Tag Archives: Nicholas Shakespeare

Kitaab publishes the first major work of literature to come out of the corona crisis

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Kitaab has published Tabish Khair’s anthology, Quarantined Sonnets: Sex, Money and Shakespeare, in support of Singapore’s Migrant Workers

In this ebook, in powerfully original rewritings that combine humour and satire with acute social and political commentary, Tabish Khair uses William Shakespeare’s sonnets to paint a memorable and moving picture of the world in corona quarantine. This is arguably the first major work of literature to come out of the corona crisis. With iconoclastic humour and intelligence, it runs the readers through a gamut of emotions. It is also a clarion call for change. These 21 sonnets range from initial humorous riffs on the foibles of our age but grow progressively darker and more acerbic, while always playing with Shakespeare’s original works. A must-read for our times!

Profits from this e-book are being donated by the publisher and author to Migrant Workers Centre, Singapore, helping migrant workers to cope with the current economic crisis complicated by the Novel Coronavirus pandemic. Read more

Tata Lit Fest: Writers, thinkers and the spirit of debate in Mumbai

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Come November, over 130 celebrated writers and thinkers from some 30 countries will converge at Mumbai’s biggest international literary festival, Tata Literature Live!

The illustrious first line-up for the seventh edition of the festival includes names like Amitav Ghosh, the Indian novelist who has examined the perils of ignoring climate change in his new book, The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable; Nicholas Shakespeare, literary critic and descendant of William Shakespeare; John Gray, political philosopher and author of False Dawn: The Delusions of Global Capitalism; Ramachandra Guha, Indian historian and Padma Bhushan recipient; and Simon Armitage, the sardonically witty British poet, famous for the dramatisation of the Greek epic, The Odyssey.

“A literary festival in what is probably the world’s most vibrant city is sure to be hugely exciting. I very much look forward to it. I’ve had some memorable conversations in Mumbai. I’m looking forward to more,” said Amitav Ghosh about the festival which is set to sweep the city of Mumbai from 17-20 November. Read more

Tata Literature Live festival: Talks, performances to feast on from November 17

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Over 130 writers and thinkers like John Gray, Amitav Ghosh, Simon Armitage and former finance minister, P Chidambaram will be a part of the seventh edition of the Tata Literature Live! festival from November 17-20.

The festival will be held at two venues — the NCPA and Prithvi Theatre. Those listed for this edition include Nicholas Shakespeare, literary critic and descendant of William Shakespeare; John Gray, political philosopher and author of False Dawn: The Delusions of Global Capitalism; Ramachandra Guha, Indian historian and Padma Bhushan recipient; Simon Armitage, the sardonically witty British poet, famous for the dramatisation of the Greek epic poem The Odyssey; former minister and writer, Jairam Ramesh, Girish Karnad, Keki Daruwalla, Kiran Nagarkar and Jayant Narlikar, besides Gulzar and Karan Johar. Read more

New Salman Rushdie novel goes to Penguin Books India

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Salman_RushdiePenguin Books India has acquired a new novel by Salman Rushdie, the publishing house announced today.

The novel titled,  Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights, is a wonder tale about the way we live now, a rich and multifaceted work that blends history, mythology, and a timeless love story to bring alive a world – our world – that has been plunged into an age of unreason.  Inspired by 2,000 years of storytelling tradition yet rooted in the concerns of our present moment, it is a breath-taking achievement and an enduring testament to the power of the imagination.

Salman Rushdie is the author of eleven previous novels, including Midnight’s Children (awarded the Booker Prize in 1981, and the Best of the Booker Prize in 2008), Shame, The Satanic Verses, The Moor’s Last Sigh, The Ground Beneath Her Feet, Fury, Shalimar the Clown and The Enchantress of Florence, as well as a book of stories, East, West, and three works of non-fiction. His memoir, Joseph Anton, was published in 2012 and became an internationally acclaimed bestseller.  It was called “a harrowing, deeply felt and revealing document” by Michiko Kakutani in the New York Times and praised as “funny, moving and absolutely necessary to read” by Nicholas Shakespeare in the Daily Telegraph . His books have been translated into over forty languages.

Penguin Books India will publish Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights on their Hamish Hamilton imprint in September 2015.

Chiki Sarkar, Publisher at Penguin Books India, who acquired the novel from Andrew Wylie at The Wylie Agency, said: ‘A new novel by Salman Rushdie is always a major event – and this dazzling new work is one of his best yet. We are thrilled to be publishing it in  India.’