Bapsi Sidhwa: From The Pakistani Bride to Earth

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Comparing writers is natural and fun. Everyone does it. You just compared Sidhwa and Mistry. Can`t be helped.

I have read only one book by Bapsi Sidhwa - An American Brat, though I have seen ``1947 Earth``. I found the book amusing, but it did not live up to my expectations. i suspect one reason was that I started reading the book, just after I finished Rohinton Mistry`s ``Family Matters``, which really is in a different league altogether. Nevertheless, since both books were about Parsi families, I couldn`t help but subconsciously compare the two.

Our insti just got a new copy of The pakistani Bride. I may read it if I get my hands on it soon.

#5 PunjabiZulu

Rushdie and Mistry write in very different styles, and comparing the two is a tad unfair on both of them.

There are several things that I like about Bapsi Sidhwa including:

1) She is a wonderful writer

2) She encourages other writers from Pakistan

3) She has literally put Pakistani English writing on the map.

4) She still answers your emails...

Met her once. I think that she visits CHOWK every once in a while.

Thanks for the reintroduction here Laila Kazmi.

Ras

nice intro...haven`t read any of her books...will do so now :-) thanks.

Laila:

thanks for introducing another fine pakistani woman here...keep up the good work!

..t

I actually had the pleasure of meeting Bapsi Sidhwa at a reading here in Houston after the movie Earth was released. Considering how much people were fawning over her at that time, she was exceptionally friendly and down to earth. She gave great insight to how she establishes her writing process to each of her books....

sara

Urstruly Sahib

re: #2,

Ask your friends what a trajectory means.

I`ve read both Cracking India and An American Brat, and Cracking India remains one of my favorite novels. I also had the opportunity to have my students read Cracking India, and most if not all of the presentations at the end of the quarter were on Cracking India. . .it was a favorite with them as well. : )
And even if Bapsi was instrumental in the creation of Earth 1947, Earth was a disappointment. Mehta`s focus of course was on Partition and the disintegration of relationships, but there was so much more that CI was about. It was about the community of women. . .godmother and slavesister, and lenny`s mother and ayah ....and lenny herself, as a girl, and their responses to the destruction going on around them.

Lahore does or did have a romantic air to it, but reality wins in the end.

even though i know much of the stuff laila has written on bapsi, i did not know she was planning on writing a collection of stories. a good write-up on her.

Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry is an intimate portrait of Bombay`s Parsi community and the issues facing the Zoroastrians of India. Ardashir Vakil is another noteworthy Parsi writer.

Mistry is one of the best Indian writers, full stop. I think he is a better writer than Rushdie.

Thanks. I think Cracking India is Sidhwa`s best novel. As the article mentions, we`ll probably see a short story collection next by her. One thing I didn`t mention in the article is that Ms Sidhwa said that when The Crow Eaters first came out, it sparked a lot of anger towards her from the Parsi community even by those who hadn`t actually read the book. People were offended by the title and just weren`t happy that Sidhwa had written about Parsis. Since then of course, opinions have changed. As a wonderful writer, today hopefully she is a source of pride for the Parsis as well as for all Pakistanis and Indians.

-laila

Really appreciate the insight into Bapsi Sidhwa`s experience with writing.

Ehmuq aurat # 1

Have you even read the article before commenting.

Sidhwa first wrote Crow Eaters and then Cracking India, that is how work developed. Jebus!

Great article. Looking forward to reading Cracking India. Both the Crow Eaters and American Brat were interesting-I wonder how Sidwa`s work has developed between then...anyone have any ideas?