NON-FICTION: TALKING TO THE EMPIRE

NON-FICTION: TALKING TO THE EMPIRE

A convincingly argued treatise on the need to explore Muslim identity in the same ways that race, gender and citizenship have Published 26 Sep, 2021 11:44am
COLUMN: A GHAZAL AND ITS PARTS II

COLUMN: A GHAZAL AND ITS PARTS II

Naqsh Faryaadi is the first ghazal in the 1816 manuscript of Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib’s Divan. In the 1821 manuscript, it has
Published 26 Sep, 2021 11:40am
ESSAY: IT IS FOR THE CHILD, SIR

ESSAY: IT IS FOR THE CHILD, SIR

A child’s education begins at birth, not in the school, and is automatically in the mother tongue. Any interruption in the
Published 19 Sep, 2021 09:50am
COLUMN: THREE EXEMPLARY POETS

COLUMN: THREE EXEMPLARY POETS

There are three women Urdu poets — long settled in North America now — who continue to surprise and elate their...
Published 19 Sep, 2021 09:43am
BOOKS IN BRIEF

BOOKS IN BRIEF

Coming from a Dubai-based lawyer and adviser on banking and corporate matters, this compact yet comprehensive guide meets the
Published 19 Sep, 2021 09:39am
NON-FICTION: DIPLOMATIC UNNICETIES

NON-FICTION: DIPLOMATIC UNNICETIES

A Pakistani diplomat’s recollections of his experiences in the foreign service often leave the reader enveloped in a deep air of
Published 12 Sep, 2021 11:23am
FICTION: SURVIVAL REIGNS SUPREME

FICTION: SURVIVAL REIGNS SUPREME

With a sparse and to-the-point writing style, a collection of short stories relies heavily on the reader’s ability to read between
Published 12 Sep, 2021 11:23am
COLUMN: SOME IRISH POETS

COLUMN: SOME IRISH POETS

While there’s little doubt that some of the finest English-language poetry, especially in the 20th century, has...
Published 12 Sep, 2021 10:45am
FICTION: ALIENS ACROSS GENERATIONS

FICTION: ALIENS ACROSS GENERATIONS

A Booker Prize long-listed novel delves into the lives of characters trying to liberate themselves from being slotted in boxes...
Published 05 Sep, 2021 07:15am
COLUMN: THE RETURN OF ATTIA HOSAIN

COLUMN: THE RETURN OF ATTIA HOSAIN

Last Monday evening — three days before her novel Sunlight on a Broken Column and her collection of stories ...
Published 29 Aug, 2021 07:06am
FICTION: DJINNS AND FREE WILL

FICTION: DJINNS AND FREE WILL

Those expecting to be regaled by a highly supernatural tale are bound to be disappointed, but there is plenty else to be...
Published 29 Aug, 2021 07:06am
NON-FICTION: THE STRUGGLE FOR THE TRUTH

NON-FICTION: THE STRUGGLE FOR THE TRUTH

The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists presents a comprehensive historical record and political history as well as a highly...
Published 29 Aug, 2021 07:06am
BOOKS IN BRIEF

BOOKS IN BRIEF

The Sindh Graduates Association (SGA) was established in 1972 to provide students emerging from rural schools in Sindh...
Published 22 Aug, 2021 07:03am
COLUMN: GRANDPA'S GARDEN OF BLISS

COLUMN: GRANDPA'S GARDEN OF BLISS

I write this from self-isolation. Our elder son has Covid, luckily a mild case. We’re not going near him and wear...
Updated 22 Aug, 2021 03:05pm
NON-FICTION: A GALAXY OF MUSIC LEGENDS

NON-FICTION: A GALAXY OF MUSIC LEGENDS

Transcriptions of interviews conducted with the Subcontinent’s greatest musicians provide fascinating insights and anecdotes...
Published 22 Aug, 2021 07:03am
FICTION: LITTLE WOMEN, DROWNING

FICTION: LITTLE WOMEN, DROWNING

A debut novella focuses on the rigid gender roles Pakistani society dictates, told through the emotional story of a woman...
Published 22 Aug, 2021 07:03am
NON-FICTION: FINDING PAKISTAN

NON-FICTION: FINDING PAKISTAN

A historian’s latest work is one that deserves to be read by everyone interested in finding the intellectual and political...
Published 22 Aug, 2021 07:03am
COLUMN: THE PERTURBED MUSLIM MIND

COLUMN: THE PERTURBED MUSLIM MIND

In the early 14th century, Shaikh Mahmoud Shabistari wrote Gulshan-i-Raaz [Garden of Secrets], an epic poem in...
Published 15 Aug, 2021 05:34am
FICTION: BEING HUMAN

FICTION: BEING HUMAN

Kazuo Ishiguro’s first novel since his Nobel Prize is a meditation on intelligence, loneliness, empathy, faith and, perhaps,...
Published 15 Aug, 2021 05:34am
NON-FICTION: THE ANGUISHED SOUL

NON-FICTION: THE ANGUISHED SOUL

A book brings together a poet’s urgent need to be heard and to relate the betrayal and loss faced in life with her creative...
Published 15 Aug, 2021 05:34am
COLUMN: A GHAZAL AND ITS PARTS — I

COLUMN: A GHAZAL AND ITS PARTS — I

Ghazals are poems made up of two-line verses (bayt). Broadly speaking, they are poems about love — physical or...
Published 08 Aug, 2021 06:53am
NON-FICTION: THE WOMEN OF ISIS

NON-FICTION: THE WOMEN OF ISIS

Profiles of 13 women provide essential reading for those interested in understanding the plausible root causes of radicalisat...
Published 08 Aug, 2021 06:53am
FICTION: PRISONERS OF HONOUR

FICTION: PRISONERS OF HONOUR

Despite the shortcomings of a debuting writer, a novel from Balochistan is a worthy read, addressing the practice of ‘honour...
Published 08 Aug, 2021 06:53am
NON-FICTION: THE HINDUSTAN OF HINDUS

NON-FICTION: THE HINDUSTAN OF HINDUS

A well-researched book focuses on the transformation that has taken place in India under Narendra Modi and the stranglehold...
Published 08 Aug, 2021 06:53am
COLUMN: WHAT’S IN A NAME

COLUMN: WHAT’S IN A NAME

Among the several new writers to receive prominent notices lately, the names of some of those accorded high acclaim...
Published 01 Aug, 2021 07:05am
FICTION: FRY DOES THE ILIAD

FICTION: FRY DOES THE ILIAD

Retelling the story of the Trojan War would have been challenging for even the most highly trained of classicists, but Stephen Fry
Published 01 Aug, 2021 07:05am
NON-FICTION: THE POLITICS OF COVID-19

NON-FICTION: THE POLITICS OF COVID-19

Maverick philosopher Slavoj Zizek delves into the political, ideological and socio-economic aspects of the coronavirus pandemic
Published 01 Aug, 2021 07:05am
COLUMN: UTOPIA IS NEVER LOST

COLUMN: UTOPIA IS NEVER LOST

From the late 19th century, humanity began to move faster than it ever had before in history towards specialisation...
Published 25 Jul, 2021 07:02am
BOOKS IN BRIEF

BOOKS IN BRIEF

Straggling Through Fire: An Anthology of Proemistry Ghulam Murtaza Aatir As the author explains, this is not ...
Published 25 Jul, 2021 07:02am
NON-FICTION: DETECTIVE IN THE DESERT

NON-FICTION: DETECTIVE IN THE DESERT

Salman Rashid looks at Thar beyond man-made borders, connecting the dots between personal observation and historical sources...
Updated 25 Jul, 2021 04:39pm
NON-FICTION: THE MODERN-DAY GYPSY

NON-FICTION: THE MODERN-DAY GYPSY

A former Pakistani ambassador’s recollections and reminiscences make for good, often fascinating, reading for bot...
Published 25 Jul, 2021 07:02am
FICTION: A LIFE IN SUSPENSION

FICTION: A LIFE IN SUSPENSION

Jhumpa Lahiri’s latest offering, an English translation of her Italian novelette, explores the raw, unfiltered musings...
Published 25 Jul, 2021 07:02am
NON-FICTION: MEET THE PARENTS

NON-FICTION: MEET THE PARENTS

Weaving in technology, travel, experiences and more, a rich memoir unpacks the immigrant experience and holds many lessons for
Published 18 Jul, 2021 07:08am
FICTION: LOVE AND SPIES

FICTION: LOVE AND SPIES

Omar Shahid Hamid’s latest novel is yet another unputdownable thriller, spanning the murky waters of South Asian politics and a
Published 18 Jul, 2021 07:08am
FICTION: GUNS, GEMS AND HOTELS

FICTION: GUNS, GEMS AND HOTELS

Reading like a suspense thriller film, a novel effectively depicts the unscrupulous players — including politicians, governments
Published 11 Jul, 2021 03:33pm
NON-FICTION: ENLIGHTENMENT IN A BOX

NON-FICTION: ENLIGHTENMENT IN A BOX

Mustafa Akyol’s latest book demonstrates that humanism and rationalism aren’t as alien to the Muslim tradition as many think, even
Published 11 Jul, 2021 03:30pm
ESSAY: THE FORGOTTEN FABULIST

ESSAY: THE FORGOTTEN FABULIST

Balwant Singh’s centennial birth anniversary prompts a revaluation of the oft-ignored Urdu and Hindi writer who never got his due
Published 11 Jul, 2021 03:28pm
COLUMN: CAUGHT BETWEEN TONGUES

COLUMN: CAUGHT BETWEEN TONGUES

Not long ago, in a recent mention of a collection of Sindhi tales — Pirani and Other Short Stories by Jamal Abro...
Published 11 Jul, 2021 03:24pm
BOOKS IN BRIEF

BOOKS IN BRIEF

Translating to ‘The Land of Socrates’, this account of travels across Greece takes in the architecture, the mythology, the museums
Published 11 Jul, 2021 03:21pm
COLUMN: FLYING CLOSE TO THE SUN

COLUMN: FLYING CLOSE TO THE SUN

Unlike his Journey into Europe: Islam, Immigration and Identity — which I reviewed with pleasure and admiration ...
Published 04 Jul, 2021 06:28am
NON-FICTION: THE SKY IN HIS SIGHT

NON-FICTION: THE SKY IN HIS SIGHT

A cousin’s memoir delivers first-hand accounts of time spent with the era-defining modern Pakistani artist Sadequain
Published 04 Jul, 2021 06:28am
NON-FICTION: THE FALL OF ABRAAJ

NON-FICTION: THE FALL OF ABRAAJ

In language easy to understand for laypersons, two Wall Street Journal reporters detail the rise and frauds of Arif Naqvi.
Updated 05 Jul, 2021 05:03pm
BOOKS IN BRIEF

BOOKS IN BRIEF

Translating to ‘The Strange Allure of the Wind’, as the subtitle explains, this is a collection of newspaper columns written...
Published 27 Jun, 2021 06:53am
COLUMN: FEET SOAKED IN BLOOD

COLUMN: FEET SOAKED IN BLOOD

Naheed and Riaz altered the literary landscape for women writers who came after them...
Published 27 Jun, 2021 06:53am
NON-FICTION: ASIF THE STORYTELLER

NON-FICTION: ASIF THE STORYTELLER

A book of Asif Farrukhi’s short stories, released on his first death anniversary, is a timely reminder of his oft-overlooked...
Published 27 Jun, 2021 06:53am
FICTION: BORING RICH ASIANS

FICTION: BORING RICH ASIANS

Kevin Kwan’s latest novel ups the glamour quotient, but his characters never move you enough to care about their crazy rich...
Published 27 Jun, 2021 06:53am
COLUMN: THE YOUNG GHALIB

COLUMN: THE YOUNG GHALIB

Was Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib’s young poetic voice different from his mature one? Ghalib himself gave credence ...
Published 20 Jun, 2021 06:06am
ESSAY: RE-READING EVERGREENS

ESSAY: RE-READING EVERGREENS

World War I, Palestine, Ottomans, Mongols and Arabs — a history buff cannot get enough...
Published 20 Jun, 2021 06:06am
FICTION: NATURE AND NURTURE

FICTION: NATURE AND NURTURE

A 2020 Booker Prize-shortlisted debut juxtaposes dystopian fiction about climate change with contemporary relationships, but...
Published 20 Jun, 2021 06:06am
NON-FICTION: THE MURDER OF KNOWLEDGE

NON-FICTION: THE MURDER OF KNOWLEDGE

The Bodleian Libraries director writes a work of magisterial sweep to trace the history and motivations behind book-burning...
Published 13 Jun, 2021 07:05am
COLUMN: THE SMALL PRESS SAVIOURS

COLUMN: THE SMALL PRESS SAVIOURS

What is to become of literature, one wonders, seeing everywhere one goes, whether taking a walk in a park or a seat...
Published 13 Jun, 2021 07:05am
NON-FICTION: A WOMAN AHEAD OF HER TIMES

NON-FICTION: A WOMAN AHEAD OF HER TIMES

Malika Pukhraj’s autobiography was first published in translation in India. It has now finally been published in its original...
Published 13 Jun, 2021 07:05am
COLUMN: THE TAVERN OF FRIENDS

COLUMN: THE TAVERN OF FRIENDS

In Urdu, the genre of khaaka nigari [sketch writing] has evolved its own distinct style when we compare it to what ...
Published 06 Jun, 2021 06:32am
NON-FICTION: HOW WE SAW THE WEST

NON-FICTION: HOW WE SAW THE WEST

A recent translation shines a light on a significant addition to the body of Urdu travel narratives about Europe from the...
Published 06 Jun, 2021 06:32am
FICTION: THE DEMONS OF THATCHER

FICTION: THE DEMONS OF THATCHER

The 2020 Booker Prize-winner is a superb piece of world-building that exposes the devastations caused to working class...
Published 06 Jun, 2021 06:32am
COLUMN: ON BROKEN CRUTCHES

COLUMN: ON BROKEN CRUTCHES

Classical textual sources report an intriguing anecdote in the generally adventurous life of the philosophical giant...
Published 30 May, 2021 07:05am
FICTION: LOLITA COMES OF AGE

FICTION: LOLITA COMES OF AGE

A semi-autobiographical debut novel explores the psychology of the survivor of an abusive relationship and the process of...
Published 30 May, 2021 07:05am
NON-FICTION: CITY OF FIGHTS

NON-FICTION: CITY OF FIGHTS

Former The Guardian correspondent Samira Shackle presents a compelling story about Karachi through the eyes of five extraor...
Published 30 May, 2021 07:05am
COLUMN: LOCKDOWN AND NOSTALGIA

COLUMN: LOCKDOWN AND NOSTALGIA

May, 2021. In about 10 days it will be 51 years since I came, at the age of 15, to study in this city, London. But...
Published 23 May, 2021 06:06am
NON-FICTION: KINGS AND KINGMAKERS

NON-FICTION: KINGS AND KINGMAKERS

Former top bureaucrat Shahid Hamid’s memoirs are packed with anecdotes about the workings of the inner corridors of power...
Published 23 May, 2021 06:06am
FICTION: ART AND SUFFERING

FICTION: ART AND SUFFERING

An unusual debut novel weaves together fantasy and harsh reality in the service of a vision of a more humane world...
Published 23 May, 2021 06:06am
POETRY: A NEW LANGUAGE, A NEW DICTION

POETRY: A NEW LANGUAGE, A NEW DICTION

Tanveer Anjum’s latest collection — compiling selected poems from seven previous collections — showcases the poet’s journey...
Published 23 May, 2021 06:06am
NON-FICTION: STYLE AND SUBSTANCE

NON-FICTION: STYLE AND SUBSTANCE

A well-produced coffee-table book is the first-ever compilation and retelling of Pakistan’s fashion history...
Published 16 May, 2021 05:45am
COLUMN: MONI'S RUBY R.

COLUMN: MONI'S RUBY R.

I’m excited to live in a world where a new Moni Mohsin book is out, alliteratively titled The Impeccable Integrity...
Published 16 May, 2021 05:45am
COLUMN: BAUDELAIRE AND BAZM-I-TALABA

COLUMN: BAUDELAIRE AND BAZM-I-TALABA

This year marks the 200th birth anniversary of Charles Baudelaire, creator of Les Fleurs du mal [The Flowers of ...
Published 09 May, 2021 07:06am
NON-FICTION: THE CHINA MIRACLE

NON-FICTION: THE CHINA MIRACLE

A recently published book is a useful introduction to modern China and its phenomenal rise...
Published 09 May, 2021 07:06am
FICTION: TOFFEE AND TRIBULATIONS

FICTION: TOFFEE AND TRIBULATIONS

A confectionary historian spins an engaging tale of mystery and feminist progress revolving around a chocolate factory, in a...
Published 09 May, 2021 07:06am
COLUMN: MEMORIES OF MY FATHER

COLUMN: MEMORIES OF MY FATHER

He lived on tea and bread for a while. His shoes were worn out. He wore flip-flops. But stories of his brilliance circulated on...
Published 02 May, 2021 06:59am
ESSAY: PAKISTAN'S NEW PUBLISHERS

ESSAY: PAKISTAN'S NEW PUBLISHERS

Can a new wave of independent publishers set off Pakistan’s English language publishing industry in fresh and exciting...
Published 02 May, 2021 06:59am
FICTION: CRIME AND PUNISHMENT

FICTION: CRIME AND PUNISHMENT

An enticing piece of historical fiction, with a murder mystery at its heart, once again showcases Sana Pirzada’s talent...
Published 02 May, 2021 06:59am
BOOKS IN BRIEF

BOOKS IN BRIEF

A collection of articles previously published in various journals, books and newspapers provides a historical perspective of...
Published 02 May, 2021 06:59am
COLUMN: ALMINO'S MAJNUN AND LAILA

COLUMN: ALMINO'S MAJNUN AND LAILA

What first provoked my curious attention when I opened João Almino’s novel, Enigmas of Spring, was that its hero...
Published 25 Apr, 2021 06:20am
FICTION: COMPELLINGLY ENJOYABLE

FICTION: COMPELLINGLY ENJOYABLE

A debut collection of short stories enriches Pakistan’s corpus of short stories in English with a fresh and formidable new...
Published 25 Apr, 2021 06:20am
FICTION: THE ART OF TRANSLATING BACK

FICTION: THE ART OF TRANSLATING BACK

Afzal Ahmed Syed’s Urdu translation of Musharraf Ali Farooqi’s Between Clay and Dust shows how to render a Pakistani...
Published 25 Apr, 2021 06:20am
COLUMN: POETS VERSUS POLITICOS

COLUMN: POETS VERSUS POLITICOS

Over the years it has diminished, but until some time ago, there was still a vibrant left-wing political movement in...
Published 18 Apr, 2021 06:56am
ESSAY: DREAMS OF MY PUBLISHER

ESSAY: DREAMS OF MY PUBLISHER

Is there a readership for Pakistani sci-fi and fantasy fiction? And if so, why are more publishers not publishing it?...
Published 18 Apr, 2021 06:56am