An Intro: Granta

The student magazine turned literary powerhouse.

This week we introduce Granta, the magazine that my mother, her uncle, my professor and my cat wants to be published in, as well as its single title sibling Granta Books. More precisely, we take a look at some outstanding writers they’ve published and some titles we are stocked for, presently housed at Mehrab for you. Happy Reading!!

Granta publishers–notable for Granta: The Magazine of New Writing was established in 1889. Founded as ‘The Granta,’ the literary publisher takes great pride in their motto (the first line of their about page reads) “a remit to discover and publish the best in new literary fiction, memoir, reportage and poetry from around the world,” holds steadfast their promise with every passing issue and title.

Paying homage to River Cam’s tributaries, one of which called Granta, the publication arose out of Cambridge University (solely) first as a university publication for student writing and badinage succeeding a long list of failed university publications that include the Freshman, Individual and Tripos and several others.

The publication expanded with Granta Books that arrived ten years later proving once again their editorial principle, Bufford believes in ‘only writing we passionately care about,’ by publishing six stunning titles promoted by Penguin–John Berger’s Once in Europa, Gabriel García Márquez’s Clandestine in Chile, Martha Gellhorn’s The View from the Ground and Nicholson Baker’s The Mezzanine, Salman Rushdie’s Haroun and the Sea of Stories and books by Ivan Klima and Hans Magnus Enzensberger.

Granta has published 31 Nobel laureates. Their ‘Best Of Young’ Issue curates voices from Brazil, Spain, America introducing young voices from every generation. Their issue 170, our team would like to say houses an amazing photo essay titled Champion by Prarthna Singh, about our sporting pride, the Phogat sisters–now available for pick up at the store!

Here’s an (official) synopsis of some of the title’s we have at our store.

Jenny Erpenbeck - Not a novel (2018)

Not a Novel is the best of Jenny Erpenbeck’s non-fiction. Moving and insightful, the pieces range from personal essays and literary criticism to reflections on Germany’s history, interrogating life and politics, language and freedom, hope and despair. By turns both luminous and explosive, this collection shows one of the most acclaimed European writers reckoning with her country’s divided past, and responding to the world today with intelligence and humanity.

Yoko Tawada - Suggested In The Stars (2020)

Hiruko, from the now vanished archipelago ‘somewhere between China and Polynesia’, and her band of friends have searched in vain for someone who speaks her native language. They finally track down Susanoo, a sushi chef from the same nation, but there’s a problem – he has lost the power of speech. As the companions set out to help Susanoo regain his voice, encountering magic radios, personality swaps and climate change fears, their friendship empowers them against despair and sets them to dreaming of a better word. But if Hiruko is ever to hear her mother tongue again, a sceptical aphasia specialist in Copenhagen is her last hope.

Sandra Newman - Julia (2023)

It’s 1984 and Julia Worthing works as a mechanic fixing the novel-writing machines in the Fiction Department at the Ministry of Truth in London, chief city of Airstrip One, the third-most populous province of Oceania. Under the rule of the Party and its leader, Big Brother, Julia routinely breaks the law but also collaborates with the regime whenever necessary. Everyone likes Julia. A diligent member of the Junior Anti-Sex League (though she is secretly promiscuous) she knows how to survive in a world of constant surveillance, Newspeak, Doublethink and the threat of the Thought Police. She’s adept at staying alive.

Visit Mehrab to explore more from Granta! We'll be back with another Intro soon. Until then, happy exploring!