More Book Talk

This is the last of the daily posts of this special week. Next week onwards it is back to the usual schedule- Tuesday and Fridays only.

Like it wasn’t enough compelling me to buy almost brand new issues of two different editions (the US and the UK editions) of Conde Nast Traveller every other week at Abids, fate has brought in another edition. The other day while looking high and low at Walden in search of a copy of Pradeep Sebastian’s ‘The Groaning Shelf’ I didn’t spare even the magazine racks. I got temporarily distracted from the hunt though, having chanced upon something unexpected. On the rack was ‘Conde Nast Traveller India’ priced at a hundred bucks. Coming close on the heels of Lonely Planet that launched its Indian edition recently, Conde Nast Traveller magazine is the latest but welcome addition to the travel magazines now crowding the shelves. I wanted to buy the inaugural issue but it was wrapped in a transparent plastic sheet. I don’t buy anything without first taking a look at it even if it is Conde Nast Traveller.

Most of what I learn about new books and book stores is through the papers. This week the papers had a lot of stuff about books, writers and bookstores. Those living in Tarnaka at last have a new bookstore opening in their midst. On Wednesday I saw an ad about a new bookstore- Shree Central Book Shop- opening in Mudra Complex, beside Big Bazaar in Tarnaka. Funny how there are many localities where one cannot find a single bookstore like Tarnaka, Kukatpalli and such places. I hope my friends in Tarnaka now stop grumbling about having to make long trips to buy books. I guess this is a branch of the bookstore of the same name at Clock Tower in Secunderabad. The ad also said that they are soon opening another branch at Pragathinagar, Kukatpalli.

For the fourth or fifth consecutive year the Nobel has gone to yet another writer I have not had the good fortune to read. However, Mario Vargos Llosa isn’t an entirely new name to me since the name is always quoted along with that of Gabriel Marcia Marquez. Long back I had seen one of his books at Abids but I did not buy it. It is one of those stupid decisions one has to live with I guess not picking up books by such writers.

Now that the Literature Nobel issue has been cleared I am curious to know who will get the maiden The Hindu Best Fiction Award. This month’s Literary Review carried the shortlist with eleven books on it. I am a bit embarrassed to reveal that I have not read any of the titles in the list. However, going by the various reviews of the books on the list I would bet on three likely contenders- Anjum Hasan (Neti, Neti) or Tishani Doshi (The Pleasure Seekers) or Manu Joseph (Serious Men) but Anjali Joseph (Saraswati Park) might turn out a surprise. The world has to wait until November 1 to know who wins the prize.