Tamil Nadu - Chennai

In conversation with Amitav Ghosh

— PHOTO: M. VEDHAN

AUTHOR SPEAK: Amitav Ghosh at the launch of ‘Sea of Poppies’ in Chennai on Saturday.

CHENNAI: ‘Sea of Poppies’, the first book of Amitav Ghosh’s ambitious new trilogy, was launched by Penguin Books India at the Taj Coromandel on Saturday.

In conversation with N. Ram, Editor-in-Chief, The Hindu, and later during an interaction with a packed audience of literature lovers, Mr. Ghosh discussed everything from his research and writing methodology to the characters, language and central themes of the book that is set in the 19th century, just before the start of the First Opium War.

“What a pleasure it is to be in Chennai today,” said Mr. Ghosh. “My first book reading in Chennai about a year ago was an extraordinary experience — I’ve never come across such a literary and well-informed readership.”

The author read a brief excerpt from the 500-odd page book, capturing the sense of anticipation and urgency of the moment when the Ibis, the schooner around which the novel is set, is about to set sail from Calcutta, carrying its motley crew of indentured labourers, convicts, stowaways, lascars, and British officers.

Mr. Ram began his conversation by asking the question on everyone’s mind: “This is the beginning of a trilogy — or maybe more — and it is going to take 10 to 20 years of your writerly life …Why did you do it?”

The answer was simple; he didn’t have a choice. “About a year into writing it, I realised I was so fascinated with the characters that I could never give them up,” Mr. Ghosh replied. “I wanted to savour them and their children.”

The discussion touched on how the author arrived on the wide range of characters in the book, his interest in the opium trade, his use of the Laskari language, the enormous amount of research that went into recreating that world, and also some of the mildly critical comments in otherwise encouraging reviews of the book.

“I must commend our publishing industry for doing a wonderful job in introducing this book to millions of readers across the world,” said Mr. Ram.

In his address, Penguin India’s publisher and editor-in-chief Ravi Singh described Mr. Ghosh as “one of the finest storytellers of our time.” He said it was “a great honour to be publishing what is his biggest book yet.”

Arindam Kunar, General Manager of Taj Coromandel, said the hotel has strived to bring art, literature and culture to Chennai and that it was an honour that the book launch was held here.

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