Amitav Ghosh is one of India’s best-known writers, acclaimed for fiction, travel writing, and journalism. Sea of Poppies, the first volume of his Ibis Trilogy, was shortlisted for the 2008 Booker Prize and River of Smoke, the second volume, will be released on 1 September, 2011. His books have been nominated three times as the New York Times Notable Book. Other awards include The Arthur C. Clark Award and Chicago Tribune Favourite Book of 2001.