The Old Prostitute and Other Stories

The stories of this collection were written over a span of several decades beginning in 1985 and ending in 2022. A few of them were translated by Manisha Roy from her mother tongue, Bengali. Despite the geographical and other contextual differences, the narrative shifted and at times translated itself as if the author traveled easily between different landscapes-both external and internal.

   Roy's academic training as a cultural anthropologist and later professional training in Analytical Psychology no doubt left undeniable influence in her wandering in the fascinating world of fictional imagination.  

     Nearly half of the stories are short-an experiment attempted with the genre of flash fiction. However, the strength and charm of the narrative are not affected by the choice of the experiment. Like her translation Roy is able to transcend such structural issues of creating fiction.

Readers will find reading these stories a new and unique experience.



Table of Contents

Mother Country

The Old Prostitute 

The Mystery of the Göta Canal 

Illegal Immigrant 

A Wedding Gift 

Returning Home 

Family

Looking for My Father 

My Mother 

The Betel Quid 

Stalemate 

Madeleine 

The Yellow Nursery 

Foible

Passion 

A Day of a Therapist's Practice 

Martinis and Chocolate Mousse 

Alone

Sherry's Challenge 

Saturday Evening 

A Break 

The Swimmer of Colombo 

The Ideal Partner in the Nineteen-seventies 

Spilled Coffee 

Hunger Strike 

The Wristwatch 

The Wheelchair