I am very conscious that, from the time of 'The God of Small Things' was published 10 years ago, we are in a different world... which needs to be written about differently, and I really very much want to do that. Arundhati Roy agoconsciousdifferently share on social
I think the kind of landscape that you grew up in, it lives with you. I don't think it's true of people who've grown up in cities so much; you may love a building, but I don't think that you can love it in the way that you love a tree or a river or the colour of the earth; it's a different kind of love. Arundhati Roy buildcitycolour share on social
In a way, writing is an incredible act of individualism, producing your language, and yet to use it from the heart of a crowd as opposed to as an individual performance is a conflicting thing. I do stand alone, and yet it's not about being an individual or being ambitious. Arundhati Roy actambitiousconflict share on social
I'm not ambitious. I don't want to get anywhere, I don't want anything more. I sometimes think that for me that is the real freedom, that I don't want anything. I don't want money or prizes. I want people to know that a war is going to be fought. Arundhati Roy ambitiousfightfreedom share on social
There are people who have comfortable relationships with power and people with natural antagonism to power. I think it's easy to guess where I am in that. Arundhati Roy antagonismcomfortableeasy Change image and share on social
Torture has been privatized now, so you have obviously the whole scandal in America about the abuse of prisoners and the fact that, army people might be made to pay a price, but who are the privatized torturers accountable too? Arundhati Roy abuseaccountableamerica share on social
Some writers like to boil down headlines of liberal newspapers into fiction, so they say there shouldn't be communal riots, everybody should love each other, there shouldn't be boundaries or fundamentalism. But I think literature is more than that; these are political views which most of us hold anyway. Arundhati Roy boilboundarycommunal share on social
I kind of resent the idea that the whole world has to be interested in the American elections. Arundhati Roy americanelectionidea Change image and share on social
There can be nothing more humiliating for a writer of fiction to have to do than restate a case that has already been made. Arundhati Roy casefictionhumiliate Change image and share on social
Do you think that the people of South Africa, or anywhere on the continent of Africa, or India, or Pakistan are longing to be kicked around all over again? Arundhati Roy africacontinentindia Change image and share on social