NON-FICTION: THE SWING FROM WASIM

NON-FICTION: THE SWING FROM WASIM

A candid autobiography of flawed cricketing superstar Wasim Akram can be disingenuous at times around some issues, but is also... Published 09 Jul, 2023 07:57am
NON-FICTION: LIFE LESSONS FOR WOMEN

NON-FICTION: LIFE LESSONS FOR WOMEN

An anthology of life stories about diverse women may be inspirational to some expatriates living in Dubai but might find little...
Published 09 Jul, 2023 07:55am
POETRY: A POET OF THE EARTH

POETRY: A POET OF THE EARTH

A debut collection of Sindhi poetry candidly narrates the problems of the present day and elevates them to an artistic pedestal
Published 09 Jul, 2023 07:50am
COLUMN: CHANGING LANGUAGES

COLUMN: CHANGING LANGUAGES

That we make mistakes is true not just for the acquired languages we use — English and Persian, for instance — but also for when
Published 09 Jul, 2023 07:41am
FICTION: BREAKING LITERARY BOUNDARIES

FICTION: BREAKING LITERARY BOUNDARIES

Mushir Anwar’s posthumously published novel stretches the boundaries of the Pakistani novel in English and offers a captivating...
Published 02 Jul, 2023 07:59am
NON-FICTION: BEING AND BELONGING

NON-FICTION: BEING AND BELONGING

A compilation of 15 essays by Pakistani women tackles issues of what it means to be Pakistani, and how do the writers express...
Published 02 Jul, 2023 07:53am
COLUMN: Linguistic hierarchies

COLUMN: Linguistic hierarchies

Ayesha Manazir Siddiqi’s debut novel, The Centre, takes readers into a cutthroat world of language, translation ...
Published 25 Jun, 2023 05:15am
NON-FICTION: Bitter harvests

NON-FICTION: Bitter harvests

A meticulously researched book covers the background to the waxing and waning of Pakistan-US ties
Published 25 Jun, 2023 05:15am
NON-FICTION: Never giving up

NON-FICTION: Never giving up

A book based on interviews of the last surviving prosecutor of the Nuremberg Trials, who passed away recently, is a tale of...
Published 25 Jun, 2023 05:15am
FICTION: Ghosts in the mirror

FICTION: Ghosts in the mirror

A compilation of 21 deeply moving short stories built on the events of Partition, by Pakistani and Indian writers, challenges...
Published 25 Jun, 2023 05:15am
COLUMN: FASHION AND CREATIVITY

COLUMN: FASHION AND CREATIVITY

I feel both privileged and sad to share that I was the buyer of one of the last books sold by London’s famous Al...
Published 18 Jun, 2023 07:09am
FICTION: A ROOM OF ONE'S OWN

FICTION: A ROOM OF ONE'S OWN

Well crafted, richly imagined and as funny as it is heart-wrenchingly moving, a debut adult novel from a Young Adult writer...
Published 18 Jun, 2023 07:09am
NON-FICTION: AN INSIGHT INTO BENAZIR

NON-FICTION: AN INSIGHT INTO BENAZIR

As Benazir Bhutto’s 70th birth anniversary approaches on June 21, Zahid Hussain’s book of interviews with the late former prime...
Published 18 Jun, 2023 07:09am
FICTION: TO THE MANOR BORN

FICTION: TO THE MANOR BORN

A sophomore novel combines the best features of Gothic fiction in a manner sure to satisfy those looking for suspense,
Updated 11 Jun, 2023 07:26am
ESSAY: EVERGREEN EINSTEIN

ESSAY: EVERGREEN EINSTEIN

The sixth instalment of picking books from a personal library worth re-reading…
Published 11 Jun, 2023 07:05am
COLUMN: SHEHERZAD IN PARIS

COLUMN: SHEHERZAD IN PARIS

While we find a colossus of contra-Muslim literature in the mediaeval Latin West on the one hand, there is also to be found pro...
Updated 04 Jun, 2023 02:24pm
NON-FICTION: LAHORE COMPENDIUM

NON-FICTION: LAHORE COMPENDIUM

A city gazetteer revived after 100 years is a first step towards building a replicable template for Pakistan’s other urban centres
Published 04 Jun, 2023 08:21am
NON-FICTION: WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

NON-FICTION: WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy’s new book is a blunt, bold, yet well-informed and well-intentioned study of the outcomes of Pakistan’s...
Published 28 May, 2023 12:42pm
FICTION: THE ESSENCE OF LAHORE

FICTION: THE ESSENCE OF LAHORE

A collection of short stories translated from Punjabi to English takes readers on an immersive and poignant journey through Lahore
Published 28 May, 2023 12:35pm
NON-FICTION: CINEMA SNAPSHOT

NON-FICTION: CINEMA SNAPSHOT

A recap of Pakistan’s film history makes for a worthwhile resource and can be considered a true collector’s item
Published 28 May, 2023 12:27pm
COLUMN: REQUIEM FOR A MAN AND HIS ERA

COLUMN: REQUIEM FOR A MAN AND HIS ERA

“In the short history of the growth of America, if you look closely, there has perhaps been one good and clever man, Lincoln...
Published 28 May, 2023 11:51am
BOOKS IN BRIEF

BOOKS IN BRIEF

This guide on Islamic duas [prayers] aims to steer readers away from unscrupulous ‘faith healers’ and injunctions to recite surahs
Published 28 May, 2023 11:41am
FICTION: A CINEMA, GOLD BARS AND HERBS

FICTION: A CINEMA, GOLD BARS AND HERBS

Alka Joshi’s sophomore novel uses the same characters as her bestselling debut book and delves into a world of corruption, power
Published 21 May, 2023 08:20am
NON-FICTION: FAILING PAKISTANI WOMEN

NON-FICTION: FAILING PAKISTANI WOMEN

A book based on a PhD thesis attempts to provide a panoramic, broad-brush overview of the status of women in Pakistan, but...
Updated 23 May, 2023 12:03pm
FICTION: IMPERFECT FUTURES

FICTION: IMPERFECT FUTURES

A novel centred on video games and gamers is actually about friendship and the power of complex connections
Published 21 May, 2023 08:02am
COLUMN: MY HEART AND GHALIB - III

COLUMN: MY HEART AND GHALIB - III

The hospital twinkles with lights, like a beacon dispelling the darkness of the winter morning. The lobby sparkles. A steady...
Published 21 May, 2023 07:58am
COLUMN: VOTIVE AND PROTECTIVE TALES

COLUMN: VOTIVE AND PROTECTIVE TALES

If someone forgets to listen to the votive tale after a prayer has been answered, something can likely go wrong. However, if...
Published 14 May, 2023 08:17am
FICTION: LOVE AND ITS DELUSIONS

FICTION: LOVE AND ITS DELUSIONS

Athar Tahir returns to fiction with a debut novel about an ageing bureaucrat falling in love with a much younger Thai woman
Published 14 May, 2023 08:17am
NON-FICTION: REINCARNATING BACHA KHAN

NON-FICTION: REINCARNATING BACHA KHAN

A play by a noted Pashto poet and playwright is a tribute to a soul who enlightened Pakhtuns with the light of political...
Published 07 May, 2023 08:01am
FICTION: THE HIT LIST

FICTION: THE HIT LIST

Bestselling American author Peter Swanson’s latest novel is a fast-paced murder mystery in the style of Agatha Christie
Published 07 May, 2023 07:54am
COLUMN: THE MIRROR MAKER

COLUMN: THE MIRROR MAKER

The Institute of Historical and Social Research (IHSR), Karachi — set up by progressive activist-turned-philanthropist Dr Tariq...
Published 07 May, 2023 07:50am
NON-FICTION: HOW WE SAW THE WEST

NON-FICTION: HOW WE SAW THE WEST

Academic, creative writer and poet Najeeba Arif’s latest book, Junoobi Aeshiai Musalmanon Ka Tassavvur-i-Maghrib: Attharveen Sadi
Published 30 Apr, 2023 08:35am
NON-FICTION: NON-FICTION

NON-FICTION: NON-FICTION

Rana Safvi’s translation of Khwaja Hasan Nizami’s documentation of what befell Mughal royalty after the First War of Independence
Published 30 Apr, 2023 08:30am
COLUMN: THIS EARTH OF MANKIND

COLUMN: THIS EARTH OF MANKIND

Late last Sunday evening I was browsing Netflix for a good film to watch when, to my surprise, I found a screen adaptation of one
Published 30 Apr, 2023 08:23am
COLUMN: CTRL-ALT-DEL UIGHUR CULTURE

COLUMN: CTRL-ALT-DEL UIGHUR CULTURE

The Uighurs — Turkic Muslims of China’s Xinjiang province, also known as East Turkestan — suffer from a covert but aggressive..
Published 22 Apr, 2023 07:14am
FICTION: MURDER, SHE WROTE

FICTION: MURDER, SHE WROTE

The fast pace and suspenseful atmosphere of J.K. Rowling’s sixth pseudonymous detective novel makes it very entertaining in spite
Published 22 Apr, 2023 07:14am
NON-FICTION: WITNESS TO HISTORY

NON-FICTION: WITNESS TO HISTORY

Renowned erstwhile PTV newscaster Mahpara Safdar’s autobiography is a must for those interested in the events of the 1970s and ’80
Published 22 Apr, 2023 07:14am
FICTION: A WOMAN IN REBELLION

FICTION: A WOMAN IN REBELLION

A debut novel sensitively explores multi-generational relationships, needs, expectations and obligations and the impact of...
Published 16 Apr, 2023 08:53am
COLUMN: EDUCATION EMERGENCY

COLUMN: EDUCATION EMERGENCY

American author and humorist Mark Twain once said that he never let his schooling interfere with his education. Likewise, Albert
Published 16 Apr, 2023 08:35am
NON-FICTION: THE RHETORIC OF REVOLUTION

NON-FICTION: THE RHETORIC OF REVOLUTION

A selection of editorials, analyses and interviews published in a long-defunct leftist journal from London presents not only a...
Published 09 Apr, 2023 07:57am
FICTION: HUSBANDS AND WIVES

FICTION: HUSBANDS AND WIVES

The latest bestselling novel from a Canadian author comes across almost as a beach read, but it is a page-turner that provokes...
Updated 11 Apr, 2023 11:01am
NON-FICTION: ODE TO POTOHAR

NON-FICTION: ODE TO POTOHAR

A lyrical collection of essays about the region’s history, culture and myths presents complex and layered humans engaged in...
Published 09 Apr, 2023 07:46am
ESSAY: THE SOLACE OF BOB DYLAN

ESSAY: THE SOLACE OF BOB DYLAN

I got hooked on American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan’s music in May 2021. Ammi and Abbu had passed away, one after...
Published 09 Apr, 2023 07:38am
NON-FICTION: THE PATHWAY TO SUCCESS

NON-FICTION: THE PATHWAY TO SUCCESS

Former banker-turned-entrepreneur Nadeem Hussain’s memoirs illustrate his belief that great achievement comes from bold visions
Published 02 Apr, 2023 09:15am
NON-FICTION: EYE ON KARACHI

NON-FICTION: EYE ON KARACHI

Photographer Qamar Bharoocha Bana offers a personal lens on a complex city, helping document its many hidden cultural treasures
Published 02 Apr, 2023 09:10am
LITBUZZ: READY, STEADY, WRITE!

LITBUZZ: READY, STEADY, WRITE!

It’s that time of the year again when women of Pakistani nationality and/or heritage are invited to pour their...
Published 26 Mar, 2023 07:18am
COLUMN: THE COLLECTED IFTIKHAR ARIF

COLUMN: THE COLLECTED IFTIKHAR ARIF

It is not essential for a creative artist to be politically active. But it is essential for any artist of significance to be...
Published 26 Mar, 2023 07:18am
FICTION: A PAKISTAN SUPERHERO

FICTION: A PAKISTAN SUPERHERO

A Pakistani comic book takes on the responsibility of providing a homegrown action icon, as well as encouraging reading among...
Published 26 Mar, 2023 07:18am
NON-FICTION: REFLECTIONS ON A PANDEMIC

NON-FICTION: REFLECTIONS ON A PANDEMIC

A sociologist attempts to grapple with the immense emotional and intellectual strain Covid-19 virus put humankind through,...
Published 26 Mar, 2023 07:18am
FICTION: A FASCINATION WITH DEATH

FICTION: A FASCINATION WITH DEATH

A reissue of the first novel in a Japanese hitmen trilogy is almost film noir in word form: complicated at the beginning, puzzling
Published 19 Mar, 2023 08:22am
NON-FICTION: A WOMAN’S PLACE

NON-FICTION: A WOMAN’S PLACE

An art historian urges readers to take her out-of-the-box book as a means to rethink what is feminist in the cultural context of
Published 19 Mar, 2023 08:12am
COLUMN: MY HEART AND GHALIB – II

COLUMN: MY HEART AND GHALIB – II

‘Constriction’ is a multivalent word. It holds in its depths a slew of emotions. It is like a tight knot of feelings inside your
Published 19 Mar, 2023 08:02am
FICTION: CHANGED EXPECTATIONS

FICTION: CHANGED EXPECTATIONS

Nestled within a sappy romance that makes a novel almost unbearable at times, is a gritty, worthwhile and page-turning mystery
Published 12 Mar, 2023 08:46am
FICTION: SPIRIT OF AFRICA

FICTION: SPIRIT OF AFRICA

Sudanese-Scottish writer Leila Aboulela’s sixth novel, River Spirit, maintains the high standards set by her...
Published 12 Mar, 2023 08:41am
COLUMN: HEER IN ENGLISH

COLUMN: HEER IN ENGLISH

One of Punjab’s most revered folktales, the love story of Heer and Ranjha, turned into a great epic when, in the 18th century,...
Published 12 Mar, 2023 08:21am
LITBUZZ

LITBUZZ

Earlier this year, organisers of the Lahore Literary Festival (LLF) announced a contest for young,...
Published 05 Mar, 2023 07:13am
FICTION: A NEW BEGINNING

FICTION: A NEW BEGINNING

In a sequel to the hugely popular ‘chick-lit’ novel It Ends With Us, the author satisfies her audience’s desire for romance...
Published 26 Feb, 2023 07:58am
LITBUZZ: ARRESTING AI DEVELOPMENT

LITBUZZ: ARRESTING AI DEVELOPMENT

The United States-based magazine Clarkesworld — one of the rare paying publishers of science fiction and fantasy...
Published 26 Feb, 2023 07:45am
IN MEMORIAM: THE POET OF LOVE

IN MEMORIAM: THE POET OF LOVE

Amjad Islam Amjad, who passed away February 10, was, in the jargon of mushaira organisers, a ‘crowd-puller’. His immense...
Published 19 Feb, 2023 08:50am
NON-FICTION: FLAME OF THE SELF

NON-FICTION: FLAME OF THE SELF

Andrea Wulf traces the birth of Romanticism to a small town in Germany and explains complex ideas in simple and seductive prose
Published 19 Feb, 2023 08:36am
COLUMN: ECO-FEMINISM AND POWER

COLUMN: ECO-FEMINISM AND POWER

In South Asia, where women are often subjected to a lot of pressure, climate change is also an urgent problem....
Published 19 Feb, 2023 08:28am
LITBUZZ: PABLO WAS POISONED

LITBUZZ: PABLO WAS POISONED

On Sept 23, 1973, Chilean poet Pablo Neruda passed away from prostate cancer and malnutrition. At least, that was the reason given
Published 19 Feb, 2023 08:19am
NON-FICTION: THE PRICE OF MYOPIA

NON-FICTION: THE PRICE OF MYOPIA

A former military man delves into Pakistan’s strategic culture and thinking with reference to India. The book is likely to remain
Published 12 Feb, 2023 09:47am
FICTION: A HAUNTING OF WORDS

FICTION: A HAUNTING OF WORDS

Celebrated Native American author Louise Erdrich’s latest novel is a book about books, about history read, written and created in
Published 12 Feb, 2023 09:42am
FICTION: AMBITION VERSUS EMOTIONS

FICTION: AMBITION VERSUS EMOTIONS

Tahmima Anam’s latest, futuristic novel is about technology, ambition, creativity, business and tornado-like undercurrents of...
Published 12 Feb, 2023 09:37am
COLUMN: MIR TAQI MIR TURNS 300

COLUMN: MIR TAQI MIR TURNS 300

“Itna fresh Urdu shayar main ne nahin parrha” was the impromptu comment made — in an ecstatic tone with a lilt...
Published 12 Feb, 2023 09:33am
BOOKS IN BRIEF

BOOKS IN BRIEF

The first half of the book — a collection of columns that have previously appeared in various publications — is dedicated to..
Published 05 Feb, 2023 08:15am
FICTION: SAVING THE EARTH FROM EVIL

FICTION: SAVING THE EARTH FROM EVIL

The final instalment of a collaborative novel trilogy by Stephen King and Richard Chizmar is an exhilarating ride that will appeal
Published 05 Feb, 2023 08:15am
FICTION: WORDS THAT BETRAY

FICTION: WORDS THAT BETRAY

In a best-selling, award-winning novel, translations that move ideas across cultures also enable the supremacy of an invading,
Published 05 Feb, 2023 08:15am
COLUMN: COMPLEXITY OF CULTURAL LINKAGES

COLUMN: COMPLEXITY OF CULTURAL LINKAGES

Experts tell us there are at least 200 versions of the text in more than 50 languages. However, standard accounts of the fable’...
Updated 30 Jan, 2023 10:03am
FICTION: GIRLS LIKE US

FICTION: GIRLS LIKE US

A collection of short stories examines girlhood and womanhood with tenderness, originality and genuine wit
Published 29 Jan, 2023 06:23am
NON-FICTION: THE WEST ASIA CONUNDRUM

NON-FICTION: THE WEST ASIA CONUNDRUM

A former Indian diplomat, academic, historian and analyst attempts to make sense of the dynamics that have made the Middle Eas...
Published 29 Jan, 2023 06:23am