Reincarnation, Food & Memory: AMITAV GHOSH on What Connects Us in an Age of Climate Crisis

Reincarnation, Food & Memory: AMITAV GHOSH on What Connects Us in an Age of Climate Crisis

Author: Mia Funk June 22, 2026 Duration: 41:49

“Imagining with precision is a very fundamental part of my work. When I sit down to write about anything, whether it be The Hungry Tide in the Sundarbans, or let's say The Shadow Lines, or Ghost-Eye. It's very important for me to get the topography right, to get the outlay of the streets or the house exactly right so I can actually picture all of that in my head. It's very important for me to have a sort of pictorial sense of what I'm seeing and what I'm writing about. Before I can write about it, I need to see it, as it were. So that's absolutely fundamental to my craft. That's just how I go about it. Like the Sufis say—behind the apparent reality is a hidden or batin reality. “

In this episode of the Speaking Out of Place podcast, Professor David Palumbo-Liu talks with Amitav Ghosh about his new novel, Ghost-Eye. The novel is about reincarnation, but also a lot more. In our conversation we talk about the need to address the terrible set of environmental and other crises we face, and the seeming foreclosure of the imagination by the obsession with technology and the future it offers to us. Instead, we look to how we can fashion beginnings out of endings, aided by a renewed sense of wonder, curiosity, and awe. We turn to the body, to the haptic, and perhaps most important, to food as more than simply nourishment. In all this, story-telling, the revival of connections between living beings, and a deep sense of other times and places are central.

(0:56) Planetary Crisis and Accelerating Disasters

(3:50) The Lasting Impact of The Hungry Tide

(5:00) Storytelling and the Existential Crisis

(8:26) Imagining with Precision in Literature

(12:46) The Denuded Human Existence and AI

(15:37) Artisanal Intelligence vs. Artificial Intelligence

(17:57) Food, Industrial Agriculture, and Memory

(21:16) Cultural Assimilation Through Cooking

(24:12) The Sociability and Joy of Cooking

(27:57) The Failure of the Humanities

(31:38) The Role of the Narrator

(35:27) Regaining Our Sense of Wonder

(37:04) Past Life Memories and Circular Temporality

Episode Website

www.palumbo-liu.com https://speakingoutofplace.com Bluesky @palumboliu.bsky.social Instagram @speaking_out_of_place


Hosted by Mia Funk, The Creative Process delves into the inner workings of the artistic mind. This podcast is built on intimate conversations with a remarkable range of voices-from authors and filmmakers to dancers, scientists, and activists. Each episode moves beyond the finished product to explore the life, discipline, and unique practice that shape a creator's work. You'll hear from recipients of the world's highest honors, including Oscars, Emmys, and Pulitzer Prizes, as they share unfiltered experiences and hard-won wisdom. The discussions naturally span a wide spectrum of human expression and concern, touching on books, film, theatre, and music, while also engaging with critical themes like social justice, climate change, and technology. What unites these conversations is a deep curiosity about how creativity functions not just in the studio, but as a force in culture and society. Listening feels like being a fly on the wall for a thoughtful, meandering talk where the focus is always on the person behind the craft. It’s a chance to understand how diverse thinkers navigate challenges, find inspiration, and contribute to the broader dialogue through their art and advocacy. This isn't about quick tips or superficial interviews; it's a sustained look at the motivations and methods that drive meaningful creative work across disciplines.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

The Creative Process · Arts, Culture & Society: Books, Film, Music, TV, Art, Writing, Creativity, Education, Environment, Theatre, Dance, LGBTQ, Climate Change, Social Justice, Spirituality, Feminism, Tech, Sustainability
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