Karachi Lit Fest number two. I have so many feelings about it. I will try to discuss all of them.
Feeling #4: SMARTNESS
Yes, I felt a little smart. But not in the hey i'm so awesome kind of way. I mean the way you feel smart when you watch a really cool documentary or interview or read a really good book. Smart-by-association. Intelligence and awesome was in the air, man. People were having educated discussions about everything from Sufism to translated lesbian erotica. It's a rare thing, and I remember thinking yesterday, early in the morning, as I heard Karen Armstrong speak (all the seats had been taken, and I was standing wayyy at the back, trying to figure out what was going on), I thought, well, this has been worth the wait of a year.
Feeling #3: K3WLZN3ZZ, or, HEY LOOK AT ALL THE FOREIGN PEOPLE
Yes, yes, I know, how paindu of me.
But really. I felt loaded with k3wlz.
There were a few foreign writers and speakers. It was both refreshing and interesting to hear their points of view about the various topics of discussion.
Feeling #2: AWE
After the final discussion of today, which was moderated by Kamila Shamsie, I was sitting and talking to friends when a girl walked by. She was on the phone, and we overheard her excited words: I JUST MET KAMILA SHAMSIE!
Yup, that's basically, for me, captures awe. I also recall strong urges to scream HAMIIIIIIIIDDDDDDD! during the Mohsin Hamid session. Thankfully, these urges were supressed. But really, you're just walking around casually and between sessions you see writers and you think, Did I die and go to heaven?
Feeling #1: LOVE.
LOVE LOVE LOVE. And not even the Lady Gaga kind.
People. Everywhere. More than you expect. People who can barely walk showing up. Old, cute uncles determined to ask a million questions if possible. Audiences absorbed as writers read from their work. Really interesting questions. Moderators with British accents. Speakers with British, German, French accents. A foreign uncle smiling at a kid sitting one row up, pulling funny faces at him as a discussion about the writing of history without bias goes on. People pouring in large groups specifically to hear Karen Armstrong talk about compassion.
more later :)
Feeling #4: SMARTNESS
Yes, I felt a little smart. But not in the hey i'm so awesome kind of way. I mean the way you feel smart when you watch a really cool documentary or interview or read a really good book. Smart-by-association. Intelligence and awesome was in the air, man. People were having educated discussions about everything from Sufism to translated lesbian erotica. It's a rare thing, and I remember thinking yesterday, early in the morning, as I heard Karen Armstrong speak (all the seats had been taken, and I was standing wayyy at the back, trying to figure out what was going on), I thought, well, this has been worth the wait of a year.
Feeling #3: K3WLZN3ZZ, or, HEY LOOK AT ALL THE FOREIGN PEOPLE
Yes, yes, I know, how paindu of me.
But really. I felt loaded with k3wlz.
There were a few foreign writers and speakers. It was both refreshing and interesting to hear their points of view about the various topics of discussion.
Feeling #2: AWE
After the final discussion of today, which was moderated by Kamila Shamsie, I was sitting and talking to friends when a girl walked by. She was on the phone, and we overheard her excited words: I JUST MET KAMILA SHAMSIE!
Yup, that's basically, for me, captures awe. I also recall strong urges to scream HAMIIIIIIIIDDDDDDD! during the Mohsin Hamid session. Thankfully, these urges were supressed. But really, you're just walking around casually and between sessions you see writers and you think, Did I die and go to heaven?
Feeling #1: LOVE.
LOVE LOVE LOVE. And not even the Lady Gaga kind.
People. Everywhere. More than you expect. People who can barely walk showing up. Old, cute uncles determined to ask a million questions if possible. Audiences absorbed as writers read from their work. Really interesting questions. Moderators with British accents. Speakers with British, German, French accents. A foreign uncle smiling at a kid sitting one row up, pulling funny faces at him as a discussion about the writing of history without bias goes on. People pouring in large groups specifically to hear Karen Armstrong talk about compassion.
more later :)
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