our City that year (forthcoming)

by geetanjali shree / translated from hindi by daisy rockwell

Winner, English PEN x SALT Award 2025

From the International Booker Prize-winning author-translator duo of Tomb of Sand, a powerful, kaleidoscopic novel about a fractured society, loosely based on the gathering violence that led to the demolition of the Babri Mosque by religious extremists in 1992.

Against this backdrop, Shruti, a writer paralysed by the weight of events, tries to find her words, while Sharad and Hanif, academics whose voices are drowned out by extremism, find themselves caught between clichés and government slogans. And there’s Daddu, Sharad’s father, a beacon of hope in the growing darkness. As they each grapple with thoughts of speaking the unspeakable, an unnamed narrator takes on the urgent task of bearing witness.

First published in Hindi in 1998, Our City, That Year is a novel that defies easy categorisation—it’s a time capsule, a warning siren and a desperate plea. Geetanjali Shree’s shimmering prose, in Daisy Rockwell’s nuanced and consummate translation, takes us into a fever dream of fragmented thoughts and half-finished sentences, mirroring the disjointed reality of a city under siege. Readers will find themselves haunted long after the final page, grappling with questions that echo far beyond India’s borders.

Praise

‘The novelistic city caught in an epidemic of communal hate ‘that year’ could be any city today, senselessly gorging itself on simplistic stories of false pride and righteous revenge, oblivious to the centuries of composite culture it grew and prospered on. Placing the vocabulary of violent victimhood alongside the irreversible losses and silences unsettles the reader. Our City That Year is an essential read to understand our times.’—The Wire

‘Geetanjali Shree and Daisy Rockwell’s partnership continues to push the boundaries of literary translation, bringing poignant and powerful Indian narratives to global audiences. Our City That Year stands as a testament to their combined talents, shedding light on the complexities of communal violence, societal breakdown, and the deeply personal impact of such conflicts. As with their previous works, this novel not only challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths but also invites reflection on the delicate balance between past and present, tradition and change.’— Times Now

‘In Our City, That Year everyone turns to writing as a response. And in turn writing turns into its own kind of agony.’—Scroll India

Contributors’ details

Geetanjali Shree is the author of five novels and five short story collections. Her work has been translated into English, French, German, Serbian, and some Indian languages. She has received and been shortlisted for a number of national and international awards and fellowships, including the 2022 International Booker Prize. She lives in New Delhi.

Daisy Rockwell is an artist, writer, and Hindi-Urdu translator. Her highly acclaimed translations include Bhisham Sahni’s Tamas and Khadija Mastur's The Women's Courtyard. Her translation of Geetanjali Shree’s Tomb of Sand was the winner of the 2022 International Booker Prize and the 2022 Warwick Prize for Women in Translation. As well as essays on literature and art, she has written Upendranath Ashk: A Critical Biography, The Little Book of Terror, and the novel Taste.

more information

• Publication date: 22 April 2025

• Extent: 448pp

• Format: B-format paperback (198mm × 127mm)

• Rights held: UK & Commonwealth (excluding Canada and Indian Subcontinent)

• ISBNs: 978-1-917126-11-3 (paperback) / 978-1-917126-12-0 (ebook)

• Price: £16.99 (paperback)/ £8.99 (ebook)