Vikram Séth Knihy

Je to vyprávění o vytrvalých pokusech matky najít vhodného ženicha pro svou dceru a o neúnavných protestech dcery provdat se bez lásky jenom proto, aby se podrobila tradici a přemrštěným požadavkům své matky. Román líčí soukromý i veřejný život čtyř široce rozvětvených rodin, ale přináší také panoramatický obraz Indie krátce po získání nezávislosti, obraz plný nadějí a zklamání, naivity a intrik, politiky a poezie, okořeněný i přítomností českého živlu v tropickém prostředí vzdáleného světa. V duchu tradice G. Eliotové a L. Tolstého napsal Vikram Séth román, který lze bez nadsázky nazvat úplným obrazem lidského života. Velkolepý, vážný i veselý je tento jedinečný příběh, jenž pojednává o odvěkém zázraku - spojení dvou úplně cizích lidí na celý život.... a zcela čtenáře pohltí.

Jádrem románu Vikrama Sétha je příběh lásky - nebo výstižněji - vyprávění o vytrvalých pokusech matky najít vhodného ženicha pro svou dceru a o neúnavných protestech dcery provdat se bez lásky jenom proto, aby se podrobila tradici a přemrštěným požadavkům své matky. Román líčí soukromý i veřejný život členů čtyř široce rozvětvených rodin, ale přináší také panoramatický obraz Indie krátce po získání nezávislosti, obraz plný nadějí a zklamání, naivity a intrik, politiky a poezie, okořeněný i přítomností českého živlu v tropickém prostředí vzdáleného světa. V duchu tradice George Eliotové a Lva Tolstého napsal Vikram Séth román, který lze bez nadsázky nazvat úplným obrazem lidského života. Velkolepý, vážný i veselý je tento jedinečný příběh, jenž pojednává o odvěkém zázraku - spojení dvou úplně cizích lidí na celý život… a zcela čtenáře pohltí. (Vydavatel)

From the impish to the brilliantly comic, Vikram Seth's animal fables in verse can (like Diwali sweets) be enjoyed by young and old alike. Familiar characters in a new and magical form, such as the greedy crocodile who was outwitted by the monkey or the steady tortoise who out-ran the hare, here take their place beside a newly minted gallery of characters and creatures who are quirky, comical and always fun. Of the ten tales told here, two come from India, two from China, two from Greece, two from Ukraine, and two, as the author puts it "came directly to me from the Land of Gup." This is a book that displays astonishing versatility of the poet who gave us The Golden Gate and All You Who Sleep Tonight . The flair and delight of Beastly Tales from Here and There is proof that Vikram Seth can try on most unusual clothes without in the least losing his unique poetic identity.

The three Chinese poets translated here are among the greatest literary figures of China, or indeed the world. Wang Wei with his quiet love of nature and Buddhist philosophy; Li Bai, the Taoist spirit, with his wild, flamboyant paeans to wine and the moon; and Du Fu, with his Confucian sense of sympathy with the suffering of others in a time of civil war and collapse. These three poets of a single generation, responding differently to their common times, crystallise the immense variety of China and the Chinese poetic tradition and, across a distance of twelve hundred years, move the reader as it is rare for even poetry to do.

Set in post-colonial India in the early 1950s, this culturally rich and colorfully textured family saga is an epic novel destined to become a literary classic."Surrender to this strange, beguiling world and be swept away on the wings of story....It is difficult to imagine that many contemporary writers could give us a novel that provides so much deep satisfaction." "--Washington Post Book World"

`The perfect travel book' New Statesman Hitch-hiking, walking, slogging through rivers and across leech-ridden hills, Vikram Seth travelled through Sinkiang and Tibet to Nepal: from Heaven Lake to the Himalayas. By breaking away from the reliable routes of organised travel, he transformed his journey into an unusual and intriguing exploration of one of the world's least known areas. 'Vikram Seth is already the best writer of his generation' Daniel Johnson, The Tmes

Written in verse, this was Vikram Seth's first novel. Set in the 1980s, in the affluence and sunshine of California's silicon valley, it is the story of twenty-somethings looking for love, pleasure and the meaning of life.

The violinist hero of Vikram Seth's third novel longs for secret harmonies but finds himself frustrated in London, ten years after a pivotal disaster. Michael Holme feels irritated by his beautiful young girlfriend and his colleagues in the Maggiore Quartet, tired of playing second fiddle in both life and art. A chance encounter with Julia, the pianist he once loved in Vienna, brings him unexpected joy, but her troubling situation threatens their rekindled romance. Despite its shorter length compared to Seth's previous work, the novel offers rich complexities, both personal and lyrical, while avoiding clichés. Michael's emotional struggles are highlighted when he reflects on how inadequate his words seem in expressing his feelings for Julia. The narrative also explores the dynamics of collaboration and trust within the quartet, likening it to various forms of relationships filled with tension and pleasure. The significance of music is profound, with Schubert's Trout Quintet and a rare Beethoven piece playing crucial roles. Michael's longing for both Julia and his borrowed Tononi violin underscores themes of possession and loss. As the story unfolds across cities, readers will be captivated by its emotional depth and musical intricacies.