Your favourite writers …
Countless. But my most favourite writer is the Brazilian writer Jorge Amado … In fact, I like him better than I do Marquez. He’s not confined to any boundary or magic realism or whatever. For some strange reason, you usually don’t get his books in India. Some of his books have been made into films. Brilliant stuff. I also like John Irving. But Amado is my all-time favourite.
Any Indian writer?
I. Allan Sealy
Have you read all of his writings?
No, I couldn’t read Trotter-Nama. But The Everest Hotel was fabulous. It’s one of the best books I’ve ever read. I love the way he used the ritu samahara. I studied Sanskrit for some time. And I like the way he’s brought in the seasons. It’s one of those books where I’d read every sentence, stop, and ponder over it. It’s such a sensual experience, reading that book. There’s a great deal of dignity there, which is not very often found in writing anywhere in the world. It’s one book I bought for so many people as birthday gifts. Anybody who reads, I tell them: ‘Please read that book.’ It’s a book I soundly recommend to anybody.
Really enjoyed this short interview—Anita Nair’s take on writers like Jorge Amado and I. Allan Sealy feels so genuine and rooted in her own reading journey. It reminded me of how certain books stay with us long after we’ve closed them. I came across https://rajniva.com/destinations recently, which also celebrates creative voices and inspiring journeys in a similar reflective tone.