The Jaipur Literature is once again set to host the biggest names in the world of literature and publishing. With 10 years of history to its credit, the fest houses eminent writers, thinkers, historians, poets, business leaders, entertainers, politicians and humanitarians from all over the world talking about their work and discussing issues that plague today’s society. The ‘Kumbh Mela of literature’ as it’s informally called, comes to its 11th edition with book lovers and literary enthusiasts thronging the Diggi Palace Hotel of Jaipur from 25-29 January. The upcoming fest will house 200 sessions spanning a diverse range of topics, trends, ideas and genres. From bestselling authors to distinguished playwrights, award-winning journalists and poets conducting sessions on myriad topics, here is a list of sessions that one should definitely not miss. 1. The Real Thing: British playwright Sir Tom Stoppard, winner of the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Shakespeare in Love, in conversation with Sanjna Kapoor to discuss his life and work and the nuances of playwriting. When: January 25, 3:45 pm 2. The Joy Luck Club: Noted American novelist Amy Tan is known for her writings on mother-daughter relationship and her Chinese American experience filled with Chinese diaspora. She will speak to Siddharth Dhanvant Shanghvi about her life and emergence as a writer of stature against many odds. When: January 27, 10:00 am 3. The Bridget Jones’ Diaries: Helen Fielding, famous novelist and author of Bridget Jones’ Diary – a novel about a thirty-something single working woman living in London and struggling with the atrocities of life and societal pressures, will speak with publisher Meru Gokhale on the topic of the comic and tragic, film and fiction, as well as about Bridget Jones’ extraordinary ride to motherhood. When: January 27, 11:15 am 4. Itihaas: Translating Historical Fiction: Abhijit Kothari, Rita Kothari and Vikrant Pande in conversation with Tridip Suhrud will be throwing light on fiction that has become more real than the history itself. When: January 27, 12:30pm 5. Nude - The Poet Within: Vishal Bhardwaj in conversation with Sukrita Paul Kumar to discuss everyday issues faced by women. When: January 26, 3:45 pm 6. Spotlight - The Hunt for Truth: Portuguese-American journalist Michael Rezendes, who won a Pulitzer Prize for his investigative work as a member of The Boston Globe’s Spotlight Team, will be discussing of the power of traditional and local reporting, the values and commitment required for investigative journalism as well as the changing definitions of news in the current media landscape with Sreenivasan Jain. When: January 26, 3:45 pm 7.
Manhunt - Pakistan and the Search for Bin Laden:
This session will bring together three of the world’s greatest experts on the 9/11 mastermind Osama Bin Laden. Peter Bergen, author of Manhunt, had met and interviewed the man and later was the only journalist to gain access to bin Laden's Abbottabad compound before Pakistan government demolished it. In conversation with him are Adrian Levy and Cathy Scott-Clerk, authors of The Exile, a landmark work of investigation and reportage on the Islamic world. When: January 28, 10:00 am 8. Adaptations: This session will be a confluence of the greatest living playwrights in the world right now. The session will include Tom Stoppard, Michael Ondaatje, Vishal Bhardwaj, Nicholas Shakespeare, Mira Nair, Nandita Das and Amy Tan coming together to talk about cinema and arts with Chiki Sarkar. When: January 27, 2:30 pm 9. Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong: The discussion will take a dig on misogynistic stereotypes and challenges preconceptions about gender and sexual differences. Taking off from Angela Saini’s acclaimed book Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong and the New Research That’s Rewriting the Story, writer, columnist and feminist Namita Bhandare will be in conversation with the author and theoretical physicist Lisa Randall to weave a refreshing alternative narrative about women’s bodies and minds. When: January 28, 5:15 pm 10. Litro World Series: India: The Power of Fiction Across Borders and of Translation: Shashi Tharoor, Suki Kim, Tishani Doshi and Vivek Shanbag in conversation with Eric Akoto as they discuss the power of translation to spread the work of literature in the world. When: January 27, 1:40 pm 11. Closing Debate - #MeToo: Do Men Still Have It too Easy? In a realm of serious discourse, the much-needed campaign that took the world by a storm will be taken up for discussion by Bee Rowlatt, John Freeman, Pinky Anand, Ruchira Gupta, Sandip Roy, John Freeman and Vinod Dua, with Namita Bhandare moderating it. A perfect close to the grand fest. When: January 29, 5:15 pm