Edna O’Brien (1930–2024)
“To read her is to know love; of words, of literature, and of life itself.”
Irish literary giant and author of over two dozen novels, short story collections, plays, more than one memoir, children’s books, and poems, died at the age of 93 last week. Phillip Roth, her lifelong friend, declared in 1984 that she was ‘the most gifted woman now writing fiction in English’.
When she turned ninety, a host of authors paid tribute to her trailblazing writing and influence: read about her in their own words.
Judging the 2024 Booker Prize
“I am hoping to find cultural relevance, an exciting and engaging prose style, an immersive and thought-provoking narrative and an original idea.”
I just learnt that none other than Nitin Sawhney (world-class producer, songwriter, touring artist, club DJ, multi-instrumentalist and composer for theatre, dance, videogames and orchestras) is one of the judges for the Booker Prize this year. Here’s an interview with him that includes the question: [as a judge of a literary prize] how do you read over a hundred books, some of them multiple times?
Parul Sehgal
“I have trouble imagining Huck Finn being taught today without James.”
Literary critic Parul Sehgal, whom I adore (yes, that; and worship), who joined the NYT as a book critic when the formidable Michiko Kakutani left, is now a staff writer at the New Yorker. She recently shared her three favorite books of the year so far which included James by Percival Everett—another book that was in our book boxes in both the US and India. I’d be lying if I said this didn’t bring upon a feeling of smugness: Parul approved! Seriously, though, here’s a podcast episode about literary criticism today (featuring her) that I enjoyed. Perhaps you too will be swayed and fall under the spell of her sharp, probing mind.
[Edit] James has made it to the longlist for the Booker Prize!
