Being Bookish

Bestselling is perhaps the key word; everyone wants to make a quick buck - 'bestselling' writing is a lifestyle, it fetches you royalty, gets you on radio talk shows and, with some luck, you may even hit the tour circuit.

Many people I meet these days (who do not even look particularly bookish) say they want to write a book. that there's a book somewhere, uncovered, in them, waiting to come out. There have also been sundry reports on the general fall in writing standards and the general propensity for publishing houses to print just about anything (and in case no one's interested to run with you, then you can self-publish). that may be an exaggeration of sorts, but you cannot help but draw parallels: earlier, there used to be Jane Austen and EM Forster. now, you have your neighbour's son who works at the bank, and who also wants to be a 'bestselling' writer.
Bestselling is perhaps the key word; everyone wants to make a quick buck - 'bestselling' writing is a lifestyle, it fetches you royalty, gets you on radio talk shows and, with some luck, you may even hit the tour circuit. So who wants to get on board? Easier said than done, you realise, once you have a few words with Dubai's very own - and very popular - Liz Fenwick. Writing a novel - okay, make that writing a good novel - is not as simple as it is cracked up to be.
Liz tells us about the rigour, the discipline, not to mention talent, oodles of it (but good news is, talent can be cultivated), that pack up pages in a book. Hear it all from her in our novel feature. And do read between the lines.
I never had the chance to watch Sholay, the biggest Bollywood blockbuster of all time, on 70mm. I had to make do with the (small) telly screen, and a DVD of slightly doubtful quality. It still managed to shake me out of a heavy lunch-induced stupor one afternoon: it has that affect, every time you watch it. The legend turned 40 last month; a lot has been written about it, but it's always a pleasure to read anything about a film that was such a watershed. Enjoy Bollywood.
A bunch of youngsters in Dubai are trying to inculcate the values of giving - and, in the process, helping out environmentally. Welcome to the world of upcycling. Give these kids a leg-up: they deserve it. In Travel, we come across southern Californian charm - and sun, sea and sand - in San Diego. Kick up your heels and soak in the spirit. Meet Chef Neil Witney, who's trying to expand the reach of the Latin American cuisine experience right here. All this and much more.
Enjoy reading wknd. and have a great weekend!