Rocks. Goats. Dry shrubs. Buffaloes. Thorns. A fallen tamarind tree. Such were the sights that greeted David Shulman on his arrival in Andhra Pradesh in the spring of 2006. An expert on South Indian languages and cultures, Shulman knew the region well, but from the moment he arrived for this seven-month sojourn he actively soaked up such simple aspects of his surroundings, determined to attend to the rich texture of daily life - choosing to be at the same time scholar and tourist, wanderer and wonderer.Lyrical, sensual, and introspective, "Spring, Heat, Rains" is Shulman's diary of that experience. Evocative reflections on daily events - from explorations of crumbling temples to battles with ineradicable bugs to joyous dinners with friends - are organically interwoven with considerations of the ancient poetry and myths that remain such an inextricable part of life in contemporary India. With Shulman as our guide, we meet singers and poets, washermen and betel-nut vendors, modern literati and ancient gods and goddesses.We marvel at the 'golden electrocution' that is the taste of a mango fresh from the tree. And we plunge into the searing heat of an Indian summer, so oppressive and inescapable that when the monsoon arrives to banish the heat with sheets of rain, we understand why, year after year, it is celebrated as a miracle. An unabashedly personal account from a scholar whose deep knowledge has never obscured his joy in discovery, "Spring, Heat, Rains" is a passionate act of sharing, an unforgettable gift for anyone who has ever dreamed of India.

About the Author
David Shulman is the Renee Lang Professor of Humanistic Studies in the Department of Comparative Religion at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is the author of several books, including Dark Hope: Working for Peace in Israel and Palestine and The Hungry God: Hindu Tales of Filicide and Devotion, both published by the University of Chicago Press.

Reviews
"During what he calls the 'unhappy years' from 2002 to 2006, David Shulman did some of the harder work of his country's peace movement: clashing with police and settlers to deliver food and medical supplies to Palestinian villages. In his excellent record of these years, Dark Hope, Shulman vividly describes the small bands of Palestinians who live in caves in the Hebron Hills." - Emily Bazelon, Slate Best Books of 2007"



Book Information
ISBN 9780226755762
Author David Shulman
Format Hardback
Page Count 254
Imprint University of Chicago Press
Publisher The University of Chicago Press
Weight(grams) 482g
Dimensions(mm) 23mm * 16mm * 2mm