What to Expect When You’re Litfesting

Act Two: The Fandom
The book signing kiosks at the JLF saw fans of all stripes staking them out and it made for delightful eavesdropping opportunities. After a session on historical novels featuring South African writer Damon Galgut and Booker 2013 winner Eleanor Catton, and moderated by Pakistani author Kamila Shamsie, the few stragglers who turned up for the signing were greatly confused about the identity of the authors.

Catton was greeted by a pile of books written by Sarah Waters, who was supposed to be a part of the panel, but had to withdraw at the last moment because of a stomach infection. After her initial hesitation, the young author from New Zealand was sporting enough to oblige. At another session, Suhel Seth and a senior commissioning editor of a publishing house were accosted with signing requests. While Seth happily rose to the occasion, the bewildered editor beat a hasty retreat. The best, though, came in the serpentine queue to get books signed by Naipaul. A trio of teenagers waiting with books by former Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam debated over Naipaul’s credentials.

“Never heard of him,” declared one. “Should we get a book (by him) from the store, just in case?” asked another. “Don’t bother. If he were famous like Kalamsaab or Devdutt Pattnaik, we would have heard of him,” quipped the leader of the trio.

Act Three: Quotes You Note
“Books are the love of my life, but Bollywood is my ‘half girlfriend’.” — Chetan Bhagat, on whether he prefers writing books to film scripts.

“Here’s my email address…It’s for autographs, photographs and answers.” — APJ Abdul Kalam, to the crowd at his session.

“The term South Asia was invented in the state department of Washington DC, so I am the professor of a region that does not exist, except in the minds of UN officials and SAARC bureaucrats.” — Sheldon Pollock, on being asked why the Murty Classical Library of India was not called the Murty Classical Library of South Asia.