Mosquito and Other Stories

When Premendra Mitra's legendary Ghanashyam Das - Ghana-da to everyone - first appeared in the story "Mosquito" or "Mosha" in 1945, he took the Bengali literary world by storm. As Mitra churned out "Insect", "Pebble," "Glass," "Fish" and a host of other stories in the following years, it was apparent that Ghana-da had become a bit of a cult. Here was a character whose very appearance and personality would forever be associated with tall tales. "Mosquito and Other Stories" brings together twelve of Premendra Mitra's most popular Ghana-da tales. These stories within stories straddle the thin line between make-believe and truth. Ghana-da's bizarre narratives draw upon science, history, and geography to conjure up exotic locales, other worlds and peoples, their habits, lifestyles, and languages. In "Mosquito," Ghana-da saves mankind from a new and deadly breed of the insect. In "Pebble," we find him trading in sandalwood in the New Hebrides. "Glass" and "Duck" explore nuclear science. In "Hole," he tells his spellbound audience about the fourth dimension. And in "Hat" he is dragged over Mount Everest by a runaway yeti... Amlan Das Gupta's translation has wonderfully captured the author's tone and spirit, making this collection an absolute page-turner.

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