SynopsisSUMMARY
In 2012, Jerry Pinto published his debut novel, Em and the Big Hoom, which drew upon his experience of living with a mother who was bipolar. It touched thousands of readers, among them many who also had a loved one afflicted with a mental illness or infirmity. Some of these readers shared their stories with Jerry, and agreed to share them with the world. A Book of Light collects these harrowing yet moving, even empowering, stories—about the fragility and immense strength of the human mind; the bleakness and unexpected grace of life; the terror and majesty of love. It has now become a book that many people with psychological challenges, and their friends and family, turn to for insight and solace—and to feel less invisible and alone.
PRAISE
‘The shameful thing that we usually keep in darkness becomes the light-bearer here. The tone of the narrators, in response to mental illness in the family, ranges from wistful, guilt-laced elegy…to half-comic catharsis…Even when the comedy is black, it sheds a cheery light.’—The Indian Express
‘The narrators of these pieces…tell you how an “abnormality” can complicate relationships and plant the seeds of both love and hate. They shock you with confessions that are rarely spoken out loud. It takes courage to write these stories.’—Hindustan Times
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Binding: PaperBack
About the author
Jerry Pinto (born 1966) is a Mumbai-based Indian writer of poetry, prose and children's fiction, as well as a journalist. Pinto writes in English, and his works include, Helen: The Life and Times of an H-Bomb (2006) which won the Best Book on Cinema Award at the 54th National Film Awards, Surviving Women (2000) and Asylum and Other Poems (2003). His first novel Em and The Big Hoom was published in 2012.Pinto won the Windham-Campbell prize in 2016 for his fiction.He is awarded with sahitya akademi award 2016 for novel Em and The Big Hoom
Jerry Pinto is a Roman Catholic of Goan origin, and grew up in Mahim Mumbai,later he received a liberal arts degree from Elphinstone College, University of Mumbai, and a law degree from Government Law College, Mumbai.
His 2006 book about actress Helen Jairag Richardson titled The Life and Times of an H-Bomb,went on to win the National Film Award for Best Book on Cinema in 2007.
His collection of poems, Asylum and Other Poems appeared in 2003. He has also co-edited Confronting Love (2005), a book of contemporary Indian love poetry in English. He returned to magazine journalism as a Consulting Editor at Man's World magazine.Later, he joined Paprika Media (the publishing house that brings out Time Out Mumbai and Time Out Delhi) to edit their special projects. He is now a free lance journalist, writing articles for the Hindustan Times and Live Mint newspapers, as well as The Man and MW
In 2009, he coauthored Leela: A Portrait with Leela Naidu, a semi-biographical book of anecdotes and photos from Leela Naidu's life. Leela Naidu was continuously listed as one of top ten or top five most beautiful women in the world in the 50's and 60's by magazines like Vogue.
His first novel, Em and the Big Hoom, was published in 2012, and won The Hindu Literary Prize that year. It was also shortlisted for the Commonwealth Book Prize.