Join me in reading V.S. Naipaul’s The Enigma of Arrival. This is under the auspices of A Public Space. We start on March 23, 2026. The reading will stretch over 30 days; reading a daily average of 10-12 pages. My daily notes on the pages we are reading will be emailed to you if you… Read more »
Posts Tagged: Amitava Kumar
Landscape of Memory
I have a new piece in the current issue of Outlook. It is an essay on the landscape of memory along with six of my drawings. You can read the whole piece here.
Children’s Tales in Granta
My report on the Andamans is out in Granta. It is probably the fourth essay on India, part-memoir, part-travel, that Luke Neima has helped me publish there, and my appreciation for Luke as an editor, thoughtful and exact, is profound and filled with gratitude. (He would have improved this preceding sentence. I’m writing in a cab… Read more »
Two Upcoming Events
A Train is Approaching
Aleph Book Company in India have published several of my books and in December this year they will be bringing out a new one. A short book in their excellent Essential India series. My thanks to Aleph—in particular, David Davidar. I’ll be participating on November 30 at a book event at Champaca Bookstore the Catholic… Read more »
Writer to Writer—with Teju Cole
Brick literary magazine has released the podcast conversation between Teju and me. This is a part of their Writer to Writer series.
NYPL Researcher Spotlight Interview
My current trip to India is coming to an end. Have spent a lot of time in Bengal and it has been good. Tonight I’ll conduct a writing workshop at The Bookshop in Jor Bagh, and then get on a plane. In this post I want to share something different. In mid-July, while I was… Read more »
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 »