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My Life My Style: Jeet Thayil

The man is an island

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Weekend Team
Last Updated : Feb 23 2013 | 12:10 AM IST
Best work moment:
First thing in the morning

Books on your bedside:
The Bible (King James Version), Roberto Bolano’s Woes of the True Policeman, William Dalrymple’s Nine Lives, a social history of the Aztecs, and The Illustrated World Encyclopedia of Saints

Massage or workout to de-stress:
Yes, please

Designs that have caught your eye recently:
The wigs, caps and retro TWA stylings of Indigo stews

Your IT tools:
My hands

Favourite spirit:
Rivers of whiskey, oceans of wine

Favourite wine:
Red

Favourite champagne:
Free

Your sleeping ritual:
I shut my eyes & think of literachure

Favourite TV show:
Don’t own television

Best gift received:
The gift of sobriety

Best gift given:
The gift of attention

Favourite cuisine:
Cantonese

What food items do you like to shop for?:
Wine, coffee, dark chocolate (in that order)

Newspaper TV channels and websites you prefer:
I live in a house with no television, no newspapers, no Internet, no wife, no children, no pets

Where do you like to sit when being driven? Upfront with driver of back seat like sahib?:
In the back, because I’m so rarely driven

On a plane do you prefer to network, sleep or catch up on films and reading?:
Whatever gets me through the night.

Fancy coffee or masala tea:
Coffee without contaminants, ie sugar or milk

What do you cook on your day off:
I don’t have days off

Do you fill customer feedback forms? Why?:
No, because I try not to write for free

Are you a beach or mountain person?:
I prefer the city

Your Favourite city:
Too many to list here

What’s your fragrance?:
Opium

You get your work clothes from:
The closet

The shoemaker you trust your sole with?:
Mr Christoph, in a tiny shop off the Langstrasse in Zurich

Your shaving mantra:
Electric

The gels and oils and lotions you swear by:
I don’t swear, except with friends

Your favourite evening wear:
A little black dress and high heels

What’s your weekday breakfast like? And weekend?:
Muesli, yoghurt, fruit

Your current set of wheels:
Dented, not to mention tainted

In the car is it sleep or cell for you?:

I try not to sleep since I drive myself

God for you is:
Good, mostly

Favourite café:
The Bagel (Bandra)

Favourite restaurant:
Alice’s

Workday lunch is:
Vegetarian

Your workout regime:
Irregular, haphazard, contingent, improvised

Your ideal holiday:
A city I haven’t seen before

Your ideal dance music:
Black & funky

At parties do you like to talk turkey or make PC?:
I talk turkey only at parties

A few of your goddesses are:
Indian

Alpha males you know:
In the pound

Your favourite motto:
These errors are correct
Jeet Thayil
Author

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First Published: Feb 23 2013 | 12:10 AM IST

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