How do you choose biography subjects and themes?

Writing biographies is solitary and difficult -- even when the subject is way more interesting than anything you could make up. Narayani Basu joins Amit Varma in episode 428 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss writing, friendship, hustling, ageing, intentionality and the subject of her latest book, the impossible KM Panikkar. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN.) Also check out: 1. Narayani Basu on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Amazon. 2. A Man For All Seasons: The Life Of KM Panikkar -- Narayani Basu. 3. VP Menon: The Unsung Architect of Modern India -- Narayani Basu. 4. Allegiance: Azaadi and the End of Empire -- Narayani Basu. 5. India’s Greatest Civil Servant — Episode 167 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Narayani Basu). 6. Kavitha Rao Chases Chatto and Roy -- Episode 416 of The Seen and the Unseen. 7. When Harry Met Sally -- Rob Reiner. 8. Can men and women be just friends? — The Economist. 9. Malini Goyal is the Curious One — Ep 377 of The Seen and the Unseen. 10. Unboxing Bengaluru — Malini Goyal & Prashanth Prakash. 11. Finding Love in Modern India — Ep 401 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Sanjana Ramachandran and Samarth Bansal). 12. Inside the Hearts of Men and Women -- Episode 118 of Everything is Everything. 13. Heart Tantrums: A Feminist's Memoir of Misogyny and Marriage -- Aisha Sarwari. 14. The Life and Times of Gurcharan Das -- Episode 425 of The Seen and the Unseen. 15. Ambassador -- Narayani Basu on CB Muthamma. 16. Five Epic Stories That Must Be Films -- Episode 29 of Everything is Everything. 17. The Cripps Version: The Life of Sir Stafford Cripps 1889-1952 -- Peter Clarke. 18. Lady Doctors : The Untold Stories Of India’s First Women In Medicine — Kavitha Rao. 19. Kavitha Rao and Our Lady Doctors — Episode 235 of The Seen and the Unseen. 20. The Heckman Equation — a website based on James Heckman’s work. 21. The Ferment of Our Founders — Episode 272 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Shruti Kapila). 22. Gods, Guns and Missionaries: The Making of the Modern Hindu Identity — Manu Pillai. 23. The Forces That Shaped Hinduism -- Episode 405 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Manu Pillai). 24. The First Assault on Our Constitution — Episode 194 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Tripurdaman Singh). 25. The Surface Area of Serendipity -- Episode 39 of Everything is Everything. 26. Understanding India Through Its Languages — Episode 232 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Peggy Mohan). 27. Wanderers, Kings, Merchants: The Story of India through Its Languages — Peggy Mohan. 28. Impossible Germany — Wilco. 29. Coolie No 1 -- David Dhawan. 30. Anne de Courcy, Sonia Purnell and Ben Macintyre on Amazon. 31. Clementine: The Life of Mrs. Winston Churchill -- Sonia Purnell. 32. A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of Virginia Hall, WWII's Most Dangerous Spy -- Sonia Purnell. 33. Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, Bookish and Department Q. Amit Varma and Ajay Shah have launched a new course called Life Lessons, which aims to be a launchpad towards learning essential life skills all of you need. For more details, and to sign up, click here. Amit and Ajay also bring out a weekly YouTube show, Everything is Everything. Have you watched it yet? You must! And have you read Amit’s newsletter? Subscribe right away to The India Uncut Newsletter! It’s free! Also check out Amit’s online course, The Art of Clear Writing. Episode art: ‘Solitary and Impossible’ by Simahina.