About the book
A trenchant, darkly humorous, and unsentimental look at Calcutta society.
Set in Calcutta in the mid-1980s, Truth/Untruth is a fast-paced thriller built around the death of the pregnant Jamuna--a maid in a newly affluent residential apartment complex--and Arjun, the upwardly mobile businessman who seduced her. Packed with a cast of colorful characters, this novel is a trenchant, darkly humorous, and unsentimental look at the different segments of Calcutta society: from the middle-class culture vultures to the unscrupulous \"promoter\" class and the domestic helpers and slum goons who form an intrinsic part of the city's life. All are implicated in a complex web of guilt and bizarre twists and turns. Sex, lies, death--the great modernist themes--run like a thread through this book, exposing societal greed, lust, corruption, and moral hypocrisy with a sardonic tone that spares none. An unusual novel by an author who is otherwise known for her hard-hitting activist-feminist stories, Truth/Untruth underlines the exploitative vicious cycle that defines urban relations between the haves and have-nots.
Editions of Truth/Untruth
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9781803090771
Read an Excerpt
A trenchant, darkly humorous, and unsentimental look at Calcutta society.
Set in Calcutta in the mid-1980s, Truth/Untruth is a fast-paced thriller built around the death of the pregnant Jamuna--a maid in a newly affluent residential apartment complex--and Arjun, the upwardly mobile businessman who seduced her. Packed with a cast of colorful characters, this novel is a trenchant, darkly humorous, and unsentimental look at the different segments of Calcutta society: from the middle-class culture vultures to the unscrupulous \"promoter\" class and the domestic helpers and slum goons who form an intrinsic part of the city's life. All are implicated in a complex web of guilt and bizarre twists and turns. Sex, lies, death--the great modernist themes--run like a thread through this book, exposing societal greed, lust, corruption, and moral hypocrisy with a sardonic tone that spares none. An unusual novel by an author who is otherwise known for her hard-hitting activist-feminist stories, Truth/Untruth underlines the exploitative vicious cycle that defines urban relations between the haves and have-nots.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Truth/Untruth about?
A trenchant, darkly humorous, and unsentimental look at Calcutta society.
Set in Calcutta in the mid-1980s, Truth/Untruth is a fast-paced thriller built around the death of the pregnant Jamuna--a maid in a newly affluent residential apartment complex--and Arjun, the upwardly mobile businessman who seduced her. Packed with a cast of colorful characters, this novel is a trenchant, darkly humorous, and unsentimental look at the different segments of Calcutta society: from the middle-class culture vultures to the unscrupulous \"promoter\" class and the domestic helpers and slum goons who form an intrinsic part of the city's life. All are implicated in a complex web of guilt and bizarre twists and turns. Sex, lies, death--the great modernist themes--run like a thread through this book, exposing societal greed, lust, corruption, and moral hypocrisy with a sardonic tone that spares none. An unusual novel by an author who is otherwise known for her hard-hitting activist-feminist stories, Truth/Untruth underlines the exploitative vicious cycle that defines urban relations between the haves and have-nots.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Truth/Untruth?
Fiction > Fiction: literary and general non-genre
Where can I read a sample of Truth/Untruth?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781803090771
Is Truth/Untruth part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series The India List
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Truth/Untruth?
Mahasweta Devi
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Truth/Untruth is available as hardcover(ISBN 9781803090771)
Where can I buy Truth/Untruth online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Truth/Untruth from below
Where can I buy Truth/Untruth?