WIN $150 GIFT VOUCHERS: ALADDIN'S GOLD

Close Notification

Your cart does not contain any items

Nagaland

Ben Doherty

$29.95

Paperback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

QTY:

English
WILD DINGO PRESS
01 May 2018
The diaryarrived addressed to me, bearing a message: We live forever through ourstories. Tell ours.

And so began the author's journeyinto the life and legends of the Naga

a forgotten people living in the farnorth-east of India, struggling to survive in the modern world.

An extraordinarily powerful and evocative literarywork that traverses new ground in the hinterland between biography andmythology.

Nagaland is the story of Augustine and of theNaga people. With sensitively poetic prose, Doherty deftly draws the readerinto worlds of parallel realities. The love story, desperate and damned,destined for tragedy; forged and upheld against the wishes of family and thedictates of culture, with a backdrop of violence and reprisals amidst thebrutality of communal conflict. Alongside this is the telling of Augustine'schildhood story, growing up in the beautiful mountain state of Nagaland where the traditional way of life, loyalties and beliefs collidewith modern imperatives that, for many, lead inexorably to poverty,dislocation, drug addiction, disease and despair.

Seamlessly woventhrough each story, Naga legends and myths connect these disparate worlds, thesource of profound insights that are simultaneously confronting andtranscendent. Poignant and profound, the reader is left with a yearningnostalgia for a past where eternal truths prevailed, to be gleaned from ancientfables and sages; where a people lived in communities richly endowed withcultural and spiritual certainties, and were valued members of large family andtribal networks. Except, of course, if you choose not to follow the rules...

'A few years ago a hand written diary from Nagaland arrived in Ben Doherty's mailbox, 'Its pages...overfilled, and seemingly without order, with drawings of birds and mountains and flowers...and scrawled verses of poetry'. The poems were written in Tangkhul, one of Nagaland's many dialects. The final words were in English and read: 'We live forever through our stories. Tell ours.' In writing Nagaland, Doherty has managed to do that splendidly.' - Erich Mayer, ArtsHub
By:  
Imprint:   WILD DINGO PRESS
Country of Publication:   Australia
Dimensions:   Height: 234mm,  Width: 154mm, 
Weight:   400g
ISBN:   9780648066378
ISBN 10:   0648066371
Pages:   336
Publication Date:  
Audience:   General/trade ,  ELT Advanced
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active

Reviews for Nagaland

""Delightfully engrossing page-turner that provides a fascinating insight into Nagaland, its rich tapestry of legends, history and culture. Ben Doherty's intimate understanding of the Naga people is evident in the flair and passion of his writing. A riveting and poignant read."" - Nim Gholkar, author ""Ben Doherty gives a fascinating insight into the many myths, stories and culture of its people and lands."" - Bev Beeson, Warcry ""With echoes of Rushdie and Garcia Marquez, Nagaland takes the reader on a lyrical exploration of person and place. This enchanting work of fiction explores a lesser known corner of India through the protagonists' gripping and wondrous journey, while revealing Doherty as a writer with serious talent."" - Nick McKenzie, The Age ""I have come across some extraordinary real life stories of inspiration, love, and tragedy with my travels in India as a journalist. But NAGALAND is exceptional. Ben's skilful storytelling engages emotionally in the life of an amazing man, his defiance for the sake of love, and his devotion to place and to culture. In my opinion, it is a must read."" - Som Patidar, journalist ""Ben Doherty has found a universal Romeo and Juliet love story in one of the remotest and least-known arts of the world, and tells it beautifully."" - Hamish McDonald, world editor, The Saturday Paper and author of Demokrasi: Democracy in Indonesia and The Polyester Prince: The Rise of Dirubhai Ambani


See Also