"I don't know if you find a home in exile, but you learn to be comfortable with yourself," explains author Akhil Sharma. "And that's the big issue for these characters."
Sharma is at the Edinburgh International Book Festival to promote his third book, a striking collection of short stories entitled A Life of Adventure and Delight. All eight stories have a setting in either India, Sharma's native land, or America, his adopted homeland. When not dealing with culture-shocked Indians abroad, he writes about Indians floundering in their own country. "Oftentimes these are characters who are in foreign or uncomfortable situations, and don't know how to behave."
Sharma makes for a fascinating interviewee, whether expounding on his life or his work. Like many of his characters, he has experienced head-on cultural collisions, and been forced to move on and fit in. When he was eight, his family emigrated, trading New Delhi for New Jersey. "I remember coming to America and finding it overwhelming, and not fully understanding the language," he says. He missed "cricket and companionship", and sought comfort from books and became a voracious reader.
Does he have any recollections of the India he left behind? "I'm 46 now, and everything has changed, including memories of who I was. But I remember in India you didn't turn on the lights during the day because electricity was expensive. And cars were rare where I grew up. I came to America and was stunned by the wealth."
In his home country he was always surrounded by family. "You rarely had to step out of the world of people you knew. Within that world I was rambunctious. Outside of that world I was quite shy."
In America, he became even more withdrawn. "For a few years I had a very hard time speaking." Paradoxically, it was a visit back home that helped build his confidence. "I went to India for a couple of weeks, and somehow that cracked the ice. I was so full of life. Once I began talking, it was hard to stop. It was like being out of control."
The new-found volubility didn't always sit well with those around him. "Indians are a bit strange, in that there is this weird emphasis on modesty, politeness and demureness. Meekness is privileged over authenticity, over being honestly angry or expressing your desires."
In the first story in Sharma's collection, Cosmopolitan, an Indian-born character confesses that despite all the years he spent in America, he has not been able to truly "Americanise". The author admits that he didn't properly do so himself until he was well in his thirties.
"I think this was partly because I grew up in a family which was very conservative. They didn't integrate culturally. They drew comfort from religion and received support from the Indian community."
Sharma's second novel, Family Life (2014), is a fictional account of his emigration and prolonged acclimatisation. But the crux of the book is the tragedy that befell his family, and which coloured Sharma's childhood. His older brother, Anup, dived into a swimming pool, hit his head on the bottom, and was left permanently brain-damaged. Sharma changed the names and chronicled a family convulsed by the accident, consequently ground down by stress, alcohol and huckster-healers.
The book, which Sharma has called both a coming-of-age story and an immigrant story, went on to win the 2015 Folio Prize and the International Dublin Literary Award. But writing it was a struggle. It took over twelve years, and at one point weighed in at 7,000 pages. If Sharma was once unable to stop talking, here he was unable to stop writing. He eventually hacked it down into a readable, saleable form. "I knew it was done when I could read it all the way through without being disgusted."
Family Life began as the short story Surrounded by Sleep, which is included in the new collection. It is no rough draft or aborted effort, rather a tightly focused self-contained drama that manages to be, by turn, tender, absurd and devastating. Ajay's parents are "eroded" by the calamity. Ajay holds his breath and asks God to give the "unused breaths" to his brother.
Other stories are equally happy-sad or bittersweet. The un-Americanised Gopal is one of Sharma's many lonely souls searching for love and connection, in his case with his neighbour. In a bid to understand her, he reads women's magazines. Elsewhere, another gauche male looks to YouTube for guidance on kissing.
"My characters tend to be very odd people," Sharma says. "It's just the way I see the world. People are crazy!" He goes further than this in one story by having his narrator declare: "Many people are vile".
Sharma's vilest creation is the anti-hero-protagonist of his 2001 Delhi-set debut novel, An Obedient Father. Ram Karam is a corrupt civil servant who drowns himself in drink, and abuses his own daughter. When I ask if he wants the reader to be repulsed by Ram, Sharma's reply is deliberate and succinct: "I want to hold the reader by the back of the neck so that they can't look away".
That first novel invited comparison with Dostoevsky. Meanwhile, Sharma's stories have been described as Chekhovian. His prose is lucid, unadorned, stripped of extraneous detail; and yet, beneath that seeming simplicity lurk hidden depths. This has led some critics to veer away from Russian role-models and cite Raymond Carver as a primary influence. Sharma disagrees.
"Things can get said in stories, but in Carver, things are left unsaid. And my characters are compulsively talking. Also with Carver, whenever there is a deep, strong emotion, the camera doesn't focus in. That sense of scrutinising is present in my work in a way it is not in Carver."
The author learned to write as a teenager "by reading a lot with the idea of imitating, mastering an awareness of form". For a period, he immersed himself in Hemingway, but could only glean so much inspiration. "I read him closely, trying to understand him. But it's hard to understand a writer unless you believe what he or she believes. And a lot of what Hemingway believed was gibberish, like his attitude towards women, or this idea of building everything in relation to death. Mostly, life has nothing to do with death – we are just muddling along thinking small thoughts."
Sharma honed his craft at Princeton where, while studying public policy, he attended courses in creative writing taught by Paul Auster and Toni Morrison. After further studies at Harvard Law School, he embarked on a career in investment banking – but made time to write. "I'd always written," he clarifies. "The banking was the aberration." After his first book was published, he turned to writing full-time.
His stories are the work of a committed author. The naïve and blundering boys prove endearing and entertaining, as do the men who resemble Gopal's battered station wagon: "dusty, corroded, and dented from our voyages, with our unflagging hearts rattling on inside".
However, two standout stories revolve around captivating women. In the chilling You Are Happy?, an alcoholic mother brings shame on her family, so she is sent from America to India to be killed. In If You Sing Like That for Me, the wife in an arranged marriage looks back on the few hours that she was in love with her husband.
"My belief is that in India, we start out with arranged marriages and hopefully they turn into love marriages," he says with a grin.
____________________
Read more:
Book world hopes for literary breakthrough in autumn
Fall into a good book: autumn reads
Palestinian poet Farah Chamma on broadening her work’s scope
____________________
Sharma had a tough start in the United States, enduring not only shyness and alienation, but also racial abuse. Are today's immigrants made to feel more welcome in Trump's America? "No. The stuff that people would keep quiet, they are now making more obvious."
Even in his home city, that multi-ethnic melting-pot, New York? "I was walking down the street in Midtown Manhattan and this convertible Rolls-Royce went by, driven by a guy who looked Middle Eastern. There were these men in suits, and one turned to his friend and said: 'Look, Ahmed is driving his daddy's Rolls'. There is such a nastiness that has been unleashed by Trump. These are rare incidents, but they are polluting the environment."
It seems too facile to throw one of Sharma's story titles at him – "You are happy?" – so instead I try a quote from a story. "A life is like a house. One has to plan carefully where all the furniture will go." Has he done so? Is his house in order?
"No," he says. "My house is a mess. I am still trying to figure out how to furnish it."
Pathaan
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Results
6.30pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group Three US$200,000 (Turf) 2,000m; Winner: Ghaiyyath, William Buick (jockey), Charlie Appleby (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Cliffs Of Capri, Tadhg O’Shea, Jamie Osborne.
7.40pm: UAE Oaks Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,900m; Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
8.15pm: Zabeel Mile Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Zakouski, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby.
8.50pm: Meydan Sprint Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,000m; Winner: Waady, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson.
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
Company%20Profile
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The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed
Power: 620bhp
Torque: 760Nm
Price: Dh898,000
On sale: now
Indika
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Company%20Profile
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Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
Stormy seas
Weather warnings show that Storm Eunice is soon to make landfall. The videographer and I are scrambling to return to the other side of the Channel before it does. As we race to the port of Calais, I see miles of wire fencing topped with barbed wire all around it, a silent ‘Keep Out’ sign for those who, unlike us, aren’t lucky enough to have the right to move freely and safely across borders.
We set sail on a giant ferry whose length dwarfs the dinghies migrants use by nearly a 100 times. Despite the windy rain lashing at the portholes, we arrive safely in Dover; grateful but acutely aware of the miserable conditions the people we’ve left behind are in and of the privilege of choice.
TERMINAL HIGH ALTITUDE AREA DEFENCE (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US's most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out ballistic missiles as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles inside and outside the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 150 kilometres above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then stationed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Director: Shady Ali
Cast: Boumi Fouad , Mohamed Tharout and Hisham Ismael
Rating: 3/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
Past winners of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2016 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2015 Nico Rosberg (Mercedes-GP)
2014 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2013 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
2012 Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus)
2011 Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2010 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
2009 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
The%20specs%3A%202024%20Mercedes%20E200
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Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
THE SPECS
Engine: AMG-enhanced 3.0L inline-6 turbo with EQ Boost and electric auxiliary compressor
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 429hp
Torque: 520Nm
Price: Dh360,200 (starting)
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
ICC Awards for 2021
MEN
Cricketer of the Year – Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Babar Azam (Pakistan)
Test Cricketer of the Year – Joe Root (England)
WOMEN
Cricketer of the Year – Smriti Mandhana (India)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Lizelle Lee (South Africa)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Tammy Beaumont (England)
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
SPECS
Engine: Two-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 235hp
Torque: 350Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Price: From Dh167,500 ($45,000)
On sale: Now