{"product_id":"smell","title":"Smell by Radhika Jha","description":"\u003ch3 data-start=\"44\" data-end=\"75\"\u003eBook Summary –\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"76\" data-end=\"152\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"\u003e\u003cem data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"11\" data-is-only-node=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1\" data-end=\"10\" data-is-only-node=\"\"\u003eSmell\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e (1999) is a haunting coming-of-age novel centered on \u003cstrong data-start=\"65\" data-end=\"80\"\u003eLeela Patel\u003c\/strong\u003e, a young Gujarati-Kenyan woman whose life is upended when her father dies in a Nairobi riot. Sent alone to Paris, she grapples with isolation, cultural dislocation, and the sting of abandonment. In this alien landscape, Leela discovers she has an extraordinary, hyper-sensitive sense of smell—a gift that initially helps her thrive in culinary and social spheres but soon becomes a source of torment. The shifting tapestry of Parisian life—its food, its people, even its sewers—is recounted through her olfactory lens. As Leela drifts through exploitative relationships and identity crises, she becomes increasingly haunted by a “dark, feral smell” that symbolizes her shame and inner turmoil. Jha’s lyrical writing immerses readers in this sensory world, but Leela’s inability to fully reclaim her identity leaves a bittersweet, introspective tone at the novel’s close\u003c\/span\u003e .\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-start=\"159\" data-end=\"198\"\u003eAbout the Author –\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"199\" data-end=\"429\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"\u003eRadhika Jha (b. 1970 in New Delhi) is an acclaimed Indian novelist, Odissi dancer, and former journalist. She studied anthropology at Amherst College, completed a master’s in political science at the University of Chicago, and spent time as an exchange student in Paris\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"ms-1 inline-flex max-w-full items-center relative top-[-0.094rem] animate-[show_150ms_ease-in]\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/harpercollins.co.in\/author-details\/radhika-jha\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" rel=\"noopener\" alt=\"https:\/\/harpercollins.co.in\/author-details\/radhika-jha\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\" class=\"flex h-4.5 overflow-hidden rounded-xl px-2 text-[9px] font-medium text-token-text-secondary! bg-[#F4F4F4]! dark:bg-[#303030]! transition-colors duration-150 ease-in-out\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"relative start-0 bottom-0 flex h-full w-full items-center\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"flex h-4 w-full items-center justify-between absolute\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"max-w-full grow truncate overflow-hidden text-center\"\u003ep\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e. \u003cspan class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"\u003eAfter working for the \u003cem data-start=\"22\" data-end=\"39\"\u003eHindustan Times\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem data-start=\"41\" data-end=\"56\"\u003eBusinessworld\u003c\/em\u003e, and the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, Jha published her debut novel, \u003cem data-start=\"122\" data-end=\"129\"\u003eSmell\u003c\/em\u003e, in 1999—winning France’s Prix Guerlain in 2002\u003c\/span\u003e. \u003cspan class=\"relative -mx-px my-[-0.2rem] rounded px-px py-[0.2rem] transition-colors duration-100 ease-in-out\"\u003eShe’s since authored \u003cem data-start=\"21\" data-end=\"50\"\u003eThe Elephant and the Maruti\u003c\/em\u003e (2003), \u003cem data-start=\"59\" data-end=\"84\"\u003eLanterns on Their Horns\u003c\/em\u003e (2009), \u003cem data-start=\"93\" data-end=\"114\"\u003eMy Beautiful Shadow\u003c\/em\u003e (2014), and more. Having lived in Tokyo, Beijing, and presently alternating between Athens and New York, Jha brings a richly international perspective to her writing\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"436\" data-end=\"710\"\u003eTogether, \u003cstrong data-start=\"446\" data-end=\"457\"\u003e\u003cem data-start=\"448\" data-end=\"455\"\u003eSmell\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e and its author offer a unique, sensory-driven narrative that probes identity, diaspora, and the discomfort of being untethered in foreign worlds.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Best of used books","offers":[{"title":"Used","offer_id":44274079695105,"sku":"2S1TW0C1T-Used","price":150.0,"currency_code":"INR","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0421\/4299\/0495\/products\/Smell.jpg?v=1663226964","url":"https:\/\/bestofusedbooks.com\/products\/smell","provider":"Best Of Used Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}