"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 PalThis book undertakes a comparison of two novels, viz. Kosla (1963) by Marathi writer Bhalchandra Nemade and its American counterpart The Catcher in the Rye (1951) by J. D. Salinger in terms of theme, structure and style. It attempts to delineate how writers placed in apparently diverse geographical and cultural contexts find themselves grappling with the same crisis—alienation.
Addressing a contentious issue as to whether the sense of alienation was artificially transplanted into the Indian mindset—which presumably harbours contentment and optimism—by some writers, it discerns certain indigenous factors that seem to have caused a wave of disillusionment and estrangement in the post-independence generation of Indians.
While this book meticulously traces the influence of The Catcher in the Rye on Kosla, it unreservedly recognizes the contribution of the latter in changing the path of Marathi fiction and taste of Marathi literary psyche.
Given the multilingual and multicultural ethos of our country, the present book underscores the need to formulate a native comparative perspective in which literary-cultural studies can be undertaken both at intranational and international levels.
Raghunath Kadakane
Raghunath Kadakane presently works as assistant professor in the Department of English at the Government Vidarbha Institute of Science and Humanities, Amravati. Formerly, he was the head of the Department of English at Rajaram College, Kolhapur.
He specializes in Comparative Literature and Narratology. He is also a creative writer in Marathi, with a full-length novel, Maze Mithyache Prayog, to his credit.
