David Shulman is Renee Lang Professor of Humanistic Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
This love letter to Tamil, in the guise of a ‘biography,’ by one of
the world’s foremost indologists, is both welcome and long overdue.
David Shulman is an able and enthusiastic biographer. He treats his
language as a living, breathing organism, devoting considerable
attention to its sounds and rhythms, and to its rich poetic
tradition…Shulman judiciously combines critical scholarship such as
we find it in the West with a sustained account of a 1,500-year-old
indigenous tradition of grammar and commentary…[Tamil] deserves a
wide readership: it breathes fresh life into the study of one of
the world’s most enduring languages.
*Times Literary Supplement*
Tamil is spoken today by approximately 80 million people…To attempt
to give a comprehensive vision of the language within the compass
of a brief book intended for nonspecialists might seem an
impossible task. Yet Tamil: A Biography succeeds at this remarkably
well…The book traces a chronological sequence from the prehistory
of the language up to modern times. Shulman draws together a wealth
of contemporary scholarship, but the perspective that commands the
book is uniquely his, as is the authorial voice. Gently humorous,
frequently lyrical, and wearing great learning very lightly, the
book’s prose admirably summons up what it might be like to listen
to a series of lectures by a gifted teacher.
*New York Review of Books*
The poet Bharathidasan declared that Tamil was born with the sun,
the moon, the sky, the stars and the seas. Few would dare to
attempt the biography of such a language. But when the world’s
foremost Tamil scholar gives it his best shot one cannot but take
notice. David Shulman does not disappoint; he dazzles us with his
labor of love… Tamil: A Biography is both synthesis and
interpretation, a must-read for anyone interested in the world’s
great languages and literatures.
*The Hindu*
From the insider’s perspective, Shulman really scores while
concluding that Tamil is more than a language, it is a body of
knowledge—much of it intrinsic to an ancient culture and
sensibility. It is a kind of grammar, not merely of the language in
its spoken and written forms, but the creative potential of its
speakers.
*Times of India*
David Shulman, in his Tamil: A Biography, [writes] with élan, with
unaffected erudition and an infectious charm that leaves the reader
breathless and, at times, puzzled at how endearing the evolution of
a language could turn out to be. There is no doubt that Shulman,
the foremost Indologist from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, is
uniquely qualified to do this job given a lifetime of scholarship
on south Indian literature and culture. His love for his subject
comes alive on every page of the book, and yet this is not a
stormy, tortured relationship; instead there is refinement and
nuance, things not often seen in language discourse in India…Tamil:
A Biography is a hugely rewarding book, and one that with repeated
reading provides more food for thought.
*Quartz India*
[A] playful and supple ‘biography’ of Tamil language and
poetics.
*London Review of Books*
David Shulman’s book, Tamil: A Biography, is a tour de force. It is
a must-read for all Indians, not just Tamils. The author takes us
on a grand journey, starting from the ancient era of Irayanar
Akapporul (which he cleverly calls “Grammar of Stolen Love”)
through the golden Sangam age, the Bhakti era and the modern age
starting with the rediscovery of Sangam literature in the late 19th
century. It is filled with delightful vignettes about sages, poets,
scholars and even Gods that many Tamil children hear of growing up.
Almost every poem in the book strikes an emotional chord.
*Swarajya*
Shulman’s Tamil: A Biography is a towering achievement in the field
of cultural history and philology that is a compelling evolution of
one of the oldest languages in the world from antiquity to
modernity…Passionately and yet objectively written, the book is as
much annals of the language as it is a thoroughly researched
panegyric to it…You do not have to be Tamil to appreciate the
significance of this book. In fact, it appears intended for anyone
with an interest in the cultural history of the language…Shulman
takes great pains to ensure that no reader is alienated by the
context. Constant cross-references to other cultures are made,
whether to the Hebrew Bible, Homeric poetry, Mozart’s music, Greek,
Arabic, Persian, and Turkish, illuminating the development of the
language through comparative philology. Tamil is situated in a
global network of languages…Sublime and riveting, Tamil: A
Biography proves that good linguistic and intellectual history can
be written without resorting to either esotericism or
jargonism.
*PopMatters*
This fascinating book guides its reader through a cultural history
of Tamil, a south Indian language spoken by eighty million people,
from the early centuries BCE to the modern era…Offers the reader
beautiful translations of, and interpretive strategies for, key
passages from important texts…A great resource for scholars of
religious, linguistic, and textual studies.
*Religious Studies Review*
Shulman is a priceless advocate of the language and its many
masterpieces.
*Open Letters Monthly*
[Shulman] offers a comprehensive examination of the history and
culture of Tamil, a language spoken by more than 80 million
people.
*Choice*
David Shulman’s Tamil is akin to a delightful and elevating musical
composition. Spanning centuries and capturing minute details, this
book reveals the inner energy of Tamil. Tamil is lucky to have such
an erudite ‘biographer’ to tell its story.
*S. Ramakrishnan, editor of Cre-A: Dictionary of Contemporary
Tamil*
David Shulman has raised an impressive monument to Tamil, written
with erudition and wit. This ‘biography’ deals with much more than
language—literature, culture, geography, history, all combine in
praise of beauty and love.
*Tzvetan Todorov, National Center for Scientific Research, Paris*
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