Hello! This edition of Lit Visions is a podcast with Akhil Aryan, technology entrepreneur and content creator - where we discuss Hermann Hesse’s timeless novel, Siddhartha.

It feels particularly appropriate given that I am currently living in a small Ashram on the banks on the River Ganges:

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My guest today is Akhil Aryan who is a technology entrepreneur and content creator. He has built and sold multiple businesses and is currently the co-founder and CEO of Altergo, a company whose software is helping accelerate Earth's transition to new energy. Akhil is also on a personal mission to 'enable everyone to do their life's best work'. He creates content on topics related to business, philosophy, decision making and financial freedom.

We first met in 2014 on a startup accelerator program at Google Campus in London, where we bonded over entrepreneurship, spirituality and creative expression. In a recent catchup, our conversation turned to literature, specifically Hermann Hesse's novel Siddhartha - and we ended up discussing the book on this podcast.

Siddhartha is a philosophical story that follows the journey of a young man who is on a quest for enlightenment. It's a novel that I first read as a teenager and have come back to, every few years. It has always offered me new perspective, meaning and even refuge during turbulent times.

Now what I really love about this conversation with Akhil is that it takes places in parallel dimensions. In the first, we're talking about the book. And in the second, we are applying the lens of Siddhartha to everyday life and work situations. I've always felt that fiction and reality share a powerful bridge and episodes like this one only reinforce my belief.

It was truly a pleasure speaking with Akhil. He is one of the most fascinating people I've ever met and I'm sure this won't be the last time he appears on this podcast.

Listen on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.

Where you can find us:

Say hi to Akhil on IG: www.instagram.com/akhilaryanofficial Say hi to Dhru on IG: www.instagram.com/dhrupadkarwa Say hi to Dhru of Twitter: www.twitter.com/dhrupadkarwa

Mentioned in this episode:

Lit Visions - for essays, podcasts and speculative fiction Siddhartha by Herman Hesse Being and Nothingness by Jean-Paul Sartre

Show notes:0:00 - Introduction 02:42 - What Siddhartha means to Akhil03:31 - Akhil as Siddhartha07:41 - On knowing yourself 10:35 - Subject-Object relationships12:30 - Siddhartha’s different personas14:50 - I can think. I can wait. I can fast.19:55 - Thoughts are maps, Actions are vehicles22:05 - What is essence?29:05 - Why I am? Who I am?32:57 - Siddhartha does not procrastinate37:15 - The power of clarity39:08 - Difference between truth and meaning42:45 - The mystery of Siddhartha44:14 - Akhil's sequence of sentences48:15 - On Govinda57:03 - Hermann Hesse’s depression01:02:46 - Why should someone read Siddhartha

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit litvisions.substack.com

Hello! Today’s edition of Lit Visions is a podcast with Gregory David Roberts, author of the internationally best-selling novel, Shantaram.

The conversation happened in 2021 and was first published on a different podcast. But given the timelessness of its themes and overlap with Lit Visions, I am delighted to resurrect it here.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Lit Visions is a newsletter about fiction, reality and the space in between. Subscribe for free to receive weekly posts:

Today’s episode is with Gregory David Roberts (GDR), author of Shantaram, a breathtaking novel set in 1980s Bombay that’s sold over six million copies and hailed as a 'masterpiece'.

His latest book is The Spiritual Path which describes the step-by-step process he followed in search of spiritual connection. In his own words:

“The Spiritual Path is a book on spiritual matters that my younger self wanted desperately: one that offers more answers than questions, and helps to reset the spiritual compass.”

GDR also produces music from a studio in Jamaica. He has lived an insanely adventurous life: from being on the run as Australia's most wanted man to forging passports for the Bombay mafia to going off the grid for 6 years, in pursuit of a spiritual master.

In the 71 minutes of conversation, GDR shares wisdom, perspectives and stories that are sure to resonate with listeners. He's a master of his craft and an embodiment of inspiration. It’s an episode that I will never forget.

Where you can find us:

GDR on Instagram: instagram.com/gdr_shantaramGDR on Twitter: twitter.com/GDR_ShantaramDhru on Instagram: instagram.com/dkarwaDhru on Twitter: twitter.com/dhrupadkarwa

Mentioned in the episode:

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts

The Mountain Shadow by Gregory David Roberts

The Spiritual Path by Gregory David Roberts

GDR on Spotify

Lit Visions - for essays, podcasts, speculative fiction and novel suggestions

Show notes:

0:00 - Introduction1:07 - On never giving up4:32 - Finding inspiration in prison12:54 - Writing 'The Spiritual Path'20:03 - Spirituality and Creation27:34 - His relationship with ambition42:32 - The power of music46:50 - How GDR self-identifies50:31 - India and Jamaica55:40 - AI Idea Jam x Spirituality1:01:12 - When GDR inspired others1:04:27 - Future of AI

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit litvisions.substack.com

Hello! This edition of Lit Visions is a podcast with author Eliot Peper - it was recorded last year but the insights couldn’t be more relevant.

Before we dive in, here are some recent posts you might enjoy:

* News2Novel #14 - Chips, Lost Fishermen and Covid in China

* Elon Should Read 1930s Chinese Sci-Fi - to get us to Mars (narratively)

* Procrastination, Dostoevsky and Infinite Novel Theory | Jordan Castro

As ever, do share Lit Visions with anyone who’s intrigued by fiction, reality and the liminal space in between:

Now onto the podcast.

Today, I speak with someone whom I discovered through my previous guest, James Yu, the co-founder of Sudowrite. Back in May, James tweeted about a new novel called Reap3r, which he described as "cerebral near future sci-fi grounded in reality". I was pretty intrigued so I bought the book and messaged the author, Eliot Peper - who was kind enough to reply and be present for this podcast.

Eliot is based in Oakland, California and is the author of ten novels! His works have received amazing reviews from people and organisations like Seth Godin, The New York Times Book Review and Popular Science.

And his latest book, Reap3r has again captured imaginations around the world. The story follows a quantum computer scientist, virologist, podcaster, venture capitalist, and assassin - who all collide and change the course of future history. It's a gripping adventure that weaves a number of complex themes in wonderful tapestry - themes like ambition, secrecy, transgression, the price of progress and how technology shapes our lives and world.

Now in our conversation, Eliot shares his inspiration for Reap3r but we mainly discuss other topics such as:

* How speculative fiction can be a tool for social change

* The future's relationship with the present

* What are the best ways to sell novels

* And the role of place in storytelling, looking specifically at his home city, Oakland, in California

We also reflect on Eliot's creative influences like William Gibson and towards the end, we even speculate on the future of fiction.

This is a long conversation but I highly recommend listening to it in full. Eliot has a fascinating perspective - on almost everything - and it's a pleasure to see him think. I hope you enjoy it.

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and YouTube.

Where you can find us:

Eliot on Twitter: twitter.com/eliotpeper Dhru on Twitter: twitter.com/dhrupadkarwa

Mentioned in the episode:

Reap3r by Eliot Peper

Lit Visions - for essays, podcasts, speculative fiction and novel suggestions

The Golden Gate by Vikram Seth

1984 by George Orwell

Star Wars (Original Trilogy)

The Martian by Andy Weir

Pattern Recognition by William Gibson

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler

Show notes:

0:00 - Introduction 02:30 - What fiction means to Eliot05:48 - On being a reader first, a writer second10:37 - Parallels between writing and startups15:50 - Idea of 'Bias to Action'17:40 - Thinking of novels as products20:00 - Selling novels by word-of-mouth growth28:10 - How people value fiction today35:50 - Nuances between fiction and non-fiction39:00 - Gifting books to friends40:15 - Inspiration for Reap3r46:50 - Role of place in storytelling56:50 - What is speculative fiction?01:01:27 - Being present vs Living in the future01:04:53 - Prediction in near-future sci-fi01:06:40 - "Science fiction isn't serious literature"01:09:00 - On utopias and dystopias01:13:50 - Fiction as a tool for social change01:18:54 - The power of metaphors01:20:14 - Speculating on the future of fiction01:28:00 - 'Pattern Recognition' by William Gibson

Thanks for reading Lit Visions! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit litvisions.substack.com

Hello! I’m excited to share my first podcast of the year :)

As a quick reminder, here’s how I’m approaching Lit Visions for the next few months:

* I’ll be publishing twice per week:

* News2Novel on Tuesdays

* Essays, podcasts or speculative fiction on Thursdays

* All posts will be themed around fiction, reality and the liminal space in between

You can help me out by sharing Lit Visions with friends, family, colleagues and anyone else who might find it interesting:

Thanks a ton for your support. Now, onto the podcast.

If you have ever procrastinated on the internet, then you'll probably relate to this conversation with Jordan Castro.

He is a novelist whose debut novel is actually called The Novelist and it is just fascinating. The story is set over the course of a single morning, where a writer is trying to pen an autobiographical novel in Google Docs. But just keeps getting distracted by Twitter, Instagram, daily rituals and his own mind. Each act of procrastination prompts an intriguing and often comedic psychic reflection on the nature of language, consciousness, technology and addiction.

Now in our conversation, we discuss Jordan's book and dive into a number of tangential topics such as:

* The power of saying a lot, using little

* Attention spans and whether they are actually on the decline

* Social media and how as we build it, it is building us

* Drug addiction and lessons from sobriety

* Infinite universe theory and what it means for the novel

* and lots more...

What struck me about Jordan was not just how he thinks but also his humility. He's a really chilled out guy and has a rare talent for traversing complex terrain in a way that's light and super fun. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and YouTube.

Where you can find us:

Jordan on Twitter: twitter.com/jordan_castro2Dhru on Twitter: twitter.com/dhrupadkarwa

Mentioned in the episode:

The Novelist by Jordan Castro

Lit Visions - for essays, podcasts, speculative fiction and novel suggestions

Frost by Thomas Bernhard

The works of Tao Lin

Orthodoxy by G. K. Chesterton

The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki

A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Cat Country by Lao She

Omon Ra by Victor Pelevin

The Courage to Be by Paul Tillich

Dynamics of Faith by Paul Tillich

Show notes:

0:00 - Introduction02:08 - What fiction means to Jordan02:56 - His journey as a poet05:30 - The art of distillation07:15 - Time well spent08:05 - Attention spans and social media17:40 - The Novelist by Jordan Castro25:30 - On machines and AI34:24 - Animals, Objects and Animism43:15 - Reality, Paradoxes and Individualism48:09 - Infinite Novel Theory51:30 - Drugs and lessons from getting sober56:45 - Lightning round

You probably know someone who would love this episode… Share the joy with them :)

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit litvisions.substack.com

In this debut episode, I speak with James Yu, who is a writer, technologist and artist, based in San Francisco. James is the co-founder of Sudowrite, the AI assistant for creative writers, and he also makes art that explores how technology mediates our everyday experience. The conversation largely explores fiction through the lens of technology. 

We cover topics such as: fiction's relationship with AI, the tension between craft and technology, how writers can adopt and leverage new tools and how society's need for fiction has changed over the years.  

Say hi to James on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jamesjyu

Say hi to James on Instagram: www.instagram.com/jamesyu

Say hi to Dhru on Twitter: www.twitter.com/dhrupadkarwa

Say hi to Dhru on Instagram: www.instagram.com/dkarwa

Show notes:



0:00 - Introduction

1:55 - What fiction means to James

3:23 - On engineering and writing  

6:53 - AI and creative tools

14:02 - Tension between craft and technology

16:15 - Robin Sloan on 'stock and flow'

18:28 - Poisonous ideal of log cabin writers

19:50 - Kazuo Ishiguro on social media

22:55 - Books written by AIs

29:33 - Human++ and Digital Muses

30:40 - Relationships with books and authors

32:05 - Combinatorial creativity

38:35 - The ego

44:39 - Society's need for fiction

52:20 - How novels serve us

54:50 - Future of storytelling

58:53 - On Ted Chiang and T.C. Boyle

1:02:55 - Future of Fiction  



Links:



Sudowrite: www.sudowrite.com

Robin Sloan on 'stock and flow': www.snarkmarket.com/2010/4890

Kazuo Ishiguro on social media: www.wordfest.com/2021/watch/kazuo-ishiguro-on-social-media

Ted Chiang's short stories: www.newyorker.com/culture/persons-of-interest/ted-chiangs-soulful-science-fiction

T.C. Boyle: www.tcboyle.com

Lit Visions: www.litvisions.substack.com

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit litvisions.substack.com