Avirook Sen, a journalist and writer, associated with The Hindustan Times and India Today , exposes his facet as an author, with his first book Looking for America that is to be launched in the city on Thursday.
The book, which sports a title derived from Simon and Garfunkel’s song ‘America’, is a travelogue and social commentary on the most influential country in the world.
“America is the kind of country that influences and affects most of us, in some way or the other. From deep fried chicken to going to a war, America has got us hooked to some or the other of its scenes,” remarks the author.
The idea for the novel stemmed in Avirook’s mind during the post 9/11. However, the idea began to take shape during the dramatic 2008 election, which saw the birth of Obama in the American political scene.
“I visited America for the first time in 2002 and that was during the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. I was staying with a friend, in his place across a river in Brooklyn. One day, a burnt office memo wafted across the river, from the WTC, and landed on his terrace. That served as a metaphorical indication about the impact of the attacks and hence the nation itself, on the world. I took that as a cue and conjured the idea of my book. The idea strengthened, once the Presidential elections happened 2 years back. I spent a year planning, travelling and writing,” says Avirook.
The book, which is written in an ‘accessible format’, did not have a path chalked out. “In one sentence, this book can be described as ‘America without an agenda’. I took what I got, during the course of my travels rather than chasing down stories. I was surprised by all things that I came across and just went with the flow,” says this famed journalist.
When asked about an interesting tidbit from the book, Avirook has this to say, “US citizens want Green cards very badly. If you want to know why, you have to read the book.” Looking for America will be launched on November 4, at 7. 30 pm at Taj Mount Road.