Amitav Ghosh on ‘The Great Derangement’

The Great Derangement: Climate Change And The Unthinkable
Penguin Random House India

Amitav Ghosh’s latest work of non-fiction, tackles the murky subject of global warming. Weaving in lessons from history, politics, culture and literature, the master storyteller forces readers to reassess the perils of climate change.

What made you focus on climate change?
“I’ve been thinking about this subject for a long time — especially after writing The Hungry Tide. The freakish weather of recent years certainly played a part in creating a sense of urgency. Many of these touched my life in various ways: the Mumbai deluge of 2005, Superstorm Sandy, etc.”

How does the book tackle the subject differently?
“Naomi Klein says that it is written in such a way ‘that even a well-trodden subject is blown wide open’. I hope it brings a different perspective and that it will make readers ask questions about which things are really important in our lives.”