News2Novel - Chips, Lost Fishermen and Covid in China #14
3 novel suggestions based on weekly news
Hello! This is the 14th issue of News2Novel - the newsletter that suggests novels to read based on weekly news.
Last week, I published my first essay on how 1930s Chinese sci-fi might inspire Elon Musk and his various companies. I also sent Elon a cold email, sharing the piece - I’ll let you know if he replies!
Now here’s News2Novel.
#Chips ➡️ A Tale of Two Cities
Heston Blumenthal is a British chef known for complex and experimental dishes, like meat fruit
His greatest contribution is the triple-cooked chip - which he became obsessed with in 1992
Traditional double-frying can result in chips that are undercooked or soggy; Blumenthal’s method involves boiling, freezing and frying to achieve a "glass-like" crispy crust with a fluffy centre
The first ever mention of “chips” in English literature was in the 5th chapter of A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens:
“… husky chips of potato, fried with some reluctant drops of oil.”
In this classic work, hunger is a prevalent theme with Dickens shining light on the (scanty) diets of everyday Victorians
The novel also explores love, sacrifice, redemption and the events leading to the French revolution
#LostFishermen ➡️ Life of Pi
15 Indian fishermen were stranded on a remote island after their boat’s engine broke down
A passing British vessel eventually rescued them
They survived by drinking water from coconuts and other innovative methods
Yann Martel’s novel, Life of Pi, tells a strikingly similar story of a young Indian boy (Pi) who survives a shipwreck
He is stranded on a lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker
Pi and Richard Parker develop a complex relationship, with Pi training the tiger and using it to catch fish for food
#CovidInChina ➡️ The Plague
Li Wenliang, the Chinese doctor who first spotted COVID-19, died from the virus in February 2020
His Weibo social media account has become a popular digital "shrine" for people to visit and post comments seeking comfort
On January 10th, someone wrote:
“Older brother Liang, recently I’ve been reading Camus’s ‘The Plague’”
Given the crisis in China, The Plague by Albert Camus is an appropriate read, unfortunately
It tells the story of a plague outbreak in Algeria and how the population is forced into quarantine
Whilst most people respond to the disease with fear, blame or resignation, one character, a doctor, is a force of resistance…
Before you go…
Here are some final morsels and thoughts:
3 creative tweets I loved:
- (aka ) published a fascinating essay, in her series that imagines an ideal government:
Check out last week’s News2Novel about Andrew Tate, Greta Thunberg and Lex Fridman
If you end up reading any of the suggested novels, I’d love to hear about it! Just drop a comment, reply to this email or tweet me @dhrupadkarwa
Have a beautiful week filled with fiction and possibilities! ✨
Dhru
I have read Life of Pi, any other book you'd suggest?