New Book 'Bhutan' Challenges Myths of Happiness Through Poetry and Prose

Drunken Boat / Fortunate Traveller Press has released Bhutan, a multi-genre collaboration by poet-photographer Sudeep Sen and author Ravi Shankar that challenges the myth of Bhutan as the world's last Shangri-La. The book, which combines Sen's chiselled poetry and evocative photography with Shankar's sharp, exploratory prose, delves into the complexities beneath the kingdom's official narrative of Gross National Happiness.

Shankar approaches Bhutan's claim of being the happiest country on Earth with wit, analytical rigour, and genuine wonder, tracing its modernizing monarchy, Buddhist heritage, and the complicated textures beneath the glossy surface. His prose moves with curiosity and candour, absorbing landscapes and sacred sites without surrendering critical intelligence. Sen's poetry and photography provide a stunning counterpoint, with spare, musical couplets and visually arresting images of prayer flags, monasteries, and mountain light.

The book has garnered praise from notable figures. Actress Shabana Azmi calls it "a unique and personal multi-genre book" that brings alive aspects of Bhutan "that only true artists can excavate." Dasho Kinley Dorji describes it as "an elegant treasure trove" that captures what is special about the country. Author Diane Mehta notes Shankar's "wit and sceptical commentary" as a foil for Sen's "delicate musical poetry," while Amit Majmudar highlights the book's "sheen of eudemonic delight and heightened astonished awareness."

Ravi Shankar, a Pushcart Prize winner and author of 18 books including the memoir Correctional, teaches at Tufts University. His work has appeared in The Paris Review and The New York Times. Sudeep Sen, author of over 25 books, is an internationally acclaimed poet and photographer whose work has been featured in The Times Literary Supplement and The Guardian. He was awarded a senior fellowship by the Government of India and is the first Asian to deliver the Derek Walcott Lecture.

The trade paperback, priced at $29.95, is available on Amazon at https://tinyurl.com/5f3f4aay. Bhutan offers readers a literary reckoning with place, beauty, and the stories nations tell about themselves, making it a significant addition to travel literature and a critical examination of happiness as a national metric.