The Bangladesh Reader: History, Culture, Politics (The World Readers) - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0822353040 ISBN 13: 9780822353041

Publisher: Duke University Press Books, 2013

Synopsis

Bangladesh is the world's eighth most populous country. It has more inhabitants than either Russia or Japan, and its national language, Bengali, ranks sixth in the world in terms of native speakers. Founded in 1971, Bangladesh is a relatively young nation, but the Bengal Delta region has been a major part of international life for more than 2,000 years, whether as an important location for trade or through its influence on Buddhist, Hindu, and Muslim life. Yet the country rarely figures in global affairs or media, except in stories about floods, poverty, or political turmoil. The Bangladesh Reader does what those portrayals do not: It illuminates the rich historical, cultural, and political permutations that have created contemporary Bangladesh, and it conveys a sense of the aspirations and daily lives of Bangladeshis.

Intended for travelers, students, and scholars, the Reader encompasses first-person accounts, short stories, historical documents, speeches, treaties, essays, poems, songs, photographs, cartoons, paintings, posters, advertisements, maps, and a recipe. Classic selections familiar to many Bangladeshis—and essential reading for those who want to know the country—are juxtaposed with less-known pieces. The selections are translated from a dozen languages; many have not been available in English until now. Featuring eighty-three images, including seventeen in color, The Bangladesh Reader is an unprecedented, comprehensive introduction to the South Asian country's turbulent past and dynamic present.

About this title

About the Author:

Meghna Guhathakurta is Executive Director of Research Initiatives Bangladesh, a nonprofit organization that supports and promotes research on poverty alleviation in Bangladesh.

Willem van Schendel is Professor of Modern Asian History at the University of Amsterdam and Head of the South Asia Department at the International Institute of Social History in Amsterdam.

Review:

"Bangladesh is a new nation but an old land. It comprises the world's largest delta and one of the most densely populated areas. It has been home to diverse linguistic, religious, and cultural traditions. Yet its past strength and present achievements are often overshadowed by accounts of natural and man-made disasters. In this book, scholars from across the globe put together written and visual materials to provide facts about and perspectives on a vibrant Bangladesh." (Anisuzzaman, Professor Emeritus, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh)

"There is nothing else like The Bangladesh Reader. The range of materials included is stunning, and the volume conveys the feeling of Bangladesh speaking for itself, in many voices. The Reader will definitely be a useful introduction for people who know little or nothing about the country. It also has much to offer people who know a great deal about it. I have studied Bangladesh for years, and I learned a lot reading through this volume." (David Ludden, author of Early Capitalism and Local History in South India)

About this edition

• Publisher: Duke University Press Books
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 0822353040
• ISBN 13: 9780822353041
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 568
• Editor: Guhathakurta Meghna, Van Schendel Willem