The incredible life of Suresh Biswas, adventurer, lion- tamer, and a decorated soldier of the Brazilian Army, has long been one of the most romantic legends in the history of our times, but little or nothing was actually known about him. JUP is delighted to reissue H. Dutt’s rare 1899 biography of Suresh Biswas, along with a wealth of archival material unearthed by Maria Barrera- Agarwal. Lieut. Suresh Biswas was born in Bengal in 1861 and ended his days as an officer of the Brazilian army at the turn of the twentieth century. In between lay a life rich in travel and adventure that took this remarkable young man from Nadia district to the docks of Rangoon, a travelling circus in England, and military fame in the Brazilian Naval Revolt. Biswas’ swashbuckling exploits abroad inspired martial cultures at home and endure in the Bengali popular imagination today. This critical edition by the Jadavpur University Press is a reprint of an 1899 biography by Hem Chunder Dutt, one of only two known contemporary accounts about the life of this extraordinary man. Supplemented by additional archival material and two introductory essays, the edition stands as both historical record and a fantastic story in its own right.

The Making of Indian English Literature brings together seventeen well-researched essays of Subhendu Mund with a long introduction by the author historicising the development of the Indian writing in English while exploring its identity among the many appellations tagged to it. The volume demonstrates, contrary to popular perceptions, that before the official introduction of English education in India, Indians had already tried their hands in nearly all forms of literature: poetry, fiction, drama, essay, bio­graphy, autobiography, book review, literary criticism and travel writing. Besides translation activities, Indians had also started editing and publish­ing periodicals in English before 1835. Through archival research the author brings to discussion a number of unknown and less discussed texts which contributed to the development of the genre. The work includes exclusive essays on such early poets and writers as Kylas Chunder Dutt, Shoshee Chunder Dutt, Toru Dutt, Mirza Moorad Alee Beg, Krupabai Satthianadhan, Swami Vivekananda, H. Dutt, and Sita Chatterjee; and historiographical studies on the various aspects of the genre. The author also examines the strategies used by the early writers to indianise the western language and the form of the novel. The present volume also demonstrates how from the very beginning Indian writing in English had a subtle nationalist agenda and created a space for protest literature. The Making of Indian English Literature will prove an invaluable addition to the studies in Indian writing in English as a source of reference and motivation for further research. Please note: Taylor & Francis does not sell or distribute the Hardback in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Calcutta, 1880s. Nationalism is on the rise and the Bengali intellectuals are leading the protest against British rule in India. In this charged climate, ardent patriot Priyanath Bose prepares to set up the first Bengali circus. Soon he discovers an exceptional young girl, Sushila, and trains her to be a trapeze artist. As the circus flourishes and big animal acts are introduced, Sushila and the tigers become the star attractions. But the prize Sushila craves is unattainable, as Priyanath, a married man, is forced to reject her love for him. Jilted, she begins a relationship with a fellow circus artiste, but he may not be as loyal as Sushila believes, and his escape acts are now a bigger hit than ‘Sushilasundari and the Tigers’. At once a riveting page-turner and an uncommon historical novel, Tiger Woman places this tragic love triangle in an era of patriotism, as the circus becomes a metaphor for a frustrated social revolution.

Satyajit Ray was India's first film-maker to gain international recognition as a master of the medium, and today he continues to be regarded as one of the world's finest directors of all time. This book looks at his work.