'A Golden Age an eye-opener for younger generation'
In the session organised by Words 'n Pages at Gulshan in the city, Tahmima read out an extract from her novel and exchanged views with the audience.
Set in 1971, the novel 'A Golden Age' tells the story of a widow, Rehana, and her efforts to confront, accept and survive the realities of a nation at war.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Replying to questions from the audience, Tahmima said she would've written the book in Bangla, but lamented that her Bangla was not good enough to write a novel.
She also defended her decision to write in English, by saying that she had used her best asset -- English writing skills -- to narrate the stories of 1971 and make a contribution to Bangladesh.
Explaining the sources of information she used in the book, Tahmima, who was born four years after the Liberation War, said her exhaustive PhD research on the Liberation War and the more intimate stories of her family's experiences during the war provided the basis for the novel.
Asked about the imprint left on the book by her as a woman, Tahmima said her identity has been reflected in her choice of a strong female protagonist and the use of female voices in the narration of 1971.
She said her inspirations have been drawn from a number of young African writers retelling the lore of a past generation and from famous writers such as Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Salman Rushdie who wrote epics about their homelands.
She also said that the book has acted as an eye-opener for a lot of younger Bangladeshis living at home and abroad who have not had the opportunity to learn about the people's experiences during the Liberation War.
Presided over by cultural personality Tarique Anam, the programme was attended by Workers' Party President Rashed Khan Menon and poet Al Mujahidi.
The novel is priced at Tk 1095 and is available at a number of bookstores in the city.