Rituparna Ray Chaudhuri is a teacher of English Literature, and is acclaimed for her academic research. She is also an author, a Google Scholar, essayist and literary critic, her work having been published by many internationally acclaimed websites. Her book The Immortal Fly: Eternal Whispers is a memoir, and has been published by Partridge International in association with Penguin Random House.

I chat with her about her book The Immortal Fly: Eternal Whispers, what inspired her to write this book, book recommendations, and much more.

Hello! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!

The book that touched me and the first book that I remember reading is The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen. The book that inspired me to be an author is Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and the book that I can’t stop thinking about is Great Expectations by Charles Dickens.

If you could only describe your book The Immortal Fly: Eternal Whispers in one sentence, what would it be?

I would describe the book as – ‘An emotional read, which has interspersed in its narrative unbound personal feelings, failures and despondencies, along with hopes and visions.’

Now tell us a little more about the book! What can readers expect?

This book uses the diction and metaphors of both Indian and Western Literature. The book is a memoir, and is a tribute from a daughter to her mother. This biographical book, at its core, discusses the relationship between a mother and her daughter. This book tells the true story of a family that came from South Calcutta and moved to a suburb in Madhyamgram (Kolkata, West Bengal).

What inspired you to write this book?

With the demise of my mother, my abominable solitude and isolation one day suddenly led me to name the diary that was kept on the table as ‘Eternal Whispers’, from where ‘The Immortal Fly’ was born.

Can you tell our readers about some interesting episodes from your mother’s life or nostalgic anecdotes, which find a place in this book?

My maternal grandmother said this about my Ma, “My elder daughter is too emotional, and is ready to help any person, whoever comes to ask her for help...”

I remember that my Ma said these words to me, “World will judge you; not me.”

At the end, amidst a certain short recovery in her prolonged stay of 51 days in a private hospital, she told the nurses there that a woman should always strive to be independent.

What is the message that you want readers to take away from this book?

I would like to share this message, which is a quote from the book Frankenstein, “Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change.’’ Readers who would read the book would get to know my mother a little bit. To me, my mother was a legend, and I have written this memoir in her remembrance.

What are the factors that have helped you in becoming a published author?

My knack for thinking and my determination are two important factors that have helped me become a published author.

Lastly, do you have any book recommendations in the biography or autobiography genre for our readers?

I would recommend the book The Story of My Life by Helen Keller. The book details her early life and I especially liked her interactions with her teacher Anne Sullivan.

The book ‘The Immortal Fly: Eternal Whispers’ is available online and at your nearest bookstore.