Two Book Readings

It was probably too much on the literary scene in Hyderabad the previous week with two book readings by two different authors on two consecutive days at two different places in Hyderabad. It had me in two minds about what to do but I anyway ended up attending both the readings that took place Friday and Saturday last. On Friday noted author Jaishree Misra read from her latest book ‘Secrets & Lies’ at the Jubilee Hills Odyssey, and on Saturday it was Amit Verma author of ‘My Friend Sancho’ at the Vikrampuri Odyssey store.

On Friday I expected quite a sizeable crowd at Jaishree Misra’s reading but I was surprised that not a single member of the la-di-da crowd that usually turns up at readings of famous authors was present at Odyssey. Then I realized that this swish set does not attend any book reading or launch unless the event is held at star hotels preferably the Grand Kakatiya at Begumpet in Hyderabad. Most of this crowd lives in Jubilee Hills so you cannot expect them to show up at any event happening in their backyard. It would have been oh so plebeian.

Anyway, the reading of Jaisree Mishra’s book created quite a record by lasting nearly an hour and half. Dr T Vijay Kumar was in conversation with a very down-to- earth and candid Jaishree Mishra for more than an hour. The talk began aptly with the cover and the title and meandered on with discussions whether the book was comes under the category of ‘chick lit’, historical fiction, censorship and so on. Meenakshi Mukherjee observed that the cover gives the impression it is a serious book than what it is being considered as i.e., chicklit. Though the noise of the café in the book store, the crowds moving in and out was a bit distracting, the event went on pretty well. Though I had not read any of Jaisree Misra’s books I picked up a copy and also got it signed.

The next day i.e., on Saturday I landed at the Vikrampuri branch of Odyssey for the reading of ‘My Friend Sancho’ by Amit Verma. The bookstore wasn’t exactly crowded which must have made the author to conclude that no one reads in Hyderabad. But if Hachette had taken care to hold the event at one of the star hotels then they would have been surprised how many would have turned up in their finest clothes. Given that the book had sold 14000 copies so far, having the event at a hotel would have been justified.

The reading began with one of the store’s employees doubling up as a compere, and I guess he gave it a Hyderabadi flavor that everybody present including the author will remember for a long time. After the introductions, it was the turn of the Hachette representative to tell the gathering all they needed to know about the Hachette group including how to pronounce ‘Hachette.’ For some reason she chose to address the crowd from behind a shelf with only her face showing. Then Sridala Swami took over and led the conversation with the author.

Amit Verma turned out to be funnier than his book. I had bought ‘My Friend Sancho’ in July and read it a few weeks later. When Amit Verma revealed that he had written the book in just five weeks it confirmed a feeling I had after I read the book- that it was written in haste, maybe to bank on the popularity of the author’s blog ‘India Uncut.’. I also felt that the book was written to fulfill some sort of a commitment but I might be wrong. After hearing Amit Verma talk about the book and other issues I felt he could have written a better book. Anyway, I hope his next book which I read somewhere is about an ICS officer, will be much better and also, funnier.

Amit Verma did not disappoint the crowd at Odyssey Hyderabad but the crowd must have disappointed him very much. Too bad no one had told him to have the reading at a posh hotel. Because the ambience is what draws Hyderabad’s elite book lovers more than the book itself.