Monalisa No Longer Smiles: An Anthology of Writings across the World
Reviews
Review in The Deccan Chronicle… Click here to read.
Review in The Telegraph … Click here to read.
Review in The Statesman, Kolkata… Click here to read.
Review in The Economic & Political Daily, Odisha …Click here to read.
Review in Dumani Mail… Click here to read.
Review in Different Truths… Click here to read.
You can email us your comments on the first Borderless anthology at editor@borderlessjournal.com. We present to you some of the feedback from our readers below.
Click on this link to check out our content
Readers Comments
Through art, literature and storytelling, this anthology, from its interviews with famous moviemakers, thinkers, poets and writers, from its fiction, Monalisa No Longer Smiles and Borderless Journal, through its editor, Mitali Chakravarty, tries to create a possible world where borders do not matter. Ideas transcend borders. — Farouk Gulsara, writer and blogger.
Not only the publisher and the editor, but also the contributors, hailing from different social and cultural milieus, need to be congratulated for this sparkling book, which should be part of every university and college library, not only because it entertains, enlightens, enchants, but also because it makes us think about the futility of wars, violence, and divisiveness. — Lalit Magazine, writer and academic.
Monalisa No Longer Smiles will definitely bring a smile to your face because it is a celebration of the human spirit. — Simran
Reading now — Monalisa No Longer Smiles: An Anthology of Writings from Across the World, edited by Mitali Chakravarty, which contains an assortment of selections in classics in translation, poetry, discussion, essays, short stories, and conversations, including this poignant story by one of my favourite poets, Paresh Tiwari — all culled from the pages of Borderless Journal, a brave eZine that Mitali Chakravarty edits. Published by Om Books International. Highly recommended. — Dibyajyoti Sarma, writer, poet, translator, publisher.
Monalisa No Longer Smiles is a delightful anthology. With classics in translation, essays, short stories, poetry, conversations, it is a complete reading experience. It is funny and profound and very, very literary. Lovingly edited by Mitali Chakravarty and elegantly produced by Om Books, it contains some of my favourite humorous poems by Rhys Hughes. — Maithreyi Karnoor, writer & translator.
Monalisa No Longer Smiles: An Anthology of Writings from Across the World [MNLS] edited by Mitali Chakravarty, the founder-editor of Borderless Journal, makes a timely appearance to reinforce the ideology that is best described in its manifesto : ‘the goal of the journal is to connect writers and readers transcending barriers of man- made constructs.’ Unless every thinking individual realises that the onus of this collective responsibility rests on him/her, it will remain a remote, institutional effort. If we set our minds to it, a global family can be actualised right here, and right now, for us to live together in Vasudaiva Kutumbakam. The anthology showcases in an eclectic range, excellent creative writings and critical discourse that converge to spread a healthy, egalitarian message of love and forgiveness for the fragmented lives we live in, torn apart by wars, internal feuds and political hate. — Lakshmi Kannan, academic, translator and writer.
Must congratulate Mitali Chakravarty and the entire team of Borderless Journal for coming up with the idea of compiling poems, essays, short
stories et al and creating a welcome print edition.
Finely curated. I was a little lost as to where to start. It is rich literature. Started with the title short story and then Arundhati Subramaniam’s ‘Catabolic Woman’ had me mesmerised. Let’s
see where I go next. Will cover everything but not going in any particular order. More power to Borderless Journal and look
forward to similar anthologies in the future. A must buy! — Vandana Kumar, academic and writer.
Endorsements
“What better time for readers to turn to Borderless for creative writing and images than now when we are witness to the tensions and travails experienced by peoples, nations and regions of the world because of lines drawn across the map arbitrarily, or in haste, or without taking into account the manifold adverse consequence of such actions? Surely, Borderless’s twin goals of connecting people virtually through poetry, fiction and non-fiction as well as artwork, and of transcending imposed lines that divide people imaginatively and in reality, deserve our endorsement. I have been pleased by the variety and virtuosity on display in it in recent issues and have been contributing to the journal hoping that I will reach readers across borders imposed by publishing and distributing boundaries limiting our access to a wider global readership. I hope thus that others will read Borderless issue after issue, and also get hold of this hard copy anthology of selections from some of the best writing that has been published in it till now. No doubt the book represents the journal features amply, complementing the digital issues, and extending its reach even further than such issues have managed to do till now. All good wishes for the Borderless anthology!”
— Professor Fakrul Alam, academic, translator & writer.
“Borderless Journal has emerged as a vibrant space for showcasing the power of literature to create human connections across the artificial cultural, geographical, historical, political, religious, ideological and linguistic borders that divide our world. The journal’s focus on translation and openness to diverse forms of creative expression are especially significant.”
— Radha Chakravarty, academic, translator & writer.
To access the anthology, click on this link or visit any Om Bookstore in India.
Book Talks
Book E-Launch (FB), 16/11/2022
PVLF Festival Session on Poetry ( 13/1/2023)
Delhi University Book Talk (13/1/2023)
Book Launch(Om Bookstore, New Delhi), 17/1/2023
Book Announcement
In Dumani Mail… Click here to read.
Podcast
Podcast on Monalisa No Longer Smiles: An Anthology of Writings from across the World — the focus is ‘conflict to connection’ in the Frontlist Show, Episode 20:
Frontlist media website — Click here to check out
Spotify link — Click here to check out
Google Play link — Click here to check out
Amazon Music Link — Click here to check out
Access the Anthology
The anthology is accessible at the following bookstore chains among others:
Click here to access Monalisa No Longer Smiles on Amazon International
In 2024, Monalisa No Longer Smiles crossed the borders between India and Bangladesh and in now available in Bookworm, Dhaka.
The anthology participated in the World Book Fair in Delhi in 2023 & 2024.
Click here to access the Borderless anthology, Monalisa No Longer Smiles
Click here to access Monalisa No Longer Smiles on Amazon International
Borderless 
