For Max

Thought that this may be of some interest to you:

http://permanent-black.blogspot.in/2011/12/blog-post.html

Excerpt:

"...The first Indian language book ever to be printed was in Tamil, in 1577. After many fits and starts and some spectacular achievements, print and the culture of book publishing became well-recognized facets of Tamil society during the late colonial period. The Province of the Book explores the wonderful world of scholarly and subaltern publishing—especially popular fiction and street literature—in its heyday..."




New Book:
The Province Of The Book
by A. R. Venakatachalapathy
Publisher: Permanent Black (2011)

Book Summary:

The first Indian language book ever to be printed was in Tamil, in 1577. After many fits and starts and some spectacular achievements, print and the culture of book publishing became well-recognized facets of Tamil society during the late colonial period. The Province of the Book explores the wonderful world of scholarly and subaltern publishing—especially popular fiction and street literature—in its heyday.

The basis of Tamil book publishing was, to begin with, the patronage of writers by the local nobility and affluent Hindu monastic orders. Such patronage was eroded by the socio-economic transformations which came with colonialism. During the period of transition which resulted, attempts were made to create a market for Tamil books, with local writers not knowing where to turn for a living. It was only with the rise of the novel and a reading middle class—including young women and housewives—which finally broke the stranglehold of patronage, allowing Tamil publishing to grow into the market venture that it is today.

This is a brilliant and pioneering work which reconstructs a universe hitherto unknown— the world of the Tamil book. It shows famous and unknown authors at work, the religious literati with its cortège of students, radical nationalist poets such as Subramania Bharati rousing the masses and being crushed in the process, humble scribblers eking out a livelihood writing bazaar pamphlets, successful scribes compiling anthologies for students and astrological wisdom for the credulous, and the ubiquitous English official surrounding them all—censoring, adjudicating, dictating.

Oops..got busy and can't edit this post..see that I have pasted the same first para- twice.

went through the article real quick. sounds like a very interesting book. i am going to ask my folks to get it for me. thanks for bringing it to my attention.

You are welcome.

Looks like the price is reasonable and is available here (but, some book stores may offer it for less too):

http://www.flipkart.com/province-book-8178243318/p/itmd54zrng4npxta?pid=9788178243313

hey thanks. the place where this guy works is right down the street from my folks. and i know someone who is his colleague! amazing what a small world it is.