Sunday 25 September 2011

More Comments on Charles Johnson: Embracing the World

Dear Nibir:
 
I just wanted you to know that I just received my copy of Charles Johnson: Embracing the World. That condensed biography is phenomenal. What would the non-condensed version look like?  The text is multifaceted, rich, and global. I like the subtitle; it speaks to Chuck's cosmopolitan sensibilities, his complex identity, and the universal thrust of his ideas, narratives, and motifs captured in his philosophical fiction. The fact that there are so many genres of writing within the text is evidence enough of the plural and inexhaustible style of Chuck. Of course, his work is also deeply pragmatic, but by no means ad hoc. He is a principled writer, ethically and stylistically. His work is indeed an attempt to embrace the world and thereby militates against myopia, sectarianism and unnecessary tribal perspectives. There is something in his writing that paradoxically captures with great precision that space of the human as expressed within the mundane of everyday life. Yet, his work has a vertical axis that never forgets the mystery of human existence. I think that he is motivated from both places, fully grounded and yet transcendent. He is able to touch our emotions in their raw and ever evolving states and yet capture something of the universal human spirit that is always already deferred, postponed. Perhaps this dynamic of deferral is due to the multiple manners-of-given-ness of human reality. Human reality is a process that is inexhaustible, something that stays just beyond the reach of the writer's pen. It teases, showing us exhilarating flashes. Yet, it remains ultimately concealed, one more step ahead.   
Thanks for putting this together and for including my voice within it.
 
best, george                                       
Dr. George Yancy is Associate Professor of Philosophy & Coordinator of the Critical Race Theory Speaker Series at Duquesne University, USA.

Friday 2 September 2011

Re-Markings Celebrates Ten Years, 20th issue: Some More Comments

Dear Nibir,
I have now had the chance to read your editorial, which is something I read first, have always admired reading, and look forward to reading when a copy arrives. This time I was amply rewarded - thanks for it. I just hope readers get to read my poem too - in context. Let me know if you get any feedback on the poem. Poetry is such a marginalized activity these days that it is really wonderful of you to continue to support it...
 
I also really liked your conversation with Jonah Raskin. He is clearly a kindred soul - and you asked interesting questions too. The various comments made about you/ Re-Markings were also fascinating. S Ramaswamy's remarks and Omkar Sane's piece were wonderful - in their own ways.
 
Jayanta's poems I liked too, and look forward to reading more of the articles in your excellent tenth anniversary issue. All good wishes, Shanta Acharya: Dr. Shanta Acharya lives in London. Her study, The Influence of Indian Thought on Ralph Waldo Emerson, was published by The Edwin Mellen Press, USA. Her latest poetry collection, her fifth, is Dreams That Spell the Light (Arc Publications, UK; 2010). She has published over 300 poems in major publications in the U.K., U.S.A., and India.


Dear Nibir,
Thanks for sending me a link to all these well-deserved tributes to Re-Markings and to you as editor. I wish you many more years of success and productivity. All the best, Morris: Professor Morris Dickstein is a literary and cultural critic and Distinguished Professor of English at the City University of New York.

Thanks, Nibir and many congratulations! I agree wholeheartedly with Johnson's articulations of              Re-Markings’ remarkableness. Thanks, Jonathan Little: Chairman, Dept. of English, Alverno College, Milwaukee, U.S.A.

Dear Dr. Ghosh,
I came to know of your journal through a website of the professors of English in Delhi University. Surprising that a journal of such merit and long standing is not known to most of us here. It is indeed a matter of great achievement to bring out a journal of this calibre for ten long years, twice a year. I shall be happy to subscribe to it from now on. Do let me know the subscription and how to go about it. Prof. Sushil Gupta, Delhi University

Congratulations Sir! In this era of internet, where reading habits are more or less extinct, the success of this journal brings cool breeze. Credit for this goes to you, contributors & subscribers. Wishing you more successful decades ahead- Akhil: Dr. Akhil Kr. Singh, M.D.

Dear Nibir,
Congratulations to you and the entire team of Re-Markings for completing a Decade of Publication. I am extremely lucky to be your friend and take pleasure in the fact that you too consider me worthy of your friendship. I had absolutely no doubt whatsoever that under your stewardship Re-Markings will progress by leaps and bounds and would celebrate the Golden Jubilee also. I wish you all and Re-Markings a great future and grand success. Once again Heartiest Congratulations!! -- Professor Padmakar Pande, RTM Nagpur University, Nagpur.

Sir,
It’s truly great. I feel blessed and elated on being your research scholar. May God bless you with many more achievements! I pray for your good health and success. Deep regards – Supriya Bhandari, Moga

Dear Nibir, 
Thank you for sending me the recent tributes.  I am glad to be associated with Re-Markings and glad that Wystan is one of the people that Re-Markings admires. All good wishes for your Tenth Anniversary and a continued journey into another decade. – Anita Money (W.H. Auden’s Niece), London

Dear Dr. Ghosh,
This is a wonderful posting.  I was delighted to see it.  Please accept my heartiest congratulations on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the establishment of  Re-Markings.  This is an exceptional accomplishment indeed.   And please convey my and Joana's best wishes to Sunita-ji.  We both hope that the two of you and doing well. With warmest regards, Michael: Professor Michael Shapiro, Dept. of South Indian Language & Literature, University of Washington, Seattle, USA.

Dear Nibir,
Thanks for letting me know about the publication of the new Re-Markings. Congratulations on this anniversary! --Sharyn Skeeter, University of Bridgeport, U.S.A.

Dear Dr. Ghosh,
Congratulations! I think you deserve all the praise showered on you by all the reviewers and more. Thank you for sharing this with me. May God give you the strength to carry on for years to come. – Dr. Nafeesa Fathima Moinuddin, Fulbright Scholar 2002-03, University of Arizona, Tucson, U.S.A.

Dear Sir,
The comments from erudite scholars and exemplary critics kept me mesmerised for almost two hours. I would be over reaching myself in even trying to add a syllable to all the well deserved praise for Re-Markings and its chief editor. All I can say is - I concur with "what oft was thought but never so well expressed"! I am positive that there will be many many more anniversaries and every issue will be as good (if not better) than its previous one. May you continue to contribute meaningfully to our discipline. Congratulations to you and your committed team. - Regards, Neelanjana Pathak, Jabalpur

Respected Sir,
Thanks for providing the link. It is indeed an honour to be your acquaintance.
With warm regards, Suruchi Kalra, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra

Dear Dr. Ghosh
I have received the September issue of Re-Markings.To sustain publishing a standard academic journal for ten years is indeed  great and I believe, as Jonah Raskin does, that "much of the success of Re-Markings is due to the vision, dedication and courage" of Nibir Ghosh.The most interesting piece in this issue, as all readers would surely agree, is "How Nibir Ghosh Lost His Hair" !
I am sure Re-Markings will continue to serve the academic community of India for many more years to come.
Regards. J.N.Patnaik: Professor Emeritus, Ravenshaw University, Orissa


Dear Sir,
I received the latest issue of Re-Markings a  few days back. I am really glad to see that your journal has completed ten years of existence and you really deserve applaud for the successful run of the journal. The latest issue is again very interesting with a wide variety of articles. I particularly enjoyed your interview of Jonah Ruskin, How Nibir Ghosh Lost Hair and poems by Jayant Mahapatra. 

My heartiest congratulations to Re-Markings  and best wishes for future. Regards, Dr. Jaya Tripathi,I TS Engineering College, Gr. Noida.

Dear Sir,
I got the September issue of Remarkings. I congratulate you for completing
ten years of this wonderful journey. Sir, quite seriously I compared Re-Markings with some other journals published in India and I found most of them wanting in one way or the other.
I wish Re-Markings achieve new heights under your able guidance. --Jamsheed Ahmed, Department of English, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh.