Selected Columns

by Taslima Nasrin, Debjani Sengupta (Translator)

This book was originally published in 1992 as "Nirbachita Kalam. Through her unsentimental and unadorned style, Taslima Narseen shows vividly how women have always been treated as objects in a patriarchal society, how religious diktats continuously strive to chain her further and how every social and familial relationship is marred by male lust for power and domination. Narseen takes us on a tour of Bangladesh's history to pinpoint the high points of women's exploitation.

158 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 1991

About the author

Taslima Nasrin (Bengali: তসলিমা নাসরিন) is an award-winning Bangladeshi writer, physician, secular humanist and human rights activist, known for her powerful writings on women oppression and unflinching criticism of religion, despite forced exile and multiple fatwas calling for her death. Early in her literary career, she wrote mainly poetry, and published half a dozen collections of poetry between 1982 and 1993, often with female oppression as a theme. She started publishing prose in the early 1990s, and produced three collections of essays and four novels before the publication of her 1993 novel Lajja (Bengali: লজ্জা Lôjja), or Shame. Because of her thoughts and ideas she has been banned, blacklisted and banished from Bengal, both from Bangladesh and West Bengal part of India. Since fleeing Bangladesh in 1994, she has lived in many countries, and lives in United States as of July 2016. Nasrin has written 40 books in Bengali, which includes poetry, essays, novels and autobiography series. Her works have been translated in thirty different languages. Some of her books are banned in Bangladesh.'

Reviews

[Shatovisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my mom's recommendation, and hell... it was GREAT!

Nasrin talks about condition of women in Bangladesh, India, and across... About how they are bounded by cultural, societal, and religional shackles that deprive women of the liberty that has always been offered to the men. She criticises patriarchy unabashed, and takes the picture of ‘feminism’ to a whole new level.

The incidents are real, and are potent enough to make our society ashamed of itself by holding the mirror in front of it. She talks about how women have always been belittled in every aspect, and men have been considered a superior class altogether.

The author has a beautiful and ornamental writing style which holds the story in place, even at places where the narrative slackens its grip.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! If you don't know the language, find a translation, but surely read it once in your lifetime.

[Khyati Gautam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so glad that I have read Taslima, at last. Her powerful words are something to reckon with. Go for this book for excellent writing and blunt opinions of Taslima Nasreen.

[Izma Anwar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nasreen's writing is fiery and gripping, and the translator does a great job of capturing that 👏🏽

[Anbukarasan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A doctor feminist from Bangladesh.

Columns from life of women

[Zahra]

Taslima Nasrin was exiled from Bengal ( both Bangladesh and west Bengal in India) for being first anti-Islam and later anti-Hinduism, when in actuality she is anti organized religion being weaponized to oppress women. Her books are banned in Bangladesh. Funnily as a Bangladeshi, I found a copy of this book in a second-hand bookstore in Nepal. It's not surprising to me that Nasrin was exiled, she was so insanely ahead of her times. While i do think her columns aren't really intersectional enough, I think in a Bangladeshi context it is very relevant. Nasrin speaks of how organized religion oppresses women, how the Quran and Mahabharata and various other religious scriptures are anti-women. I think this is definitely worth a read! Excited to read her other work as soon as i can track some copies down lol

"The other day I saw a signboard near a cemetery gate: 'Women not Allowed'. Only death allows a woman to enter a cemetery. Is this the truth then - unless a woman dies, she is not free?"

[Suryasis Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of columns written by the popular Bengali author and novelist, wades through the deep inequalities and atrocities that women face in Islamic and Brahminical traditions. Though brilliantly written, it's one dimensional and repetitive, after 50 pages the subject matter becomes increasingly repetitive and monotonous.

[Saima Taher Shovon · Rating 2 out of 5]

এই মহিলার কিছু লেখা একেবারেই অখাদ্য। এটার বেশিরভাগই তাই।

[Supratim Dhar · Rating 1 out of 5]

Protteke porun, porlei bujhben j kotha gulo onekta sotti kintu boi er dik theke dekhle motei valo lage na eta porte

[Rokaiya Mumu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart reliving feminist text you want to go over and over again. The everyday discrimination against women, the daily practise of women's subordination, the small packages of patriarchy practised on women are all wonderfully articulated by author's own life and lives of women in Bangladesh. Her detailed line of thoughts are short, precise and just exactly what needs to be written. A collection I feel to go over and over again on gloomy days and nights.

[Trina Sengupta · Rating 5 out of 5]

ফার্স্ট,সেকেন্ড অথবা থার্ড ওয়েভ ফেমিনিজম নিয়ে পড়াশুনো বলতে নেই-বোভ্যেয়ার,উল্ফ,প্ল্যাথ ভাষা ভাষা জানা৷অথচ এই মহিলা কিছু একটা তৈরি করে দেন ভেতর থেকে,তার ওপর শত আস্তরণ পড়তে পারে তবু ভিতটা কোনোদিনও ভাঙার নয়৷
বিদ্রোহিনী ডাক্তারনির জন্য ❣️

[Tasnuba · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel this is a preplanned book from the very early stage, and I praise it.