|
Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Ya-ta Boy
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Established in 1994
|
 Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 5:39 am Post subject: Who's the best Indian writer in English? |
 |
|
For quite a while now, the best writers in English have been from India. No need to debate that. The question is, which one is the best?
Some nominees are:
1. Arundhati Roy: "The God of Small Things"
2. Rohinton Mistry: "A Fine Balance"
3. Jhumpa Lahiri: "Interpreter of Maladies"
4. Vikram Seth: "A Suitable Boy"
5. Vikram Chandra: "Sacred Games"
There are other good writers, but I haven't found any in the same class as the ones above. I detest What'shisname's "Midnight's Children".
To be honest, I wouldn't say any of the above is 'better' than the others, but my favorite of the books is 'A Suitable Boy' by a whisker. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Arthur Dent
Joined: 28 Mar 2007
Location: Kochu whirld
|
| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 6:44 am Post subject: |
|
|
Well, I may not agree that Indian writers are the best in the English language today, nor that there is no need to debate it, but I certainly agree that many Indian writers have put the zest back into English-language fiction.
Mind you, I haven't read works by all the writers on your list. It is difficult enough - time-wise - to read one or two works by two or three of them!
However, I did find the time to read Mistry's Such a Long Journey and enjoyed it thoroughly.
What's his name (otherwise known as Salman Rushdie) may have an overblown ego as well as reputation, but his book The Moor's Last Sigh was a great read and I think he still deserves to make the short list for the Ya-ta boy prize. 
However you have given me a good kick in the backside for not keeping up with my reading as much as I used to. Now if I could only find the time......
I recently picked up Pynchon's Against the Day and I am having trouble finding the time to get through that.
Maybe I should get a University gig, or stop spending time at this cafe with you fine people....
(A friend of mine is also a great aficionado of Indian writing and has mentioned a number of books he has enjoyed - ones not on your list and not on my radar either. When I speak to him again, I will ask for some titles, and post them here if you would like.) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
shapeshifter
Joined: 29 Nov 2005
Location: Paris
|
| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:03 am Post subject: Re: Who's the best Indian writer in English? |
|
|
| Ya-ta Boy wrote: |
For quite a while now, the best writers in English have been from India. No need to debate that. The question is, which one is the best?
Some nominees are:
1. Arundhati Roy: "The God of Small Things"
2. Rohinton Mistry: "A Fine Balance"
3. Jhumpa Lahiri: "Interpreter of Maladies"
4. Vikram Seth: "A Suitable Boy"
5. Vikram Chandra: "Sacred Games"
There are other good writers, but I haven't found any in the same class as the ones above. I detest What'shisname's "Midnight's Children".
To be honest, I wouldn't say any of the above is 'better' than the others, but my favorite of the books is 'A Suitable Boy' by a whisker. |
Out of curiosity, what is it that you "detest" about Salmon Rushdie? The other writers you mention are undoubtedly great talents. I particularly enjoyed "The God of Small Things", but the book seemed more than a little derivative; a charitable way of saying Ms. Roy has clearly read a Rushdie novel or two in her young life.
I'd really like to know how you've arrived at the conclusion that the writers you cite are a cut above Salmon Rushdie. Care to elaborate on your position? I'm sure you'll do better than "that's just my opinion".
Cordially,
SS |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Unposter
Joined: 04 Jun 2006
|
| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:40 am Post subject: |
|
|
V.S. Naipaul was born in Trinidad but he is an ethnic Indian and a winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature. He is a pretty good writer.
Tagore (don't remember his first name) also won a Nobel Prize in Literature but he is not that exciting.
I'd go with Naipaul.
IMO, Rushdie is a little over-rated but some of his stuff is pretty good, just not as great as some people like to make him out. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Thwartley
Joined: 19 Feb 2008
|
| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:50 am Post subject: |
|
|
Wouldn't necessarily agree with the assertion that Indian writers are the best at the moment.
From the list you posted, I've only read A Fine Balance.
Would also agree with the comment about V.S. Naipaul. His brother Shiva also wrote a good book, North of South. It's an account of his travels through Africa. Anyone who has been to Africa would probably agree that he has knack for capturing the bizarre essence of that place. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Ya-ta Boy
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Established in 1994
|
| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 1:37 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| the writers you cite are a cut above Salmon Rushdie. Care to elaborate |
Certainly. Two words. Magic realism. I tried two of What'shisname's novels. I prefer not to foul my tongue (or fingers) with the names of writers who use magic realism. It isn't magic or real. It's drivel. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
mnhnhyouh
Joined: 21 Nov 2006
Location: The Middle Kingdom
|
| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 2:28 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Unposter wrote: |
| V.S. Naipaul was born in Trinidad but he is an ethnic Indian and a winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature. He is a pretty good writer. |
Second, third and fourth this massive understatement.
Untouchables is fantastic, as are many of his other books.
h |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
tombirner
Joined: 19 Dec 2007
|
| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 5:51 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Wasn't Lawrence Durrell Indian (though he lived in England)?
If I can count him, he has my vote. Though I haven't read any other Indians |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
runlikegump
Joined: 05 Nov 2007
Location: Seoul
|
| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 6:28 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| Certainly. Two words. Magic realism. I tried two of What'shisname's novels. I prefer not to foul my tongue (or fingers) with the names of writers who use magic realism. It isn't magic or real. It's drivel. |
Some well-known authors of magical realism and their works:
Alexis, Jacques Stephen - The Magical Realism of the Haitians (Realisme Merveilleux des Haitiens)
Allende, Isabel - The House of Spirits (La casa de los esp�ritus)
Asturias, Miguel �ngel - Men of Maize (Hombres de ma�z)
Asturias, Miguel �ngel - El Se�or Presidente
Borges, Jorge Luis - Ficciones, A Universal History of Iniquity, The Aleph (short story collection)
Bulgakov, Mihail - Master and Margarita (Master i Margarita)
Calders, Pere - Aqu� descansa Nevares
Calvino, Italo - Invisible Cities (Le citt� invisibili)
Carey, Peter - Illywhacker
Carpentier, Alejo - The Kingdom of this World (El reino de este mundo)
Carter, Angela - The Magic Toyshop
C�line, Louis-Ferdinand - Journey to the End of the Night (Voyage au bout de la nuit)
Donoso, Jos� - The Obscene Bird of the Night (El obsceno p�jaro de la noche)
Ellison, Ralph - Invisible Man
Esquivel, Laura - Like Water for Chocolate (Como agua para chocolate)
Frame, Janet - The Carpathians
Fuentes, Carlos - The Death of Artemio Cruz (La muerte de Artemio Cruz)
Gallardo, Sara - January (Enero)
Garc�a M�rquez, Gabriel - One Hundred Years of Solitude (Cien a�os de soledad)
Gogol, Nikolai - The Nose (Nos)
Grass, G�nter - The Tin Drum (Die Blechtrommel)
Hopkinson, Nalo - Brown Girl in the Ring, Midnight Robber
Jahnn, Hans Henny - The Shoreless River (Fluss ohne Ufer)
Kennedy, William - Ironweed
King, Thomas - Truth and Bright Water
Lampo, Hubert - De komst van Joachim Stiller
Malaparte, Curzio - Woman Like Me (Donna Come Me)
Martel, Yann - Life of Pi
Morrison, Toni - Song of Solomon
Murakami, Haruki - Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World
Okri, Ben - The Famished Road
Roy, Arundhati - The God of Small Things
Rulfo, Juan - Pedro P�ramo
Rushdie, Salman - Midnight's Children
Saramago, Jos� - Baltasar and Blimunda
S�skind, Patrick - Perfume (Das Parfum)
Tournier, Michel - The Erl-King (Le Roi des Aulnes)
Winterson, Jeanette - Sexing the Cherry
Ngugi wa Thiong'o - The Wizard of the Crow
Zadie Smith - White Teeth
from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_realism
Surely, there's at least one writer here to counter the foulness!
[/quote] |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
shapeshifter
Joined: 29 Nov 2005
Location: Paris
|
| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 9:12 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Ya-ta Boy wrote: |
| Quote: |
| the writers you cite are a cut above Salmon Rushdie. Care to elaborate |
Certainly. Two words. Magic realism. I tried two of What'shisname's novels. I prefer not to foul my tongue (or fingers) with the names of writers who use magic realism. It isn't magic or real. It's drivel. |
I see. Well, detesting a writer (without ever having finished one of his books) on the basis of one specific aspect of his style seems a bit of a shame. There's much more to Rushdie's books than magical realism, and it would seem you've thrown the baby out with the bath water. You go on to describe his books as drivel. That's probably the critical equivalent of jumping up and down on the baby's head and feeding the bits to the fish.
Of course it's perfectly legitimate not to enjoy his work (although again, I think you'd be more credible had you actually managed to finish at least one book), but calling it drivel is probably a bit much. Do you really not accept the idea that the man has a gift for stringing words together? Have a go at The Moor's Last Sigh or Shalimar The Clown (surprisingly devoid of magic) and see if you can honestly tell yourself that they're rubbish.
I wonder if part of you doesn't simply enjoy taking a 'wacky' position and criticizing someone whose greatness is widely accepted. Nothing wrong with that of course, but if you're genuinely interested in making a convincing argument (and I assume you are since you took the time to write about it in public), you'll want to go a bit deeper than "magic realism is drivel".
Cheers |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Ya-ta Boy
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Established in 1994
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 5:18 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| I see. Well, detesting a writer (without ever having finished one of his books) on the basis of one specific aspect of his style seems a bit of a shame. |
I see, and right back at you. I take it you are one who will spend another 15 or 20 hours reading someone who doesn't connect with you but will slog on because 'many other people like it'. I'm not all that concerned with other people's views. I prefer to make up my own mind, thank you. I'll give an author a hundred pages or so and if he fails by that point, I give up on him/her. SOME of them I will stash the book back in the shelf and try again later if I suspect it's my mood and not the work itself.
You however, are free to enjoy magic realism if you want. It's still drivel, but it's your right to enjoy drivel if you want.
I have zero interest in discussing magic realism. My favorite authors are Emile Zola and Thomas Hardy. Criticize me if you want. I will stand by my choices. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Unposter
Joined: 04 Jun 2006
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 7:58 am Post subject: |
|
|
Emile Zola is definately cool!
What? No Alexandere Dumas? The Count of Monte Cristco rocks! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
lawyertood
Joined: 17 Jan 2003
Location: Seoul, Incheon and the World--working undercover for the MOJ
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 9:44 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I believe Hari Kunzru, a Brit, is of Indian heritage and I have enjoyed his first two novels and am about to read his third.
Prizes and awards
2002 Betty Trask Prize The Impressionist
2002 Guardian First Book Award (shortlist) The Impressionist
2002 Los Angeles Times Book Prize (Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction) (shortlist) The Impressionist
2002 Pendleton May/Guildford Arts Book Prize (First Novel Award) The Impressionist
2002 Whitbread First Novel Award (shortlist) The Impressionist
2003 Somerset Maugham Award The Impressionist
2003 British Book Awards Author of the Year (shortlist) The Impressionist
2003 EMMA (BT Ethnic and Multicultural Media Award) for Best Book/Novel (shortlist) The Impressionist
2003 WH Smith Literary Award (shortlist) The Impressionist
2003 William Saroyan Award (shortlist) The Impressionist
2005 British Book Awards Decibel Writer of the Year Transmission |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
ChopChaeJoe
Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Location: Seoul
|
| Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 2:41 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Louise Erdrich
oops, wrong Indian |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
VanIslander
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
|
| Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 6:41 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Too bad Ondaatje is Sri Lankan.
| Unposter wrote: |
V.S. Naipaul was born in Trinidad but he is an ethnic Indian and a winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature. He is a pretty good writer.
I'd go with Naipaul.
IMO, Rushdie is a little over-rated but some of his stuff is pretty good, just not as great as some people like to make him out. |
I agree on all counts.
Nalini Rajan has to rank right up there with the brilliant The Pangolin's Tale. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
