Kitabkhana

...where N Roy, Hurree Babu and the Akhond of Swat share a chummery, and the Babu is now the Bibi. Or the Bebe, depending on preference.
Drop off your calling cards at: <a href="http://nilanjanaroy.com">nilanjanaroy.com</a>

This is a remarkable story, and a compelling piece of writing.
The writer Paul West suffered a massive stroke that caused global aphasia. As his wife records:
"The author of more than 50 stylishly written books, a master of English prose with the largest working vocabulary I’d ever encountered, a man whose life revolved around words, he had suffered brain damage to the key language areas of his brain and could...

Go visit. Khaufpur, a fictionalised version of Bhopal, is where Indra Sinha sets his novel, Animal's People.
From Lucy Beresford's review in The New Statesman:
Nearly 20 years ago, Khaufpur was devastated by a chemical leak at a factory owned by an American firm, referred to by Khaufpuris as "the Kampani". Thousands died during what has come to be known as "That Night", including Animal's parents. Two decades...

No, that's not a typo. Thanks to the Marginalien, I now know what to do with those hardbound copies of the prime minister's 100 most boring speeches. They're going to the incredibly creative Jim Rosenau, who--well, go and find out. This is the page where...