With the unapologetic candour in her writing, Meena Kandasamy has carved a niche for herself in the international literary scene. A poet, novelist, translator and anti-caste activist, she has donned many hats with ease and grace. Earlier this week, she was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, a charity based in the UK that works for “the advancement of literature”. In an exclusive interview for Onmanorama, she talks of books and her favourites.
What book are you reading right now?
I’m reading The Death Script by Ashutosh Bharadwaj. It is a very beautifully written book, and also a brilliant work of journalism about the time he spends in Dandakaranya, at the heart of the Maoist insurgency. It reminds you of how disposable and vulnerable human lives have become in Central India.
When/where do you like to read?
I normally read late at night, after I have put the children to bed, and because I’m too tired to do much writing of my own in those hours. I read in bed. I also read when I travel or when I wait in long queues because it is such a pleasant way to bear the drudgery of waiting.
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Who is your favourite writer of all time? And which work?
I think this is a very very difficult question, and I wish I can pick one book for each genre that exists. In fiction, my favourite writer is Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and the best work of his to my tastes is Chronicle of A Death Foretold. In poetry, my favourite writer is Kamala Das, she never ages—there is always this stark moment of beauty and pain packaged together.
Which is that one book that made you cry?
I cry very, very, very easily. I even cry when I read the newspaper, and look at some statistics about infant mortality in Madhya Pradesh or something. So, we are speaking about a very, very low threshold here. I think the book that did not make me cry but filled me with a very heavy sadness which I carried around for many days was The God of Small Things. There is something about that book, about its beauty and the way it holds together tragedy.
Which is the funniest book you've read?
I find all of Oscar Wilde very funny. My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite was a very funny fictional novel. I think one Indian writer who consistently delivers in writing funny stuff is Anees Salim. I wish he was read more.
Which is your all-time favourite children's book?
Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson. My three-year-old son acts out every single line from memory. It is amazing.
Which is the first work that comes to your mind when you hear the term 'classic'?
Shakespeare actually, and one of my particular favourites is The Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Which is that one book you put down without finishing?
Several. Life is very very short to finish all the books you start. If it doesn’t work for you, the best thing to do is to put it down and move on. Unless of course, you are reading it for a review, in which case it is very painful and you have to struggle hard and finish it. I think it’s also respectful to the author if you don’t finish their books if it doesn’t interest you.
Which is that one quote you'll never forget?
“No matter what, nobody can take away the dances you've already had.” Marquez, of course.
An overrated writer in your opinion:
A lot of non-fiction, academic writing is insufferable. So I am not going to single-out names. I just wish all of that was made more accessible.
Which is the next book on your list?
I’m reading a lot of non-fiction these days, particularly on Fascism. I’ve drawn up a list of 23 books to read on this topic, so my next read is possibly going to be from there. Caroline Moorhead or Clara Zetkin, one of these two writers.
If you could recommend one book to people around, which one would it be?
Annihilation of Caste by B.R. Ambedkar. Also the Communist Manifesto. Read them side by side.
Meena Kandasamy’s notable works include Ms. Militancy, The Gypsy Goddess, Exquisite Cadavers, Touch, AYYANKALI: A Dalit leader of Organic Protest and When I Hit You: Or, A Portrait of the Writer as a Young Wife.