Episode 10 | Madhur Anand

"Writing is something that I really come at as a writer. And I think, like many writers, we all bring our, our lenses to what we write. Science--now I'm realizing more and more—it's a language, it's an entire language. Which, of course, has a culture associated with it as all languages do. And I bring that language and culture to my writing"

In this episode, Madhur Anand challenges the divide between art and science and proposes new structures for writing, informed by the natural world. 

She discusses:

• Her Governor-General-Award-Winning memoirThis Red Line Goes Straight to Your Heart and taking on the voice of her own parents (1:06)
• The turbulent history of Partition and how it influenced her family history and also the structure and style of the memoir (6:29)
• Telling many stories at once—“Aapbeeti or jag beeti?” My story or the story of the world? (7:50)
• Using constraints in both scientific inquiry and writing (11:05)
• Helping students move beyond superficial editing to actually re-vision their drafts (12:40)
• How both studying science and reading poetry can increase our empathy (15:47)

Guest bio:

Dr. MadhurAnandis the author of the experimental memoirThis Red Line Goes Straight to Your Heart, the poetry collection A New Index for Predicting Catastrophes, and several other literary works published in national and international literary magazines. She is a professor of ecology and sustainability at the University of Guelph, where she was appointed the inaugural Director of the Guelph Institute for Environmental Research.

About the Podcast:

Parallel Careers is a monthly podcast about the dual lives of writers who teach. Few writers make their living from publication alone; many fill the gaps with teaching in both academic and community settings. Much of the work is precarious, and there are few opportunities for professional development.

Parallel Careers features writers with diverse practices and points of view—writers who are at the top of their game in both craft and pedagogy. Tune in to hear the big ideas and practical tips they take into their classrooms. Take their insights into your own class or craft.

Credits:

Parallel Careers is produced by Claire Tacon, in partnership with The New Quarterly Magazine. Erin MacIndoe Sproule is our Technical Producer and Story Editor. Music composed by Amadeo Ventura. Financial and in-kind support provided by the Region of Waterloo Arts Fund, St. Jerome’s University, and the Government of Canada.

The music you heard in this episode was composed by Amadeo Ventura. You can hear more of his music at amadeoventura.weebly.com.

Visit TNQ.ca to access more of Madhur Anand’swriting and teaching tips, including web extras about accessibility in CanLit andher tips for teaching online. If you like our podcast, please leave a review—it really helps other listeners find our show! Thank you!