In the book the Humble Administrator`s Garden` the writer illustrates the people, culture and tradition of China amidst his lyrical syntaxes. The Humble Administrator`s Garden is one of the four great Chinese gardens nestled at Sozhou, China. Vikram Seth with his distinct style portrays the diverse essence of China; hence the title well justifies the content of the book.
The world famous writer and poet Vikram Seth was born in Kolkata, India. Vikram Seth was able to keeps his readers focused and engaged. Till date Vikram Seth has published 6 books of poetry and 3 novels. In 1986, Vikram Seth wrote his first creation a verse novel `The Golden Gate`. It was a great success. The publication of `A Suitable Boy`, the huge volume mega novel prompted Seth into the public limelight. `A suitable boy` won the W. H. Smith prize in 1993. Vikram Seth has written some very fine poems also. Among his poems The Humble Administrator`s Garden (1985) won the commonwealth Writer`s prize. He got his early education at the Doon school. Seth left India to study at Oxford University, where he earned a degree in philosophy, politics, and economics. He further enrolled at the Stanford University, intending to get a PhD in Economics, but never completed his study. During the period from 1980-1982, Vikram Seth studied classical Chinese poetry at Nanjing University, China. Vikram Seth has traveled widely and lived in Britain, California, India and China.
Synopsis
The collection of poems `The Humble Administrator`s Garden` contains some beautiful pieces of lyrical poetry. The poems centers on Seth`s life in India and his experiences as a student at Oxford, Nanjing, and Stanford as well. The imagination is mostly simple and direct, but still with that aura of magic it becomes the best of lyric poetry. It is sometimes witty, sometimes pictorial as well as narrative. All the pieces are very much elegant. The language is cleverly worked informal. Whether it is the delicate mixture of pastoral imagery and social comedy of `The Tarrying Garden` or the exquisite tale telling of `Curious Mishaps`, his touch never fails him. Here the author manages to capture the different essences of china, India, and States with his words, transporting the reader through the lives and situations he describes.
Being published by Viking, Oxford U. Press, and Carcanet Press `The Humble Administrator`s Garden` is a collection of poems that won the commonwealth prize.
The Humble Administrator`s Garden is a unique collection by Vikram Seth where he depicts the lives and situations of different personalities in China, India and other places. The author is a prolific writer and in all of his poems that collectively form the books this essence is very much prominent.
