Talk with Shandana Minhas author of Tunnel Vision

Must go along with most of what #1 has stated...Your interview came through as refreshingly 'genex' as your articles [BTW, are you hibernating from newspaper writings nowadays?!]
Two comments: First, how does it feel to mix Jane Austin with Dostovosky? Pretty turbulent in the mind, I guess: is this what led to 'Tunnel Vision'? {My comment is based on the views expressed by some of the interacts: I hope to read it soon].
Secondly, I totally agree with you: Karachi and Lahore are part of the 'national' ethos, which excludes any comparison or wishy-washy debate. Being a Karachian or a Lahori should be seen as a cognitive and contextual 'Pakistani' persona!

Shandana congratulations

On having your novel published.

I ‘ve just finished reading jasvinder’s ‘shame’ supposedly based on true life story, I’m pretty sure it’s embellished with quite a bit of truth about how evil the caste system, Punjabi culture is but, frankly I couldn’t recognise the derby she describes, it’s a beautiful prosperous town and Sikhs are doing o.k.

Maybe that’s what the western readers like to read, the ‘evil’ customs of non-western cultures.

Congratulations Shandana,

Thank God that CHOWK went back to its basics

and published this interview. Some of us have been

forced into the rear of the bus lately with our

articles being held back because CHOWK has been too busy

trying to promote "Regime Change" and political agendas.

Too much of one topic is just plain bad for the readership

here.

Ras

Congratulations Shandana, on your first book. I would buy it after I read a few reviews. I am partial to works by young Desi writers.

So, the book is out. Great! I tried some googling, was looking for basic info on how big was it? blurbs etc. No luck. I am sure pakistani-indian bloggers will pick up on it very soon.

By the way, what were those places you had in mind?

"there are places in Karachi that are particularly friendly towards writers, there are places in Karachi that are particularly friendly towards everybody and places that are particularly hostile towards everybody,"

I am guessing: friendly towards everybody would be the old-town karachi (Kharadhar, Meethadar), Burns Rd. etc. and hostile towards everybody: places where MQM grew up like Landhi, Korangi, Malir etc.

Congrats, Shandana on the published book! Could a link to the publisher presenting Tunnel Vision be provided?

Thanks for this politics-free interview. Shandana Minhas is always a delight to read. I am personally grateful to her that I learnt to say a few funny words myself after reading her interactor/author pages – so it is undeniable that she is naturally funny. (I was half-afraid that when asked which authors influenced her, she was going to say BJ Kumar.) But she also has this very serious streak in her – particularly when she is contemplating the state of Pakistani awaam – and she gets through to simple readers like I and so I have anguished with her too. Based on some of her answers here, there is no doubt she is also VERY smart! Natural born great writers like her do not depend on a specific place or population as their muse – they derive inspiration from all around them – and they can do so from the simplest of things and events.

BTW, if I were interviewing her and she asked me “what is privileged?” – I would answer – “Rich and fat!”