"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
In this extraordinarily candid book, Umesh Patri presents a fresh reappraisal of the impact of Indian scriptures on American transcendentalism which flourished in New England in the 19th century. The major premise of the study is that other influences on the transcendentalists, such as Chinese, Persian, Sufi, Arabic, Neo-Platonism and German transcendentalism, are of less significance than that of Indian scriptures comprising of Hindu and Buddhist texts. In the writings of Emerson, Thoreau and minor transcendentalists like Alcott, Fuller, Channing, Johnson, Brownson, etc., the influence of Indian scriptures is clearly discernable. An attempt has been made here to show that Indian scriptures have not only influenced the philosophical thinking of these writers but also their lifestyle and social conduct. It also attempts to show that transcendentalism was not an isolated movement but was a part of a cultural renaissance which swept the entire nation in the wake of avid interest and curiosity in the ancient lore of other countries. Transcendentalism, it is suggested here, continues to affect the thinking of Americans and can be viewed as a continuing movement of thought in American intellectual history. This book draws attention to many aspects of transcendentalism which have not been adequately discussed so far.
Umesh Patri
Umesh Patri was awarded a PhD in comparative literature from Utkal University, Odisha.
Patri has a long and distinguished teaching career in different university colleges. As part of his post-doctoral project, he visited several libraries and universities abroad. Besides, he had an extensive lecture tour in the USA, Canada, England, Germany, Israel, Jordan, Egypt and a part of the Middle East.
Because of his exemplary performance, he has been listed in the most selective directories of International Organisations for Good Temperance (IOGT), England and Asian Admirable Achievers. He is referred to as a writer in the Norwegian and British Humanist Journals and the Thoreau Society Bulletin, N.Y.
A prominent essayist and critic in Odia, he was awarded the Odia Sahitya Akademi Award for his pioneering research on Aryas, which he advertently refused to accept. A champion of animal rights activists, he was associated with many philanthropic activities. With many books in Odia and English to his credit, he has also been widely translated. A public speaker of repute, Patri is an invited speaker on many platforms.
