"It was a wonderful experience interacting with you and appreciate the way you have planned and executed the whole publication process within the agreed timelines.”
Subrat SaurabhAuthor of Kuch Woh Pal
With An Agony of Hope, Ananta Dave makes a haunting debut into the world of poetry.
Ranging from ref lections on her experiences as a doctor to deeply personal musings on identity, belonging, grief and loss, this collection is hard-hitting and heart-wrenching in equal measure.
The poems take you through the undulations of love and hope, expressed eloquently and unf linchingly. From the raw horror of ‘Waiting’ to emergence from the shadows in ‘The Shape of Grief ’. From the gently excoriating satire of ‘Peasouper’ to the open exploration of dual identity in ‘An Inescapable Rightness of Being’. Whether it is the crack of a gunshot or the melody of birdsong, the fading colours of autumn or the blossoming of spring, you can hear and see the serenity and tumult, the vulnerability and strength leap from the pages.
This collection is sure to strike a deep chord in people from all backgrounds across the world, inviting you to dive in and immerse yourself in this exquisite journey through the range of human experience.
Ananta Dave
Ananta Dave was born and lived in India till her late twenties, having studied medicine and qualified as a Psychiatrist before emigrating to the UK, where she now works in the National Health Service and lives with her family. She has always been fascinated with the written word, reading voraciously from an early age and writing her first poem at the age of seven.
She continued writing, though sporadically, till a few years ago when the horrors of COVID-19, both in her professional and personal life, unleashed a powerful urge to share her emotions through poetry.
Blending her insights from medicine with an exploration of universal themes of social justice, identity, belonging and loss, Ananta’s poems have been published in magazines and won prizes and rave reviews from friends, family and colleagues, which encouraged her to consider getting her work published.
An Agony of Hope is her first collection of poems to be published. She is currently writing a work of fiction which once again brings together her personal and professional experiences. Alongside her writing and reading, shared meals with family and friends, music and enjoying the beauty of nature help her stay connected and grounded.
