Reading and Thinking: Miguel de Cervantes' 'Don Quixote' — The First Modern Novel! — V. N. Giritaran

The first modern novel, considered a cornerstone of modern literary fiction, is the famous Spanish novel Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, written in the 17th century. The novel, consisting of two parts, has been translated into Tamil under the title Daan Kuyiksaat and published by Nattrinai Publications. The novel was beautifully translated by Professor Siva Murugesan.
 

Don Quixote is one of the most fascinating and unforgettable protagonists in literary history. The novel narrates his adventurous journey.

The story goes like this: Don Quixote is an avid reader, especially of chivalric tales filled with heroic deeds and daring adventures. Due to his obsession with these stories, he begins to imagine himself as a knight-errant, believing it is his mission to save the world. Blurring the line between fantasy and reality, he perceives his imaginary world as the real one.

Poem: A Walk Through Corona - Wrapped Night By V.N.Giritharan. English by Dr.K.S.Subramanian.

One of my Tamil poems 'Corona Suuz IravonRil Nagarvalam' ' was published in the e-magazine 'W&W (wordsandworldsmagazine)'. It was translated into English by Dr.K.S.Subramanian under the title " A Walk Through Corona - Wrapped Night " This poem is included in the poetry collection Lockdown Lyrics, compiled by Dr.K.S.Subramanian. 

That English translation has been turned into a podcast using Google NotebookLM. 

Please listen to it. In this audio file, both speakers discussing my poem are artificial intelligence critics. They read the English translation of my poem and share their opinions. I was truly amazed upon hearing it. Listen to it, and you will surely be amazed too. This podcast demonstrates that artificial intelligence can be used creatively and can be beneficial to humanity. 

The English translation of my poem 'Corona Suuz IravonRil Nagarvalam' – https://www.wordsandworldsmagazine.com/archive-1/spring-issue-fr%C3%BChling-ausgabe-2021/navaratnam-giritharan/

Short story: An End and a Beginning by V.N.Giritharan & English translation by Latha Ramakrishnan

One of my Tamil short stories, Oru Mudivum Vidivum, was published in the Tamil magazines Thayagam (Canada) and the e-magazine Pathivukal.com. It was translated into English by author Latha Ramakrishnan under the title 'An End and a Beginning'. This English translation has been turned into a podcast using Google NotebookLM.

Please listen to it. In this audio file, both speakers discussing my short story are artificial intelligence critics. They read the English translation of my story and share their opinions.

I was truly amazed upon hearing it. Listen to it, and you will surely be amazed too. This podcast demonstrates that artificial intelligence can be used creatively and beneficially for humanity.

The English translation of my short story, 'An End and a Beginning' – https://vngiritharan23.wordpress.com/2013/03/29/short-story-an-end-and-a-beginning-v-n-giritharan-translation-by-latha-ramakrishnan/

Poem: Next to Camels by V.N.Giritharan | English translation by Latha Ramakrishnan

https://www.youtube.com/@V.N.GiritharanPodcast

A podcast created using artificial technology.

One of my Tamil poems, 'Ottakangkal'  was published in the Tamil e- magazines Pathivukal.Com.  It was translated into English by author Latha Ramakrishnan under the  title 'Next to Camels. That English translation has been turned into a podcast using Google NotebookLM.

Please listen to it. In this audio file, both speakers discussing my poem are artificial intelligence critics. They read the English translation of my poem and share their opinions.

I was truly amazed upon hearing it. Listen to it, and you will surely be amazed too.  This podcast demonstrates that artificial intelligence can be used creatively and can be beneficial to humanity.

The English translation of my poem 'Next to Camels' –  https://vngiritharan23.wordpress.com/2021/05/24/poem-by-v-n-giritharan-translated-into-english-by-latha-ramakrishnan/

Novel: An Immigrant by V.N.Giritharan & English translation by Latha Ramakrishnan

One of my Tamil novels, 'Kudivaravalan' (An Immigrant) was published in the Tamil e- magazines Pathivukal and Thinnai. It was translated into English by author Latha Ramakrishnan under the title 'An Immigrant'. 

That English translation has been turned into a podcast using Google NotebookLM.

Please listen to it. In this audio file, both speakers discussing my novel are artificial intelligence critics. They read the English translation of my novel and share their opinions. I was truly amazed upon hearing it. Listen to it, and you will surely be amazed too. 

This podcast demonstrates that artificial intelligence can be used creatively and can be beneficial to humanity. https://vngiritharan23.wordpress.com/2023/08/01/novel-an-immigrant-by-v-n-giritharan-translation-by-latha-ramakrishnan-proofread-edited-by-thamayanthi-giritharan/#more-396

Novel: America by V.N.Giritharan & English translation by Latha Ramakrishnan

One of my Tamil novels, "America" , was published in the Tamil newspaper Thayagam in Canada. It was translated into English by author Latha Ramakrishnan under the title "America." 

That English translation has been turned into a podcast using Google NotebookLM. 

Please listen to it. In this audio file, both speakers discussing my novel are artificial intelligence critics. They read the English translation of my novel and share their opinions. I was truly amazed upon hearing it. Listen to it, and you will surely be amazed too. 

This podcast demonstrates that artificial intelligence can be used creatively and can be beneficial to humanity. To read the novel - https://vngiritharan23.wordpress.com/category/novels/page/2/

Poem- Oh, Super Human! Where have you concealed yourself? by V.N.Giritharan; Translation in English Dr. R. Dharani –

One of my Tamil poems 'Eluga Athimanuda' was published in the Tamil magazine Thayagam published in Toronto, Canada. It's also published in the Tamil e-magazines 'Pathivukal' and 'Thinnai'. It was translated into English by Dr. R. Dharani under the title "Oh, Super Human! Where have you concealed yourself?" and published in the e-magazine 'W&W (wordsandworldsmagazine)'.

That English translation has been turned into a podcast using Google NotebookLM.

Please listen to it. In this audio file, both speakers discussing my poem are artificial intelligence critics. They read the English translation of my poem and share their opinions.

I was truly amazed upon hearing it. Listen to it, and you will surely be amazed too.  This podcast demonstrates that artificial intelligence can be used creatively and can be beneficial to humanity.

The English translation of my poem 'Enge  Athimanuda' –  https://www.wordsandworldsmagazine.com/archive-1/winter-issue-2024-winter-ausgabe-2024/navaratnam-giritharan/

Novel: An Immigrant by V.N.Giritharan

 

One of my Tamil novels, 'Kudivaravalan' (An Immigrant) was published in the Tamil e- magazines Pathivukal and Thinnai. It was translated into English by author Latha Ramakrishnan under the title 'An Immigrant'. That English translation has been turned into a podcast using Google NotebookLM.

 

Please listen to it. In this audio file, both speakers discussing my novel are artificial intelligence critics. They read the English translation of my novel and share their opinions.

 

I was truly amazed upon hearing it. Listen to it, and you will surely be amazed too. This podcast demonstrates that artificial intelligence can be used creatively and can be beneficial to humanity.

 

https://archive.org/details/novel-an-immigrant-by-v.-n.-giritharan

 

The English translation of my novel 'An Immigrant' – https://archive.org/details/an-immigrant-revised-1_202411

Novel: America by V.N.Giritharan | Translation by Latha Ramakrishnan

One of my Tamil novels, "America" , was published in the Tamil newspaper Thayagam in Canada. It was translated into English by author Latha Ramakrishnan under the title "America."

That English translation has been turned into a podcast using Google NotebookLM.

 

Please listen to it. In this audio file, both speakers discussing my novel are artificial intelligence critics. They read the English translation of my novel and share their opinions.

 

I was truly amazed upon hearing it. Listen to it, and you will surely be amazed too. 

 

This podcast demonstrates that artificial intelligence can be used creatively and can be beneficial to humanity.

 

https://archive.org/details/novel-america-by-v.-n.-giritharan 

 

To read the novel - https://archive.org/details/america-revised-7

Short story: Manhole by V.N.Giritharan

One of my short stories, "Manhole," was published in the Tamil magazine Thedal, published in Toronto, Canada. It was translated into English by author Latha Ramakrishnan under the title "Manhole."

That English translation has been turned into a podcast using Google NotebookLM.

Please listen to it. In this audio file, both speakers discussing my story are artificial intelligence critics. They read the English translation of my story and share their opinions.

I was truly amazed upon hearing it. Listen to it, and you will surely be amazed too.  This podcast demonstrates that artificial intelligence can be used creatively and can be beneficial to humanity.

The English translation of my nove 'Manhole' –  https://vngiritharan23.wordpress.com/2013/03/29/manhole-v-n-giritharan-translation-by-latha-ramakrishnan/

Short Story: Husband By V.N.Giritharan (Translation by Latha Ramakrishnan)

One of my Tamil short stories, "Kanavanl" (meaning "Husband"), was published in the Tamil newspaper Thayagam in Canada. It was translated into English by author Latha Ramakrishnan under the title "Husband."

That English translation has been turned into a podcast using Google NotebookLM.

Please listen to it. In this audio file, both speakers discussing my story are artificial intelligence critics. They read the English translation of my story and share their opinions.

I was truly amazed upon hearing it. Listen to it, and you will surely be amazed too. 

This podcast demonstrates that artificial intelligence can be used creatively and can be beneficial to humanity.

The English translation of my short story  'Husband' – https://vngiritharan23.wordpress.com/2013/03/29/short-story-husband-by-v-n-giritharan-english-translation-from-tamil-by-latha-ramakrishnan/

Short Story: Mice by V.N.Giritharan (Translation by Latha Ramakrishnan)

One of my Tamil short stories, 'Sundelikal' was published in the newspaper “Thayagam, A Tamil News Paper, ” in Canada.It was translated into Englsih by author Latha Ramakrishnan under the title “Mice.”

That English translation has been turned into a podcast using Google NotebookLM.

Please listen to it. In this audio file, both speakers discussing my story are artificial intelligence critics. They read the English translation of my story and share their opinions.

I was truly amazed upon hearing it. Listen to it, and you will surely be amazed too. 

This podcast demonstrates that artificial intelligence can be used creatively and be beneficial to humanity.

The English translation of my short story  'Mice' – https://vngiritharan23.wordpress.com/2013/03/29/short-story-mice-by-v-n-giritharan-english-translation-from-tamil-by-latha-ramakrishnan/

America : A novel about a Sri Lankan Tamil refugee's detention center experience in New York. Kindle Edition by V.N. Giritharan

This story recounts the experience of a Sri Lankan Tamil refugee in the detention center in Brooklyn, New York. Ilango, a Sri Lankan Tamil refugee, fled Sri Lanka after the country's worst communal riots, known as Black July '83, to seek refuge in Canada. On his way, he was stranded in New York and ended up in the detention center.

This short novel vividly describes his experience there. It was first published as a serial in Thayagam, a Canadian Tamil newspaper, and later published by Sneha Publishers in Tamil Nadu, India, and Magudam Publishers in Sri Lanka.

This English translation was done by the well-known writer and translator Latha Ramakrishnan.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DP5K7RP4

An Immigrant : A Novel of a Sri Lankan Tamil Refugee's Survival in New York Kindle Edition by V.N. Giritharan

 

This novel describes a Sri Lankan Tamil refugee's survival in New York. Ilango, a Tamil refugee, fled Sri Lanka after the worst communal riots, known as Black July '83, to seek refuge in Canada. On the way, he was stranded in America. Initially, he was detained at the Brooklyn Detention Center in New York.

The writer, V. N. Giritharan, wrote a short novel, America, which described Ilango's detention ordeal. After his release from the detention center, he stayed in New York before eventually moving to Canada.

This novel portrays his struggle for survival in New York and is considered a sequel to America, his first novel.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DP5G8DTS

Was Hitler Another Dr. Faustus? By A.N.Kanthasamy

The late A.N. KANTHASAMY was a writer with proficiency in both Tamil and English. He is considered one of the pioneers of Sri Lanka's progressive Tamil literature.

He was multi-talented in literature, and his contributions to the novel, short story, drama, poetry, and literary criticism are significant. His English writing cannot be ignored either.

Though his life was short (1924 - 1968), his literary contributions were immense. He was also a social and political activist. The essay 'Was Hitler Another Dr. Faustus?' appeared in Tribune (an English magazine published monthly in Sri Lanka) in the September 1965 issue.

Goodbye Scarborough Chapters!

Book stores and libraries are my temples. It's sad to see Chapters' Scarborough branch, located in Kennedy Commons shopping mall, closing its doors on January 27th. This store has been with us for many years. My daughters and I have been using it since their childhoods. For them, it's very special, carrying lots of memorable moments. I bought all of my favorite astro-physics books written by my favorite authors Stephen Hawking, Michio Kaku, and Brian Greene here. I bought many fictional books, including my favorite novels by Fyodor Dostoevsky such as 'Brothers Karamazov,' 'Crime and Punishment,' 'The Idiot,' and Tolstoy's 'Resurrection,' among many more classics.

One of the features I like the most about Chapters is their reading facilities for their customers. Anyone visiting to buy books can also enjoy reading using their chairs. In that sense, it serves as both a bookstore and library. While I was shopping, I enjoyed reading many books to select and see their literary value.

Bharathiyar: A Great Tamil, Indian poet!

Bharathiyar, known as 'Maha Kavi Bharathiyar,' is a revered Tamil and Indian poet. 'Maha' means great in Tamil. Among Tamil writers, he is my personal favorite. Despite his short life, his literary achievements were incredibly impressive. Not only was he a prolific poet, but he also played a crucial role as a social and political activist. During the British rule, he ardently fought against their dominion, making him a notable freedom fighter in India's nationalistic struggle.

I appreciate his writings for the following reasons: his thoughts, as expressed in his writings, were not narrow-minded. He contemplated the social and political perils facing his society, the nationalistic struggle of his country, and the class differences prevalent in Indian society. When considering his country's national struggle, he also envisioned a classless society within India. Simultaneously, he extended his thoughts to encompass the planet we inhabit, the fellow creatures that coexist with us, and the nature.

On Canadian Tamil Literature!

Diaspora Tamil literature is a common term denoting the literature of expatriate Tamils. Tamil people live worldwide in many countries, including Western countries. Most of them migrated to other countries after the communal riots that happened in 1983, which is generally known as 'Black July '83.' Now, more than thirty years have passed since they left. During this time, the diaspora literature of Tamils has achieved many milestones in various literary forms such as short stories, poems, dramas, novels, and non-fiction.

The common, general term 'diaspora literature' for the Tamil people is no longer needed, as the literature of the Tamil diaspora has matured in the soil where they live. Since countries differ in terms of their culture, language, economy, and politics, the literature produced in each country also varies based on these factors. Therefore, the general term 'diaspora literature' for Tamil people does not accurately depict the true nature of Tamil diaspora literature.

Many critics have already begun to use terms like Canadian Tamil Literature, British Tamil Literature, Australian Tamil Literature, French Tamil Literature, and so on. This is the right way to approach this matter.

In this context, it is better to explore some aspects of Canadian Tamil Literature. The views expressed here on this topic won't be detailed or researched but will serve as examples to initiate the discussion.

Unforgettable Canadian Experience!

One night in the mid-nineties, I was walking along Richmond Street West towards University Avenue. As I passed the Hilton Hotel, I encountered a panhandler. He stood out from the regular panhandlers, wearing a worn-out coat and pants – a rich-to-rag figure. Politely, he asked for money, and I gave him a toonie, a Canadian two-dollar coin. Grateful, he handed me two quarters and suggested I give them to my daughter, assuring me she could use them to call me when needed.

In that instant, he became a unique and mysterious figure. Intrigued, I decided to engage in a short conversation with him. I noticed he carried a plastic container with 'Clarke for Mayor' written on its surface. Surprisingly, he shared that he was running for Toronto Mayor. He also  told me that he was running to champion people's rights. His revelation astonished me, given the media's portrayal of homeless individuals often dealing with mental illness.

My New York Experience and the Memory of a Street Artist!

This portrait of me was drawn by a street artist in the early eighties in New York. I don't know his name, but I still keep this drawing as a souvenir of that time. It's a pencil drawing, and surprisingly, it's still in good shape. Amazing!