The Artist of Disappearance

About the book

“Written late in Anita Desai’s illustrious career, these three novellas ruminate on art and memory, illusion and disillusion, and the sharp divide between life’s expectations and dreams and its realities. Set in India in the not too distant past, the stories’ diverse surroundings and dramas frame universal themes, which illuminate the ways in which various aspects of the Indian culture can nourish or suffocate. All are served up with Desai’s characteristic perspicuity, subtle humor and quiet, sensitive writing. Overwhelmed by their own lack of purpose, the men and women who populate these tales set out on unexpected journeys that present them with a fresh sense hope and opportunity.”…