Dalkey Archive Press’s favorite writer of them all. “Myths do not flow through the pipes of history,” writes Viktor Shklovsky, “they change and splinter, they contrast and refute one another. The similar turns out to be dissimilar.” Published in Moscow in 1970 and appearing in English translation for the first time, Bowstring is a seminal work, in which Shklovsky redefines estrangement (ostranenie) as a device of the literary comparatist—the “person out of place,” who has turned up in a period where he does not belong and who must search for meaning with a strained sensibility. As Shklovsky experiments with different genres, employing a technique of textual montage, he mixes autobiography, biography, memoir, history, and literary criticism in a book that boldly refutes mechanical repetition, mediocrity, and cultural parochialism in the name of art that dares to be different and innovative. Bowstring is a brilliant and provocative book that spares no one in its unapologetic project to free art from conventionality.

When John Dkhar arrives at Kaizang Restaurant, Shillong, one cold November evening, he has no premonition that his life is about to change forever. A loner by nature, and the very epitome of culture and refinement, John comes across people he will soon be involved with in a deadly game of passion and hatred, trust and treachery: James Kharlukhi, tough and uncompromising, a leader born with a lust for danger; Jennifer D'Santos, companion to James, whose love for John can only lead to tragedy; Charlie, aloof, enigmatic, hounded by an ugly face which will lead him to murder; and Dor Kharkongor, ace archer, the spirit of the hills, caught between single-minded loyalty to James and paternal affection for John. Set against the lush landscape of Shillong, Dhruba Hazarika's tale of revenge and violence brilliantly evokes the sights and smells of north-east India while narrating a dynamic tale which addresses the universal themes of friendship, loyalty and the inherent loneliness of man.

This is a new release of the original 1942 edition.

Fire can fascinate, inspire, capture the imagination and bring families and communities together. It has the ability to amaze, energise and touch something deep inside all of us. For thousands of years, at every corner of the globe, humans have been huddling around fires: from the basic and primitive essentials of light, heat, energy and cooking, through to modern living, fire plays a central role in all of our lives. The ability to accurately and quickly light a fire is one of the most important skills anyone setting off on a wilderness adventure could possess, yet very little has been written about it. Through his narrative Hume also meditates on the wider topics surrounding fire and how it shapes the world around us.

This amply-illustrated promotional guidebook, issued by the General Passenger Department of the Duluth South Shore & Atlantic Railway, describes in great detail the sights and recreational opportunities afforded visitors along Lake Superior's South Shore. The author follows the route from Sault Ste. Marie west to Duluth, including Marquette, Presque Isle and Macinac as well as other major stopover points, providing much local and geological history along the way. In words and pictures, the book depicts picturesque landmarks and scenic landscapes, mining, manufacturing, logging operations, fishing, hunting, and other wilderness activities, with some attention to the region's Indian groups.