'A powerful novel . . . [Murugan] recounts the everyday brutality of caste society in relentless detail'-The Hindu
Shorty, a young untouchable farmhand, is in bondage to a paternal yet powerful landlord. He spends his days herding sheep and tilling the fields, caught between the rigours of an unforgiving life and the solace he finds in nature and the company of his friends. He struggles to keep a fragile happiness, but endless work and a stubborn hunger gnaw away at his spirited innocence. And before long, Shorty must confront the unyielding reality of his situation.
Poignant and powerful, Seasons of the Palm is merciless in its portrayal of the daily humiliations of untouchablility, but is also lyrical in its evocation of the grace with which the oppressed come to terms with their dark fate.
'[Murugan's] characters, dialogues and locales are unerringly drawn and intensely evocative . . . A superb writer'-Indian Express
'The most accomplished of his generation of Tamil writers'-Caravan
About the Author: Perumal Murugan is the star of contemporary Tamil literature, having garnered both critical acclaim and commercial success for his work. An award-winning writer, poet and scholar, he has written several novels, short-story collections, poetry anthologies and works of non-fiction. Some of his novels have been translated into English to immense acclaim, including Current Show and One Part Woman, his best-known work, which was shortlisted for the Crossword Award and won the prestigious ILF Samanvay Bhasha Samman in 2015. Murugan has also received awards from the Tamil Nadu government as well as from Katha Books.
V. Geetha is a feminist historian and publisher who writes in English and Tamil on contemporary Tamil society, particularly on caste, gender, education and labour. She translates poetry and fiction from and into both languages. Geetha is with Tara Books, Chennai.
