Anees Salim

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Anees Salim is an Indian author best known for his books Vanity Bagh, The Blind Lady's Descendants and The Small Town Sea. Born in the sea-town of Varkala in south Kerala, he now lives in Kochi where he works as an advertising professional. He won the Sahitya Akademi Award for The Blind Lady's Descendants in 2018, becoming only the fourth Keralite in history to win the award for an English work.[1] Some of his columns have appeared in The Indian Express.[2] Noted for his unadorned, precise prose, Salim is one of the most important figures of twenty-first century Indian English literature.

Life and career

Anees Salim was born in Varkala, a small town in Kerala, in 1970. In an interview to The Hindu, Salim says he inherited his love for words from his father who used to work in West Asia.[3] Salim is the Executive Creative Director for FCB Ulka, the multi-national advertising firm, and lives in Kochi. Despite his background in PR and advertising, Salim makes a point of avoiding promotional tours and speaking at literary festivals.[3]

In an interview to the Earthen Lamp Journal,[4] Salim talks about how his first two novels were rejected by publishers. It was his third book, Tales from a Vending Machine, that helped his career as a writer take off. Sold to a publisher within a week, it renewed interest in his other works and, as Salim says, "fetched me four book deals."[5][6]

Awards and honours

  • 2013 - The Hindu Literary Prize for Vanity Bagh.[7][8][9] The prize was announced by novelist Jim Crace in the valedictory function of the Hindu Lit for Life festival held in Chennai during 12–14 January 2014.
  • 2015 - Crossword Book Award in Indian Fiction for The Blind Lady’s Descendants[10]
  • 2017 - Bangalore Atta Galatta Literature Book Festival's Best Fiction (English) for The Small Town Sea[11]
  • 2017 - The Hindu Prize shortlist for the Small Town Sea[12]
  • 2017 - Tata Literature Live! Book of the Year Award (Fiction) shortlist for the Small Town Sea[13]
  • 2018 - Sahitya Akademi Award (English category), for The Blind Lady's Descendants[14]
  • 2022 - JCB Longlist for The Odd Book of Baby Names
  • 2022 - Atta Galatta-Bangalore Literature Festival Longlist for The Odd Book of Baby Names
  • 2022 - Valley of Words Best Book Award for The Odd Book of Baby Names

Works

  • The Vicks Mango Tree (2012) HarperCollins
  • Tales From A Vending Machine (2013) HarperCollins
  • Vanity Bagh (2013) Picador
  • The Blind Lady’s Descendants (2014) Penguin
  • The Small-Town Sea (2017) Penguin Hamish Hamilton
  • The Odd Book of Baby Names (2021) Penguin Hamish Hamilton
  • The Bellboy(2022) Penguin Hamish Hamilton & Holland House

References

  1. ↑ Kerala: Akademi Award raises readers' expectations, says Anees Salim. The New Indian Express(7 December 2018). Retrieved 2018-12-19.
  2. ↑ Anees Salim. The Indian Express(2017-12-17). Retrieved 2018-12-19.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Living with words. The Hindu(2012-11-15). Retrieved 2018-12-19.
  4. ↑ Earthen Lamp Journal. www.earthenlampjournal.com. Retrieved 2018-12-19.
  5. ↑ Living with Words. The Hindu(15 November 2012). Retrieved 2 March 2013.
  6. ↑ Kochi writer hits the Inglish jackpot(27 September 2012). Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  7. ↑ The Shortlist for The Hindu Best Fiction Prize Declared(9 November 2013). Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  8. ↑ The Hindu Prize 2013 Shortlist(9 November 2013). Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  9. ↑ Anees Salim bags The Hindu Prize for Best Fiction 2013(14 January 2014). Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  10. ↑ India: Raymond Crossword Book Award 2014 winners announced(29 April 2015). Retrieved 29 April 2015.
  11. ↑ Atta Galatta-Bangalore Literature Festival Book Prize 2017 announced. The Hindu(2017-10-21). Retrieved 2017-11-26.
  12. ↑ The Hindu Prize 2017 shortlist is out. The Hindu(2017-10-28). Retrieved 2017-11-26.
  13. ↑ Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest announces shortlists for five coveted Book Awards via @tatacompanies. tata.com. Retrieved 2017-11-26.
  14. ↑ Kerala: Akademi Award raises readers' expectations, says Anees Salim. The New Indian Express(7 December 2018). Retrieved 16 December 2018. 
15.https://thewire.in/books/interview-anees-salim-religious-polarisation-family-dynamics
16.https://scroll.in/article/1015654/i-dont-see-death-as-the-end-but-the-beginning-writer-anees-salim

17.https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/interview-anees-salim-author-of-the-odd-book-of-baby-names-humour-runs-on-a-parallel-track-101641566450475.html
18. https://www.thehindu.com/books/books-can-talk-for-the-author-anees-salim/article38272851.ece
19. https://www.newindianexpress.com/lifestyle/books/2021/dec/12/i-write-to-calm-myself-down-2393968.html
20. https://thepunchmagazine.com/the-byword/interviews/anees-salim-amp-lsquo-surrounded-by-people-we-mimic-normalcy-in-private-we-are-all-oddballs-amp-rsquo
21. https://www.theweek.in/theweek/leisure/2022/09/17/anees-salim-returns-to-his-obsession-with-death-in-his-new-book.html
22. https://www.grazia.co.in/lifestyle/culture/anees-salim-gets-candid-about-his-coming-of-age-novel-by-the-sea-9933.html
23. https://openthemagazine.com/lounge/books/anees-salim-the-heirs-of-the-king/
24. https://caravanmagazine.in/tag/anees-salim
25. https://dailygoodmorningkashmir.com/anees-salim-a-muslim-star-on-indian-literary-firmament/
26. https://www.platform-mag.com/literature/anees-salim.html
27. https://bombaylitmag.com/anees-salim-interviewed-by-tblm-staff/
28. https://www.mid-day.com/mumbai-guide/famous-personalities/article/the-curious-case-of-anees-salim-16233196
29. https://www.business-standard.com/article/beyond-business/i-m-brimming-with-sadness-writing-alleviates-pain-novelist-anees-salim-118122900579_1.html
30. https://www.forbesindia.com/article/think/labels-and-rebels-in-anees-salims-novels/40437/1
31. https://www.deccanchronicle.com/sunday-chronicle/shelf-life/020717/i-like-to-keep-my-world-small-and-quiet-says-anees-salim.html
32. https://www.firstpost.com/living/sahitya-akademi-winner-anees-salim-on-staying-away-from-public-eye-value-of-awards-and-solitude-5790701.html
33. https://www.asianage.com/age-on-sunday/030219/small-town-tales.html
34. https://www.khaleejtimes.com/wknd/i-always-wanted-to-be-invisible-anees-salim
35. https://www.readersdigest.in/culturescape/story-anees-salims-list-of-favourites-124631
36. https://www.worldliteraturetoday.org/blog/book-reviews/coming-age-story-muslim-boy-wins-indias-highest-literary-prize-leeya-mehta

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https://scroll.in/article/1015654/i-dont-see-death-as-the-end-but-the-beginning-writer-anees-salim 

https://thewire.in/books/interview-anees-salim-religious-polarisation-family-dynamics
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