Reviews and Readers

"Anita Nahal's poems and very short stories are like whispers of my heart! The details are in some case left to the imagination of the reader, and in some cases, graphic and so vivid...as if I am there! Anita's work reminds me of her father, and my Professor Chaman Nahal, the novelist par excellence."

"I loved reading Anita Nahal’s Life on the Go and Hey, Spilt milk is spilt, nothing else. These books were an emotional yet an enlightening read and her stories and poems reflected the essence of maintaining the dignity of the soul in daily life. They have sensitized me on the thoughts, desires, and fears of a woman, daughter, wife, and single mother. I loved her storytelling about relationships and the challenges for a woman as an immigrant who had to straddle between two cultures—one in India, the land of her birth, and the other in the United States, her adopted country. It has aroused my feelings of compassion and the need for tenderness in this cold and violent world. My hat off to Dr. Nahal for her courage to reveal her sentimental experiences and soul! I have had the good fortune to know Dr. Nahal. As president of a Turkish American organization and when she was with Howard University, I had worked with her in promoting multi-cultural activities. One project was encouraging students at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to do a study abroad program in Turkey. We had also collaborated in developing a program on African-American and Turkish Connections through the Arts. "

"Anita’s writings imbibe yet transcend the saga of an immigrant woman and mother way beyond the apparent thoughts! Like ballads, her words echo the sensibilities of empathy, compassion, and love. Her poems and flash fictions have a lyrical quality and soothe the soul. Anita’s writings also chronicle a woman’s survival through her strengths. The poet and fictionist in Anita is at her best!"

"Anita’s poems and flash fictions are very relevant literary contributions as she immerses herself in her characters taking us most intriguingly with them in the journey of soulful, everyday life discovery! With her recently released second collection of poetry and first collection of flash fictions, she strongly establishes herself as a reputed poet in English and Diaspora writings. The pencil images in most of the poems lend visual beauty to Nahal’s work, and her poems are incisive reflections on human existence."

"Anita Nahal’s poetry and flash fictions poignantly peruses the pain, passion, purpose, and promise of life as seen through the lenses of compassion, love, and loss. Like Langston Hughes, for Anita, "Life Ain't Been No Crystal Stair." But she has weathered the storms, is still here, has broken free from the chains of bondage of others’ thoughts, come out of the ashes of the vagaries of life heaped upon her, and like Maya Angelou can proclaim, "Still I Rise.” Read her poetry and flash fictions, and be mesmerized by her voice and view of the world."

"Anita Nahal’s poems and flash fictions are extremely valuable contributions to the literature on immigration and diaspora writings. I absolutely recommend her poems and flash fiction books, as uniquely insightful, with a warm empathy for the human condition. Her books can easily be part of sociology, anthropology, literary and inter-disciplinary classes, as Nahal's work pushes us to ponder upon the issues that emerge from moving places that we might not even think about. Anita is a combination of a social scientist/historian / cultural/human analyst…a culture broker with diverse experiences…being somewhere but from somewhere else, sharing a rich nomadic perspective - a genre hopper/mixer! And Nahal writes more so with a keen eye for everyday encounters, like Humans of New York - weaving tapestries of historical/social facts with existential issues and dilemma's that should resonate with all audiences. It's the universal, ethnographical appeal in her work that will make Anita a major writer of our times."

"Anita's work is deep and endearing, and she has a sense of imagination that goes beyond traditional contemporary poetic bounds. Her writing inspires in all of us a sense of wonder, inspiration, and nostalgia for home that we can rarely attain by other forms of content attempting to represent the Indian subcontinent. I love reading her poems and her flash fictions, which make me feel that I am part of the experiences, thoughts, and feelings. I am honored to be able to read her works and share in their joy."

Anita Nahal is a prolific poet and fictionist, who has achieved excellence in poetry and flash fiction, the latter being the latest genre trending in fiction writing today. She has creativity in her genes. Her father, Chaman Nahal, was a well-known novelist. I am sure, her pen will become more prolific, making the literary scene richer and life beautiful."

“Writing is hard work and not every writer can bring their characters to life understanding the type of readership of a publication like ours, but I am deeply impressed by Anita Nahal’s ability to take any reader with her in to her fictions and poems in such a way, tenderly weaving the emotions, people, and stories at short notice. We have been publishing Anita Nahal’s work for some time now, and her fictions and poems are always a visual treat to our readers. Anita is a truly remarkable writer and she will go far in her writings!"