Nilanjana S Roy: Nabokov's last work.

In a few weeks, Knopf will publish The Original of Laura: Fragments. The “fragments” is key. The design chosen for the final, unpublished manuscript that the late Vladimir Nabokov wanted destroyed is appropriate to the way he wrote it. The book includes reproductions of the 138 index cards on which the author, suffering from his last illness, wrote the unfinished version of the book he hoped would stand comparison with Lolita and Pale Fire. - Writing about faith: Alternative histories - The unbearable heaviness of the Nobel - Nilanjana S Roy.

The unbearable heaviness of the Nobel.

Herta Müller, the new Nobel laureate in literature, has been a fierce critic of Ceausescu’s regime in Romania. She is highly regarded in Europe’s academic circles. She had received over 20 literary awards, including the IMPAC, before winning the Nobel this year. And I must confess an unliterary complaint: having read only two of her books, The Land of Green Plums and The Appointment, I have about as much enthusiasm for reading her as I do for swimming through a pool of cold porridge. - Branding & the Nobel prize - Unintended consequences of peace - Not prize-winning - Teaching is not enough - An Open Letter to the American People... - PM steers clear of controversy over Nobel to Obama The Nobel Prize in literature is administered by the Swedish Academy, the process of selection is rigorous, and the shortlist of candidates would usually begin at about 25 names and then be whittled down to roughly five, before a winner is chosen.

Udyog Software in talks with SEZ developers in Gujarat.

Mumbai-based Udyog Software, is in talks with Special Economic Zone (SEZ) developers in Gujarat for its tax software solutions. Udyog Software, which provides technology solutions to number of businesses in areas of Payroll Solutions, Tax Compliance Solutions, Integrated Solutions and ERP implementations, now plans to tap both SEZ developers as well as the upcoming units in it. - Mundra Port's Q1 net zooms 56% - RIL net drops 6.4% on refining margin pinch - Govt to mull 10 SEZ withdrawal proposals on Nov 5 - "Top level studying SEZs" problems with draft tax code" - Punjab govt to review 18 IT SEZ projects - Udyog Software in talks with SEZ developers in Gujarat According to Arun Dixit, chief executive officer of Udyog Software, "Already 35 per cent of our customers are from Gujarat. Plus, there are several upcoming SEZ projects in the state, apart from Delhi.

Mamata asks for central crackdown in West Bengal.

Hours before Maoist-backed activists held the Bhubaneswar-originating Rajdhani Express hostage inside West Bengal near the Jharkhand border, an angry Mamata Banerjee today demanded the anti-Maoist operations in her state should be stopped. And that the Union government prepare the ground for imposing President’s Rule. - Activists hold Rajdhani hostage - Letters: Time to act">Letters: Time to act - Maoists get arms from abroad: Chidambaram - Congress may retain CMs in three states - Naxalites release abducted police officer - Fake currency business not a cottage industry, says HM After a meeting with her cabinet colleague, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, she said: “The joint operations by the central and the state forces are a mockery of democracy. It is a total failure. While the operation is going on, a police officer got abducted. Now in the name of the joint operation, gun-toting CPI(M) goons are reclaiming their party offices.