Dublin Literary Award Logo
2004 Longlist

The Impressionist

artwork-image

ABOUT
THE BOOK

Pran Nath Razdan, the boy who will become the Impressionist, was fathered, through circuitous circumstances, by an Englishman and passed off by his Indian mother as the child of her husband, a wealthy man of high caste. Growing up in luxury just downriver from the Taj Mahal, at fifteen the news of Pran’s true parentage is revealed and he is tossed out into the street–a pariah and an outcast. Thus begins an extraordinary, near-mythical journey of a young man who must reinvent himself to survive–not once, but many times.
Imprisoned in a brothel and dressed in women’s clothes, his sensuous beauty is exploited as he is made to become Rukhsana, a pawn in a game between colony and empire. To a depraved British Major he becomes Clive, an object of desire taught to be a model English schoolboy. Escaping to Bombay he begins a double life as Robert, dutiful foster child to a Scottish missionary couple and as Pretty Bobby, errand boy and sometime pimp to the tawdry women of the city’s most notorious district.
But as political unrest begins to stir, Pran finds himself in the company of a doomed young Englishman-an orphan named Jonathan Bridgeman. Having learned quickly that perception is a ready replacement for reality, Pran soon finds himself on a boat bound for Southampton where, with Bridgeman’s passport, he will begin again. First in London, then at Oxford, the Impressionist hones his chameleon-like skills, making himself whoever and whatever he needs to be to obtain what he desires.

ABOUT
THE AUTHOR Hari
Kunzru

We're sorry, but we couldn't find any translators matching your search. Please try using different keywords or check back later as we regularly update our collection.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Country
United Kingdom
Original Language
English
Author
Publisher
Dutton

RELATED FEATURES

Video November 1 2024

2024 Dublin Literary Award Ceremony

2024 Dublin Literary Award Ceremony with broadcaster Rick O'Shea. Livestreamed from the International Literature Festival Dublin in Merrion Square Park on Thursday 23rd May 2024.
Audio June 11 2024

All About Books Podcast Features the 2024 Dublin Literary Award

Dublin City FM podcaster Katy Conneely spotlights the award.
Video June 5 2024

2024 Winners Mircea Cărtărescu & Sean Cotter in conversation

with Journalist Alex Clarke at the International Literature Festival Dublin.
Video May 31 2024

2024 Winner Ceremony Highlights

Author Mircea Cărtărescu & translator Sean Cotter presented with the DLA Award at ILFD.

STAY CONNECTED

Stay in touch and sign up to our newsletter to receive all the latest news and updates on the Dublin Literary Award.