JustBooks Connect - June 2011 newsletter

Volume 2 Issue 4
www.justbooksclc.com
blog.justbooksclc.com CONNECT June 2011
For limited circulation
A JustBooks Publication

Digital futures: the uncertainty Pg 10
and hope of online journals Quiz

Pg 14
Just
Kids

healthy sign of subtlety. Then, Shillong-
based poet and writer Janice Pariat runs
Anindita Sengupta
Pyrta (www.pyrtajournal.com) which she
started in July 2010 for "shallow, selfish rea- Pg 15
O
ver dinner, city-based writer sons": she wanted a beautiful online space
Samhita Arni talks about Out of and couldn't find anything that she par- Author
Print (www.outofprintmagazine. ticularly liked.
co.in), a new online journal for short sto- Pyrta is easily one of the prettiest mag-
Profile
ries. She is co-editor along with founder azines online. The quirky and elegant
Indira Chandrashekhar and Mumbai- design is complemented by its content-
based writer Mira Brunner. some really crisp short fiction, poetry and
It was started to provide a space for photo essays. Ease of internet access and mission policy and this encourages new
short fiction "of a different sort", she cheap hosting options have made it easi- and young voices to spill onto their
explains. This may sound unclear, even er for writers like Pariat and pages.
whimsical, but nobody questions it Chandrashekhar to start online journals. Although nascent, online journals will
because we accept the unstated premise More recognized names in the sphere only grow in importance. For writers of
that there are few platforms for short fic- are Pratilipi (www.pratilipi.in), a bilingual poetry or short fiction, there are few other
tion, let alone experimental short fiction. journal edited by Giriraj Kadoo and avenues in India. Publishing is difficult
In its third issue now, the journal has Rahul Soni, both of whom are writers and because these genres are not considered
been featuring some exciting writers. The translators; Muse India (www.museindia. saleable.
latest has seven stories including a sci-fi com) which depends on a panel of editors Even renowned names have trouble
dystopic chiller called 'Jenna' by Anita and features plenty of translated works; getting past the first print run thanks to
Roy and 'Birdsong' by Jahnavi Bahrua and writer Rati Saxena’s Kritya lacklustre distribution, stingy shelf space
which is a teasing glimpse into emotional (www.kritya.in). in bookshops and lack of publicity in
violence. Each issue is themed. Increasingly, these are becoming mainstream media. Most publishers are
According to the editor's note, this one vibrant hubs-not just places where people unwilling to touch new writers. Online
is about women but the theme is pleas- can read new poetry or fiction but also journals rarely provide money but
antly unobvious. It runs like a subter- submit their own work if so enthused.
ranean murmur through the stories, a Most online journals have an open sub- contd on pg 2...

2 JustBooks Connect - June 2011
contd from pg 1...
From the Editor’s they do offer a venue-and some loyal
Desk readers. In a parched state, this seems
like manna. The good news is that online
journals are likely to grow in popularity.
Tom Jenks, who is co-editor of Narrative

A
visit to National Gallery of Magazine (www.narrativemagazine.com),
Modern Art on Palace Road, makes a case for them: The question about
Bangalore, is a must for the the place or validity of literature online is a
residents as well as the visitors to non-question. As early as 1995, the rising
Bangalore. Nestled in a canopy of popularity-the sheer call on imagination and
green; it is housed in a heritage man- inspiration- the internet made it plain that
sion in the center of the city. writers would have to move online or be mar-
The exhibits, though not in the same ginalized. The future
scale as NGMA Delhi, are worthy of the written word is
nonetheless. Curators have done a digital. Traditional, cal literature and the lack of
wonderful job in putting up the dis- familiar forms will credible reviews, one is
plays. There is plenty of outdoor space continue to exist popu- uncertain of what constitutes
to just sit and relax and for kids to run larly, but the means of 'good writing'. In India, short
around. The cost of entry ticket is Rs. their delivery to read- fiction and poetry rarely get
10 for Indians and Rs. 1 for students! It ers will evolve remark- reviewed in mainstream
is a pure steal. ably, with great oppor- newspapers. Barring a few
And that is why it is such a pity that tunities for economies efforts like Caravan,
it hardly attracts visitors. Is it because of scale in production Tehelka's annual fiction issue
NGMA has not marketed and adver- and distribution. This and The Little Magazine run
tised itself properly? Or are we is good news amid the by Antara Dev Sen, no maga-
becoming apathetic to our art and his- general confusion zines publish them. The aver-
tory? If its former then NGMA has lots age reader can get through
of work to do but if its latter then its entire swathes of time with-
more worrisome. out ever encountering that
Art, in whatever form, organically strange beast-a short story-or
grows when it gets supportive and that even stranger beast, a
nourishing environment. In absence poem. Suddenly the reader is faced with
of which, a society loses the growth of one of them in this new breed of online
its culture. journals. No wonder there is the urge to
Culture, which history will show, is turn tail and run. It is unfamiliar. And
important for any civilization's ascent there are no signposts, no guidelines on
or descent. The same applies to read- how to deal with it. It's pretty much a
ing and writing and other forms of case of diving in at the deep end, trusting
creativity. instincts, exercising the (literary) limbs.
To have fertile minds write and pro- It doesn't seem likely that reviews in
duce great literary work, requires mainstream media will become more fre-
good publishing houses, proper copy- quent. But readers can strengthen their
right laws and an open society. judgment in other ways, sometimes sim-
In this edition we have focused on ply by reading as much as they can
various online literary journals that about the direction of contemporary literary (which is possible online if not offline),
are run by diligent and passionate cre- publishing. sometimes by talking to other readers.
ative folks. All they need is our appre- Though he is talking about the scenario This is already happening among a small
ciation and encouragement than just in western terms it is relevant to India as section. They are turning to Facebook
give a dekko. well. With increasing Internet access, pages, book groups and blogs to discuss
What is needed from a society at cheaper connectivity and a general break- what they like and why. This will hope-
macro level is needed from a family at down of biases, more readers are going to fully ferment better understanding, an
micro level. To encourage reading and get online. ability to read between the lines, an
writing in our family, especially However, a question that emerges in appreciation for craft and nuance.
amongst children-we need to read and this context is quality. Cheap virtual Better readers will, in turn, affect the
write ourselves, subscribe to various space is prone to substandard writing, quality of journals. The internet may not
literary magazines and become mem- especially because anyone can style always bring you money but through site
ber of a library. themselves 'editor' of an online literary stats and comment boxes, it does let you
We hope and believe the growth of space (Pariat, 2011). Online journals are know how many readers you have. And
JustBooks libraries across multiple often edited by two or three people to more importantly, what they are think-
cities is doing its bit of contribution to ensure some amount of quality checking ing.
the society. but standards do vary. How is a reader to
Sources: Pariat, J. (2011, April 8). Small
Lastly, do tell us what you think of trust one journal over another? Print. Forbes India , pp. 119-125.
this edition and send us your feedback Jenks addresses the question of quality Smith, J. (n.d.). Testing the E-Credential.
at editor@justbooksclc. com. as one that is linked to larger issues in Retrieved April 1, 2011, from Green Hills
As usual happy reading  publishing, reviewing and reading in Literary without free access to the hundreds of
general. With the breakdown of canoni- journals now available on the Internet. 


A fine line

Architecture of Womanhood
Balancing Act
one could discover the essence of an
object, or, in this case a person, then it
“Tara has to even invent a
would be easy to almost organically Yakshi, her alter ego, who
do the right thing or as Bill Moyers
Meera Godbole Krishnamurthy
used to say, to follow one's bliss.
dares to raise the issue of
Zubaan
In an interview the author explains her wanting to go back to
that "Tara is trying to define her true
nature, separate from what society or work after nine years of
Geetanjali Singh Chanda
feminism or her friends tell her." This being a stay at home mom. “
idea of an unchanging 'essence' of self
is in itself deeply problematic
because it envisions individuals as static visiting for a couple of days so that she

M
eera Godbole Krishnamurthy is beings who don't evolve. could have a night out? His support and
an artist and a writer. She stud- However, the discovery of a 'true self' kindness is manifest in his taking the
ied art and architecture at would make it easier for Tara to know friend out for an expensive dinner and an
Oberlin College and Columbia University whether she wants to be a stay at home evening out returning home late in a sen-
and received a Masters of Architecture mother or a working woman. The book suous, heady haze when all the chores are
from the University of Virginia. suggests that the two are mutually exclu- done and the children tucked in bed.
Widely travelled, she has also lived in sive propositions. Career women, even in Tara has to even invent a Yakshi, her
various places including France, the this upper middle class milieu of alter ego, who dares to raise the issue of
Philippines, and the United States. Her Americans and Non-Resident Indians her wanting to go back to work after nine
autobiography is in the form of her end up in fraught relationships or divorce years of being a stay at home mom. Tara's
- even when they can afford resistance to being seen as "just" a mother
day care or doting grand- or a housewife is to make playdough
mothers who displace them- bricks on which she inscribes words or
selves to look after their word pairs such as - womb-nursemaid-
grandchildren in an alien housewife, gilt-guilt, mother-smother, or
land. vacuum-void. She leaves these anony-
The issue of balancing mous signs of protest in random places
career and family: while the and waits for change to happen. Tara is
title Balancing Act is old as not looking for systemic change in her
the hills, each new mother home or in child care policies, nor is she
faces it for the first time and looking for equality or even equal oppor-
rehashes the same tired argu- tunity for women and men, she believes
ments as if they were freshly in the 'biology is destiny' idea of women's
minted revelations. roles in society.
And each time an uncompli- In her view "motherhood seemed to have
cated and stereotypical notion fallen into a black hole in this modern - or per-
of feminism is pulled out of haps - post-modern, feminist world view."
the hat to bear the brunt of But she does not offer any ideas about
individual angst. how motherhood could be rescued from
Krishnamurthy's definition of the black hole. In a moment of self-ques-
feminism provides the usual tioning about what she really wants she
guilt-scented, conciliatory acknowledges that, "All I wanted was for
balm to men: "Feminism need these women to include me in their small talk
not be anti-men. Tara's husband at dinner parties." If anything this shrunk-
is portrayed in a sympathetic en, personal desire to belong in superfi-
light. Men too miss out on the cial conversations is a severe indictment
family because of work." But the of motherhood, education and socializa-
author does not comment on tion. Tara who had topped her architec-
engagement with issues of feminism, her the fact that Tara's husband Roshan can ture class and then tenaciously stalked
love of architecture and a cosmopolitan afford to be supportive of whatever deci- I.M Pei to become part of his team and be
outlook inform this debut novel. Each sion she makes because he does not have involved in the construction of the
chapter begins with a quote from a to adjust his life-style in any way. Not Louvre pyramid has now narrowed her
famous architect which sets the tone and only do Tara and et al heap praise on horizons to want merely to belong and be
suggests the theme or core of that partic- Roshan for his supportiveness but it is acknowledged by both career women and
ular section. even suggested that if he is attracted to a 'kitty party' group.
The take away message of the book is her best friend it is because she has been Stylistically Balancing Act is well writ-
encapsulated in the famous architect remiss in her wifely duties and neglected ten and definitely readable. It also has
Louis Kahn's question: "What do you want him! One wonders why he did not offer to some keen insights but as a defence of
to be, brick?" The question suggests that if put the children to bed when her friend is motherhood it is unconvincing. 

JustBooks Connect - June 2011 5

True love

When love meets a tragic future...
diaries (Lenny) and their GlobalTeens as the world fell apart would be a tragedy
Super Sad True Love Story account (Eunice). Their relationship beyond the Greeks.”
comes with complications. Plain and Both Lenny and Eunice are burdened
Gary Shteyngart balding Lenny is head over heels in love by their parents' expectations. Eunice
Random House with Eunice. She, youthful and vibrant, gets regular mails in broken English from
has to convince herself that this older her Korean mother, urging her to meet a
man is right for her and that his devotion nice Korean boy. Her mother's letters
to her should win over his dullness. (Sometimes life is suck, she writes in one
Reshmi Chakraborty She can be cruel often but also of them) are a superb device used by the
exhibits surprising snatches author to convey the immigrant's
of kindness, like dreams, hopes, aspirations and the sor-
showing row of seeing some of those vanish into

I
n George Orwell's 1984, Big Brother thin air.
watched everyone's every move.
In Shteyngart's Super Sad S hteyngart's satire is at once biting
and frighteningly accurate.
Everyone judges everyone. Everyone
True Love Story which
carries a hangover of rates everyone. Streets have credit
Orwell's classic, people poles that display everyone's rating.
are more than happy to The author's version of the future is
surrender their privacy, funny but it is also extremely pos-
broadcast their lives and sible given the way things are
peek into others. Shteyngart's going. More than anything, this
book is a funny yet telling is a biting satire on social net-
satire on our obsession with the working that will have you
social media and consumerism. laughing at many instances.
It is set in the near future when People rarely meet each
an almost illiterate America is other face to face. It's also a
about to collapse. satire on consumerism, as
The dollar is devalued and people shopping is everyone's
use 'Yuan pegged dollars' and con- favourite activity.
stantly find out about each other But where the book
through their electronic devices. really wins is in the
Privacy is absolutely nonexistent and love story and in the
everyone is obsessed with health. author's treatment of
The book's protagonist Lenny Abramov his protagonists. Eunice
is unable to generate wealthy clients for fascinates Lenny. Not just for the
his company Post Human Services which constant concern she displays for her
aims at keeping the super rich (High Net Lenny mother and sister but also for her com-
Worth Individuals) immortal. Lenny is how to brush modity loving self, a reflection of the soci-
incongruous in a world where everyone his teeth properly. But ety they are living in. Much of the book is
lives by live streaming their thoughts and as they start building their rela- based on the online communication
hotness quotient. (He is admonished by a tionship slowly, the world around them between Lenny and Eunice as well as
colleague on how he has to learn to rate falls apart. Apparats (a device that evalu- between Eunice and her best friend,
everyone). ates everyone on their personality and mother and sister, revealing a lot more
Lenny actually likes books and reads sex appeal) stop working, there are riots about them than a different format would
them, whereas everyone else considers by poor people and China is ready to have.
them smelly. He is a son of Russian immi- foreclose on the country. And Lenny Shteyngart is a compassionate author,
grants with the expected immigrant guilt muses in one of the best lines of the book: lending his characters a dignity not often
and burden, while Eunice Park, the girl “For me to fall in love with Eunice Park just seen in many satirical novels. He is also
he falls in love with, is a daughter of mourning the loss of a world where mat-
Korean immigrants. He meets her in “For me to fall in love ters that were meant to remain private
remained so. The only trouble that some
Italy, where he is unsuccessfully trying to
hook rich clients who wish to live forever with Eunice Park just readers could have with the book is that
and jeopardising his career by drinking it involves too many things (immigrant
too much wine and partying too much. as the world fell apart angst, social networking overdose, etc)
and ends up being a bit complicated and
The book is about the relationship
between Lenny and Eunice as they come
would be a tragedy much less fun to read in the long run.
together and move away from each other,
expressing themselves thorough their
beyond the Greeks.” Despite that, this is a book that remains
poetic at heart and a good read. 


Musings

Booked for life
paperbacks and easy avail-
Ram Mohan Susarla ability of books. Like the
bonds that one forms with
people, one can also build

I
f you think that love at first sight hap- enduring bonds with books
pens only with people, think again! which can start early or
For books can beguile you and make late.
you fall in love with them as much as peo- Of course, with the elec-
ple do. tronic age where attention
For many book lovers, the sight of a spans are in the order of
book with its carefully designed cover, seconds rather than min-
the alluring blurb inviting him or her to utes or hours, book reading
explore more with the tantalizing prom- is one activity which
ise of something special that awaits the demands some patience
reader inside the book, is by itself equiva- and involvement.
lent to falling in love at first sight. Believe me when I say
Connoisseurs claim that to appreciate that it is worth the time
classical music, we need to go through a and the effort and the
process of initiation and involvement munificent rewards (some
which invariably means that one needs a intangible and some tangi-
mentor or a guide to understand the ble) that one gets from
nuances of the art. reading books and forming
However, rest assured, reading does lifelong association is by
not need anyone other than you to get itself compensation.
started and in my opinion, reading books
is as much as an art as attending concerts M y involvement with
books began with paperbacks of
thrillers and mysteries which were a
cating in me a worldview that kept me in
good stead.
and plays except that the former is a soli- The best gift that one can give to others
tary activity pursued in an unspoken delight for my then young mind with all is to inculcate in them the book reading
company with its writer. the promise of adventure and romance in habit. It is not necessarily the case that
It is also said that reading is a habit that faraway lands adding to the allure and one needs to read literature or tomes on
gives one as much pleasure —if not thrill of reading. Gradually, I began to foreign policy.
more—than, say, physical pursuits and read fiction that was "serious" which The point that I am making is that any
hobbies. One need not be bespectacled meant that I was picking up Booker book is a work of art and hence one can
and freckled to enjoy books. Reading Winning authors and reading them. start at any age and in any genre and fin-
books is for everyone irrespective of age, This does not mean that I have given up ish the book with a feeling of fulfilment
gender, occupation or social standing. the paperbacks altogether as even now I and satisfaction.
The old aphorisms of intellectually pick up the latest by Fredrick Forsyth for On a comparative note, the avenues for
endowed book readers stands turned on the sheer pleasure of reliving vacations of indulging in this habit are more these
its head with the era of mass produced my school days that were spent dreaming days with so many bookshops, libraries
of intrigue and action; the and even electronic versions available
hallmark of many myster- that were earlier the exclusive preserve of
ies and thrillers. those with access.
With my initiation into This easy access is why one sees so
prose and literary fiction, I many people picking up books, not only
began to appreciate life in to adorn their shelves, but also to indulge
its fullest and the multilay- in the book reading habit.

I
ered nature of reality that would like to say that reading books is
these authors sketched out like sipping old wine. The experience
in all their hues. leaves you wanting for more and it grows
As I entered college and on you with the passage of time.
started working, I turned Personally, I have built a bond with
to nonfiction by reading books that transcends place and time and
books about economic poli- I hope that I continue in the same vein.
cies, foreign affairs and The passion for the written word is as
anything that was available enchanting as the passion for sport or
in the nearest bookshop or other pastimes.
library. Like with all passions, reading books
I can say that the habit of can be a lifelong affair and the love at first
reading books prepared me sight that often happens with book lovers
for my subsequent can turn into an abiding relationship that
progress in life by broaden- withstands the changes of time. 
ing my horizons and incul-


Half of a Yellow Sun Curfewed Night
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichei Basharat Peer
Knopf Random House

Anindita Sengupta Deepika Arwind

C B
himamanda Ngozi Adichei's critically asharat Peer takes us through Kashmir
acclaimed first novel Half of a Yellow of the 1980s and 1990s. He was only a
Sun is fiction firmly rooted in history, teenager when the separatist movement
drawing its story from the Nigerian Civil War began in 1989.
(or Nigerian-Biafran War) of 1967. In Curfewed Night, one doesn't expect to
This is a fierce and sensitive delve into the his- find answers to the Kashmir problem, and it
torical and social impulses of the war and a stark offers none either.
portrayal of its destructions. The book is not just important because it is
Adichei has been likened to Chinua Achebe one of the few detailed accounts of Kashmir in
and Half of a Yellow Sun is certainly deserving of huge praise. English in the last ten years, but also because
It is emotionally warm and visually haunting, an act of remem- it is written with immense sensitivity and courage - it blames
brance and an act of love. It is what they call an 'important' no one, and yet reveals the fault-lines of the valley unflinching-
novel. It is also a terrific read.  ly. 

Bitter Chocolate Makers of Modern India
Pinki Virani Ramachandra Guha
Penguin Penguin

Pushpa Achanta Dr. Rajeshwari Ghose

A I
pril is observed as Child Sexual Abuse ndia, says Guha, is "the most interesting coun-
Awareness month in some countries try in the world". He adds that his comment is
such as the United States and India. that of an "an impartial historian", (if ever
Hence, it is a welcome coincidence that one such a creature existed!) While he describes
chose to read Bitter Chocolate, a well known, India as an "unnatural nation" elsewhere, in the
hard hitting book on the painful subject of book he gives reasons of why he finds the coun-
child sexual abuse, last month. try interesting.
A survivor of this malady, the author Pinki In his choice of nineteen individuals, whom he
Virani, a journalist and activist provides a moving and disturb- regards as the Makers of Modern India, he has limited his quest
ing account of the gory acts that are committed against unsus- to the last two hundred years. One of the reasons given by him
pecting kids. is that India today is shaped primarily by the plebeians of the
Although the acclaimed book is ten years old, it is worth recent past. Guha is obviously seeing the country through his
reading especially by parents and caregivers of kids of any age, modern 'historian's' monocle. 
gender and of course, income group. 

The Tell-Tale Brain- Unlocking the Mystery of Leadership@Infosys
Edited by Matt Barney
Human Nature Penguin
V.S. Ramachandran
Random House
Dr. Rajagopalan Manjula Sundharam

T L
he author summarizes the human eadership@Infosys is a collection of
predicament thus: Science tells us we are articles written by leaders at Infosys.
merely beasts, but we don't feel like that. The articles describe the values and
We feel like angels trapped inside the bodies of strategies adopted by successful leaders in
beasts. Is our science missing the boat because India's second biggest software company.
of its blinkers of Darwinian evolution? Is our The book gives insight on change leader-
brain the secret behind the much faster cultural ship, adversity leadership, transitional leader-
evolution powering human evolution? How do ship, operational leadership, networking
we answer these lofty questions even while try- leadership, content leadership as well as entrepreneurial lead-
ing to understand and help the unfortunates amongst us: people ership. Thought leaders present the challenges in each, along
with autism, synesthesia, phantom limbs and other syndromes with success stories of how each challenge was tackled by
of mental abnormality? How can we research our brain using them. The book inspires leaders to build the leverage on lead-
another brain? Don't we need something superior?  ership as their competitive advantage. 

For detailed reviews check out justbooksclc.com


Reader’s Reader’s contribution

The Autobiography of a book
Voice
So, any one of you who hasn't read me,
Vanyaa Kansal

M
come to 'JustBooks' and take me home.
alleswaram has always been in I was having a nice time till one day, a
dire need of a good library. But naughty boy took me home and while
not anymore as JustBooks has

H
arrived. Yes, there are many other i, I am a book. I
libraries nearby; however these libraries am made to give
stock up only Mills and Boons, comics, you knowledge
movie DVDs and the likes. JustBooks and most of you read me
provides us with a refreshing change for entertainment also.
from these run-of-the-mill libraries. You can make me your
Books of all genres are available here. best friend. As someone
You may be looking for the latest Jeffery has very truly said, "When
Archer, a Rick Riordan, a Wimpy Kid or you turn the last page of a
a J.Krishnamurthy. Whatever the book good book, you feel as if you
may be, chances are you'll find them at have lost a true friend."
JustBooks. If you don't, you can request I was born at 'Egmont's'
a transfer from one of its branches. Neat, about a year ago. While
organized and systematic, it's a pleasure being written, I came to
to visit the library everyday and a know that the writer was
greater pleasure to see the kids insisting 'Enid Blyton' and my
on going there. name was 'St. Clare's'.
We make use of technology to return I felt very proud to have
or issue books, to search for books by saved a tree as my pages
our favourite writer and even for locat- were made of bagasse, not
ing the shelf where we can find the book trees.
we want to borrow! There's more to So, in a way, I made my
JustBooks, activities like painting and planet a little greener.
drawing are held for children. Friendly When I went from the printing press to reading tore some of my body parts and
and helpful staff members complete the the book shop, I soon started getting even my binding. He also spilled hot
picture. Finally, a library in the true bored sitting on a shelf, waiting for milk on my cover which was quite
sense of the word! someone to buy me. Soon a customer painful and made me look ugly too! The
Thank you, JustBooks for providing a purchased me and many of my friends librarian got angry and cancelled his
library that we, the book lovers, in as he was a library owner. membership.
Malleswaram had been waiting for. After some time I was sitting in his So, my short journey of life ended in a
library, 'JustBooks' on the shelf named recycle bin. I am now hoping to be recy-
Swathi Belur, Malleswaram  'Children's Books - Pre-teens Section'. I cled and reused soon. Next time, I
met many of my brothers and sisters would like to be more colourful and
here. read by more friendly and well-man-
I even made some new friends and nered kids.
had fun. Then, a nice girl came in and
had a look at the shelf. She noticed me
and took me home. She read me and
treated me well. I was happy with her
hospitality, but was soon back to my
shelf in the library.
After that I visited a lot of young kids
who read me and seemed to have fun.
All the kids enjoyed reading me, espe-
cially girls because my story is about a
boarding school for young girls in
London. It is about the O'Sullivan twins, Vanyaa, is studying in Class VI in
Patricia and Isabel who are new to St. Army Public School, Pune. Her father
Clare's School. I show the ups and is a Naval Officer, and they recently
downs of the adventurous and some- shifted from Visakhapatnam to Pune,
times troublesome life at a boarding where she became a JustBooks' mem-
school. My story teaches children to live ber. She is 10 years old and apart
independently on their own. from reading, her hobbies are craft-
After reading me, one girl said, "Mom, work, drawing, playing games and
even I want to go and live at St. Clare's"! many more. 


Reader’s contribution

Do good, do well
A Fistful of Rice: My Unexpected
Quest to End Poverty Through
Profitability

Vikram Akula
Harvard Press

Here's a fascinating and inspira-
tional story, says Ramesh Prabhu.

Ramesh Prabhu

"When I enrolled at Tufts University at bought a one-way plane ticket to Hyderabad
seventeen, I began thinking in earnest about and packed a single gym bag with clothes. I
how to help India's poor. I devoured the works wanted to travel like Mahatma Gandhi - no
of the great philosophers, searching for clues unnecessary attachments, no excess of materi-
on how to live my life and make a difference in al goods."
the lives of others." And so Akula comes to India, begins
And after he graduated, Akula says, he working with the poor as a volunteer, is
was excited to get out into the world and hired by DDS, learns what it means to
test his theories. He writes: work in development, and finally, after a
"At long last, it was time to go to India and two-week training session in Bangladesh
start working with the poor! The only problem with Grameen, founded by the pioneer of
was, I had no idea what I might do there, or microfinance, Muhammad Yunus, starts
who would hire a fresh-faced college graduate his own organization, SKS, for Swayam
like me. And in those pre-Internet days, these Krishi Sangam, "a Sanskrit phrase meaning
questions were far more difficult to answer." 'self-work society', or more loosely, 'self-help-

I
f you want to do well by doing good, But Akula did not let this "problem" society'."
then take a leaf out of Vikram Akula's deter him: In later chapters, Akula, who was
book. "I went to the women's center on campus, named by Time magazine in 2006 as one
Akula, whose parents emigrated to the knowing that groups working specifically of the world's 100 most influential people,
US in 1970 when he was two years old, with women were more progressive. I began describes in moving detail the challenges
worked in remote Indian villages as an flipping through magazines in hopes of find- he and his inexperienced team face. Later
idealistic graduate student before going ing a nonprofit located in drought-prone SKS, which unlike most NGOs is a for-
on in 1998 to found SKS Microfinance, Telangana, the impoverished region of my profit organization (read the book to
which provides small loans and other birth. Because I spoke rudimentary Telugu understand the reasons for this), moved
financial services to poor people in India. and had family there, I figured that would be beyond giving microloans. "We're also
He tells his fascinating and inspirational the best place to start. Unfortunately, there able to offer our members social, educational,
story in A Fistful of Rice, published last weren't as many options there as in cities like and health benefits," writes Akula.
year. Delhi, Mumbai, or Kolkata, but eventually I Vikram Akula's tale proves that initia-
A Fistful of Rice is fascinating because tracked down the contact information for a tive, enterprise, and enthusiasm aligned
in compelling language it introduces the few nonprofits. I sent off a raft of letters and with a desire to help underprivileged
lay reader to a subject that most would waited." people can help to combat poverty. It also
not have much interest in: development "Only one organization, the Deccan proves that you can do well by doing
work. And it is inspirational because Development Society [DDS], responded. And good.
Akula shows how well-meaning - and even their letter was decidedly lukewarm. The
driven - people can transform for the bet- director, a man named Biksham Gujja, basi- Ramesh Prabhu is the professor of
ter the lives of those less fortunate than cally said, 'Okay, if you come here we'll meet journalism at Commits, a media col-
they are. with you, but we're not promising anything.' lege in Bangalore. Before turning to
Akula says he knew as a teenager, after " teaching in 2003, he worked as a jour-
having made several visits to Hyderabad, But this was good enough for Akula:
nalist for more than 20 years in
his hometown, that this is what he want- "Relieved to have gotten a reply, and deter-
ed to do. He writes in A Fistful of Rice: mined to convince Biksham to hire me, I Mumbai, Dubai, and Bangalore. 


1. This literary journal is pub- 4. Name the editor of The Little Magazine:
lished from Bangalore: Anjum Hasan
Caravan Ashis Nandy
Reading Hour Antara Dev Sen
Narrative
5. Name the literary journal of Sahitya Akademi:
Indian Literature
Samkalin Bhartiya Sahitya
All of the above.

2. Which of these is not an ezine?
Biblio
Pratilipi
Out of Print

3. The famous publisher Ravi
Dayal started this literary maga-
zine:
Granta
Atlantic Monthly
Civil Lines
Reading Hour, Biblio, Civil Lines, Antara Dev Sen, All of the above.

JUSTBOOKS Betting on Batting
TOP 5 You can find any number of books on the World Cup but
here's a book on the IPL story.

A
N EW A RRIVALS bhishek Dubey of IBN 7 has compiled meticulously and
1. The Wandering Falcon by Jamil chronologically the shenanigans of the IPL Governing
Ahmad Council and its high-flying commissioner Lalit Modi, run-
2. Nemesis by Philip Roth ning through events in a dramatic fashion in his book, The IPL
3. Daughters:A Story Of Five Story-Cricket, Glamour And Big Money.
Generations by Bharati Ray The IPL Story docu-
4. The Bed Of Procrustes by ments how one jour-
Nassim Nicholas Taleb nalist, Abhishek
5. Mafia Queens Of Dubey from IBN7,
Mumbai:Stories Of Women tracked the contro-
From The Ganglands by versy from the very
S.Hussain Zaidi beginning.
He uses interviews,
the results of inves-
R ECOMMENDED tigative research,
1. Another Gulmohar Tree by intriguing back-
Aamer Hussein ground information
2. What Really Happened by on key players, and
Banaphool sneak peeks into the
3. The Ballad Of The Sad workings of sports
Cafe by Carson Mcculler journalism to provide
4. Entrepreneur Journeys by an exciting account of
Sramana Mitra one of cricket's his-
5. India Calling by Anand toric moments.
Giridharadas Thoughtful quotes by
stalwarts in journal-
R ENTALS ism and the cricket-
1. Only Time Will Tell by Jeffery ing fraternity add
Archer insight and useful
2. And Thereby Hangs A Tale by pointers towards the
Jeffery Archer direction cricket, and the IPL in particular, is likely to take in the
3. 2 States: The Story Of My years to come.
Marriage by Chetan Bhagat All you cricket lovers, watch our shelves for this book.
4. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
5. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
From JustBooks blog - http://blog.justbooksclc.com 


It’s Fab

Weaving into Fab India
The Fabric Of Our Lives - The was already stretched dealing with multi- cles. Open and transparent account books
ple problems to take on more of a stake in for buyers and suppliers, however small,
Story Of Fabindia
this sector. was another trait that made John a very
Additionally, the market had to be different kind of retailer.

A
Radhika Singh developed aggressively for retail within t the workplace, although the
Penguin India and for export. Disillusioned by the salaries were conservative, the staff
moral character of so many in the govern- had a wonderful time under their charis-
ment offices, John figured that the solu- matic yet thoughtful leader. The advance
tion was to start something on his own. money always arrived before the order
With an initial investment of about 13,000 from Fabindia since the craftsmen had no
Aradhana Janga USD partly from his savings and the access to credit to buy their yarn and dye,
remainder from friends and family, John so that had to be taken care of before they
started Fabindia in 1960 and was elated could deliver the product.

Y
Weavers were typically paid
ou stop to admire and can't help 50% more than the prevailing
but think- ‘lovely kurta! Will look market rate, although John still
fabulous over that pair of jeans? felt that it was meagre and
And more often than not discover the "nothing to be proud of".
"Fabindia" label on it. Monsoon Bissell, John's daugh-
Ethnic prints yet contemporary, fine ter says about her father's val-
textures, vibrant colours, smart styles, ues "You don't just exist, you
affordable prices-all under one roof have to be involved. And you live a
called 'Fabindia', one of the most popular life where you are making things
stores in urban India. But that's really the better.” For example, Riten
tip of the iceberg. Mazumdar, one of Fabindia's
Discover what really sets Fabindia main designers back in the 80's
apart by following its journey since 1960 was paid royalty on every piece
in The Fabric Of Our Lives - The Story of merchandise and every yard
Of Fabindia, written to commemorate of fabric carrying his design,
Fabindia's 50th year anniversary in 2010 with a higher percentage of
and follows the fascinating life of its royalty paid on export orders
founder, John Bissell. since they were sold at a better
There is no doubt about Fabindia's suc- rate.
cess: merchandise sold in 120 stores in With John's passing in 1998,
India and worldwide, fiftieth year, his son William took over the
turnover of about Rs. 350 crores and reins of Fabindia, adding new
about 40,000 artisans involved in produc- merchandise like furniture,
tion. John's son William Bissell says of the when his first two orders for Rs 1500 and organic foods and soaps and increasing
book "If you are looking for management the- Rs 500 were executed. Fabindia was not the number of outlets all over India. What
ories you won't find them here. What you will the only exciting event in this period; his had started out mainly as an export busi-
find instead is a human-scale story and that I romance with Bim Nanda, followed by ness was now booming with the domestic
believe is why we are who we are", and right- their marriage added another interesting retail business.
ly so. dimension to John's stay in India. The book collates facts from over a

S
John Bissell arrived in India in 1958 as ince it was just a decade after inde- thousand letters that were the major cor-
advisor to the Cottage Industries on a pendence, the political scene in India respondence between John and his par-
Ford Foundation grant. His role was to was not very clear and probably more on ents over a period of about 40 years, as
facilitate and administer a programme of the volatile side; besides, there were other well as official correspondence and inter-
developing products for export, which constraints that made everything chal- views. While Radhika Singh might have
included field trips all over India, identi- lenging - communication system, travel, erred on the side of providing elaborate
fying artisans, weavers and craftsmen bureaucracy and red tape that is unique and at time seemingly unnecessary
whose products were interesting enough to India. Rules and restrictions meant detail, it is nevertheless an interesting
to be redesigned for export. John learned varying consequences to Fabindia, which case study, given that Fabindia with its
a lot about India and the handloom was registered in the US as well. rather unique (which might be a big no-
industry from this experience. New ideas While Fabindia proved itself to be a no in business schools probably) business
needed to be financially supported class apart to its customers through the philosophy concocted by a foreigner, has
beyond the design stage, and samples range of good quality merchandise, what managed to be around for fifty years
had to turn into consistent and firm really set it apart internally was its phi- despite difficult times. Not only has it
orders to be economically viable. losophy. John made it a rule not to grease been around, but it has grown into a
Weavers were too poor to take such risks any palms in the government channel, brand name that clearly stands out.
on their own and the Indian government this was unheard of in export-related cir- Ready to go shopping at Fabindia? 


As we see it

Storehouses Of Books And Much More...
Pushpa Achanta reminisces about
the book stores that were treasure
houses of books and the starting
point of many conversations.

Pushpa Achanta

S
elect, Higginbothams, Landmark
are obviously among the famous
Indian book stores. Some of the
other well known book shops like
Crossword and Odyssey were opened
only a little over a decade ago but have
branches in most Indian metros. And
there are ones like Strand which is at
least half a century old and has become
a part of the history of Mumbai and
Bengaluru, the two cities where it has
outlets. In order to attract buyers, many book Church Street has new and unused
So what distinguishes some of these shops display bestsellers and recent tomes on its ground floor and second
books shops from the rest? And what do arrivals prominently. hand ones on its upper floors.
readers want in them apart from books? While most book stores stack their vol-
The range of subjects and the easy avail- umes according to topic, Premier Associated Activities
ability of books are often two factors that Bookshop was famous for not doing this.

H
contribute to a book shop's popularity. However, regular visitors to this particu- igginbothams, Sapna Book House,
Stores like the Bookshop at Spencer lar store like me learnt how to find and Gangarams Book Bureau which are
Plaza (in Chennai) and the erstwhile retrieve the required titles without drop- among the traditional and oldest book
Premier Bookshop (off Church Street in ping or disturbing the rest of the books, stores also sell vernacular and technical
central Bengaluru) are renowned for browsers or buyers. reference books. Higginbothams and
some rare titles that they stocked. Sapna Book House are also into publish-
Further, their respective proprietors Mr. Used Book Stores ing books. Strand Book Stall sends its
Seetharam and Mr. Shanbag's knowledge subscribers a print newsletter regularly.

M
and love of books, enhanced their fame. ention dealers in second hand Likewise, Akshara Book Store in
Mere enquiry about a specific title was books and the iconic Select Hyderabad's Banjara Hills also mails
sufficient for them to inform the reader if Bookshop situated off Bengaluru's details of new arrivals to its patrons.
the store had it or if the book was out of Brigade road springs to mind. Then Most book stores participate in annual
print. Further, one could count on the there are others like Bookworm located book fairs. Some of them organize bar-
owners to procure specific books that on Brigade road. Not to mention the gain sales of their books at their usual
one needed, irrespective of its genre and recycled booksellers on the pavements of site or elsewhere. Many of the spacious
reputation. Both the gentlemen would Park Street in Kolkatta, R. K. Puram in book stores like Landmark, Reliance
note the contact details of the reader and New Delhi or Luz Church Road in Timeout and Crossword also hold the
inform the person when the book was Chennai. release of new books and interactions
obtained without compelling her or him The vendors can quickly gauge the with the authors. And some of them con-
to purchase it. preferences of a buyer and even recom- duct regular reading clubs for children.
People may dismiss them as being mend other titles. Of course, they may Crossword has instituted awards for
businesslike but bigger booksellers such not have read the books like Mr. Murthy writers and translators.
as Crossword simply do not bother to of Select. The layout and ambience of a Reliance
extend such service. Actually, its staff The main reasons that bibliophiles Timeout with its coffee shop, air condi-
can barely understand the name of the throng used book stores is that they are tioning and escalators make it and others
author or a book and are hardly familiar highly likely to have out of print titles. such as Odyssey seem grand. However,
with titles that their shop has. In con- Additionally, some of them have antique book lovers and collectors like yours
trast, sales assistants at Hyderabad's books with leather jackets and gold truly prefer the natural and inviting set-
Walden Book Store and Landmark in embossing. And all these for a bargain ting of an English Edition on Bengaluru's
Chennai know the titles available with price! Church Street and Danai Book Shop on
them and are fairly helpful to readers. Blossom Book House on Bengaluru's Mumbai's Linking Road. 


In Focus

The JustBooks family
Ravi Kumar visited other outlets to have a look and the JustBooks outlet personally? How
feel of the operations, then decided to go rewarding is the experience of interact-
ahead and become a part of the JustBooks ing with your members?
Meet Mrs. Bhanumathi Ganesh, the clc family. I spend a few hours at the library almost
proud franchise owner of JustBooks every day. Interacting with members has
Nerul, Navi Mumbai. She has been How has been the customer response to been a great pleasure. There are execu-
running this franchise for the last one JustBooks as a concept & your library, in tives, students, homemakers and enthusi-
particular? astic individuals across all age groups
year. Let us find out how she handles
The customers are fascinated by the tech- who are full of ideas for the activities I
her family, library and her research could conduct.
interests. The children reward me with the joy
on their faces when they see the
books and the dilemma they face in
Tell us a little bit about yourself and choosing the books. The elder mem-
your family. bers bless me for the future of my
I am an MBA graduate who has ven- venture. Many others thank me for
tured into entrepreneurship after gain- providing this facility. Overall the
ing seven years of corporate experience. experience has been very gratifying.
My husband has an HR role in an IT
company. My daughter has just com- What is your advice to book lovers
pleted her tenth standard. who would like to turn entrepre-
neurs through JustBooks?
What were you doing before joining Many book lovers dream about
JustBooks as a franchise owner? opening a library. JustBooks is a
I was, and continue to be, a Research superb platform that gives a jump-
Analyst preparing project reports and start to opening a library. Through
newsletters across industries. Prior to JustBooks, one can render communi-
that, I was in the centralised treasury ty service by offering a wide range of
team of a diversified group managing books across various topics and
foreign exchange risk exposure. catering to all age groups. I think the
success of JustBooks in quickly
What has been your experience in han- nology aspect and by the vast number of becoming a national chain is proof that
dling other professional activities along books, the expansive collection and the passion is the essential ingredient for
with taking care of the franchise? neatly jacketed new books. The fact that enterprise, profit is a by product.
Handling the library gives a lot of inter- we are able to cater to their recommenda-
mittent time. I utilise this time to research tions and source the latest bestsellers We then talked to one of JustBooks'
and write for my project reports. As I have impressed them. The absence of members from Nerul and this is what he
mostly work solo, the library gives me an "penalty on late return" concept is a relief had to say:
opportunity to meet people from various for all members. Many members have "Thank you very much, indeed, for being
fields. Interacting with them has filled the particularly remarked on the library the kind of library you are. The reading
need of meeting people and having intel- being bright and colourful, and that they experience that Nerul branch has provid-
lectual discussions. JustBooks, Nerul has love to come to the library. ed to me, over the last six months or so,
a wonderful membership comprising of has been absolutely outstanding. Among
doctors, teachers and people with zest for What do you think will be a great addi- the private, for-profit libraries that I
life. tion in terms of value to your existing have seen or, rather, 'experienced', yours
members? is the best.
Why and how did this franchise option I want to give the members more in terms What is more, your library beats even
happen? of activities that would encourage inter- some of the large non-profit libraries run
My husband travels on work to action with each other. This, as I see it, by large organizations such as the
Bangalore often, and his love for books would encourage knowledge-sharing, British Council.
took him to JustBooks, Whitefield. He promote intellectual discussions and cre- Till recently, I was a member of the
described the library with respect to the ate a synergy for the library. In fact, in the British Library in Mumbai. In the last six
vast book collection and the technology. past few weeks, we have held story ses- months, the books that JustBooks, Nerul
It was my dream to open a library. sions and competitions, and workshops has made available to me have been, col-
So instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, on cartooning and story writing. The lectively, far superior - in terms of qual-
I expressed my interest to my husband on response from children and parents has ity, variety and vintage - to the ones that
collaborating with Mr. Sundar Rajan to been tremendous. the British Library did in my eight years
open a similar library in Mumbai. We with them. "
met Mr. Sundar Rajan in Bangalore and How much of your time do you spend at —Ravindra Joshi 


Just Kids
The Beast With Nine Billion Nurth. Their mother, Mandira seems to what exactly is the beast with nine bil-
be a very wealthy lady, leading an lion feet?
Feet important multinational genetic compa- The book was written and published
ny engaged in negotiations with the in late 2009. Anil Menon, the author has
Anil Menon government. been writing short stories for quite a
Zubaan Books Tara, even though she doesn't like while now. This is his first novel.
Age group: 13-17 yrs Mandira, gets along well with Francis The story is a change from the other
Pages: 259 and Ria. Aditya, Tara's elder brother is future novels which are mostly based in
on a totally different path doing com- the western towns or in outer space.
plex genetic experiments with his Basing the story in Pune is in itself a
Jayanthi Harsha friends and working masterstroke as it enables many Indians
to connect with the story. Several famil-
iar items from the present are also
included, like cell phones and autos

E
veryone at some point in with some alternations, making them
their lives must have won- more advanced. This enables a reader to
dered what the world will understand the technological advan-
look like in the future. Truly so, tages made in the story, which results in
the future is one of the things left enjoying the plot more.
which incites intense interest and One of the drawbacks of this book is
mystique in people. Over the thou- the unwarranted declarations. Some crit-
sands of years of human existence, ical facts in the plot are given out
people have made predictions about instantly, without any proper build-up
the near future. But no one, not even that would otherwise have made for a
the most convincing soothsayer or more exciting climax.
astrologer has successfully predicted Overall this is a good read, the tempo
what is in store in the deep future. grows at a suitable pace throughout the
However, some of the predictions are novel. Interesting bits of futuristic stuff
interesting, mostly due to their cred- is given out, helping to arouse children's
itability. interest in the novel, adults will also be
This story is built around one of such drawn in due to its unique perspective
predictions - most of the book's events of the future. The innovative chapter-
happen in 2040 AD in Pune. The story titles add spice to the novel by giving a
is told from the viewpoint of two chil- towards sense of mystique and increasing curios-
dren - Aditya and Tara, the son and unearthing a strange racket, involving ity in the readers, unlike ordinary titles,
daughter of the greatest biologist of all genetically altered animals. which give out the plot before it actually
time, Sivan Basu, who mysteriously van- However, things are dramatically happens.
ished long ago and is marked down to altered when Shivan Basu, Aditya and Finally, the ending of the novel
be a terrorist by the police. Tara's father returns. More and increas- appears to suggest that there is more to
The major events in the story begin ingly troubling questions arise —who come and will go a long way in promot-
when Tara meets two strange kids, really is the mysterious Mandira and ing interest in any other book of the
Francis and Ria, who hail from a myste- what are her real motives? Why is the same series, if Anil Menon ever decides
rious city in the far north, known as night sky dark? And last but not least — to write in the future. 

JustBooks Picks for Young Readers
Eating The Alphabet by Lois Ehlert Eecha Poocha by Kala Sashikumar Mr. Oliver's Diary by Ruskin Bond

Flower by Sandhya Rao Set In Stone by Linda Newberry A Beautiful Lie by Irfan Master

Oh, The Places You'll Go! by Dr.Seuss Storm Thief by Chris Woodin Where The Sidewalk Ends by Shel
Silverstein


J.M. COETZEE
Petersburg (1994), and the acclaimed and daughter living in Eastern Cape is
Anindita Sengupta
Disgrace (1999), which again won the ostensibly the story of a family but it
Booker Prize. makes significant statements about the
Coetzee also wrote fictionalized mem- nature of colonial power. Elizabeth
oirs about his childhood and youth Costello deals with questions of literary

F
amously reclusive, vehemently veg- called Boyhood (1997), Youth (2002) and celebrity and values through the lens of
etarian, exile and eccentric: J.M. the latest one Summertime (2009). The one aging female writer. As a linguist
Coetzee is easily one of and scholar of structuralism, Coetzee
the most interesting writers is also deeply interested in wordplay,
anywhere. The fact that in the patterns of words, narrative dis-
his long and distinguished course. This finds its way into most
career, he has been author, of his books and combined with the
academic, novelist, literary larger social contexts tends to make
critic and translator, has for great complexity.
won the Booker Prize twice
and the Nobel Prize in 2003,
also makes him one of the
D espite this, Coetzee's novels usu-
ally have a strong historical
basis. His books often deal with
most successful. racism. In Life & Times of Michael
John Maxwell Coetzee K, the hero, a coloured gardener is
was born in 1940 in Cape interned in a labour camp during
Town, South Africa, in an civil war, where he refuses to eat or
Afrikaner family descended speak. The medical officer in charge
from Dutch settlers. He of him, says Michael K is 'an allegory .
grew up in Cape Town and . . of how scandalously, how outrageously
modern-day Western Cape a meaning can take up residence in a sys-
and attended St Joseph's tem without becoming a term in it'. This
College in Rondebosch. He is a strong statement on how lack of
went on to study integration within a system can be
Mathematics and English at both 'scandalous' and 'outrageous',
the University of Cape something not to be desired.
Town. In 1962, he moved to In Foe, which is his retelling of
the United Kingdom where Robinson Crusoe, Coetzee used
he worked as a computer Friday to signify the 'other' and
programmer. makes him mute, a potent symbol of
A year later, he obtained a the voicelessness of the colonized.
Master of Arts degree from Coetzee's concerns about selfhood
the University of Cape extend beyond humans. In The Lives
Town for a dissertation on the novels of Lives of Animals (1999), a fictionalized of Animals, he tackles the thorny issue
Ford Madox Ford. He also married lecture which was later absorbed into of animal rights of which he is a firm
Philippa Jubber (1939-1991) the same Elizabeth Costello (2003). Besides writ- supporter.
year. They had two children and were ing collections of essays, Coetzee has Coetzee's books often blur the bound-
later divorced in 1980. also translated Dutch and Afrikaans aries of genre. Memoirs read like novels.
Coetzee went on to do a PhD in lin- writing into English. Novels seem like essays. His fictional-
guistics in 1969 from the University of In 2002, he retired and relocated to ized memoir Youth reads like a coming-
Texas on the Fulbright Program and Adelaide, Australia, later becoming an of-age story set in troubled times. In
began teaching at the State University of Australian citizen. He is an honorary fel- Diary of a Bad Year, the story is accom-
New York at Buffalo. On being refused low at the University of Adelaide and panied by bits from essays that the pro-
permanent residency in the US, Coetzee lives with his partner, academic Dorothy tagonist-a writer-is working on.
returned to South Africa in 1971 and Driver. Coetzee's writing is full of intellectual
taught at University of Cape Town for rigour and unsparing honesty. For exam-
more than twenty years. His Writing ple in Summertime he reveals that he
This was when he started his first
novel Dusklands (1974). His next novel,
In the Heart of the Country (1977), won
A product of Apartheid South Africa,
Coetzee is deeply pre-occupied with
humanist and ethical dilemmas and his
identifies more with the Afrikaner
minority in Cape Town than with the
larger South African nation. Such
South Africa's then principal literary books reflect this. Unlike other South uncomfortable truths make his books
award, the CNA Prize, and was pub- African writers, however, Coetzee has challenging and have on occasion led to
lished in Britain and the USA. Waiting largely eschewed the realistic mode of fierce debate and controversy. But it is
for the Barbarians (1980) received atten- writing. He uses imaginary or surreal also this quality that makes them more
tion as well but the dark and moving worlds to talk about his political con- layered, more revealing of the human
Life & Times of Michael K (1983) won cerns and his novels often work at the condition, and ultimately, more reward-
Britain's Booker Prize and sealed his rep- level of allegory where the main story ing.
utation. This was followed by Foe (1986), stands in for a larger subject. For exam-
Age of Iron (1990), The Master of ple, in Disgrace which is about a father Sources: Wikipedia 

JustBooks Connect - June 2011 newsletter

JustBooks Connect - June 2011 newsletter

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