Acclaimed author Rana Dasgupta talks about his latest book — Solo

His first book — Tokyo Cancelled — a series of short stories that had the critics bowled over as they soon began referring to it as the Canterbury Tales of our generation. 'The modern Salman Rushdie,' critics tooted. And now, with his second book, (his first novel as his first was a collection of short stories) Solo, there are comparisons to some of the greatest modern day writers like Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Jonathon Safron-Foer.

“Critics always like to explain new books in terms of old ones. So no, it's not surprising or flattering,” says the 37-year-old Rana when asked if comparisons to such writers are flattering or surprising at the least. The protagonist, Ulrich, a Bulgarian, reads a story in a magazine before losing his sight. The story sparks his imagination and soon he is left wondering if he has any wisdom to leave to the world. He takes off on a journey through his country. The turbulent setting of the country at that time only form the perfect setting for what he encounters — lost love and failed chemistry. At the end, Ulrich finds enlightenment.

“I thought about Ulrich every day for about four years. I went to sleep thinking of him and I sat in the corner at parties thinking about him,” recounts Rana of how he developed his main character.

Earlier this year, Rana made the rounds at the Jaipur Literature Festival and in the next few weeks, will be taking Solo to international literary festivals, like the Perth Writers Festival. “For a while it's fun to talk about yourself and your book. Then you start to feel completely sick at how much you're talking about yourself,” says Rana of these tours that have now become a routine of sorts adding, “At that point it's no longer fun and you want to do some proper work, but I don't know when that will come.”

Shanaya Lalkaka/ DNA-Daily News & Analysis Source: 3D Syndication