Manil Suri

Heathrow Musings

2009-11-15T20:08:08Z

This is the second time I'm traveling through the new Heathrow terminal 5 (each time on my way to India) this year - what better time to catch up on my blog? I'd set aside this Fall as the period when I'd be staying at home and writing - but it's turned out to be a lot more travel than I anticipated. Two weeks ago, the Blazer lecture at Lexington, Ky went well, plus I got a chance to go to the races (where I almost bet on winning horse number 6 in race 8, but changed it to number 9 at the last minute - I can't even blame it on dyslexia - just one of those odd quirks). Last week, I went to Emory University and the Atlanta Queer Lit Festival - great audience, but I got the impression that the festival (and audience) leaned more towards poetry than fiction. Attended my first poetry slam - wasn't sure which word the emphasis lay on - finally decided that the way to enjoy such events is to look at them as performance art more than anything else. (The performers were very young, very energetic and very earnest.) The true delight was meeting my co-speaker Staceyann Chin - besides being a terrific stage presence and a wonderful writer, she also has a way of genuinely making you question your assumptions. And in food news, I met the octopus of my life - grilled and served on pork belly stewed with onions - I'd return to the new 'Iberian Pig' restaurant in Decatur just for that. Mumbai's going to be interesting on this trip - I'm hoping to see the way through the difficult parts of my next novel by making the same trek that the characters do - from Mahim up to Juhu, and perhaps beyond. Let's hope the right inspiration shows up along the way.

German Covers

2009-10-15T18:37:29Z

That's the German cover for "The Age of Shiva," released this fall in the German language edition as "Shiva." The publisher, Luchterhand, is the same who did "The Death of Vishnu" ("Vishnus Tod") some years back, which they've reissued in a nifty new cover, to go with the new "Shiva" design, see below. The translator is the same for both books, the wonderfully talented Anette Grube.]]>

Ucross, Wyoming

2009-10-08T01:06:55Z

I spent most of September at the Ucross Foundation, a retreat for writers and artists near Sheridan, Wyoming. The above photo shows my studio. Ucross is probably my favorite such retreat - I've always managed to get a lot of work done the three times I've been there. There are usually only about 8-9 people at residence at a time, and the place is huge - a 20,000 acre ranch (which works out to about 2500 acres per person, not bad). Made some great new friends (pic below), ate delicious food prepared by Cindy, our chef, managed to make some good progress on a math book for non-mathematicians, which I worked on steadily. But what about my novel? Well, here's how that went. ]]> First Week: Wrote several pages a day, and managed to get the first draft to where it was two-thirds complete. (Have been working on and off on this since Sep, 2000.) Second Week: Tried to start the final third and realized that the problem I knew had been looming all along was now upon me. And there seemed no way to go past. Went meticulously through every possible option I could think of - nothing worked. Decided that perhaps the novel just wasn't meant to be. Angst, depression, indigestion, insomnia. Reluctantly gave up. Third Week: Had a great idea for a completely different novel. Dove into it. Fourth Week: Came back home with thirty pages of new novel. Quite pleased, though still suffering from insomnia, indigestion, etc from tabling 60,000 words of first novel. Fifth Week (back home): Spoke to my agent and told her what had happened. She said that other authors had been just as convinced as I that they should give up on a novel - but that they usually found a way to work it out after a while. She wanted to read what I'd written. So I started putting it together for her - rereading it, cleaning it up, etc. And suddenly, it came to me. No, not a way out of the problem, but "WHAT THE NOVEL WAS ABOUT." Something staring me in the face, which I'd somehow failed to notice before. Sixth Week (current): I'm starting from page one now, really cleaning things up. I feel I'm the kind of writer who needs to more or less perfect each chapter as I go along. I'd been trying to get through a rough draft of the whole thing, and that just didn't work very well. Much more optimistic now that I'll find a way out, though I won't know for some weeks - not until I've reworked the first two-thirds (which I'd already written) and try again to go past. (The feeling of dread that had been looming all summer due to the difficulty I knew was coming has dissipated, thankfully.) Looking back at novels 1 and 2, I think I went through similar "ordeals by fire" for each. In "Vishnu" it happened right at Chapter 3 - I couldn't figure out how to prevent the ambulance from taking away Vishnu's body and ending the novel there and then. After being blocked for a year and a half, the solution turned out to be remarkably simple - left me a bit baffled why it took so long to figure out. "Shiva" was even worse. I went for a month to the wonderful MacDowell Colony in summer, 2002 but ended up throwing away everything I'd written there. I just couldn't get a handle on Meera, and decided I'd simply not write about her - the novel would be about Ashvin, when he was grown up. Fortunately, I gave Meera one more chance, and this time, she let me in. Still took several more years. So anyway. If the 2/3 complete novel works out, it will take a year or so more to finish. If not, it's anyone's guess how long I'll be slogging away. Ah, the glamorous life of a writer. Stay tuned. Here's me together with the other residents - visual artist Travis Ivey (with the cat), writer Shannon Fowler next to him, composer Dennis Tobenski next to her (he's the one to thank for the photo - see more on his blog). In the row above, writers Edan Lepucki (whose essay on the experience you can read on The Millions) and Ben Fountain. And in the top row, next to me, visual artist Stephanie Ognar. Such a great group, and ah, we were all so happy.....

Booker Recommendation

2009-08-18T01:17:06Z

The Booker longlist is out, and I've just read an amazing book that's been included: Colm Toibin's "Brooklyn." I just couldn't put it down - in fact, I had to sedate myself one night to stop reading it and go to sleep - a true gift of a book. Having had the pleasure of meeting the author, I've sent him an enthusiastic e-mail conveying how much I'd like to see him win. Now I'm not making this up, but there have been precisely 3 occasions in the past when I've wished an author the best of luck for winning the Booker. The first time was Yann Martel for "Life of Pi." The second was Kiran Desai for "The Inheritance of Loss." And last year, bowled over by "The White Tiger," I sent an e-mail to Aravind Adiga saying I was rooting for him. It was actually a little chilling when Adiga won, just like Desai and Martel before him. Could I have some sort of weird knack at this? (And, more importantly, should I be placing bets on who's going to win? - which you apparently can do with British bookies.) Anyway, we shall find out soon - in the meantime, I highly recommend Toibin's book.

The Best Shrimp Recipe Ever!

2009-08-11T21:44:27Z

I've been getting good feedback from those of you who've tried my "murgh au vin" recipe published last year in the New York Times. In response to requests for more recipes, here is my favorite shrimp preparation, adapted from something I saw in Bon Appetit magazine many years back. ]]> Spicy Indian Shrimp 1 lb raw shrimp – peel and devein ½ tsp cayenne pepper ½ tsp turmeric ½ tsp salt 3 Tbsp vegetable oil 1 large onion, chopped finely 6 good sized garlic cloves, minced 1 large tomato, finely chopped (or use about 1 cup canned) 1 tsp ground coriander ½ tsp ground cumin 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice 3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro Rub shrimp with ¼ tsp each of cayenne, turmeric and salt and set aside at room temperature. Meanwhile, heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook 7 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and cook 5 minutes more, stirring frequently, until onion is golden. Add tomato and ¼ tsp salt and cook until tomato liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally (about 8-10 minutes). Add remaining cayenne, turmeric, coriander and cumin and stir for 3 minutes until raw taste of spices disappears. Increase heat to medium-high and add shrimp. Stir fry until opaque – do not overcook. (This should take 1-2 minutes per side, depending on size of shrimp – cut open one to test if it’s cooked.) Take off the heat and blend in cilantro and lemon juice. Serve with plain rice.

"The Hindus" by Wendy Doniger

2009-07-22T23:10:05Z

I haven't reviewed books since the seventh grade, when we had to pick a book we'd read and comment on it. I believe I chose "Wuthering Heights" and called it "boring," whereupon my teacher advised, "Next time, don't take potshots at the classics." Perhaps that feedback permanently killed my career as a critic, because although I've given blurbs to a few novels I've loved, I've never agreed to review one. (For one thing, being a novelist myself, I'd hate to have to keep looking over my shoulder, waiting to be stabbed in print by someone I'd dissed - right now, I only have to worry about the ghost of Emily Brontë - whose book I really must read again.) I'm not going to deviate from my policy here, but I will comment on "The Hindus - An Alternative History" - a 700 + page book by Wendy Doniger that I've just finished. ]]> opposite of "boring." That means entertaining, interesting, exhilarating and even, for some, upsetting and infuriating. Well worth reading!

For Fans of Indian Cinema

2009-07-15T01:36:17Z

OK, so I haven't quite reached the level of Anderson Cooper yet, but not too bad for a first attempt. I actually did my first interview - as the interviewer, rather than the interviewee. The fact that my subject was so interesting and articulate really helped - I talked with Preminda Jacob on her new book titled Celluloid Deities. Preminda is an Arts professor at my university, and when the offer came to interview her on a book that dealt with film posters in India, I jumped at it. The reason is that I used to paint film posters myself while growing up (you can see a few samples in the video). ]]> online. P.S: You can see some more of my film posters (Hollywood, not Bollywood) on my art website - if you scroll down, you'll catch a poster of "The Death of Vishnu" masquerading as a Bollywood film.

m(ARCADIA)

2009-05-13T00:48:51Z

I've been having a great time being the mathematics consultant to the Folger theater for their production of Tom Stoppard's play Arcadia. I figured I'm probably never going to get closer to a theater production, so I even managed to wrangle a credit in the program for the play. Anyway, the play is quite amazing because of all the mathematics that Stoppard puts in it (along with about a dozen other topics - everything from Romanticism to Garden Design). But I've been concentrating only on the mathematics - the iterated algorithms, the fractals, the chaos, the population dynamics. If you want to learn more about these topics (especially in connection with the play), I invite you to watch the above video. Also, go to the Folger website, where I've put up a bunch of other links to help understand the math. Several scheduled events related to this: On Friday, May 15, the Folger is ]]> Fractal Friday" - a pre-theater talk where I will explain some of the mathematics highlights behind the play. On Monday, May 18, the American Math Society and the Math Assoc of America are jointly sponsoring an event on theater and math, where I will talk to cast members and the dramaturg about the challenge of representing mathematics (and mathematicians!) on stage. On Thursday, May 28, I will be moderating a talk-back at the Folger, with cast members and the director. And finally, on Saturday, Jun 13, members of the Folger will get to ask me about the math in the play to their hearts' content (as usual, other questions, such as the meaning of life, will also be entertained).

The Prize

2009-05-13T00:39:54Z

OK, it's not the Pulitzer, but when my agent sent me this link, I have to admit I was tickled pink. Thanks once again to my friend Jose Villarrubia for the great photograph! (I'm sure the modeling agencies are lining up as we speak....)

The Mathematics of Fiction

2009-05-02T01:39:00Z

More than a year in the making, and finally here! The long-awaited sequel to "Taming Infinity" (which already has enjoyed more than 11,000 viewers on YouTube). A new math video, which requires NO knowledge of mathematics! You'll see me talk about all the approaches to math that DON'T work, and then see how it really should be done. With lots of nifty animations. Please watch (drumroll, please) THE MATHEMATICS OF FICTION! (I promise you'll find it entertaining.) And I would LOVE to hear your feedback.

Chicago Interview

2009-05-01T02:29:27Z

Here's a link to Victoria Lautman's website, on which she has available interviews with several dozen authors (all conducted at the Chicago Public Library's beautiful Harold Washington Center). Victoria interviewed me earlier this year, and it was a highlight of the paperback tour - hear it on the link above.

Quantum Physics in Pittsburgh

2009-04-14T13:46:03Z

I was in Pittsburgh for a few days last week, the city that I first came to in this country (as a grad student at Carnegie-Mellon University). Oakland, whose streets I first walked almost thirty years ago, still had that same university hangout feel - the Oakland Original restaurant was still there, though the King's Court theater has been long gone. It was all very nostalgic, but also strangely melancholic. I suppose the melancholy came from memories of being 20, of trying to figure out my place in the world and my best strategies for happiness. It was tremendously exciting to be in this new American culture, but also tremendously stressful - plus, there was a long road of self-discovery that lay ahead. I realized last week how relieved I was to have survived all that excitement, all that stress, all that self-discovery, how lucky I felt to have made the journey to my present juncture in life. Not to say that it was all philosophizing on my trip. I met some of the first friends I made in the US - Bob Souders, whose family hosted me for eight days in Aug, 1979 before the university started (great way to get adjusted to the country), and Nancy Pfenning, who was my officemate during grad school. Ah, all those evenings of playing cards (we gambled with pennies and munched on generic Giant Eagle pretzels) with fellow Math grad students at CMU. (I suppose if had we been in computer science, we'd have been inventing Google - but hey, we did come up with the nifty card game "Fibonacci Flush.") Gave a reading at Joseph Beth's which went great except for a child screaming relentlessly from the top level and a cash register determined to drown out the dramatic passages. The official part of the trip occurred at the University of Pittsburgh the next day (Friday). It was a play reading and thesis defence of Cory Tamler's play, "City Lights Receding," which uses a central idea from quantum physics: a quantum particle can exist in two states simultaneously - it is only when measured that it is forced into one of them (and this is what one observes in the measurement). We played on this for the announcement of the talk I was giving beforehand, since I couldn't decide which of my dual interests I should talk about: "Manil Suri has 2 talks, one on the math of ficton, and the other on capturing India through fiction - he is not scheduled to give the first, or the second, or both, or neither." The idea was that I'd be "measured" in some way, and that would force me to choose one or the other (I had both prepared). So Nancy actually took my blood pressure (pump, gauge and all) on stage as I mentally concentrated first on the India talk and then the math outreach talk. The high readings came to 121 and 118 (I was told this was quite good, much to my relief). So the choice I was forced into was the "Capturing India" talk. But the crowd seemed disappointed, so I put it to the vote - sure enough they wanted the math outreach talk. There are preciously few occasions when a mathematician is faced with an audience actually clamoring for a math lecture, so yes, that's what I gave. It went well - plus the play reading that followed was terrific. Congrats to Cory for pulling off such a wonderfully human play on quantum physics (remember, folks, you saw her name here first!).

BBC Program "The Forum" - a mathematics discussion

2009-03-05T19:15:57Z

It took lots of work with Jacqueline Smith, one of the producers of the BBC program, The Forum, but after weeks of talking and e-mailing, we finally nailed down a tentative script of what I would say on the show. It was all quite ambitious - in addition to explaining an idea I've been mulling: how "basis functions" crop up in several artistic fields (watch for a YouTube show on this very soon), I was also going to expound on my mathematical research on the finite element method. Well, the show was quite lively and fun, with two other guests - Ruth Padel (the great grand-daughter of Charles Darwin) and Andrea Sabbadini, chair of the European Psychoanalytic Film Festival. You can listen to all our comments here - they sort of united to form a whole greater than the individual contributions. (I come on after Ruth.) As part of the show, I also got sixty seconds to describe an idea that would improve the world, which you can read here (together with some complimentary and not-so-complimentary feedback). My idea: teach kids to question everything!

Along the Silk Road

2009-03-04T19:41:49Z

Had a great time this past Saturday at the annual Howard County Library benefit, whose theme this year was "Along the Silk Road". The whole library was decked out in colorful fabric, with eastern music and the smells of Indian food wafting through the book stacks. I gave a talk, "Capturing India through Fiction," which I'd just delivered the previous day at the India Studies program at Indiana University, Bloomington, IN. The difference was that this time, I had a somewhat larger audience - 170 people - and what a fantastic audience it was! Pulled out all the stops - even showed them my Bollywood video. Here's a blog entry describing the event by Roberta Rood, who was in attendance.

Now on Facebook

2009-03-03T18:59:52Z

Hey folks, check out my new facebook page. It's not a profile, but an author page, and I'll be using it mostly to let people know what's new and the events at which I'm appearing. But I'll also be answering queries posted on it - so feel free to write something!