ROMAN Books

New Release Bulletin

THE IMPOSSIBLE JOURNEY by James A. Coghlan
Major New Release in Fiction Category

"Poignantly written" The Telegraph | "... brings alive the realities ..." Mid-Day | "Coghlan's attempt ... is remarkably successful" Trisha Gupta, Tehelka | "The novella is written as if it is his diary, and unless you read the fine print you may well take it for the genuine article, so artfully has the author captured the voice of its central figure." Rimi B. Chatterjee, Author of City of Love and Signal Red (Penguin)

It is 1939 and Jackie, a Scottish-soldier of Imperial Indian Army, receives an instruction from Sergeant Major Bell that he has to join 'Operation Odessa' to carry 'classified cargo' from Rawalpindi to London by car. Will he be able to get rid of the dangerous escapes of the road and reach London safely with the cargo? Based on a true story, this thought-capturing chronicle records pages from Jackie's personal diary that documents the impossibility of such an expedition which in pre-independence India was an implausible dream too. Curiously enough, at different crossroads Jackie discovers how inevitably the Western gaze at the East is mostly deluded. Jackie's physical journey unites with the psychological journey of his solitary soul which discovers new definition of friendship through this impossible passage to London. The book includes some original photographs, taken by the author's late great uncle during his eventful journey, based on which the narrative achieves the immediacy of a truly written journal.
 
Launch of THE IMPOSSIBLE JOURNEY
by the British Council
One Book to Blur the International Boundaries

One book, one author, one journey and many countries -- that's how James A. Coghlan's The Impossible Journey can be characterised. Coghlan's book remarkably connects countries through the charismatic journey of its central character, Jackie, and his creator, through this book, re-establishes the longstanding cultural link between two ancient cities of the world -- Calcutta and Edinburgh. On 31st of January 2009 The Impossible Journey was launched in Kolkata (Calcutta) by the Director of the British Council, East India, Ms Sujata Sen and the long cultural association between India and the UK has again been reinforced. The launch programme, being a part of the Scotland-Kolkata Connection 2009, took place at the auditorium of the marvellous Scotland pavilion of Kolkata Book Fair 2009 where Scotland was the focal theme. In the programme the Director of the British Council, Scotland, Mr Roy Cross and the Executive Editor of the book Mr Suman Chakraborty were also present. Describing James's first visit to India as a "very touching gesture", the Director of the British Council, East India, Ms Sujata Sen said that the book is "all about friendship", while Mr Roy Cross, the Director of British Council, Scotland, described the book as a "great read".
 
James A. Coghlan

James Alexander Coghlan was born in Irvine Central in 1972. He was raised in nearby Kilmarnock. Initially educated at Kilmarnock Academy, the same school Alexander Fleming, the inventor of Penicillin, attended years ago, James later studied at the Universities of Kingston and Glasgow for his B.A. (Hons.) and M.Litt. degrees. A poet, novelist and a short story writer, James has presented his research papers in Turkey, Poland and Scotland. James now lives in Alloway, Ayrshire. His interests include hillwalking and the protection of the environment.

ISBN 978-81-906788-1-0

USD 14.00
GBP 7.99
INR 199.00

US & Canada Customers:
Buy from Amazon.com or Atlas Books.
Also at your nearest Bookshop.

UK Customers:
Buy from Amazon.co.uk.
Also at Borders, Waterstones & WH Smith.

Indian Customers:
Buy from A1Books.co.in.
Also at Oxford Bookstore, Crosswords.

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Published on behalf of the publisher, ROMAN Books. E-mail response@romanbooks.co.in.