SOCIAL SCIENCES

A Matter of Rats: A Short Biography of Patna

by Amitava Kumar
Duke Univ. Apr. 2014. 144p. notes. index. ISBN 9780822357049. $19.95. TRAV
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Covering the time span of July 2012 thru May 2013, filmmaker, journalist, novelist, and poet Kumar (Helen D. Lockwood Professor of English, Vassar Coll.) discusses his hometown of Patna, India, "in the belief that Patna would be of interest to anyone." When seen through the eyes of Kumar, the city is unique and common, familiar and strange, once glorious but now dying and decaying. The reader sees little glimpses of the city's people, places, history, literature, and gossip, as Kumar travels, talks, and remembers. If you are concerned or wondering about the rats mentioned in the title, fear not; in Patna they live in libraries and museums, carry off ladies' dentures, and are known to taste better than chicken!
VERDICT This new look at an ancient city transports readers on a fun journey. Lovers of travel writing, Indian history, and fans of literature will greatly enjoy this short book and wonder why Kumar did not write a slightly longer biography of Patna.
Reviewed by Melissa Aho, Univ. of Minnesota Bio-Medical Lib., Minneapolis , Feb 15, 2014
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