“Shuab Parvez has written a remarkable novel that resonates with the picaresque wonders of Gunter Grass’ The Tin Drum, the enchanting magical realism of Gabriel Garcia Marquez’ One Hundred Years of Solitude, and the seemingly effortless balance of humanity and humor that animate the pages of a Zadie Smith or Salman Rushdie.”
—Stephen Windwalker, Kindle Nation Daily

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003MVZMC0

Shuab Parvez

http://www.qe2fields.com/

A fascinating trip to do in New York, starting from Soho, is to walk through Chinatown, Lower East Side, an old immigrants’ district, on to the Williamsburg bridge which leads to Brooklyn. Lower East Side and Williamsburg are two cool areas – LES has become gentrified in recent years but used to be an old Jewish district – signs of which you can see in the oldest deli in NYC, Katz’s, a smoked salmon and fish specialist, Russ and Daughters and where people have bought knishes from 1910, Yonah Schimmel’s. The Lower East Side Tenement Museum offers a history of what it was like when the immigrants (from mostly Eastern Europe and Russia) descended on these parts. Williamsburg on the other side of the bridge is a hip area which has one of the highest concentrations of artists and musicians in the USA. It has a relaxed vibe contrasting with the hectic pulse of Manhattan. You will find hip cafes, bars, music venues, bric a brac and markets, all close to the East River Park which boasts a stunning view of Manhattan. Williamsburg has been described as the Haight Ashbury of New York City and it is an interesting area to hang out in for a few hours. From East River Park, you can take a ferry for 8 dollars, which takes you either downtown or uptown. I opted for uptown as I had a reservation at the Russian Tea Room.

Previously, I had not endeavoured to explore any Russian elements of the city. Russia is usually seen as the anti-thesis of America – well, during the old Cold War. The Russian Tea Room is like something out of David Kronenbourg’s Eastern Promises film. It is beautifully ornate, draped in Tsarist Imperial colours, golden eagles and vermilion banquettes, chandeliers and gold-framed abstract paintings make up the rest of the scene. There is also a second floor containing a lavish banqueting hall open for private functions. The food served at the Tea Room include delicacies such as caviar and seafood and, of course, there are some fine samples of tea from around the world.

The next day, continuing the Russian theme, I took the Q train from Bleecker Street to Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. A very uninformed receptionist at The James told me ‘there’s nothing to do in Brighton Beach and it’ll be cold’. To the contrary, the weather fairy must have been in town because it became a hot day – perfect for exploring. Brighton Beach is where you can see a real immigrant community in action, almost like a historical slice of several generations of an ex-Soviet Union state. Russian is spoken everywhere and underneath the rattling rail-tracks, you get the feeling you are somewhere special and unique in NYC if not the whole of America. There are babushkas manning road side stalls, men dressed in 80s style leather jackets frequenting food shops, signs in Cyrillic everywhere, hair and nail salons, supermarkets selling pickles and vodka and everyone looks as if they’re in a time warp circa 1980s. It is not only the Russian Jewish community living here but also Uzbeks, Kyrgystanis, Ukrainians, Georgians – the whole mixture of the ex-Soviet Union, decamped in NYC right next to one of the oldest American institutions, Coney Island. The dichotomy of something so foreign and alien sitting next to a traditional US fairground park is endearing.

Brighton Beach itself stretches a couple of miles to Coney Island, where on a sunny October afternoon, all that separated me from the Atlantic Ocean was a strip of golden sand and a boardwalk full of strolling Russians. Along the beachfront are the two arch-rival restaurants Volne and Tatiana. I tried the Ukrainian borscht in Tatiana and it was just as good as any I have had in Russia. Watching the old men playing chess near a school playground reminded me of being in Russia so much. You really are extricated from New York when visiting Brighton Beach.

New York is constantly full of surprises – its streets are energetic in a way not matched in Europe. Returning to London always seems like coming back to a sleepy village. Until the next time.

Shuab Parvez – November 2011

This evening it hosted a tribute to the Bengali poet, philosopher, musician and writer, Tagore. Tagore wrote both the Indian and Bangladeshi national anthems and is revered, mostly for his beautiful poetry, in Bengal and Bangladesh. The Bauls are a Bengali school of mysticism that influenced Tagore (of which prior to tonight, I knew nothing about). The musicians playing included a pianist, clarinettist, tabla and pot player, accordion and several vocalists. It is always interesting hearing the fusion of western instruments with those from the Indian sub-continent – the scales and tuning are, of course, different – which leads to a rich interplay of timbre and texture. The Beatles were supposedly influenced by many of the raga rhythms and melodies emanating from Indian classical music, of which Bengali music shares a tradition. Conversely, a little known fact is that Tagore was influenced by Irish folk music and one can recognise some strains in his compositions. It is this interplay between different musical genres which is fascinating. And this collection of musicians from Bangladesh and with local talent from Tower Hamlets, do a very good job in paying homage to a poetical genius, the great Tagore.

Shuab Parvez – October 2011

http://stethelburgas.org/

So what are the benefits of self-publishing on Kindle? Firstly, it is free and unlike vanity publishing, there is no fee. Secondly, you cut out agents and publishers, being able to communicate directly with your readers. If the ultimate goal is to be published by traditional publishers, it serves to create a platform in which to spark potential interest in your work. It is a good test-run in having your work presented directly to readers in a raw format, allowing creative freedom without any external influences and a chance to receive feedback.

But how to get your book noticed from the thousands of others out there? That is the hard part and why mainstream publishing is still the best route to getting your book read. As a Kindle author, you will be unknown and getting people to read your work is difficult. That is why many authors discount their books or give them out free at first. Even published authors have been known to do this – they recognise that in order to manipulate the charts, it is necessary to go up quickly and what better way than to give your book away for a promotional period? Matching the financial muscle of a traditional publisher’s promotional resources is difficult and it is always going to be an uphill struggle. Some authors who have already built up a following from traditional publishing go the Kindle route in order to best capitalise upon the royalty rates from readership. A maximum seventy percent royalty is possible from Amazon which compares favourably to mainstream publishing.

There are numerous ways to promote a Kindle book and these include blogging, contributing towards forums dedicated to Kindle books and getting people to review your work. Ultimately, even published authors are expected to be able to market themselves and so promotional work is now considered part of the necessary armoury of a professional writer. It could be argued that Kindle is the way forward for publishing, as readers lead increasingly transient lifestyles – the traditional paper book is fast becoming outdated. Electronic media has grown rapidly and will continue to do so. The environmental benefits of Kindle books also cannot be overstated – there is something horrific about the wastage of so much paper in books that are often read once and then collect dust. What will be most interesting is the extent to which novels will change and adapt to this new electronic format of readership.

Shuab Parvez – October, 2011

http://www.amazon.co.uk/THE-MESSIAH-OF-GREEN-STREET/dp/B003MVZMC0

Cliveden is famously known as the place where John Profumo met Christine Keeler, the scandal in the 1960s that led to the downfall of the Conservative government of the time. This is a picture of the very swimming pool where they first met – the place is imbued with intrigue:-

The proximity of the River Thames, with some stunning viewing points across the grounds or from Cliveden itself, means a pleasant way to spend the afternoon is on a river cruise. From the river it is possible to see one of the houses where Christine Keeler stayed with Stephen Ward, the intermediary eventually prosecuted for his role in the Profumo scandal. In Three Men in a Boat (1889), Jerome K. Jerome describes Cliveden Reach as “unbroken loveliness this is, perhaps, the sweetest stretch of all the river …” It is not hard to see how this is true in this place surrounded by natural beauty and engulfed in history.

Shuab Parvez – October, 2011

Zurich is full of surprises. The lakeside lidos, for example, which are full of locals tanning themselves, swimming, or drinking in the waterfront bars as soon as there is the first sign of sunshine. Letten, along the Limmat river has a cool vibe with some colourful graffiti adding to the urban feel – a breath of fresh air from the somewhat perfect parts of Bahnhofstrasse and Lake Zurich. Water is everywhere in Zurich, from the lake to the rivers Sihl and Limmat. You can even drink from the many fountains dotted around the city – locals swear by the cleanliness of the water there.

What is most surprising is the old town or alstadt – underrated and full of beautiful buildings untarnished by two world wars (a benefit of neutrality perhaps?). The twin towers of Grossmunster punctuate the skyline, but it is the futurist windows of the Fraumunster by Marc Chagall which seem to attract the most attention. The modernist interpretation of Biblical scenes is a must-see on any trip to Zurich (not forgetting Giacometti’s stained glass windows in the same church). The history of Zurich dates back to Roman times when the Lindenhof – a platform on a hill in which you can savour some lovely views of the riverside – used to be an old trading centre. Now it is full of students relaxing and old men playing chess on giant chess boards.

If you wish to take an aerial view of the city, there is no place better than the Jules Vernes Panaroma Bar, situated off Bahnhofstrasse with access through a French brasserie. By night or day this is a romantic location where one can sip a cocktail or two while admiring the ancient architecture. For a more cosy scene, check out the Viennese style Cafe Schober which includes a beautifully decked out room on the first floor boasting red velvety furnishings and chandelier where one can sample the best hot chocolate in town.

It is times like this when one really appreciates what Zurich has to offer with the added benefit of not many tourists.

Shuab Parvez – September, 2011

I visited during the Lucerne Classical Musical Festival, established in 1938 by Arturo Toscanini within the villa owned by Richard Wagner, it boasts many world-leading performers in a superb modernist Jean Nouvel designed KKL concert hall. The acoustics are so perfect I could hear a pin drop during a wonderful performance of Stockhausen and Beethoven by the acclaimed Chopin specialist, Maurizio Pollini. The modernist environment lends itself well to Stockhausen – the rooftop terrace offers spectacular views over Lucerne.

But the best view is reserved for the Lake View lounge of the art deco inspired Hotel Montana (pictured above). Here, the world’s smallest funicular leads above Luzern Palace hotel on the river to a breathtaking vista of Lake Lucerne and beyond. The Scala restaurant offers fine dining with food to match the views. Montana offers six new penthouse spa suites with hot tubs on balconies overlooking Mount Pilatus – a decadent place in which to stay. The Louis Bar offers a jazz night every Thursday and boasts an array of 100 malt whiskies in their smoking bar. The novelty of being able to smoke indoors is certainly a feature unique in Europe given the non-smoking laws everywhere else.

But there is no need to pollute one’s lungs when fresh mountain air is only a hop, skip and a jump away. We took part in the Golden Tour, which involves catching a boat from Lucerne and cruising along it to Alpnachstad. From there, the steepest cog-wheel train in the world (48% gradient) takes one up the grand Mount Pilatus. Some say the origin of the name Pilatus is a reference to Pontius Pilate, they believe his ashes were scattered from the mountain into a nearby lake – others believe it is from the latin origin of the word. Whatever the case, the views from the mountain are truly spectacular as you can see below.

It is worth stopping half-way down on the way back by gondola at Frakmuntegg, to sip in the views and take a spot of lunch or a drink. There is an amusement park which includes toboganning for those who are interested in that kind of thing. You can also watch paragliders as they hurtle through the sky taking in the awe-inspiring scene that has bewitched travellers for years and continues to do so.

Shuab Parvez – September, 2011

It is a heart-rending account of the pre and post-Pol Pot years and gives a real insight into what the country was like in addition to the surrounding Vietnam and Laos during the turbulent years of war. The depiction of some of the scenes are shocking as you realise how ruthless and lacking in compassion, the Khmer Rouge were, when they evacuated Phnom Penh. Many of the evacuees were frail and hospitalised but brutally thrown out on to the streets to make the arduous journey into the countryside. There is the issue of the American capitulation, leading Cambodians to fend for themselves against a killer regime and the stoical attitude of the French who were ultimately powerless to save native Cambodians from a ferocious campaign of vengeance perpetrated by uneducated mostly country boys. What struck me most was how little Western journalists and expatriates did to protect their Cambodian wives – as Jon Swain notes, they could easily have married them under French law in the Embassy and issue them with a foreign passport thus saving them from the Khmer Rouge’s genocidal clutches. I was also struck by how many of the ex-patriates, particularly the war reporters were portrayed as masochistically enjoying some elements of the war – how some of the French, ever conscious of the subordination by Germany during the Second World War, intentionally tried to test themselves in the heat of battle – whether in Vietnam or Cambodia. An interesting comparison is made between how the French colonised compared to the British – while the British, according to Jon Swain usually viewed the natives as inferior and did not encourage racial mixing, the French were much more accepting and married into the communities. There is an element of romanticism in Jon Swain’s book which he rightly acknowledges, but it is an important insight into what attracted Westerners, particularly the French and later the Americans to Indo-China. There are also great passages that remind one of how Phnom Penh was once the pearl of Indo-China and how it is such an achievement that it bounced back from such a dark past.

Shuab Parvez – August, 2011