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{{Short description|Novel by C. V. Balakrishnan}}
{{italic title}}
{{Infobox book
| name = Ayussinte Pusthakam
| image = Book cover of 'The Book of Passing Shadows'.png
| caption = Book cover
| author = [[C. V. Balakrishnan]]
| cover_artist =
| country = [[India]]
| language = [[Malayalam]], English
| genre = Contemporary Fiction, South Asian Culture, Literary Fiction
| publisher = [[DC Books]] (Malayalam);<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dcbookstore.com/books/ayussinte-pusthakam|title=You are being redirected...|website=dcbookstore.com|accessdate=16 March 2023}}</ref> Niyogi Books (English)
| release_date = April 1984 (Malayalam); 5 October 2021 (English)
| media_type = Print ([[Hardcover|hardback]] and paperback)
| pages = 232 pp (English paperback edition)
}}
'''''Ayussinte Pusthakam''''' (transl. The Book of Passing Shadows) ({{langx|ml|ആയുസ്സിന്റെ പുസ്തകം}}), is a well-known Indian [[Malayalam language]] novel by [[C. V. Balakrishnan]].<ref name="Book of life"/><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.thebookreviewindia.org/of-a-familys-fall-from-grace/ | title=Of a Family's Fall from Grace }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://asianlite.ae/2021/books/the-book-of-passing-shadows-journey-to-redemption | title=The Book of Passing Shadows: Journey to Redemption - Asian Lite UAE | date=21 November 2021 }}</ref>

==Development==
=== Writing ===
Balakrishnan began writing this novel when he moved to [[Calcutta]] in late-1970s. An old edition of the [[Bible]] at St. Paul's Cathedral in Calcutta triggered the book in him. It took him three years to complete the novel. Says the author: "All the characters and villages of Christian settlers were in my mind long before I began thinking about writing ''Ayussinte Pusthakam''. The characters are based on people I met during my course as a school teacher in a village in Kasaragod. I wrote ''Ayussinte Pusthakam'' at a time when I was going through an emotionally difficult period; my relation with my father was strained and I was feeling very lonely. ''Ayussinte Pusthakam'' is about loneliness. The book is also about sin and sadness, written in a style and language that have been judiciously borrowed from The Bible." The protagonist in this novel is Yohannan, and the plot revolves around his ambiguities concerning sexual desire.<ref name="Book of life">{{Cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/fr/2008/05/16/stories/2008051650140300.htm|title=The Hindu : Friday Review Thiruvananthapuram / Interview : Book of life|date=20 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130720072910/http://www.hindu.com/fr/2008/05/16/stories/2008051650140300.htm |accessdate=16 March 2023|archive-date=2013-07-20 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.dcbooks.com/ayussinte-pusthakam-40-years.html | title=ആയുസ്സിന്റെ പുസ്തകം നാലു പതിറ്റാണ്ടുകള്‍ക്കു ശേഷം വായിക്കുമ്പോള്‍: ഇ.വി.രാമകൃഷ്ണന്‍ | date=20 March 2023 }}</ref>

=== Translations ===
''Ayussinte Pusthakam'' has been translated into Tamil and English since its publication in 1984. Following is a list containing information about the translated works.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/literature/literaryworld/2021/01/19/translation-of-aayusinte-austhakam-to-release-as-book-of-passing-shadows-in-english.html | title='ആയുസ്സിന്റെ പുസ്തകം' ഇനി ഇംഗ്ലിഷിലും }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Language !! Title !! Publisher !! Publishing date !! Translator !! Reference
|-
|Tamil
|உயிர்ப் புத்தகம் (Uyir Puththagam)
|Kizhakku Pathippagam
|2007
|V. Krishnamurthy
|<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.noolulagam.com/tamil-book/2310/uyir-puththagam-book-type-aanmeegam/ | title=10% off – உயிர்ப் புத்தகம் – Uyir Puththagam – ஸி.லி. பாலகிருஷ்ணன் – கிழக்கு பதிப்பகம் – Kizhakku Pathippagam }}</ref>
|-
|English
|The Book of Passing Shadows
|Niyogi Books
|2021
|T.M. Yesudasan
|<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.onmanorama.com/lifestyle/news/2021/01/20/cv-balakrishnan-english-version-ayussinte-pusthakam.html | title=CV Balakrishnan on the English version of 'Ayussinte Pusthakam' }}</ref>
|}

==== English translation ====
The book was translated from Malayalam into English by T.M. Yesudasan,<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.thehindu.com/books/dense-with-desire-cs-venkiteswaran-reviews-cv-balakrishnans-the-book-of-passing-shadows/article37922333.ece | title=C.S. Venkiteswaran reviews C.V. Balakrishnan's 'The Book of Passing Shadows' | newspaper=The Hindu | date=11 December 2021 | last1=Venkiteswaran | first1=C. s. }}</ref> a former associate professor and head, Department of English, [[CMS College Kottayam]]. He has contributed to journals and anthologies on literary and cultural studies including the Penguin collection, ''No Alphabet in Sight: New Dalit Writing from South India''.

==Adaptations==

===Drama===
The novel was adapted into an experimental play by [[Suveeran]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100818040800/http://www.hindu.com/2009/12/26/stories/2009122652680300.htm A searing exploration of sin]. The Hindu, 26 December 2009.</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080523020720/http://www.hindu.com/2008/05/08/stories/2008050850550200.htm Fix a date with theatre]. The Hindu, 28 May 2008.</ref> The play received [[Kerala Sangeeta Nataka Akademi]] Award of 2008, and participated in several international festivals.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Malayalam Literature |state=collapsed}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Book of Passing Shadows}}
[[Category:2009 Indian novels]]
[[Category:Indian plays]]
[[Category:Malayalam novels]]

The Book of Passing Shadows - Revision history

BrigitteDugdale: pg...