Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Amitav Ghosh

Amitav Ghosh's books include The Calcutta Chromosome, The Glass Palace, and Sea of Poppies.

From his May 2012 Q & A at the Independent:

Choose a favourite author, and say why you admire her/him

My favourite authors change week to week. I've just finished a reading Philip Hensher's 'Scenes from Early Life', about his partner's childhood. It is distantly like Gertrude Stein's book on Alice B Toklas.
* * *

Which fictional character most resembles you?

When I was growing up, I identified with Tintin. I love travel and he could go anywhere he wanted.
* * *

Who is your hero/heroine from outside literature?

Aung San Suu Kyi. I've written at great length about her. Her patience and her willingness to work towards compromise are great contributions to modern life.
Read the complete Q & A.

Ghosh's The Glass Palace is one of Ahmede Hussain's five top titles in recent South Asian literature.

Read Ray Taras's review of Ghosh's The Hungry Tide.

Learn about the novel Ghosh would give to his own children to introduce them to literature.

--Marshal Zeringue