The Lightness Which is Our World, Seen from Afar
by Ven Begamudré
A deserted woman has an affair with a Hindu god while her husband lusts for jewels that are guarded by cobras. A widower retraces the last European holiday he took with his wife. Excursions are made into the personal and political absurdities of language and naming. Whether it’s a bus tour in Mumbai, a café stop in Lausanne, or a sunset walk along the Bay of Bengal—Ven Begamudré’s journeys are filled with longing, desire and a tenderness that persists beyond reason. This is The Lightness Which Is Our World, Seen from Afar.
- Shortlisted in the Saskatchewan Book Awards
- F.G. Bressani Literary Prize
- Best book finalist in the Canada-Caribbean region for the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize
$15.95 CAD
Additional information
| Weight | .143 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 8.5 × 5.5 × .25 in |
| Page Count | 80 |
| Binding | Soft Cover |
| Year Published | 2006 |
Ven Begamudré
Ven Begamudré was born in South India and moved to Canada when he was six. He has also lived in Mauritius and the United States. He lives in Regina, Saskatchewan.
He has an MFA in creative writing from Warren Wilson College in Asheville, North Carolina. He has been writer-in-residence for the University of Calgary’s Markin-Flanagan Distinguished Writers Programme, the University of Alberta’s Department of English, the Canada-Scotland Exchange, Regina Public Library, McMaster University’s Department of English, and the Yukon Public Libraries.
Begamudré‘s style is fluid, engaging and rhetorically compelling…again and again I am reminded of Eliot’s contention that poetry is indeed a “superior entertainment.”
~Paul Vermeesch, The Globe and Mail
Begamudré’s lush rolling cadences bring to mind those of Michael Ondaatje or Anne Michaels while evoking a mythical India and a modern Europe.
~Lee Shedden, Calgary Herald
Begamudré is successful at knowing how to write even as he exploits his journey towards knowing how to live.
~Anne Burke, Prairie Journal
Begamudré weaves bright threads of experience into the rich tapestry of his verse, dyed berry and rust by the organic colour palate only available to one who has actually been there. A fantastic debut.
~Laurie Fuhr, Fast Forward