Humayun Ahmed (Bengali: 唳灌唳唳唰傕Θ 唳嗋唳唳�; 13 November 1948 鈥� 19 July 2012) was a Bangladeshi author, dramatist, screenwriter, playwright and filmmaker. He was the most famous and popular author, dramatist and filmmaker ever to grace the cultural world of Bangladesh since its independence in 1971. Dawn referred to him as the cultural legend of Bangladesh. Humayun started his journey to reach fame with the publication of his novel Nondito Noroke (In Blissful Hell) in 1972, which remains one of his most famous works. He wrote over 250 fiction and non-fiction books, all of which were bestsellers in Bangladesh, most of them were number one bestsellers of their respective years by a wide margin. In recognition to the works of Humayun, Times of India wrote, "Humayun was a custodian of the Bangladeshi literary culture whose contribution single-handedly shifted the capital of Bengali literature from Kolkata to Dhaka without any war or revolution." Ahmed's writing style was characterized as "Magic Realism." Sunil Gangopadhyay described him as the most popular writer in the Bengali language for a century and according to him, Ahmed was even more popular than Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay. Ahmed's books have been the top sellers at the Ekushey Book Fair during every years of the 1990s and 2000s.
Early life: Humayun Ahmed was born in Mohongonj, Netrokona, but his village home is Kutubpur, Mymensingh, Bangladesh (then East Pakistan). His father, Faizur Rahman Ahmed, a police officer and writer, was killed by Pakistani military during the liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971, and his mother is Ayesha Foyez. Humayun's younger brother, Muhammed Zafar Iqbal, a university professor, is also a very popular author of mostly science fiction genre and Children's Literature. Another brother, Ahsan Habib, the editor of Unmad, a cartoon magazine, and one of the most famous Cartoonist in the country.
Education and Early Career: Ahmed went to schools in Sylhet, Comilla, Chittagong, Dinajpur and Bogra as his father lived in different places upon official assignment. Ahmed passed SSC exam from Bogra Zilla School in 1965. He stood second in the merit list in Rajshahi Education Board. He passed HSC exam from Dhaka College in 1967. He studied Chemistry in Dhaka University and earned BSc (Honors) and MSc with First Class distinction.
Upon graduation Ahmed joined Bangladesh Agricultural University as a lecturer. After six months he joined Dhaka University as a faculty of the Department of Chemistry. Later he attended North Dakota State University for his PhD studies. He grew his interest in Polymer Chemistry and earned his PhD in that subject. He returned to Bangladesh and resumed his teaching career in Dhaka University. In mid 1990s he left the faculty job to devote all his time to writing, playwright and film production.
Marriages and Personal Life: In 1973, Humayun Ahmed married Gultekin. They had three daughters 鈥� Nova, Sheela, Bipasha and one son 鈥� Nuhash. In 2003 Humayun divorced Gultekin and married Meher Afroj Shaon in 2005. From the second marriage he had two sons 鈥� Nishad and Ninit.
Death: In 2011 Ahmed had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer. He died on 19 July 2012 at 11.20 PM BST at Bellevue Hospital in New York City. He was buried in Nuhash Palli, his farm house.
This is not a review. These are just my unorganised thoughts on the whole series. These notes are very messy. I have written in both Bangla and English. Hence this is very spoiler filled.
Misir Ali is quite the character. A bit like Sherlock Holmes but he deals with psychological and paranormal things. 唳侧唳苦唰囙Π 唳夃Κ唳� 唳曕唳涏 唳ㄠ唳�- 唳忇 唳灌唰嵿唰� 唳む唳� motto. Sometimes he even turned into a detective to solve some cases.
This series is quite the mix of thriller, mystery, science fiction, horror and psychological. The series is episodic in nature. There is not a big underlying parallel plot going on. Each novella deals with a different case. Some are a collection of short stories.
The quality of this series is not consistent. Some hit. Some miss. 唳侧唳栢唰囙Π 唳忇唳溹Θ 唳唳� 唳膏Ξ唰嵿Κ唳距Ζ唳� 唳忇Π 唳唳班Ο唳监唳溹Θ 唳涏唳侧イ 唳唳唰� 唳むΕ唰嵿Ο唰囙Π 唳曕唳涏 唳呧Ω唳傕Σ唳椸唳ㄠΔ唳� 唳嗋唰囙イ 唳唳侧 唳唳� 唳灌Σ唰囙 唳椸Σ唰嵿Κ唰囙Π 唳囙Δ唳� 唳栢唳 唳唳栢唳唳啷� 唳膏唳膏唳唳ㄠ唳� 唳む唳班 唳曕Π唰� 唳灌唳� 唳曕Π唰� 唳多唳� 唳曕Π唰� 唳︵唳唳距イ I don't think he wrote with the ending in mind. He wanted to expand on a cool idea. Then couldn鈥檛 figure out how to end with an equally good payoff. This is a recurring thing in the series. Another annoying thing is there is no callback to some of the mysterious and odd things when the case is finally solved. I have a theory about this though. I think he did it deliberately. Misir Ali sometimes can't solve them all and is forced to admit that some mysteries of nature is unexplainable. So by deliberately ignoring those details, the writer is expanding on that idea. Or he just got lazy and with that deadline on his head, he just wanted to end it somehow. But when it鈥檚 good, it鈥檚 REALLY GOOD. 唳椸Σ唰嵿Κ 唳多唳粪 唳栢唳班唳� 唳灌唳� 唳 唳唳侧, 唳Α唳监唳� 唳膏Ξ唳 唳唳� 唳曕唳熰唳涏啷�
唳膏唳班唳溹唳� 唳 唳唳侧- -唳溹Θ唳距Μ 唳唳膏唳� 唳嗋Σ唳� 唳膏唳Ο唳监 - the mixed bag of flavours of different themes and genres -a lot of interesting facts about psychology and the paranormal -唳侧唳栢唰囙Π 唳膏唳� 唳膏唳Σ唳苦Σ 唳侧唳栢Θ唰€ -唳曕唳涏 唳栢唳唳� 唳忇Μ唳� 唳む唳� 唳班Θ唰嵿Η唳� 唳唳班唰嵿Π唳苦Ο唳监啷� 唳忇唳︵唳� 唳忇唰佮Σ唰� try 唳曕Π唳距Π 唳囙唰嵿唳� 唳嗋唰囙イ 唳唳Θ- 唰�. 唳囙Ω唰嵿Δ唰嵿Π唳� 唳囙Σ唳苦Χ 唰�. 唳Χ唳侧 唳涏唳班 唳曕唳氞 唳Π唳苦 唳︵唳唰� 唳唳傕Χ 唰�. 唳曕 唳唳涏唳� 唳Π唰嵿Δ唳� 唰�. 唳膏唳︵ 唳栢唳氞唳∴唳� 唰�. 唳唳膏唳� 唳唳曕唳距Π -all of them are novellas -dark academia vibes -episodic format. So you can start from anywhere, read in whatever order. Won't spoil the reading experience.
Now sort of mini reviews for all the books in the series.
- 唳︵唳 唳忇Μ唳� 唳ㄠ唳多唳ム唳ㄠ 唳︵唳熰唳曕 唳忇 唳оΠ唰� 唳ㄠ唳唰� 唳Α唳监 唳夃唳苦Δ啷� 唳︵唳唳む 唳灌唳� 唳曕Π唰� 唳多唳� 唳灌唳唳� 唳椸Σ唰嵿Κ 唳ㄠ唳多唳ム唳ㄠ唳む 唳多唳� 唳灌Ο唳监唳涏啷� 唳夃Δ唰嵿Δ唰囙唳ㄠ唳 唳熰唳ㄠ唳距Θ 唳班唳膏唳Ξ唳 唳忇唳熰 唳椸Σ唰嵿Κ啷� 唳唳班Η唳距Θ 唳班唳膏唳唳� 唳曕唳� 唳曕唳� 唳曕唳ㄠ唳班 唳灌Ο唳� 唳ㄠ啷� 唳むΜ唰� 唳椸Σ唰嵿Κ唰� 唳嗋Ξ唳距Π 唳忇唳熰 唳曕唳ㄠ唳む 唳嗋唰囙イ 唳唳班唳溹唳� split personality 唳曕 唳唳� 唳唳 唳唳栢唳 唳曕Π唳� 唳灌Ο唳监Θ唳苦イ 唳曕唳涏 唳唳班Χ唰嵿Θ 唳夃唳曕 唳唳班啷� 唳曕唳� 唳栢唳侧 唳椸 唳曕唳侧 唳唳唳ㄠ唳� 唳Π唳� 唳侧唳曕唳� 唳椸Σ唰嵿Κ 唳む唳曕 唳忇Δ 唳唳班Ν唳距Μ唳苦Δ 唳曕Π唳侧? 唳む唳� split personality 唳曕唳ㄠ唳 唳む唳班 唳灌Σ唰�? 唳忇Π 唳夃Δ唰嵿Δ唳� 唳ㄠ 唳︵唳唰囙 唳椸Σ唰嵿Κ唰囙Π 唳囙Δ唳� 唳熰唳ㄠ 唳灌Σ唰嬥イ 唳椸Σ唰嵿Κ唰� 唳︵唳 唳栢唳� 唳班唳膏唳Ξ唳 唳膏Δ唰嵿Δ唳距イ 唳唳� 唳曕唳涏 唳ム唳曕 唳む唳曕 唳唳班唳 superhuman 唳唳ㄠ唳唰� 唳︵唳啷� 唳忇 entity 唳ㄠ唳唰� 唳嗋Ξ唳距Π 唳忇唳熰 唳ム唳撪Π唳� 唳嗋唰囙イ It鈥檚 kind of similar to Voldemort's horcruxes. Renu met Debi during a horrible and traumatic event of her. Let's assume Debi is her other personality born as a defense mechanism to her trauma. Renu spent so much energy on creating this personalised that somehow it detached from her and became it鈥檚 own individual self. So it became capable of fleeting in and out of other bodies and minds. Which explains why Neelu suddenly had Debi with her when it should've died with Ranu. It also explains how it is able to be at places far away from Renu and Neelu both. It probably also explains how Renu and Neelu both knew things. Debi acted as a spy for both of them. Albeit an unconscious spy. But I don't want to take this theory this far. I like believing in inexplicable super powers.
-唳唳膏唳� 唳嗋Σ唳苦Π 唳呧Ξ唳苦Ξ唳距唳膏唳� 唳班唳膏唳� 唳忇唳熰 complete murder mystery novella. Our Misir Ali turns a full fledged detective in this one and he solves the murder case too. 唳多唳о paranormal 唳唳粪Ο唳监唳� 唳班唳膏唳 唳⑧唳曕 唳班唳栢 唳灌Σ啷� 唳椸唳唰囙Θ唰嵿Ζ唳� 唳椸Σ唰嵿Κ 唳Α唳监Δ唰� 唳曕唳� 唳ㄠ 唳唳� 唳侧唳椸?
-唳嗋Ξ唳� 唳忇Μ唳� 唳嗋Ξ唳班 is one of the best psychological thriller I've ever read. 唳唳曕 唳ㄠ唳唰� 唳忇 唳椸Σ唰嵿Κ, 唳膏 唳呧Ω唳距Η唳距Π唳� 唳溹唳苦Σ 唳忇唳熰 唳氞Π唳苦Δ唰嵿Π啷� 唳忇 唳氞Π唳苦Δ唰嵿Π 唳Δ唳曕唳粪Θ 唳Α唳监唳� 唳唳む唳 唳ム唳曕 唳膏Μ 唳膏Ξ唳 唳忇唳熰 唳呧Ω唳膏唳む 唳曕唳� 唳曕Π唰囙イ 唳忇 唳椸Σ唰嵿Κ唰囙Π 唳膏Ξ唳距Η唳距Θ唳熰唳� 唳忇唳熰 唳Α唳� twist. 唳Α唳监唳� 唳Π 唳曕唳涏唳曕唳粪Γ 唳樴唳班唳� 唳Η唰嵿Ο唰� 唳涏唳侧唳イ 唳忇唳� 唳唳膏唳� 唳嗋Σ唳� must read.
-唳曕唰囙Θ 唳曕Μ唳� 唳曕唳侧唳︵唳� 唳嗋Π唰囙唳熰 psychological thriller. 唳嗋Π 唳忇唳熰 murder mystery 唳� 唳嗋唰囙イ Some people might take issue with it because of the religious matter attached with it. I unexpectedly ended up liking it. I didn鈥檛 like it as much in the beginning. I love to read about psycho evil female characters. Like I said before bad deeds don't seem to matter in this series' world.
-唳灌Π唳むΘ 唳囙Ω唰嵿唳距Κ唳�- 唳忇唳� 唳Α唳监 唳唳溹唳� 唳栢唳班唳� 唳灌Ο唳监唳涏啷� The most interesting character was completely ignored and used sparingly to add suspense that ultimately is a total waste in itself. 唳班唳唳� 唳Δ intriguing 唳忇唳熰 唳氞Π唳苦Δ唰嵿Π唰囙Π 唳唳唳唳距Π 唳曕Π唰� 唳椸Σ唰嵿Κ 唳ㄠ 唳忇唳苦Ο唳监 唳曕 唳膏Μ 唳唳� 唳樴唳ㄠ 唳椸Σ唰嵿Κ唰囙Π main focus 唳曕Π唳侧唳ㄠイ 唳唳ㄠ 唳ㄠ 唳Α唳监 唳 唳灌唳む 唳ㄠ唳唰� 唳Α唳监Σ唰� 唳灌Ο唳监Δ 唳涏唳班 唳唳侧 唳︵唳む唳イ
-唳唳膏唳� 唳嗋Σ唳苦Π 唳氞Χ唳 - 唳忇 唳唳む 唳侧唳栢 唳ㄠ唳溹唳曕 唳唳膏唳� 唳嗋Σ唳苦Π 唳溹唳む唳� 唳唳膏唳ㄠ唳︵ 唳唳ㄠ唳唰囙唰囙Θ啷� One of the lighter ones in the series. 唳曕唳炧唳氞唰� comedic elements 唳嗋唰囙イ 唳膏Μ 唳班唳膏唳唳� 唳膏唳班唳灌 唳曕Π唰囙 唳曕唳涏 唳班唳膏唳� 唳唳� 唳︵唳唰� 唳唳ㄠイ 唳灌唳班唳� 唳呧Π 唳班Χ唳苦Ζ 唳忇Π 唳唳ㄠΩ唳苦 唳膏Ξ唳膏唳 唳ㄠ唳唰� 唳 唳忇Δ 唳む唳唳ㄠ 唳唳唳氞唳ㄠ 唳灌Σ,唳多唳粪 唳む 唳唳班唳唳班 唳夃Κ唰囙唰嵿Ψ唳� 唳曕Π唳� 唳灌Σ 唳曕唳�?
-唳唳膏唳� 唳嗋Σ唳� unsolved- Another short story collection comprising of unsolved case. Misir Ali himself is a mysterious character. Other than about his personality and habits, we know next to nothing about him or his past. There is a story in here that tells a bit about his past-his father. There鈥檚 a story in here that's purely for the sake of confusing the reader. I'm pretty sure it has no ties to 唳曕唰囙Θ 唳曕Μ唳� 唳曕唳侧唳︵唳膏イ 唳嗋唳熰 唳椸Σ唰嵿Κ唰囙Π 唳Η唰嵿Ο唰� 唳嗋Ξ唳距Π 唳む唳ㄠ唳� 唳唳� 唳侧唳椸唳涏- 唳唳班唳� 唳唳侧唳�, 唳班唳� 唳唰嵿Ψ唳� 唳班唳� 唳唳唳� 唳嗋Π 唳唳涏イ
-唳唳- 唳忇唳距 唳呧Δ唳� 唳呧Ω唳距Η唳距Π唳� 唳忇唳熰 唳椸Σ唰嵿Κ啷� The twists and turns in this one really caught me off guard. I thought I knew where it was headed. Then bam!! A total 180掳 turn. I didn鈥檛 think the writer could repackage the parallel world trope and sell it this well. But he did it and he did more than well. He made sure you spent your last dime on it. Bonus point- cats play a huge part in it.
and with this finally. . . . . . the series ends.! This one was a but confusing at the last . . What I enjoyed most was the conversation of mishir ali with the crows. . there are some places where the story looked like it had been forced to be so. . . was constricted instead of the smooth flow that these novels generally comes with. Anyway, I am going to miss this character! Adieu, Mishir Ali! and Thanks to Humayun Ahmed for creating such an awesome character for this eccentric seires.!
Alas! Now it ends . This is the last of misir and I've read these books so many times, enjoyed some of them others not so much. 唳∴唳膏唳多Θ 唳ㄠ唳唰囙唳苦Σ唳距Ξ 唳膏唳班唳溹唳� 唳侧唳膏唳� 唳唳� 唳Α唳监Μ唰� 唳む唳班Κ唳� 唳曕唳ㄠ 唳︵唳� 唳灌唳� 唳︵唳 唳ㄠ啷� 唳む唳� 唳灌Μ唰� 唳Σ唰� 唳Θ唰� 唳灌唰嵿唰囙イ 唳多唳� 唳椸Σ唰嵿Κ 唳涏唳� 唳嗋Π唰囙唳熰 唳唳多 唳曕唳涏 唳嗋Χ唳� 唳曕Π唰� 唳涏唳侧唳� 唳Σ唰嵿Σ唳苦 唳氞Π唳苦Δ唰嵿Π 唳熰 唳唳侧 唳侧唳椸唳涏唳�! 唳むΜ唰� 唳唳澿Κ唳ム 唳膏Μ 唳唳班唳� 唳侧唳椸唳苦Σ唰� maybe because I'm awake for more than 30h IDK 唳多唳粪Μ唳距Π唰囙Π 唳Δ 唳曕唳涏 唳膏Ξ唳膏唳 唳Σ唰� 唳唳� 唳唳膏唳� 唳嗋Σ唳� in a nutshell
How did life got busy so much that I haven鈥檛 finished a book since Aug '24? I picked up a number of books but couldn鈥檛 finish or should I say find the energy to finish any of them? This is probably the longest reading slump I've had within past few years! So coming back to square one, I've finally decided to start the year with my comfort zone - listening to a misir ali audiobook! It wasn鈥檛 mindblowing but feels nice to read and finish a book after so long!