Bibliofile

A Blurb Of A Role

What do actresses like Shabana Azmi and Sushmita Sen have in common with Salman Rushdie and William Dalrymple? They've entered the circle of celeb blurb writers. Publishers say with our small band of celeb authors playing hard to get, more first-time authors are resorting to Bollywood for their jacket blurbs. It's easier certainly to get a Bollywood star on a jacket cover than a Naipaul or a Seth. Nor are the actors complaining: what better way, after all, to get your name on a book jacket without taking the trouble of writing—or reading?—it.

All's Fare In This War
Ever wondered how a little-known litfest like the Jaipur one manages to attract stars like Salman Rushdie. The answer lies in the unrestricted airfares the litfest is offering its star guests. Rushdie and wife Padma Lakshmi, for instance, are planning a trip to Chennai to visit his in-laws, courtesy the Jaipur litfest. Talk of singing for your tickets.