About the Book

A timeless classic, By The Sea, is a tale of hope, resilience and human dignity in the midst of greed, betrayal and deprivation. When mechanized launches take over the shores of Manalpattur, a small fishing village, the impoverished country boat owners are pushed to the brink of existence. As the life of Cruz Michael and his family begins to unravel, we witness not just the struggle between tradition and change but also the many nuances and subtleties of human behaviour and relationships. Full of memorable characters, the novel’s singular achievement is Philomi, who gets back on her feet every time life knocks her down, braced by her dogged faith that though much is lost much remains.

About the Author

Vanna Nilavan is the pen name of U Ramachandran, an eminent Tamil writer and journalist. His most celebrated novels include Kadalpurathil, Kamba Nathi and Reinees Iyer Theru. He has won numerous prestigious awards. Many of his works have been translated into English, Hindi, Malayalam and German.

About the Translator

G. Geetha has a master’s degree in English from Loyola College, Chennai. After teaching English at the undergraduate level for ten years, she is now a freelance translator. Hephzibah Jesudasan’s Putham House, Joe D’ Cruz’s Ocean Rimmed World and S. Ramakrishnan’s Whirling Swirling Sky are her other translations.