<p>Raghu Karnad is a writer and journalist, and the author of Farthest Field: An Indian Story of the Second World War (2015). Described as a masterpiece by critics, the book recounts the history of India’s World War II through the lives of a single family. It has been shortlisted for the 2016 PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize, which celebrates the best non-fiction on a historical subject. Karnad is a contributing editor at the Wire.in and his writing has appeared in various newspapers and magazines. He lives between Bengaluru and New Delhi.<br />Excerpts from an interview:<br /><br />What about writing excites you?<br /></p>.<p>It’s where the puzzles of the world meet the puzzles of language, and you try to figure them out together.<br /><br />Your favourite author?<br />I don’t really have one. I do have favourite books.<br /><br />Your current read...<br />Re-reading The Bonfire of the Vanities <br />by Tom Wolfe, one of those <br />favourite books.<br /><br />As a child, which book was your favourite?<br />Through the Looking Glass by Lewis <br />Carroll — and it probably still is.<br /><br />The best place to sit and write...<br />An empty room far away from the modem.<br /><br />If not a writer, what would you be?<br />Asleep.<br /><br />If you were an actor, who would you be?<br />I’d rather be a character. Tilda Swinton, then.<br /><br />You would most like to be stranded on a deserted island with?<br />Coffee, a kettle, and a little milk. And wait, fire.<br /><br />You don’t leave home without...<br />Looking back over my shoulder. <br /><br />What keeps you awake at night?<br />Good ideas have a way of arriving just before you fall asleep. It’s very<br /> inconvenient. <br /><br />Your pet haunt in Bengaluru...<br />The Ranga Shankara café. <br /><br />What do you do to unwind?<br />I laze around with family and close friends.<br /><br />Ideal place to holiday...<br />I haven’t gone on a holiday in a while.<br /><br />What would you change about yourself?<br />I wish I spoke better Kannada and Tamil.<br /><br />The music you like most...<br />Paul Simon’s ‘Graceland’.<br /><br />Your most cherished dream...<br />A nation-wide ban on car horns.<br /><br />Message for aspiring writers...<br />Write for yourself, publish for other people. Don’t get it backwards.<br /><br />Something that never goes out of fashion...<br />In men, listening. In women, speaking up. <br /><br />What about India fascinates you the most?<br />You only have to walk down the road to find a story. And if you leave the city...<br /><br />Any nightmares?<br />Only if I watch TV news. (That is the nightmare.)<br /><br />Your pet project?<br />The first rule of write club is, you don’t talk about write club...<br /></p>
<p>Raghu Karnad is a writer and journalist, and the author of Farthest Field: An Indian Story of the Second World War (2015). Described as a masterpiece by critics, the book recounts the history of India’s World War II through the lives of a single family. It has been shortlisted for the 2016 PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize, which celebrates the best non-fiction on a historical subject. Karnad is a contributing editor at the Wire.in and his writing has appeared in various newspapers and magazines. He lives between Bengaluru and New Delhi.<br />Excerpts from an interview:<br /><br />What about writing excites you?<br /></p>.<p>It’s where the puzzles of the world meet the puzzles of language, and you try to figure them out together.<br /><br />Your favourite author?<br />I don’t really have one. I do have favourite books.<br /><br />Your current read...<br />Re-reading The Bonfire of the Vanities <br />by Tom Wolfe, one of those <br />favourite books.<br /><br />As a child, which book was your favourite?<br />Through the Looking Glass by Lewis <br />Carroll — and it probably still is.<br /><br />The best place to sit and write...<br />An empty room far away from the modem.<br /><br />If not a writer, what would you be?<br />Asleep.<br /><br />If you were an actor, who would you be?<br />I’d rather be a character. Tilda Swinton, then.<br /><br />You would most like to be stranded on a deserted island with?<br />Coffee, a kettle, and a little milk. And wait, fire.<br /><br />You don’t leave home without...<br />Looking back over my shoulder. <br /><br />What keeps you awake at night?<br />Good ideas have a way of arriving just before you fall asleep. It’s very<br /> inconvenient. <br /><br />Your pet haunt in Bengaluru...<br />The Ranga Shankara café. <br /><br />What do you do to unwind?<br />I laze around with family and close friends.<br /><br />Ideal place to holiday...<br />I haven’t gone on a holiday in a while.<br /><br />What would you change about yourself?<br />I wish I spoke better Kannada and Tamil.<br /><br />The music you like most...<br />Paul Simon’s ‘Graceland’.<br /><br />Your most cherished dream...<br />A nation-wide ban on car horns.<br /><br />Message for aspiring writers...<br />Write for yourself, publish for other people. Don’t get it backwards.<br /><br />Something that never goes out of fashion...<br />In men, listening. In women, speaking up. <br /><br />What about India fascinates you the most?<br />You only have to walk down the road to find a story. And if you leave the city...<br /><br />Any nightmares?<br />Only if I watch TV news. (That is the nightmare.)<br /><br />Your pet project?<br />The first rule of write club is, you don’t talk about write club...<br /></p>