Harish Trivedi,
© 2011
Michel Eyquem de Montaigne (February 28, 1533 – September 13, 1592) was one of the most influential writers of the French Renaissance, known for popularising the essay as a literary genre and is popularly thought of as the father of Modern Skepticism. He became famous for his effortless ability to merge serious intellectual speculation with casual anecdotes[1] and autobiography—and his massive volume Essais (translated literally as "Attempts") contains, to this day, some of the most widely influential essays ever written… - Wikipedia).
Montaigne has credited Aristotle with the maxim, “A man . . . should touch his wife prudently and soberly, lest if he caresses her too lasciviously the pleasure should transport her outside the bounds of reason.” The real source of this unromantic advice is unknown.
and more -
Like Socrates, Montaigne claims that what he knows best is the fact that he does not know anything much.
One of Montaigne’s most valuable insights is that self-knowledge is connected with the knowledge of others, and that empathy is the heart of morality.
Montaigne complained that “there are more books on books than on any other subject: all we do is gloss each other.”
“Be born,” “Do a good job, but not too good a job,” and “Question everything.” But the one that resonates most strongly with his biographer Ms. Sarah Bakewell is “Read a lot, forget most of what you read and be slow-witted.” Somewhat unconsciously or sub-consciously I live by the last dicta of Montaigne.
The above is just a tip of the iceburg (lettuce), for a whole salad bar read Montaigne's Essays. Still in print after some four-hundred years. His book of essays was banned for nearly two-hundred years by the Vatican.
He is considered to be master of digression and often his essays are too revealatory. Montaigne informed his readers about his small penis (no wonder that the Vatican found his writings objectionable) what kind of wines he liked, women he liked... so on and so forth.
As a matter of fact, Montaigne is credited with 'inventing' the art of essay.
Montaigne retired from public life in 1570 and a little over a quarter century later British British philosopher and statesman Francis Bacon published his own collection of small pieces in 1597.
Montaigne essays melds the intellectual and the personal, and his musings have inspired countless writers, including William Hazlitt, Friedrich Nietzsche and Virginia Woolf.
This idea — writing about oneself to create a mirror in which other people recognize their own humanity — has not existed forever,” Ms. Bakewell writes. “It had to be invented. And, unlike many cultural inventions, it can be traced to a single person.”
Ms. Sarah Bakewell is the winner of the National Critic Circle Award this year (announced only two days back) for her biography of Montaigne titled "How to Live" with the sub-title “Or a Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at an Answer” published by the Other Press.
Written by Harish Trivedi and based on Anthony Gottleib's essay, Montaigne Moment, NYT, Sunday, March 13, 2011 and Patricia Cohen's review of Sarah Bakewell's biography of Montaigne ' How to Live' (NYT Dec. 17, 2010)
Few more Montaigne bon mots –
Selected by Harish Trivedi
A good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband.
A straight oar looks bent in the water. What matters is not merely that we see things but how we see them.
A wise man sees as much as he ought, not as much as he can.
Age imprints more wrinkles in the mind than it does on the face.
Ambition is not a vice of little people.
An unattempted lady could not vaunt of her chastity.
An untempted woman cannot boast of her chastity.
Confidence in others' honesty is no light testimony of one's own integrity
Confidence in the goodness of another is good proof of one's own goodness.
Death, they say, acquits us of all obligations.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Natwar Gandhi’s Pennsylvania Avenue sonnet collection released in Mumbai
By Harish Trivedi
© 2011
According to the PDF copies of news articles and interviews forwarded to friends by Natwar Gandhi, on February 11, 2011 a new collection of his sonnets titled Pennsylvania Avenue was released in Mumbai with much fanfare and aplomb.
(I got the abovementioned forward from a kind friend who keeps me informed about such goings on here as well as in India and even from across the world).
But let’s move on -
Book release parties in the big cities like Mumbai are more or less formulaic – readings from the works of the writer/poet/playwright, speech full of lavish praise by the publisher who also acts as a cheer-leader- in- chief for his client writer/poet what have you… attendance by available writers or client writers of the publishing house, other literati, journalists and hangers on make a large part of audience at such gatherings. The gala event for the release of Pennsylvania Avenue was no exception.
The world renowned Santoor player and the current president of the Indo-American Society (and a good friend) Snehal Mozoomdar (his preferred spelling) made introductory remarks, Bhagwatikumar Sharma, the octogenarian poet – much respected and admired for his Gazals and Sonnets, journalist, past president of the Gujarati Sahitya Parishad presided over the event. Suresh Dalal - a poet, critic, columnist and an impresario who is known for hosting his client writers book-launch parties and the chief honcho at the publishing house Image Publications of Mumbai made incidental and predictable remarks praising Natwar Gandhi to high heavens. (For an alleged 100,000 to 200,000 rupees a book this things don’t come cheap). Incidentally, the Image Publications had also published Natwar Gandhi’s earlier sonnet collections America, America (2004) and India, India (2006).
Noted actors, poets such as Utkarsh Mazumdar, Ankit Trivedi, Chirag Vora, and Panna Naik et al provided dramatic reading of some of the poems by Natwar Gandhi.
At the book release event in Mumbai, everything was great no everything was fantastic. Some may even call it awesome and why not? Every one must have had a jolly good time and satisfaction of having attended a literary event (that it was). Even cynics like me are impressed – I particularly love the amount of the hot air that the speakers blow at such occasions. I was so overjoyed by reading the description of event in Chitralekha (March 7, 2011) and an interview with Natwar Gandhi accompanied by big photos in Mumbai Samachar ((February 26, 2011) that I dashed off an email congratulating Natwarbhai Gandhi. I must say that Natwar Gandhi’s poems make enjoyable reading. So more power to him! May he write many more poems and essays for our enjoyment and entertainment.
So if you are wondering, why am I writing about a month old book release party in Mumbai? Wonder no more…
It is the irony of this whole shindig (the book release party or the Vimochan samaramb for the launching of Pennsylvania Avenue in Mumbai) that I could not miss noticing.
The Image Publications of Mumbai, publishers of the Pennsylvania Avenue is known for being one of the more popular vanity publishers and it thrives on publishing works by NRIs (Non Resident Indians) for big bucks. If your work is published by the Image Publications, pre and post publicity of your work is guaranteed. As the name suggests, these folks are image-makers. This is a business and I am not quarreling with Image Publication’s business practices. But it would be nice if the newspaper that carries Suresh Dalal’s column recognizes the conflict of interest when Suresh Dalal fawns over or indulges in openly apple-polishing every book that his company publishes in his columns. One feels like wiping off the drool after reading such columns.
Having said this, let’s look at some excerpts from the much discussed and much praised essay titled Gujarati Diaspora Writing--A Call for Independence by none other than Natwar Gandhi. He has publicly criticized such events and diaspora writers who seek out approval from Indian critics etc.
‘We look to India to get a Good Housekeeping stamp of approval…’
‘Dependence of Diaspora
‘Gujarati NRI writers look homeward for approval particularly for what they write. They strive to get good reviews and they get them easily in India. A North American return address on the envelope or a call from North America works wonders in India. As long as you are willing to pay, Indian publishers are willing to print and publish any rubbish any one pretending to be a writer comes up with. They would even hold a book party at your expense. Eminent Gujarati writers would show up at book parties to give their blessings. Photographers are at the ready and for the right price the newspapers are eager to publish the “news” of the party with appropriate pictures. Favorable forewords and book reviews can also be bought. NRI doctor, engineer or accountant is now an established novelist or poet! TV and radio interviews soon follow.’
‘This game is mutually satisfactory. The NRI’s long deferred dream of being a writer is realized while the publisher or a promoter makes a fast buck. The promoter’s dream of making an all expense paid trip to the United States might also be realized. A favorable foreword, a follow up column along with a literary prize could make such a trip a reality’.
‘The NRI writer who would happen to be a doctor, an engineer or an accountant is often lauded for his literary interests. He is also applauded for being a good ambassador of Indian culture and literature in the United States. …In short, it is a sham’.
This proves that Natwar Gandhi is no exception to what he so strongly abhors in others. Hypocrisy? Chutzpah (pronounced hutspa)? or just plain audacity of hype - You be the judge.
© 2011
According to the PDF copies of news articles and interviews forwarded to friends by Natwar Gandhi, on February 11, 2011 a new collection of his sonnets titled Pennsylvania Avenue was released in Mumbai with much fanfare and aplomb.
(I got the abovementioned forward from a kind friend who keeps me informed about such goings on here as well as in India and even from across the world).
But let’s move on -
Book release parties in the big cities like Mumbai are more or less formulaic – readings from the works of the writer/poet/playwright, speech full of lavish praise by the publisher who also acts as a cheer-leader- in- chief for his client writer/poet what have you… attendance by available writers or client writers of the publishing house, other literati, journalists and hangers on make a large part of audience at such gatherings. The gala event for the release of Pennsylvania Avenue was no exception.
The world renowned Santoor player and the current president of the Indo-American Society (and a good friend) Snehal Mozoomdar (his preferred spelling) made introductory remarks, Bhagwatikumar Sharma, the octogenarian poet – much respected and admired for his Gazals and Sonnets, journalist, past president of the Gujarati Sahitya Parishad presided over the event. Suresh Dalal - a poet, critic, columnist and an impresario who is known for hosting his client writers book-launch parties and the chief honcho at the publishing house Image Publications of Mumbai made incidental and predictable remarks praising Natwar Gandhi to high heavens. (For an alleged 100,000 to 200,000 rupees a book this things don’t come cheap). Incidentally, the Image Publications had also published Natwar Gandhi’s earlier sonnet collections America, America (2004) and India, India (2006).
Noted actors, poets such as Utkarsh Mazumdar, Ankit Trivedi, Chirag Vora, and Panna Naik et al provided dramatic reading of some of the poems by Natwar Gandhi.
At the book release event in Mumbai, everything was great no everything was fantastic. Some may even call it awesome and why not? Every one must have had a jolly good time and satisfaction of having attended a literary event (that it was). Even cynics like me are impressed – I particularly love the amount of the hot air that the speakers blow at such occasions. I was so overjoyed by reading the description of event in Chitralekha (March 7, 2011) and an interview with Natwar Gandhi accompanied by big photos in Mumbai Samachar ((February 26, 2011) that I dashed off an email congratulating Natwarbhai Gandhi. I must say that Natwar Gandhi’s poems make enjoyable reading. So more power to him! May he write many more poems and essays for our enjoyment and entertainment.
So if you are wondering, why am I writing about a month old book release party in Mumbai? Wonder no more…
It is the irony of this whole shindig (the book release party or the Vimochan samaramb for the launching of Pennsylvania Avenue in Mumbai) that I could not miss noticing.
The Image Publications of Mumbai, publishers of the Pennsylvania Avenue is known for being one of the more popular vanity publishers and it thrives on publishing works by NRIs (Non Resident Indians) for big bucks. If your work is published by the Image Publications, pre and post publicity of your work is guaranteed. As the name suggests, these folks are image-makers. This is a business and I am not quarreling with Image Publication’s business practices. But it would be nice if the newspaper that carries Suresh Dalal’s column recognizes the conflict of interest when Suresh Dalal fawns over or indulges in openly apple-polishing every book that his company publishes in his columns. One feels like wiping off the drool after reading such columns.
Having said this, let’s look at some excerpts from the much discussed and much praised essay titled Gujarati Diaspora Writing--A Call for Independence by none other than Natwar Gandhi. He has publicly criticized such events and diaspora writers who seek out approval from Indian critics etc.
‘We look to India to get a Good Housekeeping stamp of approval…’
‘Dependence of Diaspora
‘Gujarati NRI writers look homeward for approval particularly for what they write. They strive to get good reviews and they get them easily in India. A North American return address on the envelope or a call from North America works wonders in India. As long as you are willing to pay, Indian publishers are willing to print and publish any rubbish any one pretending to be a writer comes up with. They would even hold a book party at your expense. Eminent Gujarati writers would show up at book parties to give their blessings. Photographers are at the ready and for the right price the newspapers are eager to publish the “news” of the party with appropriate pictures. Favorable forewords and book reviews can also be bought. NRI doctor, engineer or accountant is now an established novelist or poet! TV and radio interviews soon follow.’
‘This game is mutually satisfactory. The NRI’s long deferred dream of being a writer is realized while the publisher or a promoter makes a fast buck. The promoter’s dream of making an all expense paid trip to the United States might also be realized. A favorable foreword, a follow up column along with a literary prize could make such a trip a reality’.
‘The NRI writer who would happen to be a doctor, an engineer or an accountant is often lauded for his literary interests. He is also applauded for being a good ambassador of Indian culture and literature in the United States. …In short, it is a sham’.
This proves that Natwar Gandhi is no exception to what he so strongly abhors in others. Hypocrisy? Chutzpah (pronounced hutspa)? or just plain audacity of hype - You be the judge.
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