Rabindranath Tagore Books

This short play is greatr. It made me think about my own life and what I may or may not be doing. It made me think about what is real or unreal. It's well worth the half hour it takes to read.

I found this book many years ago used in a bookstore in Philadelphia. There are few books in one's life that shapes a person's mind and soul, and this book, for me, was one of them.

Tagore's Sadhana is a must for anyone seeking to challenge him/herself. This is one book of essays (delivered as a series of lectures if I'm not mistaken) that will change your outlook on life. Like many great works, Sadhana crosses boundaries and for the discerning reader will illustrate that what is true for one culture is true for all.

I only wish that the presentation for this version was better since the font for this slim volume is quite small. The original version I bought cashed in at about 140 pages. This version is only 57 pages.

If you are interested in how Indian philosophy has influenced the world and how the east and west civilizations developed differently then this book is for you. It is also a very spiritual book. Read it and find out.

Easily the best translation apart from Tagore's own (which is not really a translation but a work in English).

good books always let you enjoy all your life. who do not want a beautiful around you? even sometimes the spirit of the book could make you defence the difficult situation of the life and refresh you when feel very tire and disappointed for what happened in your life. I just like it and will read it again and again to rich myself. thank you for reading my writing and hope this world become better and better with the help of good books, good poems like what Tagore did here.

Tagore, the definitive master of poetic prose, demonstrates his sublime literary sensibilities yet again in this beautiful tale set in Bengal sometime in the late nineteenth / early twentieth centuries. Originally published in Bengali under the title of "Naukadubi" (which means boat-wreck), this novel tells the story of how the capsizing of a boat carrying a wedding party across the river Ganga in a storm changes the lives of the two main protagonists of the story for ever. Tagore's writing is superlative, especially in dealing with love, melancholy and exquisite descriptions of nature, and this novel brings forth those qualities vividly.

I stumbled over these poems for the first time a few years ago and was immediately captivated by the depth,humility and transcendence of spirit that speaks through them. It is almost overwhelming and a great companion for any meditation or prayer practice. For me Tagore definitely ranks among the highest mystic master poets of all time and this collection of "songs" reminds the reader of Rumi quite a bit.
Unfortunately I don't speak Sanskrit and can only imagine the " true music" created by these poems in their original tongue - and it wouldn't surprise me if the English translation is not more than a meager shadow of its original self - still...that being said the reading of it nevertheless manages to transfer its divine beauty and truly draws the reader's heart close to its spiritual source. It is almost like a healing elixir for heart and mind - and for me the impact is being in breathtaking awe of the sacred origin of all!!!
For any lover of poems,prayers and sacred,verbal inspirations this is a treasure rarely found in today's world!

The shipment and the condition of the book were perfect, and the poems convey unparalleled feelings.

This version from Filiquarian is not formatted properly. I myself want to return this book but it would be a hassle for just 4$.

I will be complaining with Amazon to check for the copyright issue with the publishers.

Simply one of the best books I have ever read. Very moving, and more importantly gives you a real perspective on life.

I don't think I am qualified enough (in Literature) to even comprehend the full meaning of every poem, but his gift is apparent from the first one's. He had an amazing eye for things in life most people will never care to even notice, and he had the talent to put forth those images and feelings in writing. No wonder he is hailed has one of the greatest literary minds in India. for people who want to explore more about Tagore, poetry wasn't his talent..he was a writer (plays and novels), a composer, an artist, and a Humanitarian.

When I was in London in September 2006, I visited the British Museum. The first exhibit I saw as I entered the building was of the paintings and writings of Tagore. I was deeply moved by his inspiring words and decided I needed to read more, know more, about this man. I found this anthology to be just what I was looking for. It contains his words, and gave me insight into the man behind them. Certainly his words reveal the soul. A "can't miss" if that is your aim.

As I flipped through the pages of this 400-pg assortment of Tagore's Letters, Essays, Anecdotes and other like items, I could not help comparing the same to Barbara Holland's "Endangered Pleasures". The parallells are quite striking; however, An Anthology is in a completely different league of it's own. It's always a welcoming experience to read about Noble laureates, but Tagore wasn't just another Noble prize recipient - a man whose works had left the indelible etching in the minds of millions of Indians and steered the country to independence, inspired hopeless souls and rekindled the hopes of victory in a god-forsaken land. Striking yet more are the personal letters of Tagore, letters to his nephew Indira Tagore which I must admit were humorous far beyond what we expect out of a man whom we usually associate with sterner and solemn works. The book clearly draws a calm and serene picture of Calcutta back in those days. Krishna Dutta and Andrew Robinson has produced a magnificent compilation of Tagore's works that appeal directly to the Westerners and Easterners alike. The book begins with a translation of 'Dak Ghar' (The Post office), and recursively descends down the various phases of his life through essays, letters and other small works. I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in learnign more about the man and his most interesting escapades and experiences in life - a truly refreshing journey indeed.

An excerpt - "In certain years in Calcutta, birds strange to the city used to come and build in our banyan tree. They would be off again almost before I had learnt to recognize the dance of their wings, but they brought with them a strange lovely music from their distant jungle homes. So, in the course of our life's journey, some angel from a strange and unexpected quarter may cross our path, speaking of the language of our own soul, and enlarging the boundaries of the heart's possessions. She comes unbidden, and when at last we call for her she is no longer there. But as she goes, she leaves on the drab web of our lives a border of embroidered flowers, and our night and day are for ever enriched."

If the only thing that you read in this book were the short play "The Post Office", then it would still be worth the price. The ending of the play is one of many moments scattered throughout the pages that had an almost physical impact on me as a reader.

It a testimony to the sheer strength of Tagore as a writer that the reader is able to have those moments while reading this anthology. It unfortunately suffered from many of the typical problems of this kind of collection. The selections often felt too shallow and abbreviated. The quality of the translations varied wildly from chapter to chapter.

As a reader, I would have appreciated it if Dutta and Robinson had refrained from excerpting the longer prose works and instead had concentrated on deepening the selection of letters, short stories and essays. Reading an excerpt of a longer work is bound to be a frustrating exercise, and the space was used at the expense of material more natural for this kind of collection.

I picked this up to give me an overview of Tagore as a writer. It served that purpose admirably. Recommended for someone with the same task in mind.

This anthology was my introduction to Tagore and what a spectacular discovery! It was like being introduced to several writers, each one distinctly different, dependent upon the medium.

Tagore's five short stories in this anthology are folkloric, sometimes sad or humorous, somewhat other worldly, and always entertaining. They expose the hues of Bengal better than paintings with their brilliant characterizations and finite details of place and time. Here's a sampling from The Raj Seal: "An old story came to his mind. An ass was pulling a temple car along the sacred way, and the passers-by, prostrating themselves in the dust before it were offering their pranams. 'They are all worshipping me,' the foolish ass thought. 'There's only one small difference between that ass and me,' the elder brother told himself. 'I have at last realized that it is not my person the British sahibs respect, but the jacket weighing on my shoulders.'"

Tagore's play The Post Office is included in its entirety. It's very childlike and simplistic in structure, yet it is poignantly profound with its message that death is serene; "...that great ocean of truth to which all life returns".

The Nobel Prize for literature was awarded to him in 1913. Part of the tribute was for Tagore's poetry, particularly Gitanjali; however, there is too small of a sample (four stanzas) to truly appreciate it. My favorite from the anthology was Flute Music, an autobiographical poem.

Tagore the philosopher is evident in his essays and letters. In his letters he takes on the persona to whom the letter is addressed. The debate with Einstein "On the Nature of Reality" leaves the reader uncertain as to who was more convincing. A rebuke to Gandhi reads like the good counsel of a loving older brother. (It was Tagore who gave Gandhi the honorific title, Mahatma.)

The three excerpts from his novel The Home and the World have induced me to order the book, which is still in print. When Hermann Hesse reviewed the German translation, he praised it for its "purity and grandeur".

Now, I could only hope for more of his writings to become translated and accessible.

With immense pleasure and great anticipation I read this Anthology. I feel the world is ready for Tagore's poems, short stories, and plays once more. His interest in world peace, his sensitivity for the human condition, and love of humanity is the kind of message the world needs, perhaps *even* more today than when the author first wrote his words. As with most translations of this author's famous work - there is a wonderful and necessary "Introduction" which gives many examples of his life experiences, interests, and achievements, helping one to sense the broad scope of knowledge and range of ideas to which the reader will be exposed.

Krishna Dutta and Andrew Robinson so wisely selected his play, "The Post Office" as the first chapter. This play is like a pearl found in an oyster shell ... the outside appearance gives no impression of the valuable gem to be found within. The message is breath-taking in its simplicity and sublime due to its universal message which transcends culture and time. The beauty of this Anthology is the wide range and depth of Tagore's writing to which the reader is exposed. His writing is awesome and inspiring, filled with love for mankind, by one who sees the complete picture, but nonetheless is filled with hope. We read Rabindranath Tagore's memoirs in "My Remininscences" - we learn about his relationship with his father, a journey into the Himalayas, and his boyhood days. Tagore's travel writings about Russia, Japan, England, Java, Persia, and a day at the spa in Balatonfured, Hungary are fascinating to read. We have the privilege of reading Tagore's personal letters to his neice, the poet Yeats, the poet Ezra Pound, many of his friends, the philosopher, Bertrand Russell, and many other people with whom he corresponded. From this one garner's more about the personality of the man whom Tagore was, a person who lived his values and beliefs, not one who merely just wrote about them. We read a fascinating exchange of ideas with Albert Einstein on "The Nature of Reality." Tagore's mastery of the short story has won him recognition in Bengal and throughout the world. He conveys social, political, and human relationships of the villager and city dweller with equal ability. He gradually exposes feelings and conflicts, and carefully builds suspense until the mystery is revealed or the situation is resolved often with unexpected consequences. Although fewer poems are included than one would expect, two important ones, "The Sick Bed" and "The Recovery", written toward the end of his life are included. Also, "The Ocean of Peace" a song Tagore himself planned to sing after a play, was instead sung for him at his funeral, which he requested while he was ill. If someone is unfamiliar with Tagore's writing this book is highly recommended as a starting point. It contains a full measure of the author's broad interests and truly represents the universal message, "the unity of mankind" which he attempted to convey in his writing.
Erika Borsos (erikab93)

This is a classic translation of Kabir. So classic that you don't have to pay to read, print or distribute it. So unless you're particularly interested in Andrew Harvey's new introduction, you might want to shop around for a cheaper, or free, copy of this unusually profound text.

Tagore wrote these translations a century ago. The language is often stilted or archaic.

However, I sense that these translations may be truer to the original than Robert Bly's. Indeed, reading these helped me to understand that some language that I thought was Kabir's was actually Bly's. For instance, I was always impressed with the line in Bly's translation that refers to a place "where those who live are not afraid to die."

But in Tagore's translation, that same reference was something to the effect of a place where there is no fear of death. The contrast between the living and the dead was not Kabir's but Bly's.

If I could only read one translation I would read Bly's. But why read only one?

I first found this book when I was young, 16, and exploring religion in my heart. These poems spoke to me. The relationship with god that is described in the poems is the one I wanted for myself. I have since read other versions of Kabir and many poems by Tagore, but this book remains my one and truest "Bible," which I always have closeby, and read in times of trouble or gladness. Whenever I read these poems I feel at peace and at one with my heart. I can't recommend these beautiful poems highly enough.

Kabir was born about 1440 (probably), and was a contemporary of the founder of the Sikh religion, Guru Nanak (possibly his mentor). A weaver by trade, and a mystic by nature, his spiritual vision accepted no division between Life and Creator, man and God, as evinced by the following excerpts; "I Laugh when I hear that the fish in the water is thirsty: You do not see that the Real is in your home, and you wander...listlessly! Here is the truth! Go where you will...if you do not find your soul, the world is unreal to you." and ..."Kabir says, God is the breath of all breath". Many of these songs contain criticism, not of "worldly" people who lived materialistically, but of renunciates who sought God outside of life and relationships; "The infinite dwelling of the Infinite Being is everywhere: in earth, water, sky, and air...He who is within is without; I see Him and none else". This translation by Tagore also contains allusions to Kabirs' cosmology and essential spiritual practice (absorbtion into the Divine Word or creative power) missing in the naturalistic and minimalistic interpretatations of Robert Bly. The poems, or songs, themselves are remarkably fresh, as if they contained the living inspiration which gave them form, and remain, as it were, untouched by time.

The book was a little more used than I anticipated, but I still enjoyed reading it again.

I'm a huge fan of the movie. When I finally decided to read the book, boy was I sorry I waited so long!! I love this book, it is so clever, and totally satisfying for those of us who love all the unnecessary cheesiness and romance that a love story can provide. It starts out slow, but once you get going, you wont' want to go to sleep!!

This was a GREAT book. It was maybe the most fun book I have read. If you want a good laugh, then read this book. I actually laughed out loud and thought I was going to wake the house up! It was so much better than I thought it would be. I can't say enough about it!

The book is waaay better than the movie. You could see the entire thing being played out. The movie tried to capture the humor but there are elements that Fielding writes about that just can't be portrayed on screen. Excellent book. It gets 4 out or 5 supermommie stars!

Having read this 'must-read' when it first was published, I was an immediate Bridget Jones fan. Now, years later, I've re-read it, and have to wonder why in modern society, it is still considered imperative for a woman to find a man? Helen Fielding herself has admitted that Bridget Jones Diary is based on Pride and Prejudice. In fact, she wrote it whilst watching BBC's version of the Jane Austen classic. Nothing wrong with that. Except - it was more important for Elizabeth Bennet to find a husband (or else risk not surviving, literally) than it is for Bridget Jones, a modern girl in a developed world.

Having gotten that bit of feminism off my back, I must say that the book is good. It has become the epitome of the chik lit, with many laugh-out-loud moments.

This book is largely a parable about the conflicts in Bengal in the early twentieth century. Tagore uses a triangle of husband and wife and outside suitor. Bimala, the wife is a sort of central figure as the novel largely revolves around her conflicting feelings towards both her husband Nikhil and Sandip. She feels excited by Sandip's passion but also has a bond with her husband. Nikhil is the reserved and dignified religious man who is not swayed by the mob mentality that was sweeping through the Bengal state. Sandip is the passionate, xenophobic leader pushing for the immediate gain. The narrative is written threefold. All three characters take turns telling the story from their own point of view. This is an interesting effect that adds dimension to the tale. Tagore obviously feels empathy towards Nikhil but he refrains from being too judgmental toward Sandip. Bimala becomes the most sympathetic character simply because she faces the most ambivalence in the book. There are many blatant political overtures in this book but I find that it works well as human drama as well. You needn't be knowledgeable about the conflicts in India to appreciate the moral dilemmas presented in this tale. Reading this book made it easy to understand why Tagore was awarded a Nobel Prize.

A prolific Bengalese writer, Tagore structured this novel such that three main characters represent the turbulence of the Partition that was yet to come to India in 1947. Nikhil is married to Bimala, living in the traditional domestic manner; for herself, Bimala has no expectation of her life ever deviating from her wifely path. The concept of "Swadeshi", a renewed appreciation of everything Indian, and a denial of everything British, particularly British imported goods and grains, rages throughout the country. The egocentric Sandip, a guest in Nikhil's home, is a fierce proponant of Swadeshi. Sandip finds himself passionately attracted to Bimala; he idealizes her as the epitome of "Mother" India, and pursues Bimala without reservation. Flattered by Sandip's attention, Bimala begins to question the nature of her marriage, and the three embark upon an emotional journey that will forever alter their lives, just as India begins a lengthy period of upheaval and unrest. Of the three, Sandip is transparantly shallow, while Nikhil thoughtfully considers every aspect before embarking on a course of action. Both men indulge in lengthy discourses, but the introduction by Anita Desai does much to frame this novel in the appropriate perspective. The allegorical nature of this tale is evident as the characters plunge headlong into the future.

My heading for this review is a quote from this engaging novel. In some ways I now understand that indeed the greater truth may exist in the things that haven't happened, where the actions of people are imposed upon by their personal constraints - often to the detriment of all. But what a sentence for the writer to produce!!

This novel is told from the perspective of three people - Nikhil, his wife Bimala, and the activist (in the name of national India) Sandip. By hearing the story from each of them we understand their individual constraints and the drives they have, or lack, to realise their ambitions and desires. Rabindranath Tagore has not written this novel from the perspective of an all-seeing observer and this leads us - the readers - to be deeply entrenched in the individual characters' drives, passions, doubts, uncertainities and failures.

For me this is a very personal expose of my own drives, passions, doubts and failures. If only I could have the views of those around me similarly exposed - if I had some indication of their drives, passions, doubts and sense of failure I am sure that I could respond to them with greater confidence. But, of course, Nikhil, Bimala and Sandip do not have knowlege of each other's innermost thoughts (unlike we, the readers) so their struggle - all three of them - is just as difficult for them as mine is for me.

Did I end up liking any of these characters? Did I admire any of them? Was I appalled by any of them? These are questions I will not answer - read the book for yourself and you will develop your own views which may be as different for you as my constraints are as different from yours.

Here is another quote:

'What harm if you did have a wholesome fear of me? Does anybody know anybody else in this world?'

This book is terrific. Although written with the idea of a parallel to the problems of Bengal and her people at the time of Swadeshi, in my opinion this book is a masterpiece in the depiction of human nature and its contradictions; as depicted in the characters of Bimala, Nikhil and Sandip. The push and pull between a sense of righteousness and the equally compelling force of passion is brilliantly portrayed. It will endure as a classic for a long time to come.

One aspect that non-Indian readers will completely fail to realise is the boldness with which Tagore used to weave his imagination based on stark solid reality. Tagore was socially ostracised for his depiction of the passion (always cloaked and shrouded in the garbs of the civilsation, norms of the society) of an honourable aristrocatic married lady, which acts as the metaphor for the passions the society was undergoing in those turbulent days of political upheaval against the British Empire. A brilliant picture of the torment of the human character caught in the web of desire of ecstacy and quest for contentment, peace and bliss, this narrative draws a beautiful parallel to the miopic frenzy of the mob in its quest for subversion with the destructive consequences of unbridled passion, and an individual's attempt to bring harmony and order in the chaos, attaining salvation. Technically brilliant, this disturbingly beautiful tale is another of Tagore's timeless creation.