Monica Ali
was born in Dhaka in 1967, to an English mother and a Bangladeshi father. The family
left East Pakistan (as Bangladesh was called then) due to the civil war in
1971. They settled in Bolton, where Monica Ali grew up. She attended Bolton
Girls’ School, and went on to read Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Wadham
College, Oxford. She then worked in design and publishing. Her debut novel,
“Brick Lane”, was given a great boost when Monica Ali was named as one of the
“Best young British novelists” by Granta in 2003 prior to its actual
publication. She has been invited to be a guest editor of “Today”, the BBC
Radio Four’s flagship news programme. Leading Bollywood actress Sameera Reddy
was approached to star in the movie of “Brick Lane”, but the role has now been
won by Bangladeshi actress Tannishtha Chatterjee. The movie is currently subject
to a protest by the real Brick Lane Bangladeshi community – you can read more
about this here. Monica Ali’s second novel, “Alentejo
Blue”, was published in 2006. Monica Ali lives in London with her husband
and 2 children.
Sundowners
– a Monica Ali story published in “The New Yorker”
Boot Camp –
Alex Keegan reveals that Boot
Camp was the website that Monica Ali turned to for advice when she first
started writing
Colour Blind -
Maya Jaggi writes about the controversy surrounding her request to be the first
to interview Monica Ali.
Roots Around London -
gives a brief profile of Monica Ali
A Question of Merit -
Stephanie Merritt writes about the ongoing controversy caused by only having
novelists under 40 on Granta's Best of Young British Novelists list, and by
including unpublished writers. I am most aggrieved myself, as I will be
over 40 in 2013. It's time to start lying about my age. Either
that, or I am going to have to start writing better novels
The Young Ones -
the South African Sunday Times sees the Granta list as a "self-fulfilling
prophecy"
Women writers top class of 2003 -
just how many articles did the Guardian write on the Granta list?
Although, this is from the Observer - same difference
Best of British -
mentions Hilary Mantel's reservations about Granta's Best of Young Novelists
2003 - "My feeling is that the list is weaker than previous lists because
of the apparent ease of getting published. There are half a dozen brilliant
people on here ... but the competition was not that strong. Many of the others
would not have been on in other times." I certainly would have not
have put Hari Kunzru on the list, as I believe that he is a journalist first,
and a novelist very much second, and
David Mitchell really
isn't that interesting or talented, despite the lavish praise that he has
received. Although Hilary Mantel has praised 'Brick Lane', she has said
that it is not without its problems.
Hollywood
stalks Monica Ali – which authors aren’t Hollywood stalking?
Meet
the Author – Monica Ali reveals that she started writing “Brick Lane” the
day after her grandfather’s funeral
Barnes
& Noble – their interview with Monica Ali
Ali’s
in Wonderland – Harriet Lane interviews Monica Ali for “The Observer”
Heroes
among us – Shahnaz Yousuf talks to Monica Ali
Transworld
interview – Monica Ali gives more insight into what it was like being in
East Pakistan during the civil war
Monica
Ali from the Beginning – A Novel View conveys what the launch for “Brick
Lane” was like
You
ask the Questions – Monica Ali answers questions from the readers of The
Independent. She reveals that some of her father’s colleagues were shot during
the Bangladeshi civil war
My
Year as a star – Monica Ali discusses “Brick Lane” and the various
controversies surrounding the novel
Voice
of Experience – Mick Brown’s interview with Monica Ali
Amanda Craig
– gives more details about the
Greater Sylhet Welfare and Development Council’s objections
to the novel, and how Monica Ali was denied a visa to Bangladesh
Woman’s
Hour – their interview with Monica Ali
Monica Ali changes course
with surprising new novel – Alden Mudge’s interview with Monica Ali
Monica
Ali’s heavenly halwa – Monica Ali’s recipe, printed in “The Independent”
Identity
Crisis – Monica Ali participates in this debate about the race hate law in
“The Guardian”
Satish Kaushik signs
foreign flick – indiafm.com reports that Satish Kaushik will be playing
Chanu. Across
the Seven Seas – is an interview with Satish Kaushik
Local protests over Brick Lane film
– “The Guardian” reports that
some residents of Tower Hamlets don’t want “Brick Lane” filmed there
The
Battle for Brick Lane – Jonathan Heawood’s excellent article about the
decision not to film in Brick Lane due to local protests
In a sense,
if you come under fire from conservative people, you must be doing something
right – Maev Kennedy writes about the protests in “The Guardian”
‘You sanctimonious
philistine’: Rushdie v. Greer, the sequel – Salman Rushdie and Germaine
Greer have now entered the argument concerning Brick Lane on opposing sides
Novelists
hit back at Brick Lane protestors – “The Guardian” reports that authors
have attacked “community censorship”
End
the Brick Lane brouhaha – an excellent blog on the subject by Sunny Hundal
Reality
Bites Back – Germaine Greer defends her stance on the Brick Lane brouhaha,
some of which doesn’t make sense – “I have been
accused of saying things about Salman Rushdie that I actually said to him” –
huh?
Brick Lane
filming finishes despite difficulties – this article focuses mainly on the
casting of Peter Simpson
Brick Lane to
be shot in Cal – “The Times of India” reports that the movie of “Brick
Lane” will be filming on location in Kolkata rather than Bangladesh, to avoid similar
controversy to that aroused when the filmmakers tried to shoot in Brick Lane
London
doesn’t have paddy fields – Sarah Gavron, the director of “Brick Lane”,
talks about shooting the movie in Kolkata
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