Solo
Published on 5. March 2009
Book
Hardback
368 pages
978-0-00-718214-5 (ISBN)
Description
The highly anticipated new novel from the critically acclaimed author of Tokyo Cancelled.
Solo recounts the life and daydreams of a reclusive one hundred year-old man from Bulgaria.
Before the man lost his sight, he read this story in a magazine: a group of explorers came upon a community of parrots speaking the language of a society that had been wiped out in a recent catastrophe. Astonished by their discovery, they put the parrots in cages and sent them home so that linguists could record what remained of the lost language. But the parrots, already traumatised by the devastation they had recently witnessed, died on the way.
Wondering if, unlike the hapless parrots, he has any wisdom to leave to the world, Ulrich embarks on an epic armchair journey through a century of violent politics, forbidden music, lost love and failed chemistry, finding his way eventually to an astonishing epiphany of tenderness and enlightenment.
Solo recounts the life and daydreams of a reclusive one hundred year-old man from Bulgaria.
Before the man lost his sight, he read this story in a magazine: a group of explorers came upon a community of parrots speaking the language of a society that had been wiped out in a recent catastrophe. Astonished by their discovery, they put the parrots in cages and sent them home so that linguists could record what remained of the lost language. But the parrots, already traumatised by the devastation they had recently witnessed, died on the way.
Wondering if, unlike the hapless parrots, he has any wisdom to leave to the world, Ulrich embarks on an epic armchair journey through a century of violent politics, forbidden music, lost love and failed chemistry, finding his way eventually to an astonishing epiphany of tenderness and enlightenment.
Reviews / Votes
'A novel of exceptional, astonishing strangeness, Solo confirms Rana Dasgupta as the most unexpected and original Indian writer of his generation.' SALMAN RUSHDIEMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
HarperCollins Publishers
Dimensions
Height: 227 mm
Width: 159 mm
Thickness: 34 mm
Weight
658 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-00-718214-5 (9780007182145)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
Rana Dasgupta was born in England in 1971, and grew up in
Cambridge. Having lived in France, Malaysia and the US, he
moved to Delhi in 2001. His first book, Tokyo Cancelled, was shortlisted for the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize.
Cambridge. Having lived in France, Malaysia and the US, he
moved to Delhi in 2001. His first book, Tokyo Cancelled, was shortlisted for the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize.