Chha'ti Galpa by Smaranjit Chakraborty [Hardcover]

"A novel that is described through six separate stories. Set in a suburban town in the 1980s, it features six characters, each with their own self-contained stories that collectively depict a complete novel, showcasing a lost era. The novel comprises the distinct tales of Bullet, a social deviant; Archana, a housewife; Manu, who has served jail time; Lala, involved in social service; Beauty, an exquisite yet melancholic beauty; and Nitai, a rickshaw puller. It also includes Hari Baul, the Happy Prince, and Raja, a football-crazy boy. A bank robbery and a murder have a remarkable impact on everyone's lives. The stories of their struggles for survival become interwoven, and they gradually become part of each other's lives. The narrative progresses towards a climactic resolution involving crime, business tension, attempts to rebuild after jail, and marital conflicts. Amidst all this, love quietly persists.

The ‘six stories’ and their six characters are like six seasons, each unique yet telling a unified tale of existence, the resilience of defeated people, and the healing power of love."