Saikat Majumdar’s THE FIREBIRD was released on the 2nd July, at the Kolkata Starmark, by the author Amit Chaudhuri, followed by a discussion with the writer and editor Anjum Katyal, writer and lyricist Chandril Bhattacharya, and the scholar Rosinka Chaudhuri, along with passages from the novel read out by the actor Sohini Sengupta.  Saikat is on the editorial board of this e journal and Caesurae is proud to include in this issue an excerpt from his novel. Just before the launch, Saikat was interviewed by Tabish Khair, where he talks about his career as a writer and academic.

 

http://www.thehindu.com/books/literary-review/interview-with-saikat-majumdar-on-his-forthcoming-novel-called-the-firebird/article7286102.ece

 

Since its publication, the book has attracted wide media attention, with feature stories on the author and the book in The Times of India and The Telegraph, and an excerpt in Scroll.

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/Author-pays-tribute-to-Kolkata-theatre/articleshow/47592381.cms

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150614/jsp/calcutta/story_25607.jsp

 

http://scroll.in/article/733322/my-hearts-in-my-mouth-whenever-i-get-to-the-scene-where-she-seduces-her-brother-in-law

 

The early reviews have also started to appear. The first review was by Sumana Roy, in Mint. 

 

http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/BR9siGUOGnlB7XRvYSuiPO/Book-Review-Saikat-Majumdars-The-Firebird.html

 

The Telegraph has also published a review of his book. See the link below:

 

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150614/jsp/calcutta/story_25607.jsp#.VaSEgPlVikr

 

Review in The Pioneer:

 

http://www.dailypioneer.com/sunday-edition/agenda/books/what-are-we-made-of.html

 

Several chapters of the novel have also been published in the international magazines The Kenyon Review and World Literature Today:

 

http://www.kenyonreview.org/kr-online-issue/2015-winter/selections/saikat-majumdar-342846/

 

http://www.worldliteraturetoday.org/2015/may/curtains-excerpt-saikat-majumdar#.VaSQTvmqqko

 

The author has written an essay on his experience researching the old and forgotten playhouses of Calcutta, which has been published as a cover story for Anandabazar Patrika’s Sunday Supplement, Robibasariyo, along with a translated excerpt from The Firebird.

 

http://www.anandabazar.com/supplementary/rabibashoriyo/a-feature-write-up-about-sarkarina-theater-hall-1.173567#