Ms. Roy: a big no-no!!!
I mostly read books that make sense to me easily.
I am not a fan of Edgar Allan Poe.
I like IWE as I can relate myself to it.
I have never completed The God of small things.
As any ardent booklover, I naturally tend to get attracted to the “famous” books first. The hype created when Arundhati Roy was awarded the Booker prize is known to all. It established the burgeoning Indo-English books entry globally. Even today, the only writers that my non-Indian friends can come with are R.K. Narayan and Arundhati Roy. Though there have been many internationally-acclaimed books/authors from India since 1997, this one fiction remains as celebrated as ever; something similar to how Aishwarya Rai and Sushmitha Sen are still being epitomized as opposed to their successors, Lara Dutta and Priyanka Chopra.
But I haven’t read the book even once completely. I know of many who have thrown startled looks at me whenever I had somewhat guiltily announced this. Are you serious?, demanded many eyes pouncing on me, on such occasions, making me wriggle like an expatriate, or even a traitor. I have even tried the Readers’ guide by Julie Mullaney, but sadly, I still couldn’t appreciate the novel. I would just get so bored out of my mind, and my head would start aching from the forced and deceptive concentration.
Mind you, I have nothing against Arundhati Roy. I look up to her for having plunged into social-activism so early in her career, and I have enjoyed reading some of her articles and essays including The greater common good and The end of imagination. Recently, when Medha Patkar went on a fast for the Narmada Bachao Andolan, Arundhati had exhibited utmost dedication and sensitivity for the cause [even though she had once fumbled on NDTV when asked whether fasting wasn’t more of a blackmail to get things done].
Different people read books for different reasons ranging from killing time to gaining extensive knowledge. My motivation is simple: I read books for entertainment. I sometimes get nightmares that the author gets fed up of writing essays on politics, needs some fresh air after a whole decade of not writing fiction, and comes up with a brand new novel. The fear of facing my book partners without having read one more novel of the great novelist, and being branded a non-intellectual reader is just too much.
Ms.Roy, just a word of request from me. You are doing great with what you are doing right now, please keep going and don’t ever turn around!!!
Different people read books for different reasons ranging from killing time to gaining extensive knowledge. My motivation is simple: I read books for entertainment. I sometimes get nightmares that the author gets fed up of writing essays on politics, needs some fresh air after a whole decade of not writing fiction, and comes up with a brand new novel. The fear of facing my book partners without having read one more novel of the great novelist, and being branded a non-intellectual reader is just too much.
Ms.Roy, just a word of request from me. You are doing great with what you are doing right now, please keep going and don’t ever turn around!!!
4 comments:
honest observations. more power to Roy for doing what she knows best will work for her...
saswat: you would probably know more of Roy's political side, and I would be happy to read some pointers of hers in your blog [if any]
hemu: I read a book over several days ;]
I agree with you. I wondered what the hype was about too and havent been able to complete reading the book. on an aside, i have always wondered why do some indian authors writing in english have to describe details to the extent that you cringe! Death by details. Is it because they want to show their command over the language?
Some Indian authors, who aspire to make it global, tend to get very meticulous and elaborate about certain details, mostly involving places, customs or people… most non-Indians, at least that I know of, read Indian authors more for India than for the book itself. To them, India is still an amusing land of snake-charmers and magicians! It is just sad that some authors can’t strike a balance by sustaining Indian readers’ interests, while fascinating the others who know little about the country.
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