The Artist of Disappearance

Always an astute observer and subtle writer about human nature, Anita Desai is at her best here, creating three novellas revealing the interplay between a main character dealing with universal issues and a second character who sees the world and its values quite differently. The result is book that is morally serious and filled with thematically weighty stories which also reveal subtle, unspoken lessons - neither moralistic, obvious, nor absolute. As each main character approaches the end of a problem, s/he might well conclude that what s/he wants, "[is] dead, a dead loss, a waste of time." But "the loss" is not the point. The reader gains a new appreciation of the small joys and great sorrows which fill the lives of plain people in rural India trying to find beauty and, perhaps, the fulfillment of dreams within an overwhelming reality. All the characters want to preserve something beautiful and important, but all must persevere against insensitive powers. Ultimately, each main character becomes an "artist of disappearance," either physically, emotionally, or spiritually.In "The Museum of Final Journeys," an old man from the countryside visits a new county official, begging for help. The old man has been working all his life for the same family, now dead or missing. The only son has traveled the world, collecting objects which he sends to his mother. After her death, the objects continue to arrive, and the old servant and his assistant must sell off the furniture to create a museum for these stuffed animals and birds, miniature paintings from Persia and the Mughal Empire, and antique weapons of war, among other things. The final gift is the one which the old man loves most, but it requires a great deal of maintenance. He begs the official to accept the other valuable objects in exchange for allowing him to preserve this one final gift. The servant and the official live in different worlds and have difficulties communicating."Translator Translated" is quite different. Prema Joshi, returning to her high school for Founder's Day, meets Tara, the brightest and most popular student at the school. Prema, a teacher, has been studying Oriya, her mother's language, particularly the work of Suvarna Devi, unknown beyond her hillside village. Tara, now a publisher of the work of previously unknown female writers, asks Prema to translate Suvarna Devi's first work, and every aspect of Prema's life changes. The second work by Devi, a novel, however, is trite and filled with cliches. "I saw that what was needed was for me to be inventive...and create a style for the book...I decided to take liberties with the text." The results are predictable, and the effects on Prema Joshi's modest life are significant."The Artist of Disappearance" tells of Ravi, an adult living in the burned remains of the family home. As Ravi's story evolves, his sensitivity to the world around him becomes clear, and his understanding of aesthetics regarding the natural world is particularly sophisticated. Ravi has created a hidden garden which represents the essence of beauty. At the same time, a group of young videographers is traveling the mountainside looking for examples of environmental despoliation. Ravi, too, finds his life permanently changed.The importance of beauty and the problem of which beautiful aspects of the past deserve to be saved for future generations permeate this collection. Who should make the decisions about what, if anything, to save? How much beauty should be local? How should artifacts be preserved? As Desai explores these ideas in prose of almost crystalline purity and concision, her sensitivity to the idea of "less is more" prevails. Mary Whipple

A fine piece of fiction. I'd borrow it from a library rather than purchase it.

I chose this book for my book club based on a review elsewhere and downloaded this version for my Kindle. Imagine my surprise to discover this was only one of the three stories in the full version. Not cool. In the description, there should be a reference made to the fact that there's another Kindle version with the same title that has all three stories and not just the title story.

Buyer Beware! The Kindle version only includes the title story, one of three stories in the hardcopy book. It's ok as far as a story goes, but feels very incomplete (in fact, I wonder if I got the whole thing??) It does not include the Museum of Final Journeys, or Translator Translated, the other two stories included in the hardcopy. Weirdly enough, the sample I had downloaded had the Museum of Final Journeys -- but only part of it. The table of contents in the sample listed all three stories and front and back matter (but since it was a sample, none of those were included).A question for anyone who's read the stories, please let me know if these are the final words (don't worry, not enough to be a plot spoiler):Museum of Final Journeys: the last words are "the much needed diversion." Location: 125 of 131The Artist of Disappearance: the last words are "journey down to the plains." Location: 795 of 801My rating: 1/2 star for Kindle version, but Ms. Desai probably deserves at least 3 stars if I could read the rest of each of the stories I was able to start!

This was my first introduction to the writer having known about her for a long time. I loved her style of writing. Her description of people, places, landscape is akin to an artist painting with delicate movements.The novellas all have a strain of pathos and beauty where there needs to be no defined end.I am now keen on reading her older books. It was a fluke buy and am I glad for it!

Anita Desai weaves a texturally rich narrative on matters close to all our hearts, examining personal and social issues in the context of mass media and technology. She has a wonderfully, visual writing style and paints a detailed description of her characters and events which draws you in an makes you feel part of the narrative. A thoroughly enjoyable book. Easy to read, especially for those with busy schedules, containing three bite size stories of delicious literature.

It's a thought provoking book, beautifully written. It takes time to see the connecting theme of failed lives. I would recommend it only to select friends.

Easy to read with three novellas in this book. Author has an excellent style with details easy to picture and an interesting way of drawing you into the character.

i found these stories easy to read and pleasant but i felt that for me they lacked the spark of Anitas other stories whch always got five stars

Often quite difficult to begin with, these three stories somehow manage to get right inside your imagination.Potent, lucid, detailed, deeply human. Each left me feeling deeply satisfied, and sometimes a bit sad.The world of the stories seemed all too real.

Love Anita Desai

This is the first work of the author I have read and perhaps I made a poor choice. The best metaphor that strikes me is the description of western cakes, (by one of my more travelled friends), namely: light, fluffy and mildly flavoured; unlike Indian cakes which tend to be heavier (mostly) and relatively strongly flavoured as well as much sweeter. This book strikes me as being like a western cake, i.e. not much plot or even progression from beginning to end. On the other hand, the language is distinct and the author does make some pointed observations.There are what appear to be a couple of false notes too – in the first story there is a marriage (arranged apparently), but from the family names given, (Sinha & Mukherjee, and based on my admittedly limited knowedge), these appear to be two different castes in Bengal; also a bride of 13 and a groom of 60?Then in the second story it is implied (by the description of the journey) that oriya is spoken only in some obscure region, whereas it is actually the language of the state of Orissa which has a population of over 33 million. (Added on 02/09/2016: The second story apparently has some similarity to an incident in Isabel Allende's life, when she worked as a translator.)However, IMO, the third story, while also slightly outlandish, appears to hang together a little better.

Anita Desai is a born artist and she paints every scene with many delicate touches with the underlying humour which has me rolling on the floor with laughter. I don't think the book cover did justice to the novellas.