Provincials: Postcards from the Peripheries - S2 Ep 11 with Sumana Roy

About this episode

Sumana Roy joins Ranjit Monga to discuss her book and the emotional landscapes of small-town life.

In this episode of Books and Us , poet and essayist Sumana Roy ( Sumana Roy ), author of Provincials: Postcards from the Peripheries, joins us to explore the emotional and cultural landscapes of small-town life. Raised in Siliguri, Sumana reflects on what it truly means to be “provincial.” We discuss: The quiet power of provincial geographies Literary lives shaped by small towns Whether cosmopolitanism and provinciality can coexist Sumana’s book explores the desires, ambitions, and uniquecharacteristics of people from the provinces — those often overlooked geographies where creativity quietly flourishes. Through literary and personal reflections, she connects us to poets, writers, and artists from around the world who emerged from small towns and villages, carrying their landscapes within them. Sumana’s other works include How I Became a Tree , VIP: Very Important Plant , and Out of Syllabus . Her writing has appeared in The Paris Review , Granta , and in many other publications. Tune in for a thought-provoking journey into the heart of the peripheries. Get the book here: https://amzn.in/d/fKQX120 For inquiries to be part of our episodes, write to…

People in this episode

Host: Ranjit Monga

Guest: Sumana Roy

Topics covered

• small-town life
• provincial geographies
• literary reflections
• cosmopolitanism
• cultural landscapes

Keywords

• provincials
• small towns
• creativity
• literature
• cultural identity

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Paris Review, Granta

Books & works: Provincials: Postcards from the Peripheries, How I Became a Tree, VIP: Very Important Plant, Out of Syllabus

Places: Siliguri

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