A Famous Tiger Automaton Animates the Novel “Loot”

KQED's Forum

KQED

Politics, News, News Commentary

4.6 • 656 Ratings

🗓️ 17 July 2023

⏱️ 56 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

One of the most prized objects in London’s Victoria and Albert Museum is a life-size wooden tiger automaton that bellows and roars as it chomps into the neck of a very unfortunate British soldier. Crafted in the late 18th century in Mysore, India, this fascinating creation is at the center of Tania James’ new novel of historical fiction “Loot.” The story follows Abbas, a 17-year old, the tiger’s creator, as he travels from India to Europe and encounters a Dickensian cast of characters from noblemen to foes and friends that are all part of this epic quest. As reviewers note, the novel offers a “wry awareness of the distorting function of racism and colonialism.” We talk to James about her book. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Support for KQIWED podcasts comes from Rancho LaPuerta, a wellness resort 45 minutes from San Diego.
0:07.2	Summer packages of three, four, or seven nights include hiking, mindfulness, and culinary adventures with farm-fresh ingredients.
0:15.0	Rancho LaPuerta.com.
0:17.0	Greetings, boomtown.
0:18.4	The Xfinity Wi-Fi is booming!
0:20.7	Xfinity combines the power of internet and mobile.
0:23.9	So we've all got lightning fast speeds at home and on the go!
0:27.4	Learn more at Xfinity.com.
0:29.3	Restrictions apply.
0:30.0	Xfinity Internet required.
0:31.1	Actual speeds vary.
0:33.3	From KQED.
0:46.2	Music From KQED. From KQED in San Francisco, I'm Alexis Madrigal.
0:50.2	There are big stories about colonialism, the ways that European countries traded with, culturally infiltrated and conquered large chunks of the globe.
0:59.0	And it's important to tell those stories.
1:01.0	But amidst the world historical, there are always regular people trying to make their way.
1:06.0	And a handful of those folks, Indians and Europeans, around the turn of the 18th century,
1:12.0	formed the intricate, beautiful novel lute
1:14.5	by our guest this morning, Tanya James.
1:16.9	The New York Times called it addictively absorbing.
1:19.3	Publishers Weekly called it a roaring tiger of a novel,
1:22.7	and it is those things,
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from KQED, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of KQED and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.