Pint of Purple: Raghav Bali

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Boar’s Deputy Editor, Raghav Bali, answers our bookish questions in the latest Pint of Purple.

What book are you reading at the moment?

Introductory Econometrics by J.M Woolridge – the characters are a bit one-dimensional, the plot is quite long-winded but I’m still hoping for an explosive climax. Before the exam period though, I finished Roger Ebert’s memoir Life Itself. It’s a really insightful read from a man close to some of the cinematic greats like Martin Scorsese, Werner Herzog and Errol Morris. He was arguably the most famous film critic in the world, but he was without doubt an inspiration for a lot of cinephiles like myself.

Who is your favourite literary character?

It’s probably a toss-up between Captain Haddock and Professor Calculus from The Adventures of Tintin. Haddock taught me the beauty of swearing and the perils of drinking while Calculus is just undeniably hilarious in so many ways, so I guess it could go either way.

What is the first book you remember reading?

Well when I was very young I was pretty rubbish at English comprehension so my dad pulled out a random book from the local Borders (R.I.P.) and made me underline every word I didn’t know the meaning of. That book happened to be Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and once Harry got to Hogwarts there was a lot of underlining.

What is your all-time favourite book?

The closest thing I have to a favourite book is probably Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. I’m a sucker for any kind of storytelling that involves some sort of dystopia, but it’s incredible how subtly the idea is placed in the story. It also never really fits the bill of one genre. It’s sort of a quasi-science-fiction-coming-of-age novel, but to talk too much of the plot would be to ruin the experience. All I’ll say is that the book will emotionally cripple you by the end, and fortunately the film adaptation is just as fantastic.

If you wrote an autobiography, what would be the title?

It’s only really the rich and famous that write autobiographies isn’t it? Then maybe something along the lines of: From Rags to Riches. Of course I’m going to have to insist on having Penguin Classics publish it for that added tinge of narcissism.

Kindle vs. Book?

Kindles make for good coasters I guess. In all seriousness, why would I give up the experience of smelling a pristine new paperback or a dodgy old copy from the charity shop over a Kindle that’ll likely just smell the same all throughout it’s life? I’m surprised no one uses this argument more; it’s clearly the most logical one out there.

How much is a pint of purple?

£12 for 8. That’s how everyone buys it.