Not Only the Things That Have Happened should be available everywhere in India this week. If you can't find it in a shop, you can find it on-line in most the major outlets. My copies arrived in the mail this week. Akshay got creative with the camera.
The mail brought me my package of twenty copies of the book on the same day it brought my eldest son his new laptop. Needless to say the book received little attention from the kids that night. I was a little hurt. I said something to Michael about it. He said he would take me out to a drink. That didn't quite happen. I mourned a little. Was that Friday, last week? I think it was. Then came the weekend and Monday and Tuesday. Back in India, I knew the book was only just beginning to get mailed out out to reviewers. It would only just be entering distribution.
Wednesday evening, I came home from riding Surya over to her tabla lessons. I smelt the burnt brownies before I opened the door. It was dark inside. Where was everybody? Mad scramble, some scuffling noises as I walked into the house. Someone struck a match. I saw in the light a table laid out with tablecloth, the nice dishes, candles. It was a surprise party. I won't ask Michael if he prompted them. I don't need to know.
We had tortillas, beans, mole, queso, chips and guacamole, Kathy's homemade salsa. I had a big glass of wine. Then I had another one. It was all good.
On the back of the book,
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Booker shortlisted writer Jeet Thayil has this to say: 'Intimate, Epic, Haunting.'
And from Annie Zadie: A walk through the cellars of memory and a distressing exposure of the institutions we must depend on.
Congratulations, Mridula. I remember staying up late reading the first draft through one whole night. I completed reading it that night. It is a gripping tale.It will find its readers.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Mridula!
ReplyDeleteThe book is beautiful Rick showed me his copy last night. Maybe I can get him to let me read it....
ReplyDelete