I have an essay on the “On Eating” website: I am at my sister’s house in Patna. Whenever I come to Patna, during periods when my college is closed for either summer or winter holidays, I mostly eat at home. There must be fine restaurants in town but these aren’t the places I knew in… Read more »
Posts By: Amitava Kumar
A Lover’s Discourse
I was interviewed for Frontline magazine, for their new “Bookmarks” column. The interview has been published under the title “Reading is Good When It Disturbs You.” In the interview I had mentioned A Lover’s Discourse by Roland Barthes and, after listening to Merve Emre’s podcast “The Critic and her Publics,” I have posted a Substack… Read more »
The Writer as Father
In a few hours, I will have the privilege of handing my daughter her diploma during Vassar College’s 161st commencement. The ceremony will be live-streamed, starting at 10 AM EST (7.30 PM IST). I have just now posted a new note on Substack; it is inspired by a short-story by Grace Paley called “Friends.” A… Read more »
House of Speakeasy
“A literary mixtape [with] perfect flow and variety.” — The New York Times, March 2016 House of SpeakEasy continues its electrifying 2025 season at Joe’s Pub on May 13 with a night of fresh, original storytelling from four celebrated writers. Inspired by the theme “Let the Great World Spin,” each author will take the stage… Read more »
PEN World Voices
Train Dreams
I’m lucky to have an essay of mine published as the Weekend Essay at the New Yorker. Please read the piece here. I have also compiled a few images from my trip in my latest Substack newsletter. Here’s an image that I was unable to include in the album, of Bihari migrant workers from… Read more »
A Public Space Master Class
Am offering a virtual workshop at A Public Space on the role of structure in writing.
Happy Pub Day
Feb 11. Happy pub day. The paperback of A Time Outside This Time comes out today. When the hardcover was published, The New Yorker described the book as “a shimmering assault on the Zeitgeist.” Also, it is my father’s birth anniversary today. Here is a link to a piece in Granta magazine; the piece was… Read more »
Paperback Row
New York Times Book Review, February 9, 2025.
At the Brooklyn Public Library, with Katie Kitamura
RSVP