The Heart’s Compass Navigating Dreams
By Dr Noman Said
Self-published
Available at Liberty Books
ISBN: 979-8990948907
253pp.

I was pleasantly surprised by Dr Noman Said’s debut novel, The Heart’s Compass Navigating Dreams — a bildungsroman about a young man who, after many trials and tribulations, succeeds in establishing an eminently successful Information and Communications Technology business.

The protagonist, Ali, was born in his family home, Said Manzil, and it is not too much of a stretch to imagine that he is an alter ego of the author (whose main job, in actuality, is to run the respected firm SI Global Solutions).

We are told that Ali’s mother’s influence ‘dissipated’ at the point when the child was a year old, and he was raised by his father and a beloved aunt. Later, we are informed that he was in touch with his mother until the age of seven, but his father was quite harsh with her, although not with his child. Regardless of these psychological tensions, Ali develops several close and positive relationships with peers during his coming-of-age period. These friends share his passion for cricket, and the first quarter of the book gives a delightful account of how much these young males enjoyed the camaraderie and team-spirit associated with playing matches in Karachi’s Tariq Road area.

As he enters adulthood, Ali loses his father and, having proven himself to be a good student as well as a dutiful family member, he decides to enter the field of business. Ali and his friends showed considerable potential during their teenage years, when they engaged in small business endeavours. The protagonist was always ethical and principled in his dealings, so he is shocked and disillusioned to discover how large business conglomerates are riddled with crooks at worst, and pragmatic but greedy individuals at best.

A technopreneur pens a debut novel that stands in for his own story of challenges and business success, and which can help guide young entrepreneurs through corporate storms

One might have expected him to be more of a realist in these matters, but Ali’s idealism is what makes his tale resonate with sincerity and personal nobility of spirit. What frustrates Ali the most is that, in spite of all his cautions and warnings, large businesses in Pakistan are far more interested in implementing quick financial fixes to problems rather than engaging in productive strategies that would help and benefit the businesses in the long-term. Naturally, this results in Ali doing a lot of job-hopping, a point that does not sit well with his girlfriend’s father.

However, it appears as if his significant other, Zartasha, truly loves Ali who, while a committed workaholic, is also a gentleman of integrity and possesses a genuinely kind heart. Their relationship meets with challenges but it appears as if Noman Said himself is an incurable romantic at heart, and the reader will be pleased to note that, eventually, Ali wins her trust against all odds.

He also gains considerable work experience, both in Pakistan as well as the UAE. Although he ends up a far sadder and wiser man later in the story than he was during his youth, even the most cynical of readers will cheer at his ultimate conquest over the sundry setbacks and misfortunes he experiences on his journey to major technopreneurial success.

The book is fast-paced and written in a very accessible and engaging style. Noman Said creates a perfect blend of economical writing (that focuses only on what is relevant) and plot machinations that underscore the manner in which Ali copes with challenge after challenge. What is especially important, from the moral perspective of the novel, is that Ali does not set out to become a self-made billionaire; he is truly devoted towards furthering business practices for the general good of humanity. His goal is the betterment of society, not the desire to accrue money and fame simply for the sake of personal recognition.

Even at an early age, crime and injustice bother him to the point that he makes it his goal to set things right. For example, he mobilises his friends in order to discover who is committing the dishonourable act of stealing cricket-match trophies. Later in the novel, squash (in addition to cricket) helps him discover another healthy outlet for interpersonal tension and stress.

“He knew it wouldn’t be easy. Starting from scratch would mean long hours, sacrifices, and countless obstacles. But Ali had built his life on resilience, and he was determined to prove that success and integrity could go hand in hand. For Ali, this wasn’t just about business. It was about setting an example, creating a legacy, and standing for something larger than himself. The road ahead was uncertain, but he was ready to face it head-on. After all, making an honest living wasn’t just a goal — it was his mission.” — Excerpt from the book

The protagonist is both an emotionally healthy and well-adjusted individual. Although he confides to Zartasha that he has some trust issues, the reader applauds the point that he is willing to work at fixing his shortcomings. Perhaps, what is most praiseworthy about Ali is that he is a deeply dedicated and motivated problem-solver. In a day and age when most businessmen are chasing currency simply for the sake of doing so, the novel’s hero stands out as an individual who stubbornly refuses to compromise on his beliefs and principles. The cost of this is sometimes quite high (as noted earlier, he finds himself jobless on more than one occasion) but, to his credit, he continues to pursue his aims in a manner that can accurately be termed undaunted.

Ali’s story is both inspirational as well as admirable. It underscores that a person does not need to compromise on his or her integrity in order to achieve greatness. His hard work finally pays off and the app he ends up creating proves to be popular and successful beyond his wildest dreams.

I am touched by the effort Noman Said put into structuring a success story in the form of a novel, as opposed to writing a non-fictional text on business success (although I am convinced that he will be equally successful should he choose to head in that literary direction next).

One of the primary reasons why this novel is an important piece of writing is because young people who are engaging in start-up ventures can gain a lot from perusing the wisdom that infuses every brief chapter of The Heart’s Compass. Ali’s personal moral compass shines as steadily as the North Star, guiding young business-minded ‘sailors’ towards safe and prosperous ports.

Indeed, the cover of the book creatively evokes a sense of imagery related to lighthouses. Noman Said has achieved much success as a technopreneur, but he can also be given the compliment of being a literary lighthouse that can help ambitious and smart people navigate successfully through corporate storms.

The reviewer is associate professor of social sciences and liberal arts at the Institute of Business Administration. She has authored two collections of short stories, Timeless College Tales and Perennial College Tales, and a play, The Political Chess King

Published in Dawn, Books & Authors, August 3rd, 2025