Books Read in 2020

This comes in after a quarter of 2021 has already slipped by. I could only draw a blank when I tried to recollect all the books that I read in the past year. It had to wait until I returned to Bangalore and look at the shelves and pull out all of them. Visual memory … Continue reading Books Read in 2020 →

Muslim Library – 2

Spent over 30 minutes looking for this library. Figured that for some people on the streets in this area, a library means a book stall of ‘Islaami kitabein’ or just a place where books are sold. Had to ask for a place where books are just kept, not sold. They didn’t know of such a place.The … Continue reading Muslim Library – 2 →

Muslim Library – 1

The librarian is in!

Burgess says it in one sentence

bewaqt: “I’m so puritanical that I can’t describe a kiss without blushing.” Picked up from Paris Review’s tweet and then a hasty reach to the shelf for Burgess’ collection with a tag line ‘A Personal Choice by Anthony Burgess’ to look for all that he has read and recommends reading! List includes R K Narayan’s The … Continue reading Burgess says it in one sentence →

Apa PantAdorable adorable writing by Apa Pant. I knew that an Indian diplomat received HH Dalai Lama when he escaped from Tibet. Didn’t knew it was Apa. Guess I’ve been thinking of Maharashtra and it’s people a little too much lately, to be coming across books and people from the state. His dedication page is … Continue reading →

23/06/2018 In this little setting, the talk today is of stem cell research. Again, the good friend at bookstore tips me off about it. And found another Oliver Jeffers book (Stuck). Kept it aside immediately, and by the end, didn’t buy it. Guess, somethings need to be left behind.

There is nothing straight about desire at all

Late night read. Madhavi Menon’s interview. This one’s quite interesting in the way Menon frames it - Q: You write, “A far cry from the dominant history of sexuality that would assign one identity to one person, dargahs provide us with a window onto a world of desirous possibilities, none of which are spelled out … Continue reading There is nothing straight about desire at all →

On booksRead Jeanette Winterson’s views on books, via twitter, this morning. “It was actually books that started to make those pockets of freedom, which I hadn’t otherwise experienced. I do see them as talismans, as sacred objects. I see them as something that will protect me, I suppose, that will save me.”Ihave held them as … Continue reading →

How does a writer grow?

By far the best view I’ve read on the matter. ‘Not by turning inward’, he says. Arthur Levin in an interview - OLSWANGER: You’ve worked with many writers over the years. In your opinion, how does a writer grow?LEVINE: I think writers grow by pushing themselves to be more honest and revealing about themselves in their work. They … Continue reading How does a writer grow? →

Pustakanche Gao

This region gets prettier by the year. Wai, Kas and now Bhilar http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/cOAzB4CLFJ5KQzLtFGvySK/Pune-to-Bhilar-The-book-village.html “आयुष्यात मला भावलेलं एक गुज सांगतो. उपजिविकेसाठीआवश्यक असणाऱ्या विषयाचं शिक्षण जरुर घ्या. पोटापाण्याचा उद्योग जिद्दीनं करा, पण एवढ्यावरच थांबू नका. साहित्य, चित्र, संगीत, नाट्य, शिल्प, खेळ ह्यांतल्या एखाद्या तरी कलेशी मैत्री जमवा. पोटापाण्याचा उद्योग तुम्हाला जगवील, पण कलेशी जमलेली मैत्री तुम्ही का जगायचं … Continue reading Pustakanche Gao →