Book Review - Bliss of Dark Solitude by Amitava Chaudhuri

Title: Bliss Of Dark Solitude

Author: Amitava Chaudhuri

Pages: 63

Price: INR 195.00

Publisher: Authorspress

Review

Amitava Chaudhuri’s ‘Bliss of dark Solitude’ is a well-structured collection that celebrates such emotions as joyousness, heartbreak, rebellion, remorse and loneliness through ruminative verse. The everyday and the eternal mix here. The insights into humanity that are contained in each and every poem remind the reader of the wonder tucked in every corner of life. The words and format are gentle and full of utility. It is conversational, arresting and makes you want to respond. The poems are more of a narrative style and herein rest the poet’s capacity to engage. There’s nothing extraordinary being said, yet what is said suffices. For instance, ‘In this painful lifetime it seems, / We shall meet, but only in dreams’ (Adieu); ‘I grief, I find reason / To go on living’ (I Love My Pain); ‘A thousand pious souls / Worked as my footholds’ (The Lonely Path).

The poet deals with the concept that we are scared of the dark and the darkness that solitude brings. According to him, a potent combination of these two conditions can indeed be a bliss for it gives us the opportunity to discover the most alien thing we have within us – our own heart. As we delve deep within ourselves, we find surges of emotions, sometimes dark, sometimes euphoric. He has chosen poetry to portray such emotions.

   

Cons

The poems do not stay with the reader after the book's closed. Some of the poems are self repeating.

Verdict 

Without a reader, a poem is nothing. Poetry lovers will find something to enjoy in this book though not be inspired necessarily.

About the author 

Amitava Chaudhuri is Mechanical Engineer by profession, and works for the Indian Railways. His first novel was published in 2009, and his second book – a collection of short stories was published in 2013.

Book links

http://www.flipkart.com/search?q=bliss+of+dark+solitude&as=off&as-show=off&otracker=start

http://www.amazon.in/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=bliss+of+dark+solitude

Contact the author

amitava.chaudhuri@rediffmail.com