Literary criticism, Karachi Lit Festival 2012

Interesting discussion here on literary criticism from Karachi Literary Festival 2012. This is the third year of KLF. Speakers are Hanif Kureishi, Muneeza Shamsie (mother of Kamila Shamsie), Stefan Weidner - a German critic - and Alok Bhalla, whom I just love, I could listen to him forever. Hanif seems a bit grumpy, but he's always interesting and I like his comment, around 10 mins in,  that 'a book, in a sense is a collection of instructions for an experience that takes place in your head'. I like the slightly dishevelled feel to the event, and the panel being brought tea; people in the audience seem to wander in and out, I have watched other sessions, unlike the buttoned-up literary events we have here, where sometimes you are scared to breathe. I got such a pang to go to Karachi watching this, I have family there, but I can't have the vaccinations, it could make my ME worse, and I simply could not take that risk (and I couldn't risk not having them). And there are obviously other factors too, it is hardly the safest place, at the moment. I love this recent essay by Mohammed Hanif on living in Karachi. And this is a lively blog review of other events at the 2012 KLF. Over the weekend, I finished reading In Other Rooms, Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddin, the final story in the collection, 'A Spoiled Man', is one of the saddest stories I have ever read.