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V. J. James

ヴィー・ジェイ・ジェイムズ

V. J. James

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
Vazhappally, Changanassery, Kottayam, Kerala, India
Nationality
Indian
Languages
Malayalam

Career

Occupations
Writer, Engineer
Active Years
1999-
Nominations
JCB Prize (Shortlisted): Anti-Clock (translated) 2021, Atta Galatta-Bangalore Literature Festival Book Prize (Shortlisted): Chorashasathram (translated) 2021, PFC VoW Book Award (Longlisted): Anti-Clock (translated) 2022

Education

St. Berchmans College
Country: India
Mar Athanasius College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Degree: Bachelor of Engineering
Country: India
Holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering

Awards

DC Silver Jubilee Award
1999
Work: Purappadinte Pusthakam
Organization: DC Books
Result: 受賞
Malayattoor Prize
1999
Organization: Malayattoor Foundation
Result: 受賞
Rotary Literary Award
1999
Work: Purappadinte Pusthakam
Organization: Rotary
Result: 受賞
Thoppil Ravi Award
Work: Nireeshwaran
Organization: Thoppil Ravi Award committee
Result: 受賞
Kerala Bhasha Institute Basheer Award
2015
Work: Nireeshwaran
Organization: Kerala Bhasha Institute
Result: 受賞
Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Novel
2017
Work: Nireeshwaran
Category: 長編小説
Organization: Kerala Sahitya Akademi
Result: 受賞
Basheer Puraskaram
2018
Work: Nireeshwaran
Organization: Basheer Smaraka Trust
Result: 受賞
Thikkurissi Award
2018
Work: Anticlock
Organization: Thikkurissi Award committee
Result: 受賞
O. V. Vijayan Award
2019
Work: Anticlock
Organization: O. V. Vijayan Award committee
Result: 受賞
Vayalar Award
2019
Work: Nireeshwaran
Organization: Vayalar Award committee
Result: 受賞
JCB Prize (Shortlisted)
2021
Work: Anti-Clock (translated)
Organization: JCB Prize
Result: 最終候補
Malayattoor Foundation Literary Award
2022
Work: Anticlock
Organization: Malayattoor Foundation
Result: 受賞
Padmarajan Award
2022
Work: Velli Kash
Organization: Padmarajan Award committee
Result: 受賞
FOKANA Award for Literature
2023
Organization: FOKANA
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Purappadinte Pusthakam

1999 Novel

His first book; a novel depicting ordinary lives, selected in a DC Books competition and published as the winner.

everyday lifehuman relationships

Chorashasthram

2002 Novel

A novel dealing with theft and moral subtleties.

ethicscrime
Translations
  • CHORASHASTRA : THE SUBTLE SCIENCE OF THIEVERY

Dathapaharam

2005 Novel

A work focusing on the inner lives of its characters.

memoryfamily
Translations
  • DATAPAHARAM : CALL OF THE FOREST

Leyka

2006 Novel

A novel weaving personal life with social themes.

societyindividual

Ottakkalan Kakka

2013 Novel

A long-form novel including satire and human observation.

observationsatire

Nireeshwaran

2014 Novel

Explores clashes between theism and atheism, presenting debates about religion and belief in accessible language.

religionfaithphilosophy
Translations
  • NIREESWARAN

Anticlock

2018 Novel

A novel that deals with time and destiny; its English translation received several nominations.

timedestiny
Translations
  • ANTI-CLOCK

Bibliography

  • Purappadinte Pusthakam
  • Chorashasthram
  • Dathapaharam
  • Leyka
  • Ottakkalan Kakka
  • Nireeshwaran
  • Anticlock
  • Pranayopanishath
  • Shavangalil Pathinaraman
  • Bhoomiyilekkulla thurumbicha Vathayanangal

Adaptations

  • Film 'Munthirivallikal Thalirkkumbol' (2017) loosely based on the short story 'Pranayopanishath'

Translations of Works

  • ANTI-CLOCK (English translation, 2021)
  • NIREESWARAN (English translation, 2022)
  • CHORASHASTRA : THE SUBTLE SCIENCE OF THIEVERY (English translation, 2022)
  • DATAPAHARAM : CALL OF THE FOREST (English translation, 2023)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
concise, plain-language proserealism grounded in everyday observation
Recurring Motifs
observation of everyday lifeconflict between religion and atheismmoral and philosophical questions

Legacy

V. J. James is an important contemporary Malayalam writer known for tackling weighty themes like religion and ethics in accessible language. He has won several major awards and several works have been translated into English.

Academic Societies

  • Kerala Sahitya Akademi

In Popular Culture

  • The short story 'Pranayopanishath' served as a loose inspiration for the film 'Munthirivallikal Thalirkkumbol' (2017)

Quotes

  • I observe everyday life closely; it helps me to narrate the common man's life with authenticity.
    Source: Interview / summary on Wikipedia

Trivia

  • Worked as an engineer at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC).
  • The short story 'Pranayopanishath' is cited as a source for the 2017 film 'Munthirivallikal Thalirkkumbol'.
  • Several works have been translated into English and introduced internationally.