The Asian Writer

Ondaatje Prize awarded to Rahul Bhattacharya

Thu, 31 May 2012 15:42:11 +0000

Rahul Bhattacharya is named the £10,000 Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prize with his first novel The Sly Company of People Who Care. (May 29, 2012). Nick Laird, Michèle Roberts and Kamila Shamsie admired ‘Bhattacharya’s verve and style as he brilliantly evokes the history and inhabitants and landscape ofGuyana’. Nick Laird said he had ‘seldom read a book with so much energy, and on almost every page there were little stylistic twists or felicities which had me stopping to admire them. The novel is a testament both to his potential and to his achievement.’ Michèle ...

Indian gems at the BFI Southbank

Tue, 29 May 2012 07:44:55 +0000

Don’t miss the Indian gems this June at the BFI Southbank. Honouring Shyam Benegal on 9-10 June celebrates the director and screenwriter Shyam Benegal, the father of the ‘New Wave’ in Indian Cinema. With a career spanning 50 years, BFI Southbank showcases Bhumika (1977) and Junoon (1978) along with a Bhumika Masterclass with Shyam Benegal and South Asian Cinema Foundation (SACF) Excellence in Cinema Award: Shyam Benegal. WIN TICKETS For your chance to win a pass to all events and films over this weekend simply email or tweet us with why you should ...

Romesh Gunesekera

Thu, 10 May 2012 11:22:04 +0000

The Asian Writer caught up with Romesh Gunesekera ahead of his appearance at the Asia House Festival of Asian Literature

Festival of Asian Literature

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 08:53:41 +0000

The Asia House Festival of Asian Literature takes place in May. Now in its sixth year, the festival celebrates writing about Asia and Asians from the Persian Gulfto the Pacific. Hardeep Singh Kohli kicks off proceedings with a talk on Food of the Grand Trunk Road. The festival will embrace Sri Lanka as its focus – from food to dance. Writers Romesh Gunesekera, Shehan Karunatilaka (winner of the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature 2012) and Roshi Fernando will be joined by BBC presenter George Alagiah to discuss contemporary Sri Lankan writing. Festival ...

Roshi Fernando

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 08:40:42 +0000

The Asian Writer caught up with Roshi Fernando to find out more about the life of a short story writer...

Southbank’s Alchemy Festival

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:08:45 +0000

Southbank Centre’s third annual Alchemy festival returns with another potent mix of music, dance, literature, film, fashion and design that will cast an illuminating light on the fast-changing economic and cultural landscape of the Indian subcontinent. In a first for Alchemy, 2012 sees Southbank Centre’s riverside venues and spaces become a film set, complete with a Taste of India food market, and festival-goers can enrol as dancing and singing extras in a Bollywood-style movie to be made throughout the festival and screened as a finale. With a particular focus on Pakistan, ...

Kyung-sook Shin becomes first female to win Man Asian Prize

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 17:01:17 +0000

Kyung-sook Shin become the first woman to win the Man Asian Literary Prize, Asia’s most prestigious award for writers, for her novel ‘Please Look After Mom’. (15th March, 2012) The South Korean novelist attended the black tie Prize Dinner at The Conrad Hotel in Hong Kong to receive the award of US$30,000. The translator of the novel, Chi-Young Kim also received US$5,000. The win is the first for a South Korean writer, and ‘Please Look After Mom’ is the first novel by a South Korean to make it to the Man Asian ...

Sanjida O’Connell

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 16:58:07 +0000

The Asian Writer caught up with Sanjida O'Connell to talk about stepping outside of the mould of "ethnic literature"...

Safiya Hussain

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 16:36:48 +0000

Q. Please tell us about your book, Three Thousand Miles for a Wish? My book is about my journey to Mecca on the Hajj in a quest to find happiness. It is a unique story that covers the experience of Hajj from a very personal and emotional perspective. Q. Why did you decide to write your story? I was blown away by this journey. As soon as I arrived back into the UK from Saudi Arabia I said; ‘My God, I have got to put pen to paper and write about this. And ...

Hardeep Singh Kohli

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 16:33:14 +0000

Hardeep Singh Kohli, writer, broadcaster and Celebrity Masterchef finalist, is planing a cookery book with a difference on crowd-funded publisher Unbound.co.uk A Month of Sundays will chart his journeys over the next nine months as he answers culinary call outs from people around the country. Readers can makes suggestions to Hardeep through the Unbound.co.uk website. Each week he’ll make the journey to cook up a feast for the most interesting ones, serving up delicious food in homes, workplaces, village halls and sports grounds across the UK. Romantic dinners for two, village feasts, boardroom lunches, street parties, post-match curries, family reunions and birthday suppers, all suggestions will be considered - the more ...