Comments on: Of Mangoes, Marriages and Spices

By: lantern

lantern — Tue, 30 May 2006 18:37:40 +0000

moth smoke is the best pakistani fiction i have read. but my vote would go to vikram seth hands down. its vivid narrative all the way plus all the nuance of the context.

rohinton mistry would perhaps be my second choice. upmanyu’s oeuvre is too limited and indeed rushdie too larger than life.

By: FH Malik

FH Malik — Mon, 29 May 2006 22:15:38 +0000

Moth Smoke is a very well written look at Pakistan, I think it takes the cake for Pakistani Fiction; english or not.

By: Qalandar

Qalandar — Mon, 15 May 2006 14:47:10 +0000

My vote would go to “The Satanic Verses”; Midnight’s Children is a less flawed work, but I can forgive “The Satanic Verses” much for its ambition. Plus yaar, it features Bollywood!!!

By: smithers

smithers — Mon, 15 May 2006 00:21:37 +0000

Shadow Lines gets my vote.

I like Rohinton Mistry–especially Such a Long Journey and Family Matters.

Any takers for Shauna Singh Baldwin?

By: dacoit

dacoit — Sun, 14 May 2006 21:05:14 +0000

I do not think we can include Max City without opening the floodgates for all manner of memoir, travel writing and journalistic stuff (though I do love the book).

I cast another vote for Upamanyu Chatterjee (thanks for mentioning it, nightingale), and also Naipaul’s House for Mr. Bishwas. I thought about Vikram Seth, Jhumpa Lahiri and Amit Chaudhuri, but ultimately decided that none of them made the cut (Rupa Mehra and the adventures of her nose are somewhat too pulpy for greatness; and Chaudhuri’s stule style annoys me immensely). Rohinton Mistry is in the same category. Have heard great things about Aslam’s Maps for Lost Lovers, but have not gotten a chance to read it yet (in part because I was very underwhelmed by his first book).

Three more writers who get an honorable mention but do not quite make the list: Ruchir Joshi, Allan Sealy, Rana Dasgupta.

Also, Anita Desai anyone? Baumgartner’s Bombay or In Custody?

By: sepoy

sepoy — Sun, 14 May 2006 18:35:39 +0000

I always thought Maximum City sounded too fictional :)

By: Sin

Sin — Sun, 14 May 2006 16:22:11 +0000

I recall my former vote(s). Maximum City it is.

By: desiknitter

desiknitter — Sun, 14 May 2006 03:03:57 +0000

Re. Sir Vidia, I’d vote for “A House for Mr. Biswas.” Easily his best, and among the best overall.

By: Sahil

Sahil — Sat, 13 May 2006 22:28:46 +0000

I’m a huge fan of Vikram Seth’s Suitable Boy, and yes, Maximum City is stellar.

By: exitr

exitr — Sat, 13 May 2006 18:39:20 +0000

Naipaul’s a prick, but man can he write. He’d have to be included. I also vote for Raj Kamal Jha, “If You Are Afraid of Heights,” and I liked Pankaj Mishra’s “The Romantics” a lot, too. It’s nonfiction, but Suketu Mehta’s “Maximum City” is stellar.

By: Morcy

Morcy — Sat, 13 May 2006 18:34:50 +0000

_Opal Mehta_, obvie

By: nightingale

nightingale — Sat, 13 May 2006 17:24:08 +0000

how about an underdog? mr. rushdie is obvious and larger than life.

my vote would go for upamanyu chatterjee’s “english, august”. perhaps not at the very top OK, but nipping at the heels!

By: sepoy

sepoy — Sat, 13 May 2006 16:42:24 +0000

I know I am biased against…but, no lovers of Sir Vidia?

By: Sin

Sin — Sat, 13 May 2006 11:54:24 +0000

If we’re going for Rushdie, then I vote for “Shame” or “The Ground Beneath Her Feet”. If Kureishi, then “The Buddha of Suburbia”. I’m also actually a huge fan of Bapsi Sidhwa’s “The Crow-Eaters”.

By: pdcs

pdcs — Sat, 13 May 2006 06:16:57 +0000

It’s Mr. Rushdie. and I vote for both Shame and especailly Midnight’s Children. I like most of the other’s listed here but we start and end with Padmalakshmipati.

By the way, Salman was guest hosting Charlie Rose tonight and interviewed Dipa Mehta. The SA love fest was fun to watch and you all can catch it on Google video tomorrow.