I came across this interesting piece on the writer and his context that seems to influence to a great extent his writing or even his craft. Read this engaging piece by Tishani Doshi, although I would argue that she could have written in a more engaging style.
http://www.thehindu.com/books/the-mutual-admiration-and-animosity-society/article23271081.ece
Although poorly read, I have come across this in a few instances myself. Many years ago I read Amitava Ghosh mention in an interview that writers plumb their lives for material for their novels. Arundhati Roy is said to have fallen back on her own childhood for the main characters of her prize winning debut. As did URA according to another review of his Suragi that also appeared in the same edition of The Hindua as Tishani Doshi's piece. Not to forget Ruskin Bond on whom I wrote a couple of posts that you can read here, if you like, just in case you have read them earlier. http://sgchalayil.blogspot.in/2015/12/ruskin-bond-live.html and http://sgchalayil.blogspot.in/2018/01/bonded-again.html
So that does not surprise me quite. What did take me by surprise were the extreme rivalry and jealousy between writers, as between Turgenev and Tolstoy and the extent to which they could do to be able to disapprove as Tolstoy is supposed to have done just to show that Shakespeare was no good!
Well, behind those great pens and beneath those immortal writings there were, it would appear, some very ordinary humans, given to the average failings that many of us might have. Or I certainly do. Like every time I see Sriram I write I keep looking for something that I can pick on. I am yet to find one though.
The difference though is that beyond that pettiness I have very little else to show. Unlike these great writers. Or for that matter my good friend Sriram.
Now think of the great souls that composed many of the famous Indian scriptures. They were just happy to leave them behind with no trace of their own identity and let posterity treat them as words from an unseen, unknown of, formless, anonymous God!
Anyway enjoy reading Doshi's piece...
Nanni....Namaskaaram...
http://www.thehindu.com/books/the-mutual-admiration-and-animosity-society/article23271081.ece
Although poorly read, I have come across this in a few instances myself. Many years ago I read Amitava Ghosh mention in an interview that writers plumb their lives for material for their novels. Arundhati Roy is said to have fallen back on her own childhood for the main characters of her prize winning debut. As did URA according to another review of his Suragi that also appeared in the same edition of The Hindua as Tishani Doshi's piece. Not to forget Ruskin Bond on whom I wrote a couple of posts that you can read here, if you like, just in case you have read them earlier. http://sgchalayil.blogspot.in/2015/12/ruskin-bond-live.html and http://sgchalayil.blogspot.in/2018/01/bonded-again.html
So that does not surprise me quite. What did take me by surprise were the extreme rivalry and jealousy between writers, as between Turgenev and Tolstoy and the extent to which they could do to be able to disapprove as Tolstoy is supposed to have done just to show that Shakespeare was no good!
Well, behind those great pens and beneath those immortal writings there were, it would appear, some very ordinary humans, given to the average failings that many of us might have. Or I certainly do. Like every time I see Sriram I write I keep looking for something that I can pick on. I am yet to find one though.
The difference though is that beyond that pettiness I have very little else to show. Unlike these great writers. Or for that matter my good friend Sriram.
Now think of the great souls that composed many of the famous Indian scriptures. They were just happy to leave them behind with no trace of their own identity and let posterity treat them as words from an unseen, unknown of, formless, anonymous God!
Anyway enjoy reading Doshi's piece...
Nanni....Namaskaaram...
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