By Nivriti Butalia

Lila’s eyes narrowed.

I wish I had counted the number of times Lila’s narrowing eyes occur in the four books that make up The Neapolitan Novels. Does Elena Ferrante, the author, like repetition? Did she forget how often she resorts to it or was the descriptor deliberate? It’s there, a lot. In My Brilliant Friend, in The Story of a New Name, in Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay, and in, The Story of the Lost Child, all published between 2012 and 2014.

Continue reading Why you should read everything with Ferrante’s name on it →

By Anamika Chatterjee

Imagine being called the JRR Tolkien of India. Penning books that have sold four million copies. Production houses vying for the film adaptation rights for your book. Amish Tripathi, 43 years old, is living that dream. In 2010, the banker-turned-author self-published his first book, The Immortals of Meluha after the manuscript was rejected by several publishers. The stories spun off a series, and Tripathi became a household name. The vivid world located at the heart of Hindu mythology has appealed to millions of readers, even though critics have often frowned upon the linguistic merits of his books. In a conversation with Khaleej Times ahead of his appearance at the Reader’s World Book Fair today, Tripathi tells us what you need to learn, and unlearn, in order to be a bestselling author in India.

Continue reading “I write in a language that I understand. I am not elite” →

By Maan Jalal

One of the most powerful takeaways from reading Souad Mekhennet’s memoir was something her grandfather told her. The people with power are the ones who write history, he said. This statement is something that proves true, time and time again, in Mekhennet’s life. It is the foundation for the work she does and what drives her to put her life at risk as a journalist.

Continue reading She wrote about her life as an Arab immigrant in Germany →