Pico Iyer
Life and Parents: The essay “Why We Travel” has been written by British
essayist and novelist Siddharth Pico Raghavan Iyer. He was born on 11th February
1957. He is himself a reputed traveler. His parents belong to India. He is born at
England in Oxford. His father’s name is Raghavan N Iyer, and his mother’s name
is Nandini Nanak Mehta. His parents grew up in India and later in their life went to
England for Studies. He has been living at Japan in Nara. He has married with a
Japan’s wife.
Education and Work: Iyer has good command upon academics. He was King’s
Scholar at Eton College. He was honored by Oxford University Congratulatory
Double First in English Literature. He has completed his second masters at
Harvard University. He was awarded an honorary doctorate by Chapman
University. He taught Writing and Literature at Harvard University. He was a
renowned writer of Times Magazine, The New York Review Books, The New
York Times, etc. His topics in these magazines were mostly upon culture, sports,
films, mysticism, globalism etc. He is a good speaker and had participated at many
literary festivals and universities throughout the world.
Works and Contribution: He has been a well known writer and is the author of
15 books which are translated in to 23 languages. His important works are: “Video
Night in Kathmandu: Ad Other Reports from the Not-so-Far East”, “The Lady and
the Monk: Four Seasons in Kyoto”, “Falling Off the Map: Some Lonely Places of
the World”, “The Global Soul: Jet Lag, Shopping Malls, and the Search for Home”
“The Art of Stillness: Adventures in Going Nowhere” and “Autumn Light: Season
of Fire and Farewells”.
Themes: He was born and grown up in multi cultures and counties. This is why
that his works reflect his life of multi cultures. His works are mixture of English,
American, and Indian cultures. As he has traveled throughout the world and so
travel is one of the best themes in most of his works. He has defined himself in
these lines as ‘a multinational soul on a multinational globe’.
