I am doing a reading at iBrowse Book at the Catholic Club of Bangalore and would be delighted if you or interested friends could come.  The email below explains everything.

When: Friday, November 9th at 6 PM.

Where: Catholic Club, Bangalore.  Museum Road

http://www.catholiclub.com/

Please could you circulate it to those interested in coming.  It is free and open to the public.

Thanks

Shoba

Begin forwarded message:

From: Marianne de Nazareth n <[email protected]>

Subject: Re: Guest author at iBrowse Book Club?

 

Hi Shobha,

 

This is how iBrowse works. Every second Friday of the month we get tog in the CC at 6:30pm and invite a guest author. For Oct we have Sheila Kumar and Kith and Kin.

The authro sends me a copy of her book through the publisher so I get my stuff organised like intros etc.

Then on the day after my intro you are invited to read excerpts that you like to ‘sell’ your book. Always read stuff that would make them ask questions. Two three paras whatever you like, the whole interview is fluid.

Then the floor is thrown open to questions — anything from what made you want to write the book to is any character based on you.:-)

We have a very nice set of members who enjoy reading.

Your publisher organises a table at one end and a discount is offered to the members which I announce on the printed price. Then they que up and you sign the book at the other table while we carry on with our book discussion for the month. Quite a number like buying books and getting them autographed.

Thats it — sort of sums it up. Very relaxed bunch, no formalities and if your publishers want to put up stands used for the book launch they are welcome.

 

regds,

 

Marianne

 

 

.

 

On Sat, Sep 22, 2012 at 11:57 AM, Shoba Narayan ‪<[email protected]> wrote:

Dear Marianne:

I know your byline, of course.

I would be delighted to do this.  What should I do?

And since Stan wants to come along, you can bet I’ll be on my toes.

Shoba

 

On 22-Sep-2012, at 11:39 AM, Stanley Pinto wrote:

Dear Shoba,

My friend Marianne, a professional journalist, has sent me the message below. Perhaps you could respond to her directly.

And do take me along to the session, if you do it.

Love – Stanley

———- Forwarded message ———-

From: Marianne de Nazareth ‪<[email protected]>

Date: 22 September 2012 11:37

Subject: Re: “Return to India”

To: Stanley Pinto <[email protected]>

Hi Stan would Shobha want to be a guest author at my iBrowse book club in the CC?? I could explain what we do if she is interested.

regds,

Marianne

On Sat, Sep 22, 2012 at 10:49 AM, Stanley Pinto ‪<> wrote:

My dear Shoba,

I used to be a voracious reader of “serious” books. For years I set myself a target of one a week, and usually made it. This, in addition to business magazines like Fortune and International Business World (?) and news mags including TIME, Newsweek, The Economist.

But over the last few years I have found it difficult to even complete a book I had purchased with enthusiasm. Concentration flagged, started to speed read, leaving out many portions – and finally giving  too many of them up half read. The loss is mine, I know, but I can’t seem to deal with it.

Then along came your book. Even though I did speed read much of it, and skipped some segments and paragraphs, I was totally taken with it, and read it to the end. (despite operating on just one good eye for the moment!)

What attracted me? Mainly the manner in which you approached what could easily have been a maudlin and uncomfortable ramble. The reasoning, the angst, the joy of your many discoveries in living in the USA, the ability to set the joys aside and even counter them after internalising them, the clear and unbiased criticism of many things we hold dear as national paradigms in India. And the un-patronising style of the narrative.

Loved it all, Shoba. It deserves to be widely read. Not just by expatriate Indians wrestling (or not!) with considerations of returning home but people of every country who go away to new pastures for whatever reasons. And, equally important, by Americans and Europeans who need to recognise that even the most enthusiastic immigrants have concerns that they, their hosts, must understand, and respond to, if their societies are to get the best from their new fellows.

It’s why I am copying this message to many others on my Contacts list, in India and abroad. (I hope the latter group can find a way to get your book.)

Well done, Shoba. Congratulations.

Best – Stanley

(The book is Return to India, published in India by Raintree, an imprint of Rupa Publications. An elegant, handsomely designed hardback, described quite accurately as “vivid and eloquent. . . a powerful reflection of a country lost, and then found, by a writer of exceptional talent“. Price in India: Rs 399.00 the equivalent of less than USD 8.00! The author is Shoba Narayan, who has contributes features over the last decade and more in Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Financial Times, Conde Nast Traveller, and more.)

 

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