“I think you can make a distinction between historical fiction versus fiction that engages with the past. I am much more of the latter. I don’t see my works of fiction as having a pedagogical impulse to educate the reader about the past.”

“In both of my novels, if there is an antagonist, it’s often the nation itself.”

New at PB: @jennybhattwriter.bsky.social interviews author Nishant Batsha about his new novel "A Bomb Placed Close to the Heart."

Nishant Batsha is a scholar-turned-novelist. Is there tension, @jennybhattwriter.bsky.social asks, in troubling historical accuracy?

“I am a novelist first and a historian second. That’s how the tension resolves itself: I know I’m trying to tell a story."

Always a pleasure to talk with Nishant Batsha about his second book, A Bomb Placed Close to the Heart. A richly satisfying and insightful historical novel with many textures and layers. Thank you to Public Books for publishing this conversation.

“Many visitors came to offer Kheto marriage proposals for his beautiful, accomplished Anju. Kheto would always reply, ‘My daughter is still too young.’ ”

A story by Jhaverchand Meghani, translated from the Gujarati by Jenny Bhatt. buff.ly/R1lWe61

“Mepo had worked hard to plow the field and make it as pliable as a soft mattress. Forget about weeds; he did not leave even a single stray blade of grass standing.”

A story by Jhaverchand Meghani, translated from the Gujarati by Jenny Bhatt @jennybhatt. buff.ly/R1lWe61

“Mepo stood still. He stood still forever. With just the slightest tug, that Ranavav-whetted sickle sank deep into his neck.”

A story by Jhaverchand Meghani, translated from the Gujarati by Jenny Bhatt. buff.ly/R1lWe61

@jennybhattwriter.bsky.social This article is fascinating--translation from one visual artist to another. We are all derivative of our forebears, even though being "derivative" is frowned upon. *Translation* is a much better concept! Congratulations! libertiesjournal.com/online-artic...

Please join us for this virtual reading on April 17th at 5.30 PM Pacific Time. Details in the link below. I'm looking forward to reading with these stellar translators and writers.

Congrats to WWB contributors and NEA translation grantees Kalau Almony, Elina Alter, @jennybhattwriter.bsky.social,
@soleildahveed.bsky.social, @gayadorno.bsky.social, @larissakyzer.bsky.social, Mara Faye Lethem
Alta Price, @mahmudwriter.bsky.social...🧵

www.arts.gov/impact/liter...

huge congrats to @jennybhattwriter.bsky.social bhattwriter.bsky.social, a literature phd student
@utdallas.bsky.social, who's received an NEA grant to support her translation of Crossroad by Varsha Adalja, an important work of contemporary Indian fiction! www.arts.gov/impact/liter...