This South Asian Heritage Month, the Online Library is sharing some interesting books about the South Asian diaspora to celebrate the heritage of many of our wonderful students with roots in the South Asian countries of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives.
Lahore in Motion: Infrastructure, History and Belonging in Urban Pakistan by Ammara Maqsood,Chris Moffat & Fizzah Sajjad
Read the modern challenges of the booming city of Lahore. Lahore in Motion takes readers on a journey through the bustling city following the birth of the Orange line, the tricky navigations of the Ring Road and even the effects of Covid on this modern metropolis.
In the Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon: Happiness, History, and Environment in a Changing Bhutan by Betsy Bolton
As a small and private monarchy, the Kingdom of Bhutan has managed to avoid the exploitations of mass tourism. They may also become the first carbon neutral country. Currently labelled 'the anti-Dubai' in their development approach, this book takes readers through some amusing first person anecdotal experiences in the Kingdom, while providing enough background to taste the heritage.
A Concise History of Modern India by Barbara D. Metcalf
Just over 20 years old and this book has become staple reading for anyone interested in or studying the history of India. Metcalf treats readers to an exciting but accessible storyline ranging from the Mughals through to the modern day tech giant that the Indian economy is becoming.
Places in Knots: Remoteness and Connectivity in the Himalayas and Beyond by Martin Saxer
Martin Saxer goes out on a limb to share the relatable stories of an native New Yorker, as he first learns about Tibet and Nepal in Flushing, Queens...and then experiences first hand the various cultures of the Himalayan countries on location. Also included are some harrowing and inspiring stories of the Tibetans, who managed to escape Chinese colonialism and the intricacies of brokering lives abroad to those still seeking refuge.
Women and Nation-Building by Cheryl Benard
Promoting women's rights may be an easily agreed upon slogan for a modernized Afghanistan but Bernard show's the phrase has many different meanings to many different people. In this book, the author shares true lives of working women and the important roles they played across Afghanistan.
Modernizing Composition: Sinhala Song, Poetry, and Politics in Twentieth-Century Sri Lanka byGarrett Field
This beautiful story unravels the history of Sinhalese poetry and lyricism from musician, John De Silva and poet Ananda Rajakaruna's work to Mahagama Sekera. This book reflects the reason that Sinhala has earned it's own place as a well respected ethnomusicological wonder.
Lahore Cinema: Between Realism and Fable by Iftikhar Dadi
You've heard of Hollywood, Bollywood and even Nollywood...but have you heard about Pollywood? Lahore cinema uncovers the raw world behind Pakistan neo-realism. This book is a fun read for film lovers. In particular, anyone interested in the noir or new wave movements of France and Italy of the 1960s...as always there is a valid Eastern counterpart to be discovered in the West. Anyone, who has experienced the inspiring artistic brilliance of modern filmakers like Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, can definitely trace back the cultural influences on her work.
Empire's Garden: Assam and the Making of India by Jayeeta Sharma
Sharma's tales of the building of an empire and the intentional diversification of ethnicities within India by the British governors is not an easy read. According to Sharma's numbers, over a million Central Indians were chosen to move to Assam, a choice with long term mixed consequences.
Witness to Marvels: Sufism and Literary Imagination by Tony K. Stewart
Bangladesh has always flourished in literature and particularly poetry, contributing many of the strongest South Asian poets in history. This book provides a succinct breakdown of the formulas that each work uses to intensify the readers experience. A worthy read for anyone, who wishes to become a great writer or to learn more about the melodic nature of Sufi poetry and why it's legacy still burns.
If you have a book about South Asian Culture and Heritage you'd like to suggest for our collections, please feel free to contact us below.
*all images (except King Wangchuck) provided copyright free from freepik.com
*image of King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license and can be found via this link: File:King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck (edit).jpg - Wikipedia
.jpg){kind=link}