thinker. This collection contains some of his most famous stories, like The Home-Coming, Once there was a King, The Child's Return, Subha, The Postmaster, and The Castaway. The author is a master of taking simple stories and adding complex plots, which are beautifully presented in the collection.
The Nobel Prize winner, Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) - 'the Indian Goethe', as Albert Schweitzer called him - was not only the foremost poet and playwright of modern India, but one of its most profound and influential thinkers. Kalyan Sen Gupta's book is the first comprehensive introduction to Tagore's philosophical, socio-political and religious thinking. Drawing on Rabindranath's poetry as well as his essays, and against the background theme of his deep sensitivity to the holistic character of human life and the natural world, Sen Gupta explores the wide range of Tagore's thought. His idea of spirituality, his reflections on the significance of death, his educational innovations and his relationship to his great contemporary, Gandhi, are among the topics that Sen Gupta discusses - as are Tagore's views on marriage, his distinctive understanding of Hinduism, and his prescient concerns for the natural environment. The author does not disguise the tensions to be found in Tagore's writings, but endorses the great poet's own conviction that these are tensions resolvable at the level of a creative life, if not at that of abstract thought.
In 'The Complete Works of Rabindranath Tagore,' readers are presented with a collection of writings that showcase the diverse talent of the author. Tagore's literary style is characterized by its lyrical prose, deep philosophical insights, and exploration of themes such as love, nature, and spirituality. This comprehensive volume includes poetry, short stories, plays, and essays, providing a holistic view of Tagore's exceptional literary contributions to Bengali literature and beyond. Tagore's work is deeply rooted in the cultural and social context of his time, reflecting the complexities of Indian society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His writing transcends boundaries and continues to resonate with readers around the world, making him a literary icon of global significance. Rabindranath Tagore, a Nobel laureate and polymath, was a prolific writer, composer, and artist whose impact on Indian literature and culture cannot be overstated. His deep connection to nature, spiritual beliefs, and advocacy for social reform are evident throughout his works, reflecting his profound understanding of human emotions and relationships. Tagore's vast body of work continues to inspire readers and scholars alike, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest literary figures of the 20th century. I highly recommend 'The Complete Works of Rabindranath Tagore' to any reader interested in exploring the rich tapestry of Tagore's writings. This collection offers a comprehensive insight into the depth and brilliance of Tagore's literary genius, making it a must-read for anyone passionate about literature, poetry, and philosophical discourse.