Midnight's Knights?

Very nice.

One of the best analysis I have ever read on Chowk.

I will take people like Arundhati Roy over people like Rushdie anyday (I haven`t read much of Naipul).

Rushdie, no doubt a brilliant writer, has tried to cash in too much on factually incorrect, self-serving controversy. He is like the mullah who gains political recoginition by making threatening statements about the West. He is the Fazl-ur-Rahman of the English literary circle.

Controversy, that cannot be backed by facts, should be discouraged, never encouraged. Yet the press and media thrive on controversy. Two middle of the road individuals trying to factually discuss history will never gain the advertisers` attention that a Rushdie and a Fazl will get by launching controversial missiles at each other.

Highlighting and respecting and even protecting (a la Roy) one`s heritage is a great quality. Using one`s heritage to sell books (rather than using one`s own writing ability and facts) is terrible. It is a sell-out.

But it works.

After all how many people, outside the those who follow English literature, know who Yann Mantel is? How many know much about Rohinton Mistry? Yet everyone knows Salman Rushdie - a writer who has done nothing more than the above two gentlemen, i.e. been nominated for or won a Booker. Why do so many more everyday people know him?

Because he marketed himself better......

Farzana Versey:

How many of the children, of Indi-Pak parents, born outside India & Pakistan give a hoot about the the Gecko & the Iguana. One can almost date the writers who do not let go of the two stupids of the Saint-this & Taint-that crummy `educational` system.

What else do you expect from these Mcaulays` bastards. Please ignore the low-class broomhandlers. Leave their dirty work to the wretched progressives.

Muslims children born & bred in US, Europe and Canada have not been tainted by the colonial curse. They do not consider english-language `faarin-language` and attach not undue glamour to it.

Snap out of it----you bright muslim woman.

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FV,
Your entire article operates under the assumption that Naipaul and Rushdie are dying to be ``accepted`` as Indian while the truth is neither of them gives a sh*t
What the hell are you so angry about always?
Chill girl!

Romair:

``One of the best analysis I have ever read on Chowk.

I will take people like Arundhati Roy over people like Rushdie anyday (I haven`t read much of Naipul). ``

Analysis of what??? The authors` personalities? I have read through the whole article twice, and there is no mention of either person`s works. Please read A House for Mr Biswas to discover the depth of Naipaul`s story telling skills.

I have not read Satanic Verses, but I have read Shame and Midnight`s Children. Rushdie has an incessant capability of fusing fact and fiction, random occurences of real life in his plot to weave a wonderful story. My personal favourite is how he weaved the real life Nanavati murder case into the plot of Midnight`s Children.

When Farzana says these two authors belong to the streets, what exactly is she alluding to? Why exactly are they knaves? Because they are bad writers? Or because they choose not to be resident in a country that they comment about? If it is the former, then Farzana presents no examples of literal degradation. If it is the latter, then is just a case of geographical parochialism to assume that if a person does not live in a country, he or she cannot or should not have the right to pass comment on it.

So I ask you again. If this is one of the analysis that you have read, please enlighten me...exactly what is being analyzed here?

GhalibZaman a.k.a King Canute

Which country are you sitting in? What language are you writing in? Whose technology are you typing on? Whose free society are you ranting against in?

Just wondering

-h-

GhalibZaman a.k.a King Canute

Which country are you sitting in? What language are you writing in? Whose technology are you typing on? Whose free society are you ranting against in?

Just wondering

-h-

Romair

You really make me laugh.

If Arundhati Roy was a Pakistani you would be grinding your teeth over her credentials and motivations.

One of the funniest things I saw in the last year was a photograph of Arundhati Roy being fawned over by your Pimp-Daddy, Hamid ``the Ghoul`` Gul, at one of her readings in Pakistan. Now I like Arundhati Roy, but the idea of this pacifist liberal being coopted by this ultra right wing Islamic extremist and Taliban midwife was hilarious. He was literally doing pooja at her feet.

Does anybody else see the irony and humour in this?

Chomsky, Roy and all these secular liberal writers being fawned over by right wing illiberal illiterates whose estimation of the writer rises in proportion to their fair minded criticism of their own hate targets? When it validates their own prejudices?

You cannot blame them for it. When the Mullahs of Bradford decided to hunt down Rushdie I was in Wales once when a racist skinhead decided to bait me by mentioning how great a writer Rushdie was (thinking I was Muslim, remember, all dark skinned people = Muslims in westerners minds these days)...thats right, Rushdie the anti-racist liberal became temporarily a poster boy for the far right in Britain.

You cannot blame them.

Plus Arundhati has written only one (albeit good) novel so why is everybody saying she is a great writer? Build a body of work first.

Notice how Roy sends some Indians apoplectic and Rushdie has the same effect on some Pakistanis (have a quick laugh at Romairs post below).

I think its very funny.

Naipaul is a different matter. He is a man who succumbed to the heart of darkness. Will write more on him later. I think he does deserve close inspection.

Bye Bye

-h-

Hi Farzana.

I agree with some of your contentions, and think that others are extraordinarily facile.

I will get back to you later on this!

take care

-h-

Farzana.

Really enjoyed reading this; can`t help agree with what you`re saying. I`ve read a few of Naipaul`s essays (India: A Wounded Civilisation) and while he`s an impressive writer, it`s all too clear that he has very little respect for the people he`s writing about.

re: Naipaul and Rushdie
Naipaul is arrogant. But the guy is a brilliant writer. People who are in the literature business tolerate him because of his brilliance. He has used India to explore and exploit. Explore his roots and exploit the conditions of misery to write some good books. An Area of Darkness comes easily to mind. Few in India have heard about him. Few care to read his books.
I hold Rushdie in greater esteem. He seems to be more balanced and is not such a reculse as Naipaul is. I have not read even one of Rushdie`s books so i do not know how he writes vis-a-vis Naipaul. I am told his books are a difficult read.
India seems to beckon them both. They visit the country when they have run out of ideas. India is a kaleidoscope of imagery. A keen observant like Naipaul can write dozens of books on India alone. Rushdies also seems to have some political connections and a property tucked in somewhere in the North. Their knowledge of India,however, is pathetic.
Sridhar

Ferz:

interesting comparisons though not fair…

…not fair because one knight is a spent force while the other is far from it…

…not fair because while old war horse is over-rated and the younger stallion has yet to produce his best work…

…in these days of instaliving we are erroneously groomed in the expectations of instant gratification…;)…along with instant coffee, fast food, slow g/b friends, instant gratification is the altar by default…

...and what is common between naipaul and rush(ingto)die is they are both very adept at selling the sizzle…(the first kalima of ad-business: sell the sizzle, not the steak!)


digression:

…karachi and later bombay’s v g desani lacked in marketing himself…or he would be leading the pack of writers…the other one trick pony arundathi roy seems to have learned from desani…but as a writer we have difficulty reading her tea leaves…

digression:

…found this very focused and driven…lean…no fat…some very good observations and lines…

bspnd,

…t

10:Harpreet

Looks like you have imbibed their `education` well. Congratulations! Now your slaves back home(India) can really claim freedom. If for you back-home is England then pat yourself well. You are one Indian-Sikh who has become an Englishman. One must give up the turban, food, and language , and mannerism to morph into `them`. But `they` still do not consider you an englishman. Remember, you will always be a blackie, brownie, wheatie or Indi to them . Why? Because they ENSLAVED you ,gave you their language. Ever wonder why they do not mete out this treatment to the Chinese? Because the Chinese do not giveup their language and culture! Even during the HongKong `slave`-days. Those who do not resolutely stick to their roots and degrade their ancestral ways & kick themselves to look-like Indian/Hindu should never expect any respect even from racists.

.........................................................................................................

Who the hell was King Canute? No muslim is enamoured by magnafarta either.

Please get over this language-technology rant-----it still doesn`t make you ``them``. Further proof of an enslaved mind.

(Would you make this technology-language slavegrunt to a Francophone in France or Quebec writing against the miserable-anglophones and in english ? What about Chinese, Germans or ANY of language-proud countries. None of them let the colonisers` bastards run their affairs. )

This englo-struck (language & cultural) enemy among us has to be removed and by his enemy`s arsenal as well. How can you talk to the ignoramuses otherwise.

Worry not I,m not english to be so stupid as to try to stop the waves. I and Others make waves..and tides and Tidal Waves. Time to take cover.

Could you have guessed the collapse of the leftie-progressive Soviet Union so soon?

Do you see practising muslims near any beach counting the waves ? You should find out where they are and what are they doing so that even you, a non-muslim, can recover some of your lost pride and dignity.

...haha...here we go again...poor little farceanna throwing a hissy fit and ranting in a poorly written piece laden with little more than emotion and anger...