Good survey; the only thing I'd say is that I would have liked to comment directly on some of the questions. Also it's possible that some of your respondents may not have read ANY other short story collections by South Asian writers and thus would have no basis for comparison, so that might be an option on that question. also, as far as the sexual language, how it affected me varied from story to story. Mostly your use of sexual language and imagery strikes me as acceptable-for-an-adult-audience and thus fine. Also I would have liked to have selected more than one choice for what did I like best- I would like to have responded both language and character as I thought your language had a lovely literary style but I think I just ended up saying character only because the default was one choice. Okay, that's all! :-)
hi Marie, i appreciate your response so much. You know i am so disappointed with my so called South Asian community for a total lack of critical response. I had hoped that the post 9/11 atmosphere had galvanized South Asians, and for that reason they appreciate this book as being one of the very few that comes out of a small press and does not fetishize/orientalize India; I had also hoped that many would welcome an attach on Victorian morality superimposed, with the complicity of brahaminic sensibility on the rather relaxed South Asian attitude towards sexuality. But so many of my women friends have told me that their husbands and boy friends were shaken/disturbed by the book. I was counting on South Asian literary friends to write critical analysis in non-mainstream forums, but either the war really tired them out or they naturally gravitate towards what mainstream media pushes their way. Anyway, since we are cyber friends, feel free to tell me more about my book whenever you feel comfortable. And, of course, sincere thanks!
2 comments:
Good survey; the only thing I'd say is that I would have liked to comment directly on some of the questions. Also it's possible that some of your respondents may not have read ANY other short story collections by South Asian writers and thus would have no basis for comparison, so that might be an option on that question. also, as far as the sexual language, how it affected me varied from story to story. Mostly your use of sexual language and imagery strikes me as acceptable-for-an-adult-audience and thus fine. Also I would have liked to have selected more than one choice for what did I like best- I would like to have responded both language and character as I thought your language had a lovely literary style but I think I just ended up saying character only because the default was one choice. Okay, that's all! :-)
hi Marie, i appreciate your response so much. You know i am so disappointed with my so called South Asian community for a total lack of critical response. I had hoped that the post 9/11 atmosphere had galvanized South Asians, and for that reason they appreciate this book as being one of the very few that comes out of a small press and does not fetishize/orientalize India; I had also hoped that many would welcome an attach on Victorian morality superimposed, with the complicity of brahaminic sensibility on the rather relaxed South Asian attitude towards sexuality. But so many of my women friends have told me that their husbands and boy friends were shaken/disturbed by the book. I was counting on South Asian literary friends to write critical analysis in non-mainstream forums, but either the war really tired them out or they naturally gravitate towards what mainstream media pushes their way. Anyway, since we are cyber friends, feel free to tell me more about my book whenever you feel comfortable. And, of course, sincere thanks!
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