Oh my Ghosh!
What an adventurous read. I want to get a pair of binoculars and set sail to Sundarbans, which has more to offer than just its famous wild cats.
Informative with a gripping plot, across ethnically different characters, with flashbacks blending fiction and non fiction very smoothly.
This was my first book by Amitav Ghosh and am rooting for more.

P.S. : Reading Gora in parallel added to the joy of enjoying Bengal :)

... this guy is such a terrible writer, I don't know why I bother. Full review once I finish this abominable page-turner...

OK, done: I really can't bear Gosh's style, the dialogue is completely implausible, with nearly every character speaking as though they're declaiming to the wind. He has an unnecessarily high adjective count, and he just generally annoys me. On the upside, this book does some nice stuff with structure, pulling different characters' points of view together quite well. And the last few chapters are genuinely exciting and edge-of-the-seaty. But really, this book is just an excuse for him to rant on about how it's time we put an end to the practice of putting the natural world ahead of human wellbeing (you know, the way we do that like, all the time...)

The Tigers In India

"The Tigers in India" is a short essay by the American philosopher William James in which he contrasted knowing that there were tigers in India by hearing about them from knowing that there were tigers in India by actually seeing and coming into contact with them. Amitav Ghosh's fine novel "The Hungry Tide" made me feel I knew the man-eating tigers of India in this second, more intimate way. Ghosh's novel is at its best when it describes the wild, untamable and fierce qualities of nature which do not bend to human will. The novel is full of vivid descriptions of tigers and their human prey, crocodiles, snakes, large forests of mangroves, storms, and fatal typhoons.

"The Hungry Tide" is set in a remote part of northeast India known as the Sundarbans which consists of thousands of small islands formed by the interflux of two rivers as they flow into the Bay of Bengal. Life is precarious with shifting islands, tigers and other predators, poor soil, and minimal contact with the outside world. Ghosh describes the people of the Sundarbans, their history, and their struggles with the natural world. He made me yearn to visit this unfamiliar place.

The novel develops slowly. There are three major and a host of secondary characters. It is a great deal to follow and absorb. The first primary character is Piya, a young American scholar of Indian descent. She is a student of marine mammals and has come to the Sudabar to study the river dolphin. We learn a great deal about dolphins in this book, but the descriptions don't have the vividness of the scenes with the tigers or crocodiles. The second main character, Kanai, is urbane, 42 years old, a successful translator, and a womanizer. He is in the Sundarbans at the request of his aunt Nilina who wants him to read a journal left by her late husband, Nirmal. Nilina is a pragmatist and activist who has built her life by helping others and creating a hospital on a small island. Her husband, a would-be poet, radical, and dreamer lived in her shadow. His journal tells the story of a group of Bangaladeshi immigrants who were forced out of a Forest Reserve in the Sundarbans by the Indian government in order to preserve the tigers.

The third main character is an uneducated fisherman named Fokir. Fokir comes to Piya's rescue at several points in the novel and he helps her find dolphins. Fokir doesn't speak English and he and Piya cannot verbally communicate. Fokir's wife Moyna has struggled to get an education and to become a nurse. There are tensions between her and her illiterate husband.

The portions of the book that deal with nature and the Sundarbans interthread with the stories and relationships of the characters. In particular, Ghosh explores the tension between love and sexuality on on hand and education and career on the other hand, especially as this tension applies to women. This theme is developed in three characters: Piya has seemingly abandoned the possibility of a committed relationship in order to pursue her research on the river dolphin. She must identify and struggle with her developing feelings for both Fokir and Kanai. Nilima became an organizer and a force in the Sundarbans by building the hospital and organizing the community while her schoolteacher husband remained on the sidelines -- creating unhappiness between them. Fokir and Moyna struggle to raise their son and keep their marriage in the face of the differences between them in education and ambition. Ghosh subtly develops this theme throughout the book. He shows how changing gender roles and expectations affect both life in the developed world of the United States and urban India and in rural, isolated areas such as the Sundarbans.

There are many other themes, including the modern conservation movement, explored with understanding and balance in Ghosh's novel. At times, indeed, there was something of an overload. I thought the book was awkwardly constructed as it moves back and forth from chapter to chapter between Piya's story and Kanai's story until they gradually interconnect. The narrative is frequently delayed by long stories which, while interesting in themselves, interfere with the flow of the action. At times I grew impatient and wanted the story to proceed.

In summary, what most impressed me in this book were first the dramatic pictures of raw and violent nature in the Sundarbans and second the nuanced discussion of issues that people face involving the priorities of love and work, as these issues continue to unfold and evolve in all parts of the world.

Robin Friedman

A superb book on Sundarban. Lovely descriptions of the land and the people. A mindblowing climax. thoroughly enjoyed this.

Supremely disappointing, considering the start it had.

In the first few chapters Ghosh takes ample time with his two main characters. Their histories and inner lives intermingle well. The plot too advances with a decent pace. But then two things overpower his novel

(1) The desire to be inventive
(2) Sobering down to elongated, unreal conversations when not being inventive.

Ghosh's inventive side gives us a plethora of side stories, some provided as the journal of a dead man, others as mere myths and mythologies that are articulated during conversations. At most times they tie-in well with the concurrent theme of the novel, but one has to say that they tie in too well. Ghosh has attempted here what would have been called an encyclopedic novel by Orhan Pamuk, but Ghosh's pseudo po-mo diversions do not possess half the power of a Pamuk. One reason is the apparent blandness of whatever he has to say. The other is that his diversions are hesitant , almost as if they don't want to be diversions. They appear too well planned, not fragmentary-in-a-challenging way, as they do in Pamuk.

The other sad thing about the novel is its degeneration into chapters containing one-to-one conversations. There are just two many of these chapters. Each character gets to talk to the other. Sometimes they narrate stories of the kind I have mentioned before. At other times, they bore even more. One gets the irritating feeling that this could have been a super-taut novella and that it would have done better then. At other times, you find yourself bemoaning the superficiality it loads the characters with...suddenly the characters lose their inner lives and are just talking. Talking , talking, and talking.

The highlight of the book is the first part, especially the chapters devoted to Piyali's first interactions with Fokir. Ghosh is at his best here, and it is for these snippets that I am going to give him a second try.

read this for a class and am so pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

The hungry tide, 2005, Amitav Ghosh,
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: سی ام ماه دسامبر سال 2013 میلادی
عنوان: امواج گرسنه؛ نویسنده: آمیتاو گوش؛ مترجم: ناهیده هاشمی؛ تهران، آموت، در 590 ص؛ شابک: 9786005941845؛ ‏‏موضوع: داستان‌های نویسندگان هندی (انگلیسی) -- قرن 21 م
جوان بنگالی «پیا» که در آمریکا بزرگ شده با هدف تحقیق روی دلفینها به سانداربانز میرود، آنجا مجمع الجزایری است که رود گنگ به خلیج بنگال میریزد. از آنجایی که تحصیلات خود را در آمریکا گذرانده، او نیز همچون دیگر همنسلان آسیایی- آمریکایی خود از زبان مادری بی بهره است. متمرکز، پویا و از سر تجربه با اعتماد به نفس کارش را آغاز میکند. به خاطر سانحه غرق شدن کشتی مجبور میشود به قایقرانی که به عنوان راهنما و محافظ در آبهای خروشان ساندربانز کار میکند پناه برد. او همچنین کانای، مرد جوان بنگالی کار بلدی را میبیند که در حال بازدید از آن منطقه است. آنها با یکدیگر بر سر موضوعاتی نظیر، داستان قابل توجه تاریخ، اقوام، بوم شناسی، مهاجرت، عشق و اندوه صحبت میکنند. در افسانه های هندی رود توانمند گنگ خودش را از مسیرهای شیوا، خدای آبادانی و خرابی -که نزدیک خلیج بنگال در راهی هزارتو است- آزاد میکند تا سانداربانز را خلق کند. آنجا باریکه ای پهناور از جنگلهای حرا است، که هزاران هکتار ناحیه سرسبز با امواج خروشان به وجود آمده اند. نویسنده، هنرمندانه این مکان را انتقامجو جلوه میدهد، جایی که خیال و واقعیت پیوسته با یکدیگر همپوشانی دارند. در هر لحظه ای انسان میتواند تردیدی به مخالفت تمام عیار این ناحیه به حضور او (از سر ابتکار و جذابیت منطقه و عزمی برای نابودی انسان) به خود راه دهد. ا. شربیانی

Just like any other Ghosh's book, The Hungry Tide takes you to an unknown territory, The Sundarbans. For Indians, we associate Sundarbans with Tigers. But Amitav Ghosh through The Hungry Tide will make you read a totally different side of Sundarbans. A deep history of marshy swamplands, crocodiles, rebellion during Bangladesh war. The last book that I read by Amitav Ghosh was the Glass Palace, which took me to Burma, a place which was alien to me, but not anymore. And that is the beauty of Ghosh's books, you are enchanted and mesmerized whenever you read any one of his books.

The Hungry Tide follows the story of Sundarbans, an immense archipelago of islands. Some of the Islands have lived to tell the tale of history, some have been washed away by the hungry tide which comes and goes away, either creating an Island or washing away one. A place where there is no difference between fresh water and salt water, hungry crocodiles and tigers who can swim like fish, it's inhabitants believe that anyone with a pure heart who wishes to venture in this water labyrinth, will never return. A balance which is disturbed by two people who met by chance, Piyali and Kanai.

Kanai, on request of his aunt Nilima who is a social worker based out of Sundarbans, decides to travel to Lusibari via Canning to meet her. According to his aunt, his uncle Nirmal, who was a political radical who died mysteriously after a rebellion on a nearby island, has left a diary for him. After his death, Nilima found the diary in his study, addressed to Kanai and requesting the finder to pass it on to him only. The diary contains the history of the islands, including Nirmal's role in the rebellion. A text that pulls Kanai into unknown realities.

Piyali, on the other hand, is a Marine researcher who is traveling to Sundarbans to find a rare species of Dolphins, The Irrawaddy dolphin, also known as Orcaella. An unfortunate accident during her research leads her to Fokir, who is a fisherman and knows the backwaters like the back of his hand. A new kind of friendship is born between both, even when there is a language barrier. With another striking friendship she formed with Kanai at Canning station, he as their translator, Piya, and Fokir undertake a journey towards the tide country, facing hungry tides, animals thirsty for blood and history that will leave everyone in a shock. In their research journey, they find a new kind of jungle, the human jungle which they believe they can cross, but are so wrong.

The Hungry Tide is a book that will leave you mesmerized. As I shared before, Amitav Ghosh's books always take you to a new unknown place, a place which we hear from time to time but don't know the people and history related to it. The plotline of The Hungry Tide is amazing, and will keep you on your reading chair's edge. The only problem that I faced was that the book is a little slow. Too much detailing about the Islands of Sundarbans and other things will make you want to take a little break from it from time to time. If you are expecting to decipher The Hungry Tide within 100-200 pages, it won't be possible.
The characters are another story, though. Kanai, a businessman who is practical, faces issues with his practicality when he comes face to face with realities of the tide country. Piya, who was born Indian but is strictly American, find an unknown bond developing with her lost land. Nirmal, a revolutionary who lost his life, leaves such a story for Kanai that he drown in it. Characters of The Hungry Tide will leave you in awe, you will simply fall in love with them.

But if you are patient, The Hungry Tide promises you to take on a journey so magical, that you will end up asking for more. All in all, it is a book that you should definitely devour into.

“The true tragedy of routinely spent life is that its wastefulness does not become apparent till it is too late.”

This quote does not reflect the theme of this book but it caught my eye in this green-covered book in my hand when today I was flipping its pages thinking what to write about it.

It’s tea time and there is a tray ready on a side table with two pieces of cookies. A squirrel on the wall of the garden is eating something in a ravenous way. I have no idea what is that something, it’s scanty for my eyes, but it must be something very delicious which can be assumed by observing the way this little creature is feeding itself, using both its hands fleetly and effectively.

In fact, for the past few days, I am routinely spending my time this way only, in the evening. A finished book in my hand at tea time… I thinking something to write about it on GR…. Two routinely placed cookies on the side table… A squirrel doing something always on the garden wall and then me postponing writing about the book for one more day. But this quote surprisingly worked as a catalyst today motivating me to write a review as it evoked the sentiments of this mentioned wastefulness in me and I quickly decided to talk about the book here before it’s too late. :)

So…Talking about the book, Piyali Roy(Piya) is an Indian origin American cetologist. She studies marine mammals. She comes to India near her ancestral place in the hope to get a permit to do a survey of marine mammals of Sunderbans.

Kanai, who thinks that he has the true connoisseur’s ability to both praise and appraise women, spots her, the moment he reaches onto a crowded platform. Inside the train coach when she was trying to maneuver the cup of tea from the tea seller through the bar of the window then this man (Kanai) sitting opposite to the seat of Piya, suddenly flips over a page. With the jolting of her hand, she tries to make sure most of the tea spill out of the window but she could not prevent a small trickle from shooting over his papers. With a mortified sorry from the Piya there begins the interaction between the two and with their acquaintance begins this exotic tale from the pen of Amitav Ghosh. She does her research and Kanai translates for her some critical things facilitating her understanding of local ambiance and culture.

This story takes the reader on a trip to the long chain of the archipelago of the Bay of Bengal. It talks about the ways of boatmen in the region. It’s an adventure read for lovers of the sea and riverine adventures, loaded with some interesting real facts and some interesting myth prevailed in a specified area of Bengal.

The story moves in time and space both. Characters of the present time are Kanai, Fokir, and Piya and the main character of the past is Nirmal. Intricacy and suspense in the plot are kept in the old diary of Nirmal, which is read by Kanai to connect the dots of events. Amitav has touched many issues like refugee, freedom, war, government, and tribal conflict, ecology, marine life and lives in seaside habitats in this book.

The most beautiful part of the story for me was the reticent and self-effacing bond between Fokir and Piya. Piya is an educated English-speaking marine biologist and Fokir is a local boatman who knows the only local language, He does not know what she says and she does not know what he says. He saves her life in the early part of the story and then plays a crucial part in the latter part of the story. The restrained communication of emotions between the two despite the language barrier provides the real delight in this story. It was symbolically written and crafted by Ghosh in a very alluring way.

“What was he thinking about as he stared at the moonlit river? The forests, the crabs?

Whatever it was she would never know: not just because they had no language in common but because that was how it was with human beings, who came equipped as a species, with the means of shutting each other out. The two of them Fokir and herself, they could have been boulders and trees for all they knew of each other: and wasn’t it better in a way, more honest, that they could not speak? For if you compared it to the ways in which Dolphins’ echoes mirrored the world, speech was the only bag of tricks that fooled you into believing that you could see through the eyes of another being.”

In my sailing through this beautiful story, I also encountered some well researched scientific facts about mammal creatures and about the history of those small islands in the Bay of Bengal. The mixing of faith and mythical belief in the story made it more interesting for the reader. Ghosh has tried his best to keep the story equally relevant for both the native readers and for the general English readers and he has done it quite successfully.

One other important thing that happened to me while reading this book.. somewhere in the latter half Ghosh has tried to translate a mythical story through one of his character and while reading two pages of that chapter completely which was certainly looking similar in structure with the previous prose style, I suddenly found that there was something rhyming and verse like there, I flipped back and rereading those paragraphs again, realizing this time that Ghosh has deliberately and wonderfully created an English pastiche of the Bengali metre dwipadi poyar: a rhymed couplet of about 12 syllables. It was a really wonderful thing in the book. An English reader can have a feel of a mythical poem keeping with its essence in the original form. It was fun reading and knowing about it.

A fulfilling reading journey for me with such fascinating penmanship of Ghosh.

Amitav Ghosh, I must say is an amazing story teller and in this book he proved beyond doubt that literary skill of the Bengali is redoubtable!

Absolutely engrossing, this book is one such where you come across a great story which is amazingly written and make you an instant fan of the author.

This book is well researched and the story is set in the 70's, and it revolves around the Sundarbans and have this lovely descriptions of the land, the people and the animals(I would actually call it informative!)

Why 4 stars to this book, even though it is such an amazing book? Yes, because at times the writer seems to me a bit too cynical and calculative.

And I'm bit ashamed of myself that I read just one book by this finest Indian writer. However, I'm planning to read his other books soon! and I grant his books a permanent position in my reading list(until they disappoint me).

I know Amitav Ghosh isn't for everyone, but I just adore his writing. I can't think of another author who can transport me to another place the way he does - whether it's India, somewhere else in Asia, the US or the UK. I haven't yet visited the Sundarbans, but after reading The Hungry Tide I feel like I've squelched my toes in the mud and scratched my skin on the mangrove roots of that region.

Piya Roy and Kanai (rhymes with Hawaii) Dutt meet on a train when both are traveling to the Sundarbans; Piya to study the Irrawaddy dolphin population and Kanai to visit his aunt and review a manuscript left to him by his long-departed uncle. Through a series of events, Piya unexpectedly finds herself on Lusibari island, taking up Kanai's casual invitation to look him up while she's in the area. Both get caught up in the region's past, in different ways, and by the end they have both mapped out a future for themselves that is tied to the Sundarbans. The story includes themes about conservation, ecology, displacement, human trafficking, caste, literacy and economic disparity.

One thing I didn't really find convincing was the idea that either of the main characters would have seriously contemplated any kind of romantic involvement with each other. There didn't seem to be any spark. But that was such an inconsequential element of the story that it didn't lessen my overall enjoyment at all.

উপন্যাসের কাহিনি আহামরি কিছু নয়। তবে প্রায় ৪০০ পাতার "ক্ষুধিত জোয়ার" একটানা পড়ে ফেলা গেলো অমিতাভ ঘোষের ঋজু, টানটান গদ্যশৈলীর গুণে। সুন্দরবন তার সারিসারি বৃক্ষ, কুমির, বাঘ, ঘোলা জল, নৈঃশব্দ্য, দুঃসহ গরম, দুর্যোগ আর রহস্যময়তা নিয়ে হাজির হয়েছে উপন্যাসের পাতায়। নারীচরিত্রগুলো অসামান্য দৃঢ়তার অধিকারী। পিয়া, কুসুম, নীলিমা আর ময়না; প্রত্যেকেই নিজ নিজ জায়গায় নিজের ধরনে অসাধারণ। এক মগ্ন প্রেমিক ফকির ব্যতীত অন্য চরিত্রদের কথা বা ভাবনা চমকে দিয়েছে বারবার। যখনই মনে হয়েছে "এই চরিত্রটাকে বুঝে ফেলেছি " বা "ও কী করবে জানা আছে" তখনই তারা পরিচয় দিয়েছে স্বাতন্ত্র‍্যের। এজন্য সংলাপেও এসেছে গভীরতা। অমিতাভ ঘোষ সুন্দরবনের অধিবাসীদের জীবন ও ভাবনা তুলে ধরেছেন দক্ষতার সাথে। তার কলমে প্রকৃতিকে বাঁচিয়ে রাখার আকুতি ফুটে উঠেছে বারবার। সবকিছু ছাপিয়ে "ক্ষুধিত জোয়ার" এক প্রেমের গল্প; পৃথিবীর সব ভালো গল্পই বোধহয় তাই।