The Loneliness of Hira Barua

An extraordinary, ever-relevant collection of stories from one of Assams greatest living writers. Hira Barua, an ageing widow living in a conflict-ridden region of Assam with her beloved Tibetan spaniel fears she is beginning to resemble a lonely Englishwoman from her past. A vicious sexual assault by the invading military drives a group of women into a shelter home. On a fateful night, a group of prostitutes make an extraordinary sacrifice for the safety of their companions. In these, and thirteen other piercing, intimate portraits, women navigate family, violence, trauma, ambition and domesticity with caution, grace and a quiet resilience.

This remarkable collection by one of Assams finest living writers won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2014. In this English translation, Arupa Patangia Kalitas powerful voice is brought to fresh and vivid life.