Thayil to kick off Kovalam literary fest
Posted on: 22 Sep 2012
Thiruvananthapuram: Renowned writer-musician Jeet Thayil will read from his first novel Narcopolis at the upcoming Kovalam Literary Festival (KLF), a fortnight ahead of the announcement of this year's Man Booker Prize in London.
The Kerala-born author is in the 2012 race for the coveted 50,000-pound British literary honour, having been shortlisted alongside heavyweights such as Hilary Mantel and Will Self.
The fifth edition of the KLF is slated to be held in two days in Kerala next month, after a day's stopover in the national capital.
The Delhi leg will be held at the India International Centre (IIC) on October 3. Thiruvanathapuram part of the high-profile festival will be conducted at the Kanakakunnu Palace on October 6 and 7, according to writer Binoo K John, founder-director of KLF.
Two dozen renowned writers of all ages from India and abroad will address a total of 21 sessions featuring conversations, discussions and presentations on a variety of literary and social subjects, besides reading from books, he informed. Seven of them will be in Delhi.
It will be at the session in IIC that Mr Thayil, will read excerpts from the 2011 work that profiles a murky story based on own experiences that feature the drug dens of Mumbai.
'In fact, the festival will start off with Mr Thayil's presentation,' Mr John said. KLF 2012, being co-sponsored by Muthoot Pappachan Group and Taj Vivanta, will conclude with an evening of music featuring concerts by two bands in the Kerala capital.
The event that is being supported by Kerala Tourism, IIC, Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Pan Macmillan India, Central Bank and Roli Books. (UNI)
