Thursday, July 31, 2008

Another list

People, we have another list - the Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize shortlist. Quite a strange list and I am not sure how one judges such different things. Anyway, some common contenders on this one and the Booker - White Tiger and A Case of Exploding Mangoes. We could do a Mela for this prize too but let's not overdo it. And anyway, I have a better idea. All of you go buy your second copy of the one book of poetry on that list and let us know what you think. I promise to get your copy specially autographed by the authoress herself. Promise.

8 comments:

Falstaff said...

Hmmm...a fairly bizarre list, this one. A graphic novel, a collection of poetry, a memoir, a quasi-historical account of Kashmir, and three novels. It makes you wonder on what basis you can possibly choose a 'winner' from among them (not to mention whether any set of judges would be appropriate to the task).

Ludwig said...

> I promise to get your
> copy specially autographed
> by the authoress herself.
> Promise.

Hmph.

You really have to try harder.

Tsk, tsk. These youngsters...

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Space Bar said...

Falsie: Three novels? I can see only two.

And Veena: Yikes. You now know too much.

Falstaff said...

SB: The Music Room is a novel, I thought. As are White Tiger and Exploding Mangoes. Am I missing something?

Fëanor said...

Good grief, is no desi do complete without our Dalrymple?

Space Bar said...

Falsie: The Music Room, as far as I know, is about two practitioners of the Jaipur Gharana. See here and here.

Falstaff said...

SB: Right. So two novels, a graphic novel, a collection of poetry, a memoir, a quasi-historical account of Kashmir, and, if the articles you point to are to be believed, a part-memoir, part-biography part-journalistic account of the Jaipur gharana that unfolds in a "surreal manner". Stranger and stranger.