More than a decade ago, while heading home from work in Washington, DC on the metro, I heard the unmistakable sound of Armenian being spoken. Since this does not happen every day and as it had never happened before, I
Le Carré and Jefferson
A friend’s recent Facebook post charmingly insinuated that Thomas Jefferson’s love of books and reading could, in part, be attributed to the absence then of the Internet and other electronic distractions that plague us in our time. Later the same
Flowers in a Pandemic
Early this Sunday morning (India time) a friend from the US (unintentionally, I’m sure – she must have been sleepy) texted me, “Will you ever be able to come back?” It was a sobering thought that hastened my exit
MVA Goes Literary
The MVA (Motor Vehicle Administration) is one of the most depressing offices to visit, second only to the SSA (Social Security Administration). What is galling is not the lack of technology but the dearth of common sense and concern for
A Taste of the Bangalore Literary Scene
In the matter of letters, yesterday was a red-letter day, for me here in Bangalore. First, I got to meet Pradeep Bahirwani, the author of The Youngest Daughter, a book set in the Khasi Hills, a place where I have