Booktalk with Jeet Thayil

Booktalking is always an uplifting session at Bookworm.

This month we read Narcopolis by Jeet Thayil and had the honor and opportunity to talk with Jeet at Bookworm. 

IMG_20130814_112741

Whenever we booktalk with the author we remind ourselves almost implicitly to behave to say what we think the author might like to hear, but with Jeet, we were able to a great extent to be ourselves. We could booktalk honestly about what we liked in the structure and content and what we did not get. ( a lot, it appears.) All of us readers in the room had missed a significant set of clues, much to Jeet’s consternation. I gave you the clues, he said!

IMG_20130815_180952

The prologue to all of us readers was a text of beauty. Jeet shared how and why he chose to write that piece without a single full stop. 

We spoke about the making of Nacropolis, the time it took Jeet, his own method of writing and editing and how he crafted his characters into who he wanted them to be. Our powerful reactions to the story, our strong feelings about the characters and the settings all told us that this was indeed a good book. A book that took many of us on paths we might have not stumbled upon and a book that will stay with us for a long time. We are thankful. 

IMG_20130815_181230

Booktalk will meet again on the 23rd of September at 6.30 pm at Bookworm. Email us if you want to be included in booktalking.

Leave a Reply