I got a call around 9.00 pm on Wednesday, 19th July, if I could organise a literary event for Shashi Tharoor on the following Tuesday. He was in the country for a tour of talks with ISIS. I told Phillip Mathew that I would have to think about it and that I would call him the next day. But even before I put down the phone, I had already decided to do it.

Anyway due to the short notice, I was not able to get any more of his book at a reasonable cost. I sent out the emails immediately the next day though. When I spoke with Shashi Tharoor on Monday, he asked me if anyone would turn up given the short notice. He said he wouldn't mind a small group in any case.

On the 25th we had about 100 people at Silverfish Books by the time Shashi got in about 6.50pm. The air conditioners simply gave up, but no one wanted to move for fear of loosing their place in the crowded bookshop.

Shashi Tharoor came and conquered, in his inimitable style. He read from his books Nehru and Bookless in Bagdad, and although he insisted that it was a literary event, everyone wanted to know about what he would do it he got the UN top job.

He left at 8.30pm after signing some books, which some people had brought, and some other people successfully bid in an auction that was held of the limited titles available at Silverfish Books. It was decided that the proceeds would go to the Bombay blast victims. (In fact, one of the books auctioned was actually donated by Puan Sri Molina who had gone into so much trouble to get the book in the first place. She was successful in her bid for another book. That was a wonderful gesture, Puan Sri.)

It was not an event many will forget in a hurry.