the Kureshi file
Hi fldsfslmn and others
Just saw your thread on Kureishi and thought I would pitch in, it seems that responses to the thread so far were few and bare. I have read all his non-fiction, plays and novels and seen all that has been dramatised or written for television at least up to 1999.
On Hanif Kureshi-I think he (obviously) is of his generation and it is one that straddles mine and that of my parents. It is close to my older brothers and so therefore his work often has starkly identifiable elements to which I can empathise. However while I find it emotionally engaging, I find that intellectually it leaves me unmoved. At least he's a big Bowie fan.
On the Black Album-this in fact was the last thing I read of his, I did like some if the dramatic twists, and the very current time (the now of it) writing. I believe it is his 'best' novel alongside
Intimacy-Short like the Black Album, I enjoyed the departure from his usual 70's teenager Anglo Indian massala recipe.
On Buddha of Suburbia-I hated it, it was too familiar, but also too suburban for me to swallow. Too shallow, titillating, over-sexed and under-researched, over-autobiographical. Maybe you need to hear from someone from Harrow or Brent rather than a Hackney boy. The best thing was the inspiration it gave for Bowie to finally return to form with a couple of decent tracks for the television adaptation.
On his plays-London Kills Me and My beautiful launderette. And for television Sammy and Rosie and My Son the fanatic. I think if one wants to see Kureishi at his peak the above mentioned four are where his true talent shines. I think this is particularly so because they weren’t based like Buddha and others in the decadent 70’s past, but try to maybe analyses of the current/ present. And they stand up in the pantheon of the best British novels, television dramas, films and plays i.e. Midnights Children, Boys from the black stuff, Kes and the Comedians. I wish he would concentrate more on this style and form of writing.
It is all in all clear that his work makes up in visual dramatics (hence the never-ending serials of adaptations to screen) where it falls in literary vigor. And that he is very sweet-and thought-provoking at times esp. in his short essays, his critical work on music I think is often brilliant.
But yes I (as this site has recently become obsessed with Vs.) prefer Salman Rushdie because he is not straddling generations but if a generation beyond me so I learn so much from the literary style and form and also receive an potted yet illustrated history lesson at the same time. But that’s enough from me.
I have read recently or currently reading: Lovely Bones, Star of the Sea, Life of Pi, Gordon Brown-Tom Bower, Cracking India- Bapsi Sidhwa - Point of Departure-Robin Cook, Alastair Campbell-by Peter Oborne, Catcher in the Rye-J D Salinger.
Be Well.
Intertonic