The New Statesman: politics and culture

Two decades later, Booker Prize winner Kiran Desai returns

16 snips
Oct 25, 2025
Kiran Desai, the celebrated Booker Prize–winning novelist, discusses her long-awaited new novel, The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny, after nearly two decades. She reflects on the intense pressure of literary prizes and the evolving landscape of South Asian writing. Desai delves into how migration and loneliness shape her characters and the weight of history in storytelling. She also examines the impact of political issues like Hindu nationalism on her work and the role of literature in fostering empathy, particularly in a culturally rich but complex India.
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ANECDOTE

Placed Among South Asian Literary Stars

  • Kiran Desai recalls being grouped with celebrated South Asian prize-winning authors like Arundhati Roy and Salman Rushdie.
  • She notes a past vogue that spotlighted South Asian writing in English internationally.
ANECDOTE

How Anita Desai Broke Into Publishing

  • Anita Desai sent manuscripts abroad by checking publisher addresses on book backs and mailing them herself.
  • Peter Owen eventually published her, opening an early door for Indian writers in Britain.
INSIGHT

One Breakthrough Multiplies Opportunities

  • Literary success by one author often opens doors for many others and expands global interest.
  • This ripple grew from Rushdie to Roy, Ghosh and others, widening readerships and publisher attention.
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