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Listen to Me
Shashi Deshpande’s name is synonymous with Indian writing in English. Everyone you know has read her. Deshpande’s novels, with their assertive and modern themes, are as urgent today as when they were first published. Yet, little is known about her. She is famously reticent.
In Listen to Me, Deshpande opens up about her life and work. She writes about being a writer and a feminist, and the shaping of these selves. She draws us into her world: growing up in Dharwad as Kannada littérateur Shriranga’s daughter, moving to Bombay as a student, figuring out her identity as a newly married woman, and negotiating the unfamiliar world of Indian publishing—and always, always her love of reading. As she talks about influences, detractors and challenges, the genesis of her own work shines through.
This book is not a fight to claim a piece of public memory, and definitely not an act of self-aggrandisement. It is an acute observation of an eventful era in Indian literature and history, and a micro-history of Deshpande’s own engagement with it, through her certain and uncertain recollections. With its chiselled prose and honest self-knowledge, it revitalises that most delicate of endeavours: the writerly memoir.
370 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 2018
12 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
About the author
Shashi Deshpande
42 books164 followersNovelist and short story writer, Shashi Deshpande began her career with short stories and has by now authored nine short story collections, twelve novels and four books for children. Three of her novels have received awards, including the Sahitya Akademi award for `That Long Silence'. Some of her other novels are `The Dark Holds No Terrors', `A Matter of Time', `Small Remedies', `Moving On', `In The Country of Deceit' and `Ships that Pass'. Her latest novel is `Shadow Play'.Many of her short stories and novels have been translated into a number of Indian as well as European languages. She has translated two plays by her father, Adya Rangacharya, (Shriranga), as well as his memoirs, from Kannada into English, and a novel by Gauri Deshpande from Marathi into English.
Apart from fiction, she has written a number of articles on various subjects - literature, language, Indian writing in English, feminism and women's writing - which have now been put together in a collection `Writing from the Margin.' She has been invited to participate in various literary conferences and festivals, as well as to lecture in Universities, both in India and abroad.
She was awarded the Padma Shri in 2008.
List of books by Shashi Deshpande
Dark Holds No Terrors (1982)
That Long Silence (1989)
A Matter of Time
Moving On
Small Remedies
Shadow Play (2013)
The Narayanpur Incident
If I Die Today
In the Country of Deceit
The Binding Vine
Ships That Pass (2012)
The Intrusion And Other Stories
3 Novels : A Summer Adventure, The Hidden Treasure, The Only Witness
Come Up & Be Dead
Collected Stories (Volume - 1)
Collected Stories (Volume - 2)
Writing from the Margin: And Other Essays
Apart from fiction, she has written a number of articles on various subjects - literature, language, Indian writing in English, feminism and women's writing - which have now been put together in a collection `Writing from the Margin.' She has been invited to participate in various literary conferences and festivals, as well as to lecture in Universities, both in India and abroad.
She was awarded the Padma Shri in 2008.
List of books by Shashi Deshpande
Dark Holds No Terrors (1982)
That Long Silence (1989)
A Matter of Time
Moving On
Small Remedies
Shadow Play (2013)
The Narayanpur Incident
If I Die Today
In the Country of Deceit
The Binding Vine
Ships That Pass (2012)
The Intrusion And Other Stories
3 Novels : A Summer Adventure, The Hidden Treasure, The Only Witness
Come Up & Be Dead
Collected Stories (Volume - 1)
Collected Stories (Volume - 2)
Writing from the Margin: And Other Essays
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 23, 2020
3.5
Rarely you come across a parent who discourages a kid from reading books. Imagine when the parent is an eminent writer himself!
This is a memoir mostly about books and writing journey. Simple conversational language. The author has poured her mind out about her writing journey. Inspirational to know its never too late to start. There are details on how each novel was conceived, how much resemblance it bears with real life characters.
There is a lot of discussion on feminism - how it started and its recent course. Slight touchdown on the radical writers and how freedom of speech is going through that rough patch.
The beginning is beautiful. The way it is described why she thinks this memoir needs to be written.
Some parts in the middle felt unsolicited free cermons on what should be and what should not be (pardon the irony of this statement!)
Rarely you come across a parent who discourages a kid from reading books. Imagine when the parent is an eminent writer himself!
This is a memoir mostly about books and writing journey. Simple conversational language. The author has poured her mind out about her writing journey. Inspirational to know its never too late to start. There are details on how each novel was conceived, how much resemblance it bears with real life characters.
There is a lot of discussion on feminism - how it started and its recent course. Slight touchdown on the radical writers and how freedom of speech is going through that rough patch.
The beginning is beautiful. The way it is described why she thinks this memoir needs to be written.
Some parts in the middle felt unsolicited free cermons on what should be and what should not be (pardon the irony of this statement!)
May 10, 2019
Words fall short as I write this review. I never thought Shashi Deshpande would write an autobiography, in fact, she confesses she surprised herself when she started writing this book. Having read Nine books by her I somehow figured that she was a very private person. I was also lucky enough to meet her once which was, of course, an overwhelming experience so much so that I couldn’t speak anything just fumbled a bit and finally managed to get her autograph also requested her if I could take a photo, but she refused politely and said she isn’t comfortable and I quite understand why, so, I didn’t insist on it as well.
But, when I heard about her autobiography it was like a god sent book. “Listen to Me,” the title said, and I was like, ‘oh yes I would love to’. So, I had to purchase it immediately though I thought I would read immediately as well that didn’t happen actually I took some time, I wanted to be free from other books, and everything else to solely concentrate on this one. So the past three days were the days, I cherished reading this gem. It was a beautiful experience. Very subtly she makes her points clear which is one of the greatest things about her writing. She is very honest about so many things quite frankly she tells that she was an aimless girl for quite some time she had no idea about what she wanted to do and then how slowly writing engulfed her out of nowhere and how it became her destiny. She explains the background of her each novel, how a story popped up in her mind, and what situation led each to become the story that it is now. That was very interesting to read. Of course, She is proud of some of her work, but some of it she isn’t. She is a voracious reader, and she lists out her favorite authors, and their books, and also some whom she didn’t enjoy reading much. (Now I have quite a lot of books and authors to discover and my to-read list just went up to the hill!).
Well, I can go on and on praising her for the modest and frank person she is but I’ll stop my review here before it becomes monotonous. One thing is for sure she is the writer of my imagination. The way I had imagined her she is just like that, and she is truly an inspiration to me. If at all I show some interest in writing it is because of her books. She not only inspires me to read more but also inspires me to write as well.
But, when I heard about her autobiography it was like a god sent book. “Listen to Me,” the title said, and I was like, ‘oh yes I would love to’. So, I had to purchase it immediately though I thought I would read immediately as well that didn’t happen actually I took some time, I wanted to be free from other books, and everything else to solely concentrate on this one. So the past three days were the days, I cherished reading this gem. It was a beautiful experience. Very subtly she makes her points clear which is one of the greatest things about her writing. She is very honest about so many things quite frankly she tells that she was an aimless girl for quite some time she had no idea about what she wanted to do and then how slowly writing engulfed her out of nowhere and how it became her destiny. She explains the background of her each novel, how a story popped up in her mind, and what situation led each to become the story that it is now. That was very interesting to read. Of course, She is proud of some of her work, but some of it she isn’t. She is a voracious reader, and she lists out her favorite authors, and their books, and also some whom she didn’t enjoy reading much. (Now I have quite a lot of books and authors to discover and my to-read list just went up to the hill!).
Well, I can go on and on praising her for the modest and frank person she is but I’ll stop my review here before it becomes monotonous. One thing is for sure she is the writer of my imagination. The way I had imagined her she is just like that, and she is truly an inspiration to me. If at all I show some interest in writing it is because of her books. She not only inspires me to read more but also inspires me to write as well.
June 13, 2021
This book takes us across the journey of IWE in ways we have not known yet! Such a great read!
May 5, 2019
What a book! I am bowled over by this amazing autobiography of one of the amazing writers from India - Shashi Deshpande. It's always fun to get a peep into the life of the writers if you are seeking inspiration to write. And this book is not just a perfect dose of inspiration for writers only but also for readers too. She is a voracious reader and how! My already unending reading list has entered the category of perpetuity after reading this book. I feel I haven't read anything up until now. I wouldn't want to be critical here but I feel God does not produce women like Shashi Deshpande and Kamala Das anymore. Women with emotional depth. Women who are a mix bag of humility and arrogance. Women who speak from heart. There's no masquerade, no pretention, just plain being. Even her simple life is as colourful as the life of Kamala Das. Or is it the talent of an amazing storyteller who can weave a simple story in such a grandeur and beautiful manner? A must read for everyone. I guarantee you won't put down this 370 pages book until you finish it. Left me with lot of introspection for sure
August 20, 2019
Honest views, heartfelt writing and moving without being emotional, this, Shashi Deshpande's memoir, is a fine read. It is all about her journey as a writer, her thoughts on writing, particularly Indian Writing in English, her commentary on the socio-political scenario in India over forty years, and above all, the many many books and authors she loves and recommends.
If you are someone who ever thought you'd be a writer one day, no matter where you are now, you will enjoy this book. I am docking one star because of the last 20% of this book. It felt like a sudden descent from elegant and classy to crotchety (in her own words).
In spite of her Sahitya Akademi award and her position in numerous jury committees, Deshpande confesses to being unhappy that she didn't get her due as a writer. For example, she says while she is happy with her Padma Shri she had expected a Padma Bhushan. Fair enough; these are her memoirs and she's certainly entitled to airing her grievances.
This last section also has some interesting anecdotes about her issues/disagreements with VS Naipaul and Salman Rushdie. These are quite amusing to read and make you see the dark underbelly of the literary world.
What did not work for me is the last chapter. It felt like Deshpande did not know where to end her book and therefore, kept going back and forth, touching upon things she'd already said and throwing out new nuggets without exploring them fully.
In spite of this rambling end, though, I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it, even to those who have not enjoyed Deshpande's fiction works.
If you are someone who ever thought you'd be a writer one day, no matter where you are now, you will enjoy this book. I am docking one star because of the last 20% of this book. It felt like a sudden descent from elegant and classy to crotchety (in her own words).
In spite of her Sahitya Akademi award and her position in numerous jury committees, Deshpande confesses to being unhappy that she didn't get her due as a writer. For example, she says while she is happy with her Padma Shri she had expected a Padma Bhushan. Fair enough; these are her memoirs and she's certainly entitled to airing her grievances.
This last section also has some interesting anecdotes about her issues/disagreements with VS Naipaul and Salman Rushdie. These are quite amusing to read and make you see the dark underbelly of the literary world.
What did not work for me is the last chapter. It felt like Deshpande did not know where to end her book and therefore, kept going back and forth, touching upon things she'd already said and throwing out new nuggets without exploring them fully.
In spite of this rambling end, though, I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it, even to those who have not enjoyed Deshpande's fiction works.
June 12, 2019
An unknown person to me ,accidental exposure due to kindle unlimited gem of a book , guide for future literally inspired..
Simple words, profound thoughts, honest insight inn to authors life and times,from early childhood to literary acclaim and came.
A journey my daughter is interested in taking and i recommended this read.
She will not read it though, How you do.
Simple words, profound thoughts, honest insight inn to authors life and times,from early childhood to literary acclaim and came.
A journey my daughter is interested in taking and i recommended this read.
She will not read it though, How you do.
December 24, 2021
If one needed a humble account of an author’s journey as an Indian writer in English, this is the book. While detailing her journey, she questions the need for this book often. But through her candid and straightforward narration, she has answered this, and addressed many aspects of what moulds a writer. This has been an enlightening read for me!
December 24, 2021
As she says, People judge you by your looks. You will be surprised by her writing and her vocabulary. No wonder she has awarded padmashri by Indian govt. Such a talented writer. I still feel she is underrated or hidden in the ocean of writers. Must must read this book.
February 20, 2019
Loved the book
I loved the book. This book is for anyone who is curious about writers/wannabe or budding writers or who love reading or for those who are just plain curious about people & their lives in general. Iam so glad she wrote this book. At the end of the book, there is one thing among many things that had me thinking as a person who grew up in 80s & 90s, and with a young kid of my own growing up now, we missed the faculty & schooling which encourages reading books & poetry for its beauty and meaning, which unlike now existed in the pre- independence & post independence era.
I loved the book. This book is for anyone who is curious about writers/wannabe or budding writers or who love reading or for those who are just plain curious about people & their lives in general. Iam so glad she wrote this book. At the end of the book, there is one thing among many things that had me thinking as a person who grew up in 80s & 90s, and with a young kid of my own growing up now, we missed the faculty & schooling which encourages reading books & poetry for its beauty and meaning, which unlike now existed in the pre- independence & post independence era.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews