by Jeet Thayil
First published 2022
Jeet Thayil collected Indian poetry written in English across two decades of dedicated work. His anthology features poets from multiple continents who express themselves through dialogue, soliloquy, argument, and linguistic play. Thayil defines "Indian poet" expansively, recovering neglected works alongside celebrated pieces. The collection preserves poems that had disappeared from view, including scattered works and titles no longer in print by established authors. Scholarly essays frame each poet's contribution within historical and cultural context. Madhu Kapparath's black and white photographs span three decades, creating portraits of India's major poetic figures. These images document personal moments and provide visual access to the poets' lives. The book merges recovered poetry, academic insight, and photographic testimony to deliver both artistic rediscovery and deeper cultural knowledge for readers.
Genres: anthologies, 20th-century, biography-memoir, 21st-century, art-history, academic
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, lyrical
Tropes: found-family
Setting: India
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
908 pages · Hardcover · Penguin Hamish Hamilton