I feel as comfortable anywhere as I feel uncomfortable anywhere.

I feel as comfortable anywhere as I feel uncomfortable anywhere.

Kiran Desai

When I was growing up the publishing world seemed so far away. When my mother wrote a book, she would look up the address of publishers on the backs of the books she owned and send off her manuscript.

When I was growing up the publishing world seemed so far away. When my mother wrote a book, she would look up the address of publishers on the backs of the books she owned and send off her manuscript.

A man wasn't equal to an animal, not one particle of him. Human life was stinking corrupt, and meanwhile there were beautiful creatures who lived with delicacy on the earth without doing anyone harm.

A man wasn't equal to an animal, not one particle of him. Human life was stinking corrupt, and meanwhile there were beautiful creatures who lived with delicacy on the earth without doing anyone harm. "We should be dying." the judge almost wept.

Saeed quickly found employment at a Banana Republic, where he would sell to urban sophisticates the black turtleneck of the season, in a shop whose name was synonymous with colonial exploitation and the rapacious ruin of the third world.

Saeed quickly found employment at a Banana Republic, where he would sell to urban sophisticates the black turtleneck of the season, in a shop whose name was synonymous with colonial exploitation and the rapacious ruin of the third world.

New York is a lovely city. It is an easy city to go back to and an easy city to leave. Every time I go there I immediately make travel plans.

New York is a lovely city. It is an easy city to go back to and an easy city to leave. Every time I go there I immediately make travel plans.

All day, the colors had been those of dusk, mist moving like a water creature across the great flanks of mountains possessed of ocean shadows and depths.

All day, the colors had been those of dusk, mist moving like a water creature across the great flanks of mountains possessed of ocean shadows and depths.

I'm always in the kitchen, cooking and experimenting - I love it. And every now and then I think, 'I should write a cookbook' or, 'I should write for food magazines.' And then I get drawn back to writing fiction again.

I'm always in the kitchen, cooking and experimenting - I love it. And every now and then I think, 'I should write a cookbook' or, 'I should write for food magazines.' And then I get drawn back to writing fiction again.

I love Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams, Flannery O'Connor. I read a lot of American writers.

I love Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams, Flannery O'Connor. I read a lot of American writers.

The publishing world is very timid. Readers are much braver.

The publishing world is very timid. Readers are much braver.

Why couldn't she be part of that family? rent a room in someone else's life.

Why couldn't she be part of that family? rent a room in someone else's life.

We think of immigration as a Western issue but, of course, it isn't.

We think of immigration as a Western issue but, of course, it isn't.

The Indian diaspora is a wonderful place to write from and I am lucky to be part of it.

The Indian diaspora is a wonderful place to write from and I am lucky to be part of it.

Slowly, painstakingly, like ants, men would make their paths and civilization and their wars once again, only to have it wash away again.

Slowly, painstakingly, like ants, men would make their paths and civilization and their wars once again, only to have it wash away again.

She'd have to propel herself into the future by whatever means possible or she'd be trapped forever in a place whose times had already passed.

She'd have to propel herself into the future by whatever means possible or she'd be trapped forever in a place whose times had already passed.

Sadness was so claustrophobic.

Sadness was so claustrophobic.

No fruit dies so vile and offensive a death as the banana.

No fruit dies so vile and offensive a death as the banana.

When you write on your own, you can write the extremes. No one else is watching and you can really go as far as you need to.

When you write on your own, you can write the extremes. No one else is watching and you can really go as far as you need to.

I do think that the modern India does belong to writers who are living in India.

I do think that the modern India does belong to writers who are living in India.

I don't think you can write according to a set of rules and laws; every writer is so different.

I don't think you can write according to a set of rules and laws; every writer is so different.