Review of "Kannadadol Bhavisada Janapadam" by M.V. Vasu

      M. V. Vasu, ed. Kannadadol Baavisida Janapadam

Bangalore: Chintana Pustaka, 2009               pp. 440/-; price: 375/-

                               A Mixed Bag of Scholarship

     This volume of research articles on the history and culture of Karnataka was released during the 20^th Conference of Karnataka History Congress, held in Bangalore, last year.  Of the 30 articles in the volume, four are in English and the rest in Kannada.  

Review of "Sahitya Sambandha" by T.P. Ashoka

                T. P. Ashoka,  Sahitya Sambandha

      Akshara Prakashana, 2008        pp. 361; price: 210/-

         “A Serious Contribution to Kannada Literary Criticism”

       Prof. T. P. Ashoka, a major Kannada critic and theatre activist, published his first critical work in 1979; and, till today, he has to his credit 12 critical works, three translations, and eight works edited by him. Interestingly, during the last decade and a half, he  gave up writing,  involving himself  in Literary and Theatre / Film appreciation workshops,  running to more than a  hundred. The present work heralds his return to literature and literary criticism. 

Review of Vaasane, Shabda, Banna, Ityadi by Ashok Hedgde

Ashok Hegde, Vaasane, Shabda, Banna, Ityadi

Heggodu: Akshara Prakashana, 2008                 pp. 136; price: Rs. 80

                  “Indomitable Will Against Odds”

     One major feature of Kannada literature since the last two decades has been the emergence of a group of young writers from Uttara Kannada district.  Besides senior writers like Chittal and Jayanth Kaikini, this group includes

Review of the book "Uttarayana Mattu..." by HSV

Dr. H. S. Venkatesha Murthy, Uttarayana Mattu …
Malladi Halli: Anandakanda Granthamale, 2008 pp. xx + 80; price: 100/-

Dr. H.S. Venkatesha Murthy (popularly known as HSV) is one of the most significant and versatile Kannada writers in the post-independence period. His first poetry- collection was published in 1968, and, during a span of four decades, HSV has to his credit 64 works including 16

Article: "Many Voices, Many Notes"

(A Note on Post-independence Kannada Literature)

“ Unless you understand your earlier steps, you cannot take a step ahead,” observes the great mystic-poet Allama Prabhu. Supposing we look back at Kannada literature, standing on the threshold of ‘Suvarna Karnataka,’ the fiftieth year of the state of Karnataka, what do we see? What were the major concerns and preoccupations of Kannada literature in the last fifty years? This short article tries to answer some of these questions.