Wednesday, July 12, 2006

On my Wish List

Just heard a radio segment on CBC interviewing Anosh Irani about his new book, The Song of Kahunsha, set in Bombay (Mumbai). With the mass murder there the other day it was particularly timely. I was impressed with what the author said about his book and about events in Mumbai. His comments about the difference between Bombay and Mumbai (its new name) and how the change of name was representative of a change from a tolerant city to one of extremism was insightful. How sad that his work has been rejected for publication in India ; thought too negative he said. The book sounds like A Fine Balance which I really enjoyed and admired. The readers reviews are very good too so I am putting it on my wish list.

I am reading two books at the moment... Going Loco ( highlighted in my last post) and The Bookman's Wake which I started the day I bought it while I was waiting for the car to be serviced. I should finish that today. It is a great read.

My husband is away for a few days so I am also hoping to get some uninterrupted writing (and painting) in! Sure wish there were another 24 hours in each day. Time is our real enemy. No, I shouldn't say that. It isn't an enemy, it is neutral, but the waste of it is a crime and as I get older I must really make the most of it.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I listened to the interview as well, and the thing that struck me most was Anosh Irani saying "nostalgia is a mild form of depression."

One of lifes truisms.

canary said...

Yes! Another insightful comment. I had never thought of it that way but it is true. We rather enjoy nostalgia though, don't we? Perhaps nostalgia is what we get when we cope with depression?
The author's insights make me think buying the book would be worthwhile.

Oh, life is a glorious cycle of song,
A medley of extemporanea;
And love is a thing that can never go wrong;
And I am Marie of Romania.
Dorothy Parker, Not So Deep as a Well (1937)