Books on the history of Bengali Literature are abundant. Some of the better and well-written books date back to the 19th century. However, the Histories that are published in the later half of 20th century are more detailed, more informative and more handy for the purpose of specific needs.
I do not wish to recount a whole history of Bengali Literature. Instead, I will look at some of the standard reference volumes that students and advanced readers use for accessing the chronicles of Bengal in terms of Literary output and social impact of that output. I shall also try to include some of the off-track names which are NOT often cited as reliable source of constructing a History. Nevertheless, I have all the reasons to believe that these books need to be consulted by new readers. Either some of the names are fast going into oblivion - or, these are just not easily available in the marketplace for a wider readership.
The first Book on History of Bengali Literature bears an unlikely title - Lal Nil Dipavali [jvj bxj `xcvejx / Red, Blue Lamp Lights]. The author is Humaun Azad, Professor of Bengali Language and Literature at the University of Dhaka. Humayun Azad had earned a name enshrouded in controversy, a well-earned name before he met his 'untimely' death in 2004. A good wiki page exists on his biography, which also includes a list of his works.
The book I am going to discuss later received a subtitle "A Biography of Bengali Literature". Written in 1976, the book is still one of the best introductions on Bengali Language, Literature from the Tenth Century till the state of Bengali Poetry in the 1930, a decade that has been reserved to identify as the watershed moment of Modernist Bengali Poetry.
I do not wish to recount a whole history of Bengali Literature. Instead, I will look at some of the standard reference volumes that students and advanced readers use for accessing the chronicles of Bengal in terms of Literary output and social impact of that output. I shall also try to include some of the off-track names which are NOT often cited as reliable source of constructing a History. Nevertheless, I have all the reasons to believe that these books need to be consulted by new readers. Either some of the names are fast going into oblivion - or, these are just not easily available in the marketplace for a wider readership.
The first Book on History of Bengali Literature bears an unlikely title - Lal Nil Dipavali [jvj bxj `xcvejx / Red, Blue Lamp Lights]. The author is Humaun Azad, Professor of Bengali Language and Literature at the University of Dhaka. Humayun Azad had earned a name enshrouded in controversy, a well-earned name before he met his 'untimely' death in 2004. A good wiki page exists on his biography, which also includes a list of his works.
The book I am going to discuss later received a subtitle "A Biography of Bengali Literature". Written in 1976, the book is still one of the best introductions on Bengali Language, Literature from the Tenth Century till the state of Bengali Poetry in the 1930, a decade that has been reserved to identify as the watershed moment of Modernist Bengali Poetry.
