Produktdetaljer
Biographical note
David Shulman is Renee Lang Professor of Humanistic Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.This love letter to Tamil, in the guise of a âbiography,â by one of the worldâs foremost indologists, is both welcome and long overdue. David Shulman is an able and enthusiastic biographer. He treats his language as a living, breathing organism, devoting considerable attention to its sounds and rhythms, and to its rich poetic traditionâŚShulman judiciously combines critical scholarship such as we find it in the West with a sustained account of a 1,500-year-old indigenous tradition of grammar and commentaryâŚ[<i>Tamil</i>] deserves a wide readership: it breathes fresh life into the study of one of the worldâs most enduring languages.
- Balaji Ravichandran, Times Literary Supplement
Tamil is spoken today by approximately 80 million peopleâŚTo attempt to give a comprehensive vision of the language within the compass of a brief book intended for nonspecialists might seem an impossible task. Yet <i>Tamil: A Biography</i> succeeds at this remarkably wellâŚThe book traces a chronological sequence from the prehistory of the language up to modern times. Shulman draws together a wealth of contemporary scholarship, but the perspective that commands the book is uniquely his, as is the authorial voice. Gently humorous, frequently lyrical, and wearing great learning very lightly, the bookâs prose admirably summons up what it might be like to listen to a series of lectures by a gifted teacher.
- Whitney Cox, New York Review of Books
The poet Bharathidasan declared that Tamil was born with the sun, the moon, the sky, the stars and the seas. Few would dare to attempt the biography of such a language. But when the worldâs foremost Tamil scholar gives it his best shot one cannot but take notice. David Shulman does not disappoint; he dazzles us with his labor of love⌠<i>Tamil: A Biography</i> is both synthesis and interpretation, a must-read for anyone interested in the worldâs great languages and literatures.
- A. R. Venkatachalapathy, The Hindu
From the insiderâs perspective, Shulman really scores while concluding that Tamil is more than a language, it is a body of knowledgeâmuch of it intrinsic to an ancient culture and sensibility. It is a kind of grammar, not merely of the language in its spoken and written forms, but the creative potential of its speakers.
- M. D. Muthukumaraswamy, Times of India
David Shulman, in his <i>Tamil: A Biography</i>, [writes] with ĂŠlan, with unaffected erudition and an infectious charm that leaves the reader breathless and, at times, puzzled at how endearing the evolution of a language could turn out to be. There is no doubt that Shulman, the foremost Indologist from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, is uniquely qualified to do this job given a lifetime of scholarship on south Indian literature and culture. His love for his subject comes alive on every page of the book, and yet this is not a stormy, tortured relationship; instead there is refinement and nuance, things not often seen in language discourse in IndiaâŚ<i>Tamil: A Biography</i> is a hugely rewarding book, and one that with repeated reading provides more food for thought.
- Veena Muthuraman, Quartz India
[A] playful and supple âbiographyâ of Tamil language and poetics.
- Thomas Meaney, London Review of Books
David Shulmanâs book, <i>Tamil: A Biography</i>, is a <i>tour de force</i>. It is a must-read for all Indians, not just Tamils. The author takes us on a grand journey, starting from the ancient era of <i>Irayanar Akapporul</i> (which he cleverly calls âGrammar of Stolen Loveâ) through the golden <i>Sangam</i> age, the <i>Bhakti</i> era and the modern age starting with the rediscovery of <i>Sangam</i> literature in the late 19th century. It is filled with delightful vignettes about sages, poets, scholars and even Gods that many Tamil children hear of growing up. Almost every poem in the book strikes an emotional chord.
- Banuchandar Nagarajan, Swarajya
Shulmanâs <i>Tamil: A Biography</i> is a towering achievement in the field of cultural history and philology that is a compelling evolution of one of the oldest languages in the world from antiquity to modernityâŚPassionately and yet objectively written, the book is as much annals of the language as it is a thoroughly researched panegyric to itâŚYou do not have to be Tamil to appreciate the significance of this book. In fact, it appears intended for anyone with an interest in the cultural history of the languageâŚShulman takes great pains to ensure that no reader is alienated by the context. Constant cross-references to other cultures are made, whether to the Hebrew Bible, Homeric poetry, Mozartâs music, Greek, Arabic, Persian, and Turkish, illuminating the development of the language through comparative philology. Tamil is situated in a global network of languagesâŚSublime and riveting, <i>Tamil: A Biography</i> proves that good linguistic and intellectual history can be written without resorting to either esotericism or jargonism.
- Kumuthan Maderya, PopMatters
This fascinating book guides its reader through a cultural history of Tamil, a south Indian language spoken by eighty million people, from the early centuries BCE to the modern eraâŚOffers the reader beautiful translations of, and interpretive strategies for, key passages from important textsâŚA great resource for scholars of religious, linguistic, and textual studies.
- Gardner Harris, Religious Studies Review
Shulman is a priceless advocate of the language and its many masterpieces.
- Steve Donoghue, Open Letters Monthly
[Shulman] offers a comprehensive examination of the history and culture of Tamil, a language spoken by more than 80 million people.
- B. Tavakolian, Choice
David Shulmanâs <i>Tamil</i> is akin to a delightful and elevating musical composition. Spanning centuries and capturing minute details, this book reveals the inner energy of Tamil. Tamil is lucky to have such an erudite âbiographerâ to tell its story.
- S. Ramakrishnan, editor of <i>Cre-A: Dictionary of Contemporary Tamil</i>,
David Shulman has raised an impressive monument to Tamil, written with erudition and wit. This âbiographyâ deals with much more than languageâliterature, culture, geography, history, all combine in praise of beauty and love.
- Tzvetan Todorov, National Center for Scientific Research, Paris,