Meena alexander 17 february 1951 21 november 2018 was an indian poet, scholar, and writer. Meena alexander is a widely acclaimed writer of indian diapora. While her poetry might be her bestknown work, her works span a variety of literary genres. Meena alexander at hyderabad literary festival, 2016. Several distinguished postcolonial, womens studies, asian american, and. Born in allahabad, india, and raised in india and sudan, alexander lived and worked in new york city, where she was distinguished professor of english at hunter college and at the cuny graduate center in the phd program in english. Stephanie han also affirms that the main concern of the literary works of alexander is the. Meena alexander, indian poet and teacher whose works reflect her multicultural life in india, sudan, and the united states. Indian americans, south asian americans and the politics of. Meena alexander has published many books, including several volumes of poetry, criticism, a memoir, lyric essays and two novels. The short, semiautobiographical first novel nampally road by meena alexander offers the reader an honest, if somewhat confused, insight to the mixed feelings. Postcolonial national space in meena alexanders nampally road.
Described as undoubtedly one of the finest poets of contemporary times by the statesman india, she was the author of numerous collections of poetry, including atmospheric embroidery 2018, birthplace with buried stones 20, and. Meena alexander has 36 books on goodreads with 3247 ratings. Notes on landmarks and nampally road prepared by prof. Dislocated self as reflected in meena nampally road. At the age of fifteen, she officially changed her name to meena. Nampally road plunges into the tumult, squalor, and corruption of postcolonial india, yet stands back from it at the same time. Nampally road, her first novel, comes out of that experience.
Although christened mary elizabeth, she has been called meena since birth, and, in her fifteenth year, she officially changed her name to meena. Protagonist mira kannadical leaves england after graduate studies in literature and returns to indira gandhiera india to teach at a college in a state ruled by a. Meena alexander notes on the novel nampally road principal characters siddharth siddharth was a friend of mira. A closer look at nampally road and meena alexander in mla resource guide to asian american literature. Pdf faultlines a journey through meena alexanders life. Mary wollstonecraft 175997 the radical feminist who typically thought of life as warfare and revolted against the social condition of women. She was distinguished professor of english at hunter college and at the cuny graduate center in the phd program in english. Nampally road is a short novel by meena alexander which was. The present paper reflects the internal turmoil of a displaced and dislocated woman in meena alexander s first novel nampally road. Books by meena alexander author of indian love poems. Search for selfidentity in meena alexanders nampally road p. Dec 24, 2007 meena alexander notes on the novel nampally road principal characters siddharth siddharth was a friend of mira. It has been used by writers to chronicle their personal experiences, which ultimately can be applied to the masses in which. The academy of american poets is the largest membershipbased nonprofit organization fostering an appreciation for contemporary poetry and supporting american poets.
Meena alexander 1951 indian poet, novelist, critic, and autobiographer. Dorothy wordsworth 17711855 who lived a private life enclosed by the bonds of femininity, under the protection. Her first book, a single lengthy poem, entitled the birds bright wing, was published in 1976 in calcutta. Nampally road meena alexander 9780916515829 books download as pdf. Alexander, meena house of a thousand doors fugard, athol master harold and the boys soyinka, wole the lion and the jewel memoir alexander, meena nampally road chauduri, nirad the autobiography of an unknown indian lamming, george in the castle of my skin ondaatje, michael running in the family encyclopedia for reference hawley, john c.
Meena alexanders novel nampally road takes place in the city of hyderabad amidst unrest and opposition to chief minister limca gowda. An expanded version of atmospheric embroidery is forthcoming from triquarterly books northwestern university press in spring 2018. India many asians, especially the indians immigrate to western countries for various reasons. Praise for nampally road like meena alexander s poetry, her first novel is a deeply moving blend of lyric beauty and uncompromising toughness. Meena alexander is known as an indian feminist writer who has produced a modern commentary on mary wollstonecrafts the vindication of the rights of women. At five years of age, alexander and her family moved to the sudan, where she attended. Meena alexander indian poet and teacher britannica. Meena alexanders literary career began early, at the tender age of ten, when she began writing poetry. Buy nampally road book online at low prices in india.
Meena alexander was born in allahabad, india, on february 17, 1951. Selected bibliography primary sources alexander, meena. Meena alexanders most popular book is charlie chan is dead. Mary elizabeth alexander was born in allahabad, india, on february 17, 1951. Two poems, by meena alexander world literature today. A memoir by alexander nampally road, 1990, tracing her life from childhood in india through youth and education in africa and england to marriage and motherhood in manhattan. See meena alexander speaking on her book nampally road.
Currently she is a renowned professor of english at hunter college and the graduate center of the city university of new york. The sociopolitical novels in indian writing in english deal with many political. Libro mystical emona soul journey volume 3 ronesa aveela 9781500616977 books. In the era of postcolonization and globalization writers have been incessantly narrating their personal experiences. She earned a ba at khartoum university and a phd at nottingham university. Her first novel nampally road won her wide acclaim as a writer. The present paper reflects the internal turmoil of a displaced and dislocated woman in meena alexanders first novel nampally road. Alexanders creative and theoretical works have attracted a lively and enthusiastic critical interest. Dec 20, 2014 presents meena alexander on nampally road.
Several distinguished postcolonial, womens studies, asian american, and cultural studies scholars, including roshni. For several years she lived in hyderabad, teaching in the english department, central university of hyderabad, which was housed in the golden threshold, once upon a time the residence of sarojini naidu. Her novella nampally road is a look at the fight for independence in india following the partition of pakistan. The academy of american poets is the largest membershipbased nonprofit organization fostering an appreciation.
Her poetry collections include atmospheric embroidery triquarterly books, 2018. Alexander is also a famous memoirist, fiction writer and academic. Meena alexander experiences dislocation finding herself caught between a flux of opposing. Summary of nampally road written by meena alexander.
She was distinguished professor of english at hunter college and at the cuny graduate center in the phd program in english she published two novels, nampally road 1991which was a village voice literary supplement editors choiceand manhattan music 1997, and two academic studies, the. After returning from england to hyderabad, india, to teach literature. They met each other during a protest march organized by the students against margaret thatcher. Nampally road meena alexander 9780916515829 books nampally road meen. Fiction has been a major tool to articulate the personal trauma and social crisis as well as communal unrest for centuries.
Although christened mary elizabeth, she has been called meena since birth. Meena alexander the significance of rameezas suffering in the novel rameeza be was a little woman who lived in a mountain village near hyderabad. Meena alexander simple english wikipedia, the free. Faultlines a journey through meena alexanders life, conflicts and adjustments with the host society as a result of multiple dislocations conference paper pdf available april 2014 with. Home archives reading room search editorial info books subscribe west links winter 1998, volume 15. Born in allahabad, india, poet meena alexander was raised in kerala and sudan. Indiaborn poet and literary critic alexanders first novel suffers from sketchy development and schematic plot, but offers vivid pictures of life in hyderabad and questions about the value of poetry in times of social upheaval. In this powerful and original study meena alexander examines the work of three women. Meena alexander simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Merete falck borch, eva rask, and bruce clunies ross. Indiaborn poet and literary critic alexander s first novel suffers from sketchy development and schematic plot, but offers vivid pictures of life in hyderabad and questions about the value of poetry in times of social upheaval. Request pdf postcolonial national space in meena alexanders nampally road this paper offers a reading of meena alexanders nampally road nr. She was also a visiting fellow or poet in residence at a number of institutions. Kazim ali, erika duncan and daniela gioseffi all have written essays dissecting the connections between alexander and the characters she wrote about in manhattan music and nampally road, as well as in selected poems.
Meena alexander was born in allahabad, india, in 1951. Notes on nampally road by meena alexander notes on. Auto suggestions are available once you type at least 3 letters. As herrero states, meena alexander is a daughter and writer of indian diaspora and her writings reflect her own lived diasporic experiences. The storm, a poem in five parts l989 and nightscene, the garden l992. Her poetry publications include stone roots l980, house of a thousand doors l988 and two long poems. The following entry presents criticism of alexander s career through 1998. Excruciation of trapped freedom and crisis of identity in meena. The following entry presents criticism of alexanders career through 1998. Meena alexander experiences dislocation finding herself caught between a flux of opposing cultures and constructing worlds, therefore, she. Tribute to meena alexander her work ranged from poetry collections to memoirs to academic books. Alexander, an internationally acclaimed poet, scholar, and writer was born in allahabad, india, and raised in india and sudan. Praise for nampally road like meena alexanders poetry, her first novel is a deeply moving blend of lyric beauty and uncompromising toughness.
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