We’re thrilled to announce that Rohin Guha is joining The Aerogram team as a contributing editor. Many readers will recognize Guha for his memorable and incisive pop commentary on Iggy Azalea and Priyanka Chopra. Rohin’s work has also appeared in The Rumpus, New York Magazine, Gawker and other places around the Internets. When we asked him to describe himself, Rohin said this: “I’m part-Detroiter and part-New Yorker and I am still trying to figure out what my signature summer cocktail is. I’m also always perpetually hard at work on my first novel.”
Before we put him to work, we decided to ask him a few more questions.
How would your friends describe you?
I was once described as “rakish” — but I’m not sure if that’s a good thing!
How would you describe yourself?
Always eager to laugh.
Five songs you’re playing on repeat right now?
Well, I picked up an old copy of “1984” yesterday and got absorbed in that. I also finished the entire “Hunger Games” series in a single weekend last fall. I also once read Geri Halliwell’s autobiography, “If Only,” cover-to-cover. It was about her life before, during, and after the Spice Girls and painted her in a remarkably charitable light — it was a pretty stunning work of fiction. Other storytellers who always fascinate me are Haruki Murakami, Aimee Bender, and Banana Yoshimoto. Someone might ask me, “But Rohin, what about Jhumpa Lahiri?” and I’d send them here.
Your claim to fame?
My hair! Seriously though, I had a collection of short stories — “Relief Work” — released a few years ago, through Birds of Lace. It was a wonderful and cathartic experience getting to literally release those stories from my universe to the general public so I could continue putting together other work.
Why The Aerogram?
We’re all on the same page about what’s truly at stake with Fox’s “The Mindy Project.”
Signature dish?
Macaroni and cheese — usually the fried kind with Panko bread crumbs.
Dream interviewees?
You know what? I actually hate interviewing artists! It puts them on the spot and then it puts me on the spot and before you know it, everyone is choked up with anxiety. I figure if I have to write a story about hanging out with a performer, can we just meet up for a slice of cake and a coffee and talk about how stupid our exes are, but how we can’t stop making art inspired by them, anyway?
Ideal date?
Oh wait, I think I described that above. But, this is pretty apt as well.
‘We’re all on the same page about what’s truly at stake with Fox’s “The Mindy Project.”’
Love.