About the Book

A NOVEL THAT GENTLY BUT RELENTLESSLY EXPLORES THE CONTROVERSIAL AND COMPLEX ISSUE OF DEATH BY CHOICE.
When seventy-year-old Unnikrishnan calls a press conference to announce the date of his death, he is disappointed at the apathy with which the news is met. It has been many years since he fled his home and village, and nobody remembers the sensational success of his first novel, set in the time of the Malabar Rebellion of 1921, but he finds it hard to accept the utter lack of interest in his announcement or the reason for it. Until young Paru, rookie journalist for the local daily, turns up on his doorstep, despatched by her editor to unearth what she can of his story.
What happened to drive Unnikrishnan away from his family and friends? What was he doing in those missing decades? And how is he going to meet his end—will he kill himself, and if so, how and why? These are the questions Paru puts to him over and over again, pleading, cajoling, threatening, but it will take a lot more to get the stubborn old man to reveal the truth. If he ever will.
A remarkable story about human suffering and transformation, this new novel by the award-winning writer–translator duo will have you questioning the most fundamental aspects of life—and death.

About the Author

M. Mukundan’s stories and novels have been widely translated into various languages. He has been awarded the Ezhuthachan Puraskaram, the highest literary honour given by the Government of Kerala; the Crossword Book Award twice, first in 1999 for On the Banks of the Mayyazhi and again in 2006 for Kesavan’s Lamentations and the Sahitya Akademi award and N.V. Puraskaram for Daivathinte Vikrithikal (God’s Mischief). Dehi: A Soliloquy, the English translation of Delhi Gathakal (2011), won the JCB Literature Prize in 2021.

About the Translator

Nandakumar K. started his career as a sub-editor at Financial Express. Delhi: A Soliloquy by M.Mukundan, which he co-translated with E.V. Fathima, was his first published translation from Malayalam. He lives and works in Dubai.