‘Looking back now, I am more than ever aware of the part that [Satyajit] Ray played in shaping the imaginary universe of my childhood and youth. I see this even in such details as my interest in science and science fiction; in ghost stories and the fantastical…When I saw Agantuk [The Stranger], in which the main character is an anthropologist, I began to wonder whether my interest in anthropology too, owed something, perhaps subconsciously, to Ray…’, ruminates Amitav Ghosh in this book. In Ghosh’s unpublished essay, the writer discusses the influence of Satyajit Ray on his work, and the functions of the narrative arts. 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.