It hasn't been an easy journey for Avni Doshi, but the Booker Prize-shortlisted author, who lives in Dubai, is finally reaping the rewards of her hard work.
"I had to face a lot of rejection and a lot of dejection through the process. And so, when my book was published, forget about Booker, when my book was published and the first time I saw it in person, and held it, that for me was an unbelievable moment. I really told myself, nothing will ever top this," she tells The National.
The moment Doshi's debut novel, Burnt Sugar, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize did top it, though. And now it's set to be adapted into a movie directed by Indian-Canadian filmmaker Deepa Mehta.
We catch up with the American novelist at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature to talk about Dubai and new fiction by female writers.
What does Emirates Airline Festival of Literature mean to you as a writer and to Dubai?
"The Emirates Literature Festival is the only thing of this kind in Dubai that brings together writers who are both kind of locally grown and international. What they've been doing with the festival, especially recently, is just so exciting to see, especially these various initiatives, including this new fellowship for budding writers.
"This festival is not just a festival, it's really growing into something that is bridging gap for authors who are more grassroot, with concerns that are much more international. The festival is really important for creating conversation and dialogue. But at the same time, I think they have such brilliant ideas and brilliant people working for the festival, and they're really going to grow this into a space where it's going to mean something not just to people in Dubai, but to people all over the world."
Given the sometimes transient nature of Dubai, can the city be a backdrop for serious literary writing?
"My perspective of Dubai is quite different, actually. You mentioned that Dubai is quite a transient city. I see how that's true in one way. I am, for example, married to someone who's been in this city for 42 years, and whose entire family is here. And we have many friends who have been here their entire lives, who have raised their children here, whose parents live here, and who have kind of an intergenerational connection to this city.
"So, for me, I've experienced, I think, the other side, where it's not transient, where it's actually quite permanent. I think there are new initiatives like the golden visa and other programmes, especially that are giving the opportunity to artists and creative people to stay for an extended period of time and use Dubai as a base for their creative work.
"I've lived in New York, I've lived in London, I lived in Mumbai for eight years, which is actually where the seed of my novel came from. The place where I wrote my novel was Dubai. So, the draft that you see that has been published, that has been nominated for and has won awards was, all written in Dubai.
"I've done a lot of serious writing here."
There is a lot of amazing new fiction by women winning big awards. What does it tell us about the way the world is moving?
"Oh, gosh, I think it tells us that we're moving towards what we should have had all along. And we didn't, you know.
The biggest thing when you're a writer is be curious. Be curious about everything
Avni Doshi,
author
"I mean, the fact that we're asking this question just shows that we are living in a time when there are still these questions of inequality that are circulating. I primarily read [books by] women, I almost only read women, I don't think I'm necessarily conscious of the fact that I'm reading women, but I think if I look at my bookshelf, a lot of the authors that I'm interested in are women."
How do you look at fiction coming out of the subcontinent, particularly India and Pakistan?
"So many beautiful books have come out of the subcontinent. I mean, I'm just trying to think of some of my recent favourites.
"Shubhangi Swarup is a writer I admire so much. Janice Pariat is another writer who I just love. One of my kind of new favourite writers, I'm just addicted to her new book, is Rijula Das. And she's really fabulous. She just won the Tata Literature Live First Book Award. And her book is coming out in the US pretty soon. I just think there are these writers coming out of the subcontinent who are really pushing boundaries."
How did it feel to be shortlisted for the 2020 Booker Prize?
"It's sort of a dream come true. It's something you don't even dare. For me I didn't even dare to imagine because I haven't come from a literary background, I don't have powerful mentors or teachers, I didn't come out of a big master's of fine arts programme. I really had to fight and work hard. And I had to face a lot of rejection and a lot of dejection through the process.
"Getting nominated for this prize was incredibly great and gratifying. It's amazing. I don't have to tell you what it does for someone's career. It gives your book incredible coverage, publicity that I don't think any other prize does. But at the same time, as exciting as all of that is, when you're sitting down to write the next book, which I'm doing now, I'm writing book two, none of that matters. Because it's you again, struggling with the page, self-doubt is the same.
"Where do you begin? Who are your characters? What is the story? What does the story want to be? What is it going to emerge into?"
Do you have some advice for budding writers?
"The biggest thing when you're a writer is to be curious. Be curious about everything. You don't know how something random and obscure and what may seem boring or pointless, you never know how that may inform your writing. You don't know how that may bubble up. You don't know how that may transform into something else."
This interview was edited for clarity and brevity
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
How much of your income do you need to save?
The more you save, the sooner you can retire. Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.com, says if you save just 5 per cent of your salary, you can expect to work for another 66 years before you are able to retire without too large a drop in income.
In other words, you will not save enough to retire comfortably. If you save 15 per cent, you can forward to another 43 working years. Up that to 40 per cent of your income, and your remaining working life drops to just 22 years. (see table)
Obviously, this is only a rough guide. How much you save will depend on variables, not least your salary and how much you already have in your pension pot. But it shows what you need to do to achieve financial independence.
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Essentials
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Windhoek, with a combination of Emirates and Air Namibia, cost from US$790 (Dh2,902) via Johannesburg.
The trip
A 10-day self-drive in Namibia staying at a combination of the safari camps mentioned – Okonjima AfriCat, Little Kulala, Desert Rhino/Damaraland, Ongava – costs from $7,000 (Dh25,711) per person, including car hire (Toyota 4x4 or similar), but excluding international flights, with The Luxury Safari Company.
When to go
The cooler winter months, from June to September, are best, especially for game viewing.
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The biog
Favourite film: Motorcycle Dairies, Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday, Kagemusha
Favourite book: One Hundred Years of Solitude
Holiday destination: Sri Lanka
First car: VW Golf
Proudest achievement: Building Robotics Labs at Khalifa University and King’s College London, Daughters
Driverless cars or drones: Driverless Cars
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Meydan racecard:
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 (PA) Group 1 | US$75,000 (Dirt) | 2,200 metres
7.05pm: UAE 1000 Guineas (TB) Listed | $250,000 (D) | 1,600m
7.40pm: Meydan Classic Trial (TB) Conditions | $100,000 (Turf) | 1,400m
8.15pm: Al Shindagha Sprint (TB) Group 3 | $200,000 (D) | 1,200m
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (D) | 1,600m
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (T) | 2,000m
10pm: Handicap (TB) | $135,000 (T) | 1,600m
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWest%20Asia%20Premiership%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Bahrain%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Premiership%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Jebel%20Ali%20Dragons%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Hurricanes%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Division%201%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Sharks%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Harlequins%20II%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20Division%202%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%20III%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Sharks%20II%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDubai%20Sevens%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EChampions%3A%20Dubai%20Tigers%0D%3Cbr%3ERunners%20up%3A%20Dubai%20Hurricanes%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
