Lunch with a Bigot: The Writer in the World

This book was a solid three stars for me most of the way through.

The essays ranged a bit in quality, and Kumar absolutely shined when he turned his intellect outward. His discussion with Arudhati Roy, the boxer on the flight, and the essays on Kashmir were strong and hit hard. His contemplations on writing tended to be more hit and miss, as I find most writers writing about writing tend to be. The weakest essay in the book was his piece on ten rules of being a writer– it felt very self-satisfied, and that obsession with self pops up in a number of the essays in ways that got on my nerves.

And then I hit the last essay and legitimately started sniffling in public. The books started on a strong note and left me with a lasting emotional impression.