Festival of Asian Literature 2010
5th - 27th May 2010

Asia House announced today that the 2010 Festival of Asian Literature will take place from 5-27 May (with pre and post Festival events in March, April & June) at Asia House in Marylebone, Central London. The only Festival in Britain dedicated to writing about Asia, the 2010 Festival presents an exciting range of more than 40 authors writing about 15 countries across Asia, as well as British Asian and Pan-Asian themes – breaking into new areas, both topical and controversial.

Change and adaptation to 21st century issues, whether they be political, social, economic or cultural, are the dominant themes for the 2010 Festival, reflecting the dynamism of Asia and the globalisation of our own communities in the UK. Authors making their UK debuts, award winning Korean author Chang-rae Lee, Kashmiris Basharat Peer and Jaspreet Singh, Man Asian Prize shortlisted author Nitasha Kaul, and Indian writers Hirsh Sawhney and Tishani Doshi, will be supported by headliners Fatima Bhutto, William Dalrymple, Yasmin Allibhai-Brown, Janine di Giovanni, Victoria Schofield, John Kampfner, Atiq Rahimi and Sathnam Sanghera.

Asia House reveals next star of South Asian Literature

Jaspreet Singh will debut his stunning novel of Kashmir, Chef, at Asia House on Wednesday, 17 March, in the run up to the 2010 Festival of Asian Literature. With a reputation for introducing the best and brightest Asian writers to the UK, Asia House believes Singh is the next new writer to watch. Chef has already been short-listed for four literary awards, including the prestigious Commonwealth Prize for best book. This event marks the book’s publication in the UK.

Once India’s greatest tourist draw, Kashmir has since 1989 been the heart of an insurgency which has become the rallying cry for jihadi movements and the focus of world concern over the potential of nuclear conflict. Always in the news, yet under-represented in literature, this beautiful, war-scarred region forms the backdrop for Singh’s mesmerizing story of hope, love and memory. When a young Sikh is assigned to cook at the military camp of General Kumar, in the shadow of the mighty glacier that claimed is father’s life, he is confronted not only with family memories, but with challenges to his own beliefs. A fiery, anarchic mentor and a Pakistani “terrorist” enter his life and force him to question what he thought was a solid allegiance to India in the interminable conflict.

In addition to a compelling list of high profile and emerging authors, the 2010 Festival will feature a number of firsts: The world’s first Asian themed bookcrossing “release” will see 400 free books distributed throughout Marylebone; a discussion on financial turmoil in the Gulf featuring renowned experts Christopher Davidson and Jim Krane will kick off Asia House’s expansion to into this important region; a poetry evening featuring British Asian Poets Moniza Alvi, Daljit Nagra, Imtiaz Dharker and Kavita Jindal.

Adrienne Loftus Parkins, Festival Director says: “The creative use of words is the foundation of our many cultures. The Asia House Festival of Asian Literature is the most important destination, outside of Asia, for East and West to interact through the written and spoken word.”

Festival of Asian Literature 2010 www.festivalofasianliterature.com

About Asia House

Asia House is a not-for-profit, non-political body dedicated to promoting understanding between peoples of the UK and Asia by developing enduring cultural and commercial links. The leading Pan-Asian organisation in the UK, we cover a geographical remit from the Persian Gulf in the West to Indonesia in the East. The Asia House Public Programme covers visual and performing arts, literature, film, current affairs and cuisine from Asia, both for the general public and its 800 individual members.