Looking back, I am more conscious than ever of the influence [Satyajit] Ray had on the make-believe world I created during my formative years. Even the smallest elements, like my love in science and science fiction, ghost stories, and the surreal, show this to me. In this book, Amitav Ghosh muses, "I started to wonder whether my interest in anthropology also owed something, perhaps subconsciously, to Ray when I saw Agantuk [The Stranger], in which the main character is an anthropologist. In this article, Ghosh talks about Satyajit Ray's effect on his work as well as the purposes of the narrative arts. One of the most well-known novelists in India is Amitav Ghosh. His work has been translated into various languages, won numerous literary awards in India, and many languages and is required reading at several universities. This book examines Ghosh?s fiction through separate critical essays by reputed scholars in six countries. It includes a study of the early novels, as well as essays on In an Antique Land, The Shadow Lines, The Calcutta Chromosome, and The Glass Palace. These thoughtful, incisive and highly readable essays are grounded in the interests that infuse Ghosh?s fiction: history, science, discovery, travel, nationalism, subalternity, agency. It is invaluable for those interested in Ghosh?s work, providing ideas and starting points for scholars and students. An up-to-date bibliography on Ghosh?s works is also provided.