38. One Piece Father Mother or the Century’s Last Ulysses: Subimal Mishra
39. The Heir: Shawkat Ali
40. Kankabati: Trailokyanath Mukhopadhyay
41. Bought with Cowrie Shells: Bimal Mitra
42. The Quilt-Bearer’s Cudgel: Mainul Ahsan Saber
43. Near Calcutta: Gajendrakumar Mitra
44. The Tainted Kankabati: Niharranjan Gupta
45. Weep, River, Weep: Syed Waliullah
46. The Glass Wall: Paritosh Barai
47. Close People: Suchitra Bhattacharya
48. Charcoal Sketches: Selina Hossain
49. Kadambari Devi’s Suicide Note: Ranjan Bandyopadhyay
50. Karubasana: Jibanananda Das
51. Kalketu and Fullara: Subrata Augustin Gomez
52. Dark Times: Imdadul Haq Milon
53. Black Fire: Abul Bashar
54. Black Ice: Mahmudal Haq
55. The Black Wasp: Niharranjan Gupta
56. Daughter of the Reed Forest: Shamsuddin Abul Kalam
57. A Few Things About Dogs That I Know: Sandeepan Chattopadhyay
58. Kubera’s Wealth and Property: Shyamal Gangopadhyay
59. The Chronicle of Chairs: Zakir Talukdar
60. Kerry Saheb’s Munshi: Pramathanath Bishi
61. The Colonel on Crutches: Shahaduzzaman
62. The Slave Girl: Al Mahmud
63. Daughter on the Cross: Nasreen Jahan
64. The Playhouse: Basudev
65. The Playhouse: Mahmudal Haq
66. Khelaram Plays On: Syed Shamsul Haq
67. Garasrikhand: Amiyabhushan Majumdar
68. Gayatri Evening: Selina Hossain
69. Gulmohar Republic: Ebadur Rahman
70. Twilight: Nimai Bhattacharya
71. The Four Lessons: Swapnamoy Chakraborty
72. I Laid My Feet in Crimson: Phalguni Mukhopadhyay
73. Moon’s New Moon Night: Syed Waliullah
74. The Wheel: Selim Al Deen
75. The Funeral Pyre: Phalguni Mukhopadhyay
76. Chotti Munda and His Arrow: Mahasweta Devi
77. Janak and Black Coffee: Syed Shamsul Haq
78. The Vigil: Satinath Bhaduri
79. Life, My Sister: Mahmudal Haq
80. Life and Political Reality: Shahidul Zahir
81. The General and the Women: Anisul Haq
82. Burn, Firewood, Burn: Alok Sarkar
83. The Whirlwind: Shailjananda Mukhopadhyay
84. The Jest: Mainul Ahsan Saber
85. The Domru Chronicles: Trailokyanath Mukhopadhyay
86. The Dhorai Character and Mind: Satinath Bhaduri
87. The Search: Shaheen Akhtar
88. Titash: A River’s Name: Adwaita Mallabarman
89. Tales of the Teesta Shore: Debesh Roy
90. The Teesta Purana: Debesh Roy
91. The Third World: Dipendranath Bandyopadhyay
92. Oil Painting Number Twenty-Three: Alauddin Al Azad
93. Das Capital: Ebadur Rahman
94. Daily Life: Kayes Ahmed
95. The Gaze: Jajabor
96. Chronicles of Hell: Rabishankar Bal
97. Tale of the Second Day: Syed Shamsul Haq
98. Na Hanyate: Maitreyi Devi
99. Navera: Hasnat Abdul Hai
100. The Scent of Names: Malay Roychoudhury
101. Necropolis: Mamun Hussain
102. The Neem Annapurna: Kamalakumar Majumdar
103. The Invitation: Taslima Nasreen
104. The Invitation: Nimai Bhattacharya
105. Night Family: Manoj Basu
106. Forbidden Incense: Syed Shamsul Haq
107. Diary of Forbidden Dreams: Sandeepan Chattopadhyay
108. Blue Sting: Syed Shamsul Haq
109. Youth of the Blue Peacock: Selina Hossain
110. In Search of the Blue-Throated Bird: Atin Bandyopadhyay
111. Nurjahan: Imdadul Haq Milon
112. The Troublemaker Gang: Leela Majumdar
113. Padma’s Silted Island: Abu Ishaque
114. Subjugation: Imdadul Haq Milon
115. Mud: Premendra Mitra
116. Son to Father: Chanakya Sen
117. Handsome Man: Al Mahmud
118. The Play of Poush and Phagun: Gajendrakumar Mitra
119. The Butterfly’s Fort: Shyamal Bhattacharya
120. The First Promise: Ashapurna Devi
121. No Love: Gaurakishor Ghosh
122. The Trap: Anisul Haq
123. The Flower Bride: Abul Bashar
124. From Bong to Bengali: Rizia Rahman
125. The Weaving: Papri Rahman
126. The River of Melting Snow: Zahir Raihan
127. For Basudha: Tilottama Majumdar
128. Twelve Houses, One Courtyard: Jyotirindra Nandi
129. Twelve Kinds of People: Imdadul Haq Milon
130. Wedding Anniversary: Dipendranath Bandyopadhyay
131. The Tree of Sorrow: Mihir Sengupta
132. Ocean of Sorrow: Mir Mosharraf Hossain
133. Daughter of the Forest: Haraprasad Shastri
134. The Mute Story: Jasimuddin
135. The Country of Tides: Amitav Ghosh
136. Madhu Sadhukhan: Amiyabhushan Majumdar
137. Shadows of Clouds in Mind: Debdas Bhattacharya
138. Mofizun: Mahbubul Alam
139. Desert Paradise: Abul Bashar
140. The Great Sage’s Tale: Premankur Atarti
141. The Legend of Mahishkura: Amiyabhushan Majumdar
142. Mother: Anisul Haq
143. Ship of Clay: Mahmudal Haq
144. Where Humans Don’t Go: Mainul Ahsan Saber
145. Going to Mother: Rashid Karim
146. Malyaban: Jibanananda Das
147. Mira’s Noon: Jyotirindra Nandi
9
14. Seven Tales
15. The Lion-Bearer
16. How Far is the Hospital
17. Diamond-Set Golden Flower
Shankar’s
1. Room Within Room
2. Chowringhee
3. Forest of People
4. Nivedita Research Laboratory
5. Lust for Wealth
Buddhadeb Guha’s
1. For a Little Warmth
2. To the Cuckoo
3. The Peon
4. During the Pujas
5. Babli
6. Begging for Alms
7. Humble Submission
8. Yellow Spring
Buddhadeb Basu’s
1. Tithi’s Door
2. Rain All Night
Samaresh Basu’s
1. Where Shall I Find Her
2. Ganga
3. Butterfly
4. Moktar Dadu’s Slaying of Ketu
5. Live Long
Humayun Azad’s
1. 10,000, and One More Rape
2. Fifty-six Thousand Square Miles
3. Pak Sar Jamin Sad Bad
4. Shubhobrato and His Associated Good News
5. Everything Falls Apart
Muhammad Zafar Iqbal’s
1. Stretch the Sky
2. My Friend Rashed
3. I Am Topu
4. Icarus
5. Glass Sea
6. Kajol’s Days and Nights
7. The Village Named Kankandoba
8. The Bandits
9. Lonely Wanderer
10. Prodigy
11. Phoenix
12. Forsaken Snow
13. Rain’s Address
14. Mongoose
15. A Day with Mohabbat Ali
16. Meku’s Story
17. Colored Glasses
18. Robot Night
19. Rasha
20. Peaceful Family
21. Serina
Humayun Ahmed’s
1. 1971
2. Achinpur
3. Song of Darkness
4. Another Day
5. Waiting
6. Inhuman
7. Fire’s Touch-Stone
8. Today I Won’t Go Anywhere
9. Today is Chitra’s Wedding
10. Today is Himu’s Wedding
11. I Have Water
12. I am Misir Ali
13. Ashabari
14. The Three Asmani Sisters
15. Epitaph
16. Illusion
17. No One Anywhere
18. Gauripur Junction
19. Water Maiden
20. Stories of Moonlight and Mother
21. Tithi’s Blue Towel
22. You Called Me to Your Holiday Invitation
23. Moonlight in the Tamarind Grove
24. In Your City
25. The Crow’s Household or Sometimes I See You
26. Whose Reflection in the Pond’s Water
27. Goddess
28. Blissful Hell
29. Nabani
30. Exile
31. Night Wanderer
32. Blue Clitoria
33. My Bird, My Solitary Bird
34. Puffy
35. First Watch
36. Bahubrihi
37. Emperor Namdar
38. Wedding Night
39. Rain and Clouds
40. Midday
41. Intoxicated Wind
42. Misir Ali’s Unsolved Mystery
43. Mrinmoyi
44. Clouds Have Said I’ll Go, I’ll Go
45. House Above the Clouds
46. Though It Is Evening
47. Rumali
48. Rupa
49. Silver Island
50. This Spring Full of Tears
51. Lilabati
52. Shell-Blue Prison
53. Shubhra
54. Green Shade
55. Day of the Sun
56. Himu and PhD Boltu Brother
57. Himu on Remand
58. Himu’s Blue Moonlight
59. Himu’s Silver Night
60. A Few Blue Lotuses in Himu’s Hands
Others
1. A for Anaconda: Abdul Mannan Sayed
2. Anaconda: Horipada Dutta
3. Experience: Dibyendu Palit
4. Anu’s School: Mahmudul Haq
5. Journey Through Inner Waters: Kamal Kumar Majumdar
6. Another Life: Jahanara Imam
7. Aparajita: Hossne Ara Moni
8. Unripe Sin: Sheikh Abdul Hakim
9. Pure White Job: Rahat Khan
10. Amabati: Rakhal Raha
11. Rights of the Forest: Mahasweta Devi
12. Illusory Person: Syed Mustafa Siraj
13. Miraculous Vessel: Atin Bandyopadhyay
14. Wrong Time: Bimal Kar
15. Dissolute Siddhartha: Jagadish Gupta
16. Firebird: Hasan Azizul Haq
17. The Spiritual Woman: Pyarichand Mitra
18. African Bride: Mahbubur Rahman
19. Abdullah: Kazi Imdadul Haq
20. The Death of Abu Ibrahim: Shahidul Zahir
21. Those of Us Who Have Walked: Imtiar Shamim
22. What I Tell My Daughter: Sharmini Abbasi
23. I Am a War Heroine Speaking: Nilima Ibrahim
24. I Am Not Mrinalini: Harishankar Jaldas
25. Mirror: Abul Mansur Ahmad
38. One Piece Father Mother or the Century’s Last Ulysses: Subimal Mishra
39. The Heir: Shawkat Ali
40. Kankabati: Trailokyanath Mukhopadhyay
41. Bought with Cowrie Shells: Bimal Mitra
42. The Quilt-Bearer’s Cudgel: Mainul Ahsan Saber
43. Near Calcutta: Gajendrakumar Mitra
44. The Tainted Kankabati: Niharranjan Gupta
45. Weep, River, Weep: Syed Waliullah
46. The Glass Wall: Paritosh Barai
47. Close People: Suchitra Bhattacharya
48. Charcoal Sketches: Selina Hossain
49. Kadambari Devi’s Suicide Note: Ranjan Bandyopadhyay
50. Karubasana: Jibanananda Das
51. Kalketu and Fullara: Subrata Augustin Gomez
52. Dark Times: Imdadul Haq Milon
53. Black Fire: Abul Bashar
54. Black Ice: Mahmudal Haq
55. The Black Wasp: Niharranjan Gupta
56. Daughter of the Reed Forest: Shamsuddin Abul Kalam
57. A Few Things About Dogs That I Know: Sandeepan Chattopadhyay
58. Kubera’s Wealth and Property: Shyamal Gangopadhyay
59. The Chronicle of Chairs: Zakir Talukdar
60. Kerry Saheb’s Munshi: Pramathanath Bishi
61. The Colonel on Crutches: Shahaduzzaman
62. The Slave Girl: Al Mahmud
63. Daughter on the Cross: Nasreen Jahan
64. The Playhouse: Basudev
65. The Playhouse: Mahmudal Haq
66. Khelaram Plays On: Syed Shamsul Haq
67. Garasrikhand: Amiyabhushan Majumdar
68. Gayatri Evening: Selina Hossain
69. Gulmohar Republic: Ebadur Rahman
70. Twilight: Nimai Bhattacharya
71. The Four Lessons: Swapnamoy Chakraborty
72. I Laid My Feet in Crimson: Phalguni Mukhopadhyay
73. Moon’s New Moon Night: Syed Waliullah
74. The Wheel: Selim Al Deen
75. The Funeral Pyre: Phalguni Mukhopadhyay
76. Chotti Munda and His Arrow: Mahasweta Devi
77. Janak and Black Coffee: Syed Shamsul Haq
78. The Vigil: Satinath Bhaduri
79. Life, My Sister: Mahmudal Haq
80. Life and Political Reality: Shahidul Zahir
81. The General and the Women: Anisul Haq
82. Burn, Firewood, Burn: Alok Sarkar
83. The Whirlwind: Shailjananda Mukhopadhyay
84. The Jest: Mainul Ahsan Saber
85. The Domru Chronicles: Trailokyanath Mukhopadhyay
86. The Dhorai Character and Mind: Satinath Bhaduri
87. The Search: Shaheen Akhtar
88. Titash: A River’s Name: Adwaita Mallabarman
89. Tales of the Teesta Shore: Debesh Roy
90. The Teesta Purana: Debesh Roy
91. The Third World: Dipendranath Bandyopadhyay
92. Oil Painting Number Twenty-Three: Alauddin Al Azad
93. Das Capital: Ebadur Rahman
94. Daily Life: Kayes Ahmed
95. The Gaze: Jajabor
96. Chronicles of Hell: Rabishankar Bal
97. Tale of the Second Day: Syed Shamsul Haq
98. Na Hanyate: Maitreyi Devi
99. Navera: Hasnat Abdul Hai
100. The Scent of Names: Malay Roychoudhury
101. Necropolis: Mamun Hussain
102. The Neem Annapurna: Kamalakumar Majumdar
103. The Invitation: Taslima Nasreen
104. The Invitation: Nimai Bhattacharya
105. Night Family: Manoj Basu
106. Forbidden Incense: Syed Shamsul Haq
107. Diary of Forbidden Dreams: Sandeepan Chattopadhyay
108. Blue Sting: Syed Shamsul Haq
109. Youth of the Blue Peacock: Selina Hossain
110. In Search of the Blue-Throated Bird: Atin Bandyopadhyay
111. Nurjahan: Imdadul Haq Milon
112. The Troublemaker Gang: Leela Majumdar
113. Padma’s Silted Island: Abu Ishaque
114. Subjugation: Imdadul Haq Milon
115. Mud: Premendra Mitra
116. Son to Father: Chanakya Sen
117. Handsome Man: Al Mahmud
118. The Play of Poush and Phagun: Gajendrakumar Mitra
119. The Butterfly’s Fort: Shyamal Bhattacharya
120. The First Promise: Ashapurna Devi
121. No Love: Gaurakishor Ghosh
122. The Trap: Anisul Haq
123. The Flower Bride: Abul Bashar
124. From Bong to Bengali: Rizia Rahman
125. The Weaving: Papri Rahman
126. The River of Melting Snow: Zahir Raihan
127. For Basudha: Tilottama Majumdar
128. Twelve Houses, One Courtyard: Jyotirindra Nandi
129. Twelve Kinds of People: Imdadul Haq Milon
130. Wedding Anniversary: Dipendranath Bandyopadhyay
131. The Tree of Sorrow: Mihir Sengupta
132. Ocean of Sorrow: Mir Mosharraf Hossain
133. Daughter of the Forest: Haraprasad Shastri
134. The Mute Story: Jasimuddin
135. The Country of Tides: Amitav Ghosh
136. Madhu Sadhukhan: Amiyabhushan Majumdar
137. Shadows of Clouds in Mind: Debdas Bhattacharya
138. Mofizun: Mahbubul Alam
139. Desert Paradise: Abul Bashar
140. The Great Sage’s Tale: Premankur Atarti
141. The Legend of Mahishkura: Amiyabhushan Majumdar
142. Mother: Anisul Haq
143. Ship of Clay: Mahmudal Haq
144. Where Humans Don’t Go: Mainul Ahsan Saber
145. Going to Mother: Rashid Karim
146. Malyaban: Jibanananda Das
147. Mira’s Noon: Jyotirindra Nandi
173. Shayanyan: Bhaskar Chakrabarty
174. Shapamochan: Phalguni Mukhopadhyay
175. Shahzada Darashiko: Shyamal Gangopadhyay
176. Shuno Baranari: Subodh Ghosh
177. Shubha: Nareshchandra Sengupta
178. Shesh Bikaler Meye: Zahir Raihan
179. Sangsaptak: Shahidullah Kaiser
180. Sadhu Hatir Lokjon: Hossein Uddin Hossein
181. Sapludu Khela: Selim Morshed
182. Sareng Bou: Shahidullah Kaiser
183. Saheb Bibi Golam: Bimal Mitra
184. Sindur Kouta: Prabhatkumar Mukhopadhyay
185. Simante Sanghat: Shahriar Kabir
186. Subarnalata: Ashapurna Devi
187. Suhasini’s Pometom: Kamalkumar Majumdar
188. Suryadighal Bari: Abu Ishaq
189. Se Rate Purnima Chilo: Shahidul Zahir
190. Senjuti Tomar Jonno: Anisul Haq
191. Sonar Horin Nei: Ashutosh Mukhopadhyay
192. Hangar Nadi Grenade: Selina Hossein
193. Hajar Churashir Ma: Mahasweta Devi
194. Hajar Bachhor Dhore: Zahir Raihan
195. Herbert: Nabarun Bhattacharya
196. Hutum Penchar Naksha: Kali Prasanna Singh
A final word. The list above contains no diaries, travelogues, biographies, memoirs, poetry, humor, non-fiction, and such. I’ve built this list by ruthlessly excluding all those books. Still, let me mention a few—
The Unfinished Autobiography
My Mother Knows Everything
Ribhu
Letters of Seventy-One
Diary of Seventy-One
Days of Seventy-One
Galpaguchchha
Gonsaibagan
Uncle Stories
In the Land of Pictures, in the Land of Poems
Politics and Economics for Children
Watercolors of Life
The Argumentative Indian
On Paths and in Foreign Lands
The Economics of Altruism
Pakdandi
Palamau
Bangalnama
The Prose of Bhaskar Chakrabarty
From Volga to Ganga
Manindra Gupta’s ‘Immortal Mulberry’
Mainstream ’71
When I Was a Policeman
Though I Have My Guru
The Prose of Shankha Ghosh
Sultana’s Dream
The Diary of Sandeepan Chattopadhyay
So many more wonderful Bengali books! Even just touching those books feels so good! I have the desire to make separate lists for those books. I haven’t read eighty percent of the novels whose names I’ve written here. In that sense, this list isn’t a mirror of my personal taste or preference. However, while creating the list, I included many novels on my own that seemed worthy of inclusion. My personal collection has more than six and a half thousand books. Among those books are many, many good novels that I could have included in this list, but didn’t. Why didn’t I include them? Two explanations. One: While making the list, their names didn’t come to mind. Two: It seemed to me that the appreciation for those novels hasn’t yet become universal. I could have taken the initiative to promote that appreciation myself, but I didn’t have the courage.
If you ask most readers to name some good Bengali novels, most will stop after 10-15 titles. The reason is that however many worthy novels there may be, either we can’t remember which ones we’ve read from among them, or lack of time and opportunity means we never get around to reading them at all. So can we not recommend novels we haven’t read? We can, but carefully. The Bengali novels we casually mention in various conversations can roughly be divided into three categories: Classic, Popular, and Essential. There are certain Bengali novels whose names we feel no discomfort mentioning. Take Shesher Kabita, for instance. Whether someone has read this novel or not, they can certainly mention its name! So many readers have deemed the novel good—if I haven’t read it, that’s my failure. If I want someone else to read a good novel, I can certainly mention Shesher Kabita out of that sense of responsibility. While recommendations and excellent reviews of English or other foreign language novels are easily found on Google, the same isn’t true for Bengali novels. But this work is essential. I think it would be excellent if institutions dedicated to serving the Bengali language and literature would take up this task. Sadly, we’ve never seen any initiative to make book reading an integral part of our lives.
In my dictionary, there’s no such thing as a “must-read” or prescribed novel. Whatever gives me joy is what’s worth reading for me. However, there are some novels that, judging by their acceptance, we can tag as “good novels.” Facebook houses people of diverse tastes. Which novel appeals to whom depends on individual taste and wisdom. The desire to read novels varies from person to person and with how busy they are. A while ago, I asked my friends for names of “good Bengali novels” in a Facebook post. Some people collected those comments and sent them to me in my inbox. Using those, along with my own knowledge, I’ve compiled a list.
This list will be useful for those who—
read novels,
buy novels,
like to give novels as gifts,
believe in the principle “whether I read them or not, let there be some good novels at home,”
borrow novels and then return them or never return them,
encourage others to read novels,
like to earn applause by knowing the names of some good novels and sometimes their plots, whether they’ve read them or not,
count the scent of books among their three most beloved fragrances.
Sadly, many other good Bengali novels didn’t make it onto the list. Anyway, here’s the list. Take a look. If any of your favorites got left out, write them in the comments.
By Rabindranath Tagore
1. Gora
2. Ghare Baire
3. Chaturanga
4. Chokher Bali
5. Noukadubi
6. Malancha
7. Jogajog
8. Shesher Kabita
By Sharatchandra Chattopadhyay
1. Grihadaha
2. Chandranath
3. Charitraheen
4. Datta
5. Denapawna
6. Devdas
7. Pather Dabi
8. Parinita
9. Pallisamaj
10. Borodidi
11. Bindur Chhele
12. Bipradas
13. Birajbou
14. Mejdidi
15. Shubhda
16. Shrikanta
By Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay
1. Anandamath
2. Kapalkundala
3. Krishnakanter Will
4. Durgashnandini
5. Bishbriksha
6. Rajani
By Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay
1. Aparajito
2. Apur Sansar
3. Ashani Sanket
4. Adarsha Hindu Hotel
5. Aranyak
6. Ichamati
7. Chander Pahar
8. Debjan
9. Pather Panchali
By Manik Bandyopadhyay
1. Ahinsa
2. Itikathar Parer Katha
3. Chatushkon
4. Chinha
5. Dibaratrir Kabya
6. Padma Nadir Majhi
7. Putulnacher Itikatha
By Tarashankar Bandyopadhyay
1. Arogya Niketan
2. Ekti Kalo Meyar Katha
3. Kabi
4. Ganadevata
5. Naginikonyer Kahini
6. Panchagram
7. Bicharak
8. Raikamol
9. Saptapadi
10. Hansuli Banker Upakatha
By Kazi Nazrul Islam
1. Bandhan Hara
2. Mrityukshudha
By Akhtaruzzaman Elias
1. Khoabnama
2. Chilekothar Sepai
By Syed Mujtaba Ali
1. Shabnam
2. Shahriar
By Ahmad Chhofa
1. Ardhek Nari Ardhek Ishwari
2. Olatchakra
3. Ekjon Ali Kenaner Utthan-Patan
4. Onkar
5. Gavi Bittanta
6. Pushpa-Briksha-Bihangpuran
By Shawkat Osman
1. Kritadaser Hasi
2. Janani
3. Jalaigi
4. Jahannam Hoite Biday
By Shawkat Ali
1. Narai
2. Pradoshe Prakritajan
3. Basat
By Sunil Gangopadhyay
1. Eka Ebong Kayekjon
2. Purba-Paschim
3. Pratham Alo
4. Shei Shomoy
5. Sonali Dukkho
6. Swapna Lojjaheen
By Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay
1. Kalo Beral Sada Beral
2. Chakra
3. Chhayer Shorir
4. Durbin
5. Dbicharini
6. Parapar
7. Parthib
8. Phulchor
9. Manabjomin
10. Jao Pakhi
11. Shunyer Udyan
12. Santaru O Jolkonya
By Samaresh Majumdar
1. Agnirath
2. Aat Kuthuri Noy Dorja
3. Uttaradhikar
4. Kalpurush
5. Kalbela
6. Garbhadharini
7. Jyotsnaay Barshar Megh
8. Danay Roder Gandha
9
14. Seven Tales
15. The Lion-Bearer
16. How Far is the Hospital
17. Diamond-Set Golden Flower
Shankar’s
1. Room Within Room
2. Chowringhee
3. Forest of People
4. Nivedita Research Laboratory
5. Lust for Wealth
Buddhadeb Guha’s
1. For a Little Warmth
2. To the Cuckoo
3. The Peon
4. During the Pujas
5. Babli
6. Begging for Alms
7. Humble Submission
8. Yellow Spring
Buddhadeb Basu’s
1. Tithi’s Door
2. Rain All Night
Samaresh Basu’s
1. Where Shall I Find Her
2. Ganga
3. Butterfly
4. Moktar Dadu’s Slaying of Ketu
5. Live Long
Humayun Azad’s
1. 10,000, and One More Rape
2. Fifty-six Thousand Square Miles
3. Pak Sar Jamin Sad Bad
4. Shubhobrato and His Associated Good News
5. Everything Falls Apart
Muhammad Zafar Iqbal’s
1. Stretch the Sky
2. My Friend Rashed
3. I Am Topu
4. Icarus
5. Glass Sea
6. Kajol’s Days and Nights
7. The Village Named Kankandoba
8. The Bandits
9. Lonely Wanderer
10. Prodigy
11. Phoenix
12. Forsaken Snow
13. Rain’s Address
14. Mongoose
15. A Day with Mohabbat Ali
16. Meku’s Story
17. Colored Glasses
18. Robot Night
19. Rasha
20. Peaceful Family
21. Serina
Humayun Ahmed’s
1. 1971
2. Achinpur
3. Song of Darkness
4. Another Day
5. Waiting
6. Inhuman
7. Fire’s Touch-Stone
8. Today I Won’t Go Anywhere
9. Today is Chitra’s Wedding
10. Today is Himu’s Wedding
11. I Have Water
12. I am Misir Ali
13. Ashabari
14. The Three Asmani Sisters
15. Epitaph
16. Illusion
17. No One Anywhere
18. Gauripur Junction
19. Water Maiden
20. Stories of Moonlight and Mother
21. Tithi’s Blue Towel
22. You Called Me to Your Holiday Invitation
23. Moonlight in the Tamarind Grove
24. In Your City
25. The Crow’s Household or Sometimes I See You
26. Whose Reflection in the Pond’s Water
27. Goddess
28. Blissful Hell
29. Nabani
30. Exile
31. Night Wanderer
32. Blue Clitoria
33. My Bird, My Solitary Bird
34. Puffy
35. First Watch
36. Bahubrihi
37. Emperor Namdar
38. Wedding Night
39. Rain and Clouds
40. Midday
41. Intoxicated Wind
42. Misir Ali’s Unsolved Mystery
43. Mrinmoyi
44. Clouds Have Said I’ll Go, I’ll Go
45. House Above the Clouds
46. Though It Is Evening
47. Rumali
48. Rupa
49. Silver Island
50. This Spring Full of Tears
51. Lilabati
52. Shell-Blue Prison
53. Shubhra
54. Green Shade
55. Day of the Sun
56. Himu and PhD Boltu Brother
57. Himu on Remand
58. Himu’s Blue Moonlight
59. Himu’s Silver Night
60. A Few Blue Lotuses in Himu’s Hands
Others
1. A for Anaconda: Abdul Mannan Sayed
2. Anaconda: Horipada Dutta
3. Experience: Dibyendu Palit
4. Anu’s School: Mahmudul Haq
5. Journey Through Inner Waters: Kamal Kumar Majumdar
6. Another Life: Jahanara Imam
7. Aparajita: Hossne Ara Moni
8. Unripe Sin: Sheikh Abdul Hakim
9. Pure White Job: Rahat Khan
10. Amabati: Rakhal Raha
11. Rights of the Forest: Mahasweta Devi
12. Illusory Person: Syed Mustafa Siraj
13. Miraculous Vessel: Atin Bandyopadhyay
14. Wrong Time: Bimal Kar
15. Dissolute Siddhartha: Jagadish Gupta
16. Firebird: Hasan Azizul Haq
17. The Spiritual Woman: Pyarichand Mitra
18. African Bride: Mahbubur Rahman
19. Abdullah: Kazi Imdadul Haq
20. The Death of Abu Ibrahim: Shahidul Zahir
21. Those of Us Who Have Walked: Imtiar Shamim
22. What I Tell My Daughter: Sharmini Abbasi
23. I Am a War Heroine Speaking: Nilima Ibrahim
24. I Am Not Mrinalini: Harishankar Jaldas
25. Mirror: Abul Mansur Ahmad
38. One Piece Father Mother or the Century’s Last Ulysses: Subimal Mishra
39. The Heir: Shawkat Ali
40. Kankabati: Trailokyanath Mukhopadhyay
41. Bought with Cowrie Shells: Bimal Mitra
42. The Quilt-Bearer’s Cudgel: Mainul Ahsan Saber
43. Near Calcutta: Gajendrakumar Mitra
44. The Tainted Kankabati: Niharranjan Gupta
45. Weep, River, Weep: Syed Waliullah
46. The Glass Wall: Paritosh Barai
47. Close People: Suchitra Bhattacharya
48. Charcoal Sketches: Selina Hossain
49. Kadambari Devi’s Suicide Note: Ranjan Bandyopadhyay
50. Karubasana: Jibanananda Das
51. Kalketu and Fullara: Subrata Augustin Gomez
52. Dark Times: Imdadul Haq Milon
53. Black Fire: Abul Bashar
54. Black Ice: Mahmudal Haq
55. The Black Wasp: Niharranjan Gupta
56. Daughter of the Reed Forest: Shamsuddin Abul Kalam
57. A Few Things About Dogs That I Know: Sandeepan Chattopadhyay
58. Kubera’s Wealth and Property: Shyamal Gangopadhyay
59. The Chronicle of Chairs: Zakir Talukdar
60. Kerry Saheb’s Munshi: Pramathanath Bishi
61. The Colonel on Crutches: Shahaduzzaman
62. The Slave Girl: Al Mahmud
63. Daughter on the Cross: Nasreen Jahan
64. The Playhouse: Basudev
65. The Playhouse: Mahmudal Haq
66. Khelaram Plays On: Syed Shamsul Haq
67. Garasrikhand: Amiyabhushan Majumdar
68. Gayatri Evening: Selina Hossain
69. Gulmohar Republic: Ebadur Rahman
70. Twilight: Nimai Bhattacharya
71. The Four Lessons: Swapnamoy Chakraborty
72. I Laid My Feet in Crimson: Phalguni Mukhopadhyay
73. Moon’s New Moon Night: Syed Waliullah
74. The Wheel: Selim Al Deen
75. The Funeral Pyre: Phalguni Mukhopadhyay
76. Chotti Munda and His Arrow: Mahasweta Devi
77. Janak and Black Coffee: Syed Shamsul Haq
78. The Vigil: Satinath Bhaduri
79. Life, My Sister: Mahmudal Haq
80. Life and Political Reality: Shahidul Zahir
81. The General and the Women: Anisul Haq
82. Burn, Firewood, Burn: Alok Sarkar
83. The Whirlwind: Shailjananda Mukhopadhyay
84. The Jest: Mainul Ahsan Saber
85. The Domru Chronicles: Trailokyanath Mukhopadhyay
86. The Dhorai Character and Mind: Satinath Bhaduri
87. The Search: Shaheen Akhtar
88. Titash: A River’s Name: Adwaita Mallabarman
89. Tales of the Teesta Shore: Debesh Roy
90. The Teesta Purana: Debesh Roy
91. The Third World: Dipendranath Bandyopadhyay
92. Oil Painting Number Twenty-Three: Alauddin Al Azad
93. Das Capital: Ebadur Rahman
94. Daily Life: Kayes Ahmed
95. The Gaze: Jajabor
96. Chronicles of Hell: Rabishankar Bal
97. Tale of the Second Day: Syed Shamsul Haq
98. Na Hanyate: Maitreyi Devi
99. Navera: Hasnat Abdul Hai
100. The Scent of Names: Malay Roychoudhury
101. Necropolis: Mamun Hussain
102. The Neem Annapurna: Kamalakumar Majumdar
103. The Invitation: Taslima Nasreen
104. The Invitation: Nimai Bhattacharya
105. Night Family: Manoj Basu
106. Forbidden Incense: Syed Shamsul Haq
107. Diary of Forbidden Dreams: Sandeepan Chattopadhyay
108. Blue Sting: Syed Shamsul Haq
109. Youth of the Blue Peacock: Selina Hossain
110. In Search of the Blue-Throated Bird: Atin Bandyopadhyay
111. Nurjahan: Imdadul Haq Milon
112. The Troublemaker Gang: Leela Majumdar
113. Padma’s Silted Island: Abu Ishaque
114. Subjugation: Imdadul Haq Milon
115. Mud: Premendra Mitra
116. Son to Father: Chanakya Sen
117. Handsome Man: Al Mahmud
118. The Play of Poush and Phagun: Gajendrakumar Mitra
119. The Butterfly’s Fort: Shyamal Bhattacharya
120. The First Promise: Ashapurna Devi
121. No Love: Gaurakishor Ghosh
122. The Trap: Anisul Haq
123. The Flower Bride: Abul Bashar
124. From Bong to Bengali: Rizia Rahman
125. The Weaving: Papri Rahman
126. The River of Melting Snow: Zahir Raihan
127. For Basudha: Tilottama Majumdar
128. Twelve Houses, One Courtyard: Jyotirindra Nandi
129. Twelve Kinds of People: Imdadul Haq Milon
130. Wedding Anniversary: Dipendranath Bandyopadhyay
131. The Tree of Sorrow: Mihir Sengupta
132. Ocean of Sorrow: Mir Mosharraf Hossain
133. Daughter of the Forest: Haraprasad Shastri
134. The Mute Story: Jasimuddin
135. The Country of Tides: Amitav Ghosh
136. Madhu Sadhukhan: Amiyabhushan Majumdar
137. Shadows of Clouds in Mind: Debdas Bhattacharya
138. Mofizun: Mahbubul Alam
139. Desert Paradise: Abul Bashar
140. The Great Sage’s Tale: Premankur Atarti
141. The Legend of Mahishkura: Amiyabhushan Majumdar
142. Mother: Anisul Haq
143. Ship of Clay: Mahmudal Haq
144. Where Humans Don’t Go: Mainul Ahsan Saber
145. Going to Mother: Rashid Karim
146. Malyaban: Jibanananda Das
147. Mira’s Noon: Jyotirindra Nandi
173. Shayanyan: Bhaskar Chakrabarty
174. Shapamochan: Phalguni Mukhopadhyay
175. Shahzada Darashiko: Shyamal Gangopadhyay
176. Shuno Baranari: Subodh Ghosh
177. Shubha: Nareshchandra Sengupta
178. Shesh Bikaler Meye: Zahir Raihan
179. Sangsaptak: Shahidullah Kaiser
180. Sadhu Hatir Lokjon: Hossein Uddin Hossein
181. Sapludu Khela: Selim Morshed
182. Sareng Bou: Shahidullah Kaiser
183. Saheb Bibi Golam: Bimal Mitra
184. Sindur Kouta: Prabhatkumar Mukhopadhyay
185. Simante Sanghat: Shahriar Kabir
186. Subarnalata: Ashapurna Devi
187. Suhasini’s Pometom: Kamalkumar Majumdar
188. Suryadighal Bari: Abu Ishaq
189. Se Rate Purnima Chilo: Shahidul Zahir
190. Senjuti Tomar Jonno: Anisul Haq
191. Sonar Horin Nei: Ashutosh Mukhopadhyay
192. Hangar Nadi Grenade: Selina Hossein
193. Hajar Churashir Ma: Mahasweta Devi
194. Hajar Bachhor Dhore: Zahir Raihan
195. Herbert: Nabarun Bhattacharya
196. Hutum Penchar Naksha: Kali Prasanna Singh
A final word. The list above contains no diaries, travelogues, biographies, memoirs, poetry, humor, non-fiction, and such. I’ve built this list by ruthlessly excluding all those books. Still, let me mention a few—
The Unfinished Autobiography
My Mother Knows Everything
Ribhu
Letters of Seventy-One
Diary of Seventy-One
Days of Seventy-One
Galpaguchchha
Gonsaibagan
Uncle Stories
In the Land of Pictures, in the Land of Poems
Politics and Economics for Children
Watercolors of Life
The Argumentative Indian
On Paths and in Foreign Lands
The Economics of Altruism
Pakdandi
Palamau
Bangalnama
The Prose of Bhaskar Chakrabarty
From Volga to Ganga
Manindra Gupta’s ‘Immortal Mulberry’
Mainstream ’71
When I Was a Policeman
Though I Have My Guru
The Prose of Shankha Ghosh
Sultana’s Dream
The Diary of Sandeepan Chattopadhyay
So many more wonderful Bengali books! Even just touching those books feels so good! I have the desire to make separate lists for those books. I haven’t read eighty percent of the novels whose names I’ve written here. In that sense, this list isn’t a mirror of my personal taste or preference. However, while creating the list, I included many novels on my own that seemed worthy of inclusion. My personal collection has more than six and a half thousand books. Among those books are many, many good novels that I could have included in this list, but didn’t. Why didn’t I include them? Two explanations. One: While making the list, their names didn’t come to mind. Two: It seemed to me that the appreciation for those novels hasn’t yet become universal. I could have taken the initiative to promote that appreciation myself, but I didn’t have the courage.
9
14. Seven Tales
15. The Lion-Bearer
16. How Far is the Hospital
17. Diamond-Set Golden Flower
Shankar’s
1. Room Within Room
2. Chowringhee
3. Forest of People
4. Nivedita Research Laboratory
5. Lust for Wealth
Buddhadeb Guha’s
1. For a Little Warmth
2. To the Cuckoo
3. The Peon
4. During the Pujas
5. Babli
6. Begging for Alms
7. Humble Submission
8. Yellow Spring
Buddhadeb Basu’s
1. Tithi’s Door
2. Rain All Night
Samaresh Basu’s
1. Where Shall I Find Her
2. Ganga
3. Butterfly
4. Moktar Dadu’s Slaying of Ketu
5. Live Long
Humayun Azad’s
1. 10,000, and One More Rape
2. Fifty-six Thousand Square Miles
3. Pak Sar Jamin Sad Bad
4. Shubhobrato and His Associated Good News
5. Everything Falls Apart
Muhammad Zafar Iqbal’s
1. Stretch the Sky
2. My Friend Rashed
3. I Am Topu
4. Icarus
5. Glass Sea
6. Kajol’s Days and Nights
7. The Village Named Kankandoba
8. The Bandits
9. Lonely Wanderer
10. Prodigy
11. Phoenix
12. Forsaken Snow
13. Rain’s Address
14. Mongoose
15. A Day with Mohabbat Ali
16. Meku’s Story
17. Colored Glasses
18. Robot Night
19. Rasha
20. Peaceful Family
21. Serina
Humayun Ahmed’s
1. 1971
2. Achinpur
3. Song of Darkness
4. Another Day
5. Waiting
6. Inhuman
7. Fire’s Touch-Stone
8. Today I Won’t Go Anywhere
9. Today is Chitra’s Wedding
10. Today is Himu’s Wedding
11. I Have Water
12. I am Misir Ali
13. Ashabari
14. The Three Asmani Sisters
15. Epitaph
16. Illusion
17. No One Anywhere
18. Gauripur Junction
19. Water Maiden
20. Stories of Moonlight and Mother
21. Tithi’s Blue Towel
22. You Called Me to Your Holiday Invitation
23. Moonlight in the Tamarind Grove
24. In Your City
25. The Crow’s Household or Sometimes I See You
26. Whose Reflection in the Pond’s Water
27. Goddess
28. Blissful Hell
29. Nabani
30. Exile
31. Night Wanderer
32. Blue Clitoria
33. My Bird, My Solitary Bird
34. Puffy
35. First Watch
36. Bahubrihi
37. Emperor Namdar
38. Wedding Night
39. Rain and Clouds
40. Midday
41. Intoxicated Wind
42. Misir Ali’s Unsolved Mystery
43. Mrinmoyi
44. Clouds Have Said I’ll Go, I’ll Go
45. House Above the Clouds
46. Though It Is Evening
47. Rumali
48. Rupa
49. Silver Island
50. This Spring Full of Tears
51. Lilabati
52. Shell-Blue Prison
53. Shubhra
54. Green Shade
55. Day of the Sun
56. Himu and PhD Boltu Brother
57. Himu on Remand
58. Himu’s Blue Moonlight
59. Himu’s Silver Night
60. A Few Blue Lotuses in Himu’s Hands
Others
1. A for Anaconda: Abdul Mannan Sayed
2. Anaconda: Horipada Dutta
3. Experience: Dibyendu Palit
4. Anu’s School: Mahmudul Haq
5. Journey Through Inner Waters: Kamal Kumar Majumdar
6. Another Life: Jahanara Imam
7. Aparajita: Hossne Ara Moni
8. Unripe Sin: Sheikh Abdul Hakim
9. Pure White Job: Rahat Khan
10. Amabati: Rakhal Raha
11. Rights of the Forest: Mahasweta Devi
12. Illusory Person: Syed Mustafa Siraj
13. Miraculous Vessel: Atin Bandyopadhyay
14. Wrong Time: Bimal Kar
15. Dissolute Siddhartha: Jagadish Gupta
16. Firebird: Hasan Azizul Haq
17. The Spiritual Woman: Pyarichand Mitra
18. African Bride: Mahbubur Rahman
19. Abdullah: Kazi Imdadul Haq
20. The Death of Abu Ibrahim: Shahidul Zahir
21. Those of Us Who Have Walked: Imtiar Shamim
22. What I Tell My Daughter: Sharmini Abbasi
23. I Am a War Heroine Speaking: Nilima Ibrahim
24. I Am Not Mrinalini: Harishankar Jaldas
25. Mirror: Abul Mansur Ahmad
38. One Piece Father Mother or the Century’s Last Ulysses: Subimal Mishra
39. The Heir: Shawkat Ali
40. Kankabati: Trailokyanath Mukhopadhyay
41. Bought with Cowrie Shells: Bimal Mitra
42. The Quilt-Bearer’s Cudgel: Mainul Ahsan Saber
43. Near Calcutta: Gajendrakumar Mitra
44. The Tainted Kankabati: Niharranjan Gupta
45. Weep, River, Weep: Syed Waliullah
46. The Glass Wall: Paritosh Barai
47. Close People: Suchitra Bhattacharya
48. Charcoal Sketches: Selina Hossain
49. Kadambari Devi’s Suicide Note: Ranjan Bandyopadhyay
50. Karubasana: Jibanananda Das
51. Kalketu and Fullara: Subrata Augustin Gomez
52. Dark Times: Imdadul Haq Milon
53. Black Fire: Abul Bashar
54. Black Ice: Mahmudal Haq
55. The Black Wasp: Niharranjan Gupta
56. Daughter of the Reed Forest: Shamsuddin Abul Kalam
57. A Few Things About Dogs That I Know: Sandeepan Chattopadhyay
58. Kubera’s Wealth and Property: Shyamal Gangopadhyay
59. The Chronicle of Chairs: Zakir Talukdar
60. Kerry Saheb’s Munshi: Pramathanath Bishi
61. The Colonel on Crutches: Shahaduzzaman
62. The Slave Girl: Al Mahmud
63. Daughter on the Cross: Nasreen Jahan
64. The Playhouse: Basudev
65. The Playhouse: Mahmudal Haq
66. Khelaram Plays On: Syed Shamsul Haq
67. Garasrikhand: Amiyabhushan Majumdar
68. Gayatri Evening: Selina Hossain
69. Gulmohar Republic: Ebadur Rahman
70. Twilight: Nimai Bhattacharya
71. The Four Lessons: Swapnamoy Chakraborty
72. I Laid My Feet in Crimson: Phalguni Mukhopadhyay
73. Moon’s New Moon Night: Syed Waliullah
74. The Wheel: Selim Al Deen
75. The Funeral Pyre: Phalguni Mukhopadhyay
76. Chotti Munda and His Arrow: Mahasweta Devi
77. Janak and Black Coffee: Syed Shamsul Haq
78. The Vigil: Satinath Bhaduri
79. Life, My Sister: Mahmudal Haq
80. Life and Political Reality: Shahidul Zahir
81. The General and the Women: Anisul Haq
82. Burn, Firewood, Burn: Alok Sarkar
83. The Whirlwind: Shailjananda Mukhopadhyay
84. The Jest: Mainul Ahsan Saber
85. The Domru Chronicles: Trailokyanath Mukhopadhyay
86. The Dhorai Character and Mind: Satinath Bhaduri
87. The Search: Shaheen Akhtar
88. Titash: A River’s Name: Adwaita Mallabarman
89. Tales of the Teesta Shore: Debesh Roy
90. The Teesta Purana: Debesh Roy
91. The Third World: Dipendranath Bandyopadhyay
92. Oil Painting Number Twenty-Three: Alauddin Al Azad
93. Das Capital: Ebadur Rahman
94. Daily Life: Kayes Ahmed
95. The Gaze: Jajabor
96. Chronicles of Hell: Rabishankar Bal
97. Tale of the Second Day: Syed Shamsul Haq
98. Na Hanyate: Maitreyi Devi
99. Navera: Hasnat Abdul Hai
100. The Scent of Names: Malay Roychoudhury
101. Necropolis: Mamun Hussain
102. The Neem Annapurna: Kamalakumar Majumdar
103. The Invitation: Taslima Nasreen
104. The Invitation: Nimai Bhattacharya
105. Night Family: Manoj Basu
106. Forbidden Incense: Syed Shamsul Haq
107. Diary of Forbidden Dreams: Sandeepan Chattopadhyay
108. Blue Sting: Syed Shamsul Haq
109. Youth of the Blue Peacock: Selina Hossain
110. In Search of the Blue-Throated Bird: Atin Bandyopadhyay
111. Nurjahan: Imdadul Haq Milon
112. The Troublemaker Gang: Leela Majumdar
113. Padma’s Silted Island: Abu Ishaque
114. Subjugation: Imdadul Haq Milon
115. Mud: Premendra Mitra
116. Son to Father: Chanakya Sen
117. Handsome Man: Al Mahmud
118. The Play of Poush and Phagun: Gajendrakumar Mitra
119. The Butterfly’s Fort: Shyamal Bhattacharya
120. The First Promise: Ashapurna Devi
121. No Love: Gaurakishor Ghosh
122. The Trap: Anisul Haq
123. The Flower Bride: Abul Bashar
124. From Bong to Bengali: Rizia Rahman
125. The Weaving: Papri Rahman
126. The River of Melting Snow: Zahir Raihan
127. For Basudha: Tilottama Majumdar
128. Twelve Houses, One Courtyard: Jyotirindra Nandi
129. Twelve Kinds of People: Imdadul Haq Milon
130. Wedding Anniversary: Dipendranath Bandyopadhyay
131. The Tree of Sorrow: Mihir Sengupta
132. Ocean of Sorrow: Mir Mosharraf Hossain
133. Daughter of the Forest: Haraprasad Shastri
134. The Mute Story: Jasimuddin
135. The Country of Tides: Amitav Ghosh
136. Madhu Sadhukhan: Amiyabhushan Majumdar
137. Shadows of Clouds in Mind: Debdas Bhattacharya
138. Mofizun: Mahbubul Alam
139. Desert Paradise: Abul Bashar
140. The Great Sage’s Tale: Premankur Atarti
141. The Legend of Mahishkura: Amiyabhushan Majumdar
142. Mother: Anisul Haq
143. Ship of Clay: Mahmudal Haq
144. Where Humans Don’t Go: Mainul Ahsan Saber
145. Going to Mother: Rashid Karim
146. Malyaban: Jibanananda Das
147. Mira’s Noon: Jyotirindra Nandi
173. Shayanyan: Bhaskar Chakrabarty
174. Shapamochan: Phalguni Mukhopadhyay
175. Shahzada Darashiko: Shyamal Gangopadhyay
176. Shuno Baranari: Subodh Ghosh
177. Shubha: Nareshchandra Sengupta
178. Shesh Bikaler Meye: Zahir Raihan
179. Sangsaptak: Shahidullah Kaiser
180. Sadhu Hatir Lokjon: Hossein Uddin Hossein
181. Sapludu Khela: Selim Morshed
182. Sareng Bou: Shahidullah Kaiser
183. Saheb Bibi Golam: Bimal Mitra
184. Sindur Kouta: Prabhatkumar Mukhopadhyay
185. Simante Sanghat: Shahriar Kabir
186. Subarnalata: Ashapurna Devi
187. Suhasini’s Pometom: Kamalkumar Majumdar
188. Suryadighal Bari: Abu Ishaq
189. Se Rate Purnima Chilo: Shahidul Zahir
190. Senjuti Tomar Jonno: Anisul Haq
191. Sonar Horin Nei: Ashutosh Mukhopadhyay
192. Hangar Nadi Grenade: Selina Hossein
193. Hajar Churashir Ma: Mahasweta Devi
194. Hajar Bachhor Dhore: Zahir Raihan
195. Herbert: Nabarun Bhattacharya
196. Hutum Penchar Naksha: Kali Prasanna Singh
A final word. The list above contains no diaries, travelogues, biographies, memoirs, poetry, humor, non-fiction, and such. I’ve built this list by ruthlessly excluding all those books. Still, let me mention a few—
The Unfinished Autobiography
My Mother Knows Everything
Ribhu
Letters of Seventy-One
Diary of Seventy-One
Days of Seventy-One
Galpaguchchha
Gonsaibagan
Uncle Stories
In the Land of Pictures, in the Land of Poems
Politics and Economics for Children
Watercolors of Life
The Argumentative Indian
On Paths and in Foreign Lands
The Economics of Altruism
Pakdandi
Palamau
Bangalnama
The Prose of Bhaskar Chakrabarty
From Volga to Ganga
Manindra Gupta’s ‘Immortal Mulberry’
Mainstream ’71
When I Was a Policeman
Though I Have My Guru
The Prose of Shankha Ghosh
Sultana’s Dream
The Diary of Sandeepan Chattopadhyay
So many more wonderful Bengali books! Even just touching those books feels so good! I have the desire to make separate lists for those books. I haven’t read eighty percent of the novels whose names I’ve written here. In that sense, this list isn’t a mirror of my personal taste or preference. However, while creating the list, I included many novels on my own that seemed worthy of inclusion. My personal collection has more than six and a half thousand books. Among those books are many, many good novels that I could have included in this list, but didn’t. Why didn’t I include them? Two explanations. One: While making the list, their names didn’t come to mind. Two: It seemed to me that the appreciation for those novels hasn’t yet become universal. I could have taken the initiative to promote that appreciation myself, but I didn’t have the courage.
If you ask most readers to name some good Bengali novels, most will stop after 10-15 titles. The reason is that however many worthy novels there may be, either we can’t remember which ones we’ve read from among them, or lack of time and opportunity means we never get around to reading them at all. So can we not recommend novels we haven’t read? We can, but carefully. The Bengali novels we casually mention in various conversations can roughly be divided into three categories: Classic, Popular, and Essential. There are certain Bengali novels whose names we feel no discomfort mentioning. Take Shesher Kabita, for instance. Whether someone has read this novel or not, they can certainly mention its name! So many readers have deemed the novel good—if I haven’t read it, that’s my failure. If I want someone else to read a good novel, I can certainly mention Shesher Kabita out of that sense of responsibility. While recommendations and excellent reviews of English or other foreign language novels are easily found on Google, the same isn’t true for Bengali novels. But this work is essential. I think it would be excellent if institutions dedicated to serving the Bengali language and literature would take up this task. Sadly, we’ve never seen any initiative to make book reading an integral part of our lives.
In my dictionary, there’s no such thing as a “must-read” or prescribed novel. Whatever gives me joy is what’s worth reading for me. However, there are some novels that, judging by their acceptance, we can tag as “good novels.” Facebook houses people of diverse tastes. Which novel appeals to whom depends on individual taste and wisdom. The desire to read novels varies from person to person and with how busy they are. A while ago, I asked my friends for names of “good Bengali novels” in a Facebook post. Some people collected those comments and sent them to me in my inbox. Using those, along with my own knowledge, I’ve compiled a list.
This list will be useful for those who—
read novels,
buy novels,
like to give novels as gifts,
believe in the principle “whether I read them or not, let there be some good novels at home,”
borrow novels and then return them or never return them,
encourage others to read novels,
like to earn applause by knowing the names of some good novels and sometimes their plots, whether they’ve read them or not,
count the scent of books among their three most beloved fragrances.
Sadly, many other good Bengali novels didn’t make it onto the list. Anyway, here’s the list. Take a look. If any of your favorites got left out, write them in the comments.
By Rabindranath Tagore
1. Gora
2. Ghare Baire
3. Chaturanga
4. Chokher Bali
5. Noukadubi
6. Malancha
7. Jogajog
8. Shesher Kabita
By Sharatchandra Chattopadhyay
1. Grihadaha
2. Chandranath
3. Charitraheen
4. Datta
5. Denapawna
6. Devdas
7. Pather Dabi
8. Parinita
9. Pallisamaj
10. Borodidi
11. Bindur Chhele
12. Bipradas
13. Birajbou
14. Mejdidi
15. Shubhda
16. Shrikanta
By Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay
1. Anandamath
2. Kapalkundala
3. Krishnakanter Will
4. Durgashnandini
5. Bishbriksha
6. Rajani
By Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay
1. Aparajito
2. Apur Sansar
3. Ashani Sanket
4. Adarsha Hindu Hotel
5. Aranyak
6. Ichamati
7. Chander Pahar
8. Debjan
9. Pather Panchali
By Manik Bandyopadhyay
1. Ahinsa
2. Itikathar Parer Katha
3. Chatushkon
4. Chinha
5. Dibaratrir Kabya
6. Padma Nadir Majhi
7. Putulnacher Itikatha
By Tarashankar Bandyopadhyay
1. Arogya Niketan
2. Ekti Kalo Meyar Katha
3. Kabi
4. Ganadevata
5. Naginikonyer Kahini
6. Panchagram
7. Bicharak
8. Raikamol
9. Saptapadi
10. Hansuli Banker Upakatha
By Kazi Nazrul Islam
1. Bandhan Hara
2. Mrityukshudha
By Akhtaruzzaman Elias
1. Khoabnama
2. Chilekothar Sepai
By Syed Mujtaba Ali
1. Shabnam
2. Shahriar
By Ahmad Chhofa
1. Ardhek Nari Ardhek Ishwari
2. Olatchakra
3. Ekjon Ali Kenaner Utthan-Patan
4. Onkar
5. Gavi Bittanta
6. Pushpa-Briksha-Bihangpuran
By Shawkat Osman
1. Kritadaser Hasi
2. Janani
3. Jalaigi
4. Jahannam Hoite Biday
By Shawkat Ali
1. Narai
2. Pradoshe Prakritajan
3. Basat
By Sunil Gangopadhyay
1. Eka Ebong Kayekjon
2. Purba-Paschim
3. Pratham Alo
4. Shei Shomoy
5. Sonali Dukkho
6. Swapna Lojjaheen
By Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay
1. Kalo Beral Sada Beral
2. Chakra
3. Chhayer Shorir
4. Durbin
5. Dbicharini
6. Parapar
7. Parthib
8. Phulchor
9. Manabjomin
10. Jao Pakhi
11. Shunyer Udyan
12. Santaru O Jolkonya
By Samaresh Majumdar
1. Agnirath
2. Aat Kuthuri Noy Dorja
3. Uttaradhikar
4. Kalpurush
5. Kalbela
6. Garbhadharini
7. Jyotsnaay Barshar Megh
8. Danay Roder Gandha
9
14. Seven Tales
15. The Lion-Bearer
16. How Far is the Hospital
17. Diamond-Set Golden Flower
Shankar’s
1. Room Within Room
2. Chowringhee
3. Forest of People
4. Nivedita Research Laboratory
5. Lust for Wealth
Buddhadeb Guha’s
1. For a Little Warmth
2. To the Cuckoo
3. The Peon
4. During the Pujas
5. Babli
6. Begging for Alms
7. Humble Submission
8. Yellow Spring
Buddhadeb Basu’s
1. Tithi’s Door
2. Rain All Night
Samaresh Basu’s
1. Where Shall I Find Her
2. Ganga
3. Butterfly
4. Moktar Dadu’s Slaying of Ketu
5. Live Long
Humayun Azad’s
1. 10,000, and One More Rape
2. Fifty-six Thousand Square Miles
3. Pak Sar Jamin Sad Bad
4. Shubhobrato and His Associated Good News
5. Everything Falls Apart
Muhammad Zafar Iqbal’s
1. Stretch the Sky
2. My Friend Rashed
3. I Am Topu
4. Icarus
5. Glass Sea
6. Kajol’s Days and Nights
7. The Village Named Kankandoba
8. The Bandits
9. Lonely Wanderer
10. Prodigy
11. Phoenix
12. Forsaken Snow
13. Rain’s Address
14. Mongoose
15. A Day with Mohabbat Ali
16. Meku’s Story
17. Colored Glasses
18. Robot Night
19. Rasha
20. Peaceful Family
21. Serina
Humayun Ahmed’s
1. 1971
2. Achinpur
3. Song of Darkness
4. Another Day
5. Waiting
6. Inhuman
7. Fire’s Touch-Stone
8. Today I Won’t Go Anywhere
9. Today is Chitra’s Wedding
10. Today is Himu’s Wedding
11. I Have Water
12. I am Misir Ali
13. Ashabari
14. The Three Asmani Sisters
15. Epitaph
16. Illusion
17. No One Anywhere
18. Gauripur Junction
19. Water Maiden
20. Stories of Moonlight and Mother
21. Tithi’s Blue Towel
22. You Called Me to Your Holiday Invitation
23. Moonlight in the Tamarind Grove
24. In Your City
25. The Crow’s Household or Sometimes I See You
26. Whose Reflection in the Pond’s Water
27. Goddess
28. Blissful Hell
29. Nabani
30. Exile
31. Night Wanderer
32. Blue Clitoria
33. My Bird, My Solitary Bird
34. Puffy
35. First Watch
36. Bahubrihi
37. Emperor Namdar
38. Wedding Night
39. Rain and Clouds
40. Midday
41. Intoxicated Wind
42. Misir Ali’s Unsolved Mystery
43. Mrinmoyi
44. Clouds Have Said I’ll Go, I’ll Go
45. House Above the Clouds
46. Though It Is Evening
47. Rumali
48. Rupa
49. Silver Island
50. This Spring Full of Tears
51. Lilabati
52. Shell-Blue Prison
53. Shubhra
54. Green Shade
55. Day of the Sun
56. Himu and PhD Boltu Brother
57. Himu on Remand
58. Himu’s Blue Moonlight
59. Himu’s Silver Night
60. A Few Blue Lotuses in Himu’s Hands
Others
1. A for Anaconda: Abdul Mannan Sayed
2. Anaconda: Horipada Dutta
3. Experience: Dibyendu Palit
4. Anu’s School: Mahmudul Haq
5. Journey Through Inner Waters: Kamal Kumar Majumdar
6. Another Life: Jahanara Imam
7. Aparajita: Hossne Ara Moni
8. Unripe Sin: Sheikh Abdul Hakim
9. Pure White Job: Rahat Khan
10. Amabati: Rakhal Raha
11. Rights of the Forest: Mahasweta Devi
12. Illusory Person: Syed Mustafa Siraj
13. Miraculous Vessel: Atin Bandyopadhyay
14. Wrong Time: Bimal Kar
15. Dissolute Siddhartha: Jagadish Gupta
16. Firebird: Hasan Azizul Haq
17. The Spiritual Woman: Pyarichand Mitra
18. African Bride: Mahbubur Rahman
19. Abdullah: Kazi Imdadul Haq
20. The Death of Abu Ibrahim: Shahidul Zahir
21. Those of Us Who Have Walked: Imtiar Shamim
22. What I Tell My Daughter: Sharmini Abbasi
23. I Am a War Heroine Speaking: Nilima Ibrahim
24. I Am Not Mrinalini: Harishankar Jaldas
25. Mirror: Abul Mansur Ahmad
38. One Piece Father Mother or the Century’s Last Ulysses: Subimal Mishra
39. The Heir: Shawkat Ali
40. Kankabati: Trailokyanath Mukhopadhyay
41. Bought with Cowrie Shells: Bimal Mitra
42. The Quilt-Bearer’s Cudgel: Mainul Ahsan Saber
43. Near Calcutta: Gajendrakumar Mitra
44. The Tainted Kankabati: Niharranjan Gupta
45. Weep, River, Weep: Syed Waliullah
46. The Glass Wall: Paritosh Barai
47. Close People: Suchitra Bhattacharya
48. Charcoal Sketches: Selina Hossain
49. Kadambari Devi’s Suicide Note: Ranjan Bandyopadhyay
50. Karubasana: Jibanananda Das
51. Kalketu and Fullara: Subrata Augustin Gomez
52. Dark Times: Imdadul Haq Milon
53. Black Fire: Abul Bashar
54. Black Ice: Mahmudal Haq
55. The Black Wasp: Niharranjan Gupta
56. Daughter of the Reed Forest: Shamsuddin Abul Kalam
57. A Few Things About Dogs That I Know: Sandeepan Chattopadhyay
58. Kubera’s Wealth and Property: Shyamal Gangopadhyay
59. The Chronicle of Chairs: Zakir Talukdar
60. Kerry Saheb’s Munshi: Pramathanath Bishi
61. The Colonel on Crutches: Shahaduzzaman
62. The Slave Girl: Al Mahmud
63. Daughter on the Cross: Nasreen Jahan
64. The Playhouse: Basudev
65. The Playhouse: Mahmudal Haq
66. Khelaram Plays On: Syed Shamsul Haq
67. Garasrikhand: Amiyabhushan Majumdar
68. Gayatri Evening: Selina Hossain
69. Gulmohar Republic: Ebadur Rahman
70. Twilight: Nimai Bhattacharya
71. The Four Lessons: Swapnamoy Chakraborty
72. I Laid My Feet in Crimson: Phalguni Mukhopadhyay
73. Moon’s New Moon Night: Syed Waliullah
74. The Wheel: Selim Al Deen
75. The Funeral Pyre: Phalguni Mukhopadhyay
76. Chotti Munda and His Arrow: Mahasweta Devi
77. Janak and Black Coffee: Syed Shamsul Haq
78. The Vigil: Satinath Bhaduri
79. Life, My Sister: Mahmudal Haq
80. Life and Political Reality: Shahidul Zahir
81. The General and the Women: Anisul Haq
82. Burn, Firewood, Burn: Alok Sarkar
83. The Whirlwind: Shailjananda Mukhopadhyay
84. The Jest: Mainul Ahsan Saber
85. The Domru Chronicles: Trailokyanath Mukhopadhyay
86. The Dhorai Character and Mind: Satinath Bhaduri
87. The Search: Shaheen Akhtar
88. Titash: A River’s Name: Adwaita Mallabarman
89. Tales of the Teesta Shore: Debesh Roy
90. The Teesta Purana: Debesh Roy
91. The Third World: Dipendranath Bandyopadhyay
92. Oil Painting Number Twenty-Three: Alauddin Al Azad
93. Das Capital: Ebadur Rahman
94. Daily Life: Kayes Ahmed
95. The Gaze: Jajabor
96. Chronicles of Hell: Rabishankar Bal
97. Tale of the Second Day: Syed Shamsul Haq
98. Na Hanyate: Maitreyi Devi
99. Navera: Hasnat Abdul Hai
100. The Scent of Names: Malay Roychoudhury
101. Necropolis: Mamun Hussain
102. The Neem Annapurna: Kamalakumar Majumdar
103. The Invitation: Taslima Nasreen
104. The Invitation: Nimai Bhattacharya
105. Night Family: Manoj Basu
106. Forbidden Incense: Syed Shamsul Haq
107. Diary of Forbidden Dreams: Sandeepan Chattopadhyay
108. Blue Sting: Syed Shamsul Haq
109. Youth of the Blue Peacock: Selina Hossain
110. In Search of the Blue-Throated Bird: Atin Bandyopadhyay
111. Nurjahan: Imdadul Haq Milon
112. The Troublemaker Gang: Leela Majumdar
113. Padma’s Silted Island: Abu Ishaque
114. Subjugation: Imdadul Haq Milon
115. Mud: Premendra Mitra
116. Son to Father: Chanakya Sen
117. Handsome Man: Al Mahmud
118. The Play of Poush and Phagun: Gajendrakumar Mitra
119. The Butterfly’s Fort: Shyamal Bhattacharya
120. The First Promise: Ashapurna Devi
121. No Love: Gaurakishor Ghosh
122. The Trap: Anisul Haq
123. The Flower Bride: Abul Bashar
124. From Bong to Bengali: Rizia Rahman
125. The Weaving: Papri Rahman
126. The River of Melting Snow: Zahir Raihan
127. For Basudha: Tilottama Majumdar
128. Twelve Houses, One Courtyard: Jyotirindra Nandi
129. Twelve Kinds of People: Imdadul Haq Milon
130. Wedding Anniversary: Dipendranath Bandyopadhyay
131. The Tree of Sorrow: Mihir Sengupta
132. Ocean of Sorrow: Mir Mosharraf Hossain
133. Daughter of the Forest: Haraprasad Shastri
134. The Mute Story: Jasimuddin
135. The Country of Tides: Amitav Ghosh
136. Madhu Sadhukhan: Amiyabhushan Majumdar
137. Shadows of Clouds in Mind: Debdas Bhattacharya
138. Mofizun: Mahbubul Alam
139. Desert Paradise: Abul Bashar
140. The Great Sage’s Tale: Premankur Atarti
141. The Legend of Mahishkura: Amiyabhushan Majumdar
142. Mother: Anisul Haq
143. Ship of Clay: Mahmudal Haq
144. Where Humans Don’t Go: Mainul Ahsan Saber
145. Going to Mother: Rashid Karim
146. Malyaban: Jibanananda Das
147. Mira’s Noon: Jyotirindra Nandi
173. Shayanyan: Bhaskar Chakrabarty
174. Shapamochan: Phalguni Mukhopadhyay
175. Shahzada Darashiko: Shyamal Gangopadhyay
176. Shuno Baranari: Subodh Ghosh
177. Shubha: Nareshchandra Sengupta
178. Shesh Bikaler Meye: Zahir Raihan
179. Sangsaptak: Shahidullah Kaiser
180. Sadhu Hatir Lokjon: Hossein Uddin Hossein
181. Sapludu Khela: Selim Morshed
182. Sareng Bou: Shahidullah Kaiser
183. Saheb Bibi Golam: Bimal Mitra
184. Sindur Kouta: Prabhatkumar Mukhopadhyay
185. Simante Sanghat: Shahriar Kabir
186. Subarnalata: Ashapurna Devi
187. Suhasini’s Pometom: Kamalkumar Majumdar
188. Suryadighal Bari: Abu Ishaq
189. Se Rate Purnima Chilo: Shahidul Zahir
190. Senjuti Tomar Jonno: Anisul Haq
191. Sonar Horin Nei: Ashutosh Mukhopadhyay
192. Hangar Nadi Grenade: Selina Hossein
193. Hajar Churashir Ma: Mahasweta Devi
194. Hajar Bachhor Dhore: Zahir Raihan
195. Herbert: Nabarun Bhattacharya
196. Hutum Penchar Naksha: Kali Prasanna Singh
A final word. The list above contains no diaries, travelogues, biographies, memoirs, poetry, humor, non-fiction, and such. I’ve built this list by ruthlessly excluding all those books. Still, let me mention a few—
The Unfinished Autobiography
My Mother Knows Everything
Ribhu
Letters of Seventy-One
Diary of Seventy-One
Days of Seventy-One
Galpaguchchha
Gonsaibagan
Uncle Stories
In the Land of Pictures, in the Land of Poems
Politics and Economics for Children
Watercolors of Life
The Argumentative Indian
On Paths and in Foreign Lands
The Economics of Altruism
Pakdandi
Palamau
Bangalnama
The Prose of Bhaskar Chakrabarty
From Volga to Ganga
Manindra Gupta’s ‘Immortal Mulberry’
Mainstream ’71
When I Was a Policeman
Though I Have My Guru
The Prose of Shankha Ghosh
Sultana’s Dream
The Diary of Sandeepan Chattopadhyay
So many more wonderful Bengali books! Even just touching those books feels so good! I have the desire to make separate lists for those books. I haven’t read eighty percent of the novels whose names I’ve written here. In that sense, this list isn’t a mirror of my personal taste or preference. However, while creating the list, I included many novels on my own that seemed worthy of inclusion. My personal collection has more than six and a half thousand books. Among those books are many, many good novels that I could have included in this list, but didn’t. Why didn’t I include them? Two explanations. One: While making the list, their names didn’t come to mind. Two: It seemed to me that the appreciation for those novels hasn’t yet become universal. I could have taken the initiative to promote that appreciation myself, but I didn’t have the courage.
Sir can I know about your foreign book list ?
স্যার, প্রফুল্ল রায় এর ” কেয়া পাতার নৌকা ” নামক উপন্যাস টি আপনার দৃষ্টি এড়িয়ে গেছে। একটি অসাধারণ উপন্যাস। আমি পড়তে অনুরোধ করছি।