Books by Mayukh Sen
“Merle Oberon was the first person of South Asian descent to be nominated for an Academy Award, though no-one knew that—she was passing as white at the time. She starred in the 1939 adaptation of Wuthering Heights, which is ironic, because the actor playing Heathcliff was white and she was South Asian. What’s really beautiful about the book is the way it has been framed. In the beginning, the author sets up how meaningful she was for him in his life, what a difference she made to him, as someone who is also South Asian, to have this role model, although he didn’t know she was a role model. Once he discovered her, he realised how important it was to bring out a book on her. And it’s perfect timing, with the new Wuthering Heights coming out this year.” Read more...
The Best Biographies: The 2026 NBCC Shortlist
Iris Jamahl Dunkle, Biographer
Interviews where books by Mayukh Sen were recommended
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1
A Perfect Turmoil: Walter E. Fernald and the Struggle to Care for America’s Disabled
by Alex Green -
2
Love, Queenie: Merle Oberon, Hollywood's First South Asian Star
by Mayukh Sen -
3
Pride and Pleasure: The Schuyler Sisters in an Age of Revolution
by Amanda Vaill -
4
Queen Mother: Black Nationalism, Reparations, and the Untold Story of Audley Moore
by Ashley D. Farmer -
5
Troublemaker: The Fierce, Unruly Life of Jessica Mitford
by Carla Kaplan
The Best Biographies: The 2026 NBCC Shortlist, recommended by Iris Jamahl Dunkle
The Best Biographies: The 2026 NBCC Shortlist, recommended by Iris Jamahl Dunkle
Every year, we ask the chair of the National Book Critics Circle biography committee to talk us through their shortlist of the best new books in the genre. Here, Iris Jamahl Dunkle—the award-winning biographer, poet and critic—introduces us to the winning title, a deeply-researched profile of a special education pioneer, as well as the four runners-up.
