‘Land of Two Seas’ recounts life in the backdrop of World War II
Rajkumari Sharma Tankha
The book Land of Two Seas is a work of fiction by debutant author Chandan Sen Gupta.
The novel shows the life and times of people living in the tiny desert kingdom of Bahrain in the backdrop of World War II.
The author, by virtue of having lived there for 15 years, shows a sound understanding of the area’s geography, local language and customs and traditions which not only gives it a regional flavour but also virtually transports a reader to those times.
The story begins with four Italian aircraft launching an attack on Bahrain, the main target being American oil refinery in the British Protectorate, sending the Britain’s Middle East Command in Cairo and its War Office in London into a tizzy.
More incidents of violence occur in Southern Arabia and Aden Protectorate. These, along with radio messages intercepted by the Middle East Command, point towards the hand of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini behind all this. How to curtail Mussolini’s expansionist urges is a big question before the Britain.
Britain has only secret agent Gilgamesh to rely upon and clear the mess happening in Bahrain. But will he be able to emerge a hero amidst all the treachery and betrayal he faces? Just read and find out.
Sengupta uses no flowery language in his book. He has kept both his language and plot around which the story is woven simple and believable. Throughout there is a liberal sprinkling of vernacular words and expressions which give the story a good regional flavor. I am sure you will enjoy the book as much as I did.
Born and brought up in the industrial city of Bhilai, Sen Gupta is a civil engineer by qualification and profession. Most of his literary work revolves around his experiences in diverse cultural and social environments.
