Stories are the best kind of magic: Joanne Harris

Popular English writer Joanne Harris of 'Chocolat' fame feels stories are the best kind of magic one can find and is happy to be part of that experience. Inaugurating the six-day Tata Steel Kolkata Literary Meet here on Wednesday, Harris said just as magic has the power to change things, stories can recreate that magical experience.

The writer of bestsellers 'The Lollipop Shoes', 'Peaches for Father Francis' and 'The Strawberry Thief' said, ever since 'Chocolat' became a bestseller, she received thousands of letters from her readers. "I had no idea how the tales impacted (the readers), but certainly everyone recognised some part of themselves and their family with my tale," Harris said.

Recalling the experience after 'Chocolat' became a bestseller, Harris said she was in "a state of surprise, shock and gratitude" as the title hit the stands in different countries. Harris, whose parents were teachers of modern languages and literature at a grammar school, joked, "I can see the number of teachers and students in the audience. I hope teachers and students have not been coaxed to come here.

"My mother was a French woman and my father an English man. Both were teahers and they loved books. Our house did not have much furniture but many books," she said. Going back to her school days, Harris said, "A school is a factory of stories." Welcoming Harris, the authorities of the literary meet said, "Her stories travel from page to screen (Chocolat), city to city, country to country and language to language" The festival, which will have discourse and talk shows on wide ranging topics - from literature, cinema, arts and politics, has an enviable line-up from Shashi Tharoor, Swapan Dasgupta to actor Vinay Pathak, sportsman Pullela Gopichand and classical musician Hari Prasad Chaurasia.

It is being held on the lawns of Victoria Memorial till January 27..

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