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
Education in Pakistan desperately needs reform. A book argues that without a larger advocacy movement that puts pressure on...
Published 05 Sep, 2021 07:15am
Never have I come across a single student who fails to understand Urdu...
Published 05 Sep, 2021 07:15am
Discarded, unearthed, mislaid… then retrieved again, a manuscript about Sufi saint Nizamuddin Aulia spans centuries and...
Published 05 Sep, 2021 07:15am
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
Last Monday evening — three days before her novel Sunlight on a Broken Column and her collection of stories ...
Published 29 Aug, 2021 07:06am
Words have a cultural and political history. And the latter often involves manipulations and assertion of power...
Published 29 Aug, 2021 07:06am
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
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
The Sindh Graduates Association (SGA) was established in 1972 to provide students emerging from rural schools in Sindh...
Published 22 Aug, 2021 07:03am
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
Transcriptions of interviews conducted with the Subcontinent’s greatest musicians provide fascinating insights and anecdotes...
Published 22 Aug, 2021 07:03am
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
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
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
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
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
Ishtiaq Ahmed’s latest book sets out to challenge the assumption that Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah was a staunch secularist...
Published 15 Aug, 2021 05:34am
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
Profiles of 13 women provide essential reading for those interested in understanding the plausible root causes of radicalisat...
Published 08 Aug, 2021 06:53am
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
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
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
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
Maverick philosopher Slavoj Zizek delves into the political, ideological and socio-economic aspects of the coronavirus pandemic
Published 01 Aug, 2021 07:05am
While a former diplomat’s version cannot be taken entirely at face value, it does lay bare Pakistan’s often ad hoc, secretive
Published 01 Aug, 2021 07:05am
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
Straggling Through Fire: An Anthology of Proemistry Ghulam Murtaza Aatir
As the author explains, this is not ...
Published 25 Jul, 2021 07:02am
Salman Rashid looks at Thar beyond man-made borders, connecting the dots between personal observation and historical sources...
Updated 25 Jul, 2021 04:39pm
A former Pakistani ambassador’s recollections and reminiscences make for good, often fascinating, reading for bot...
Published 25 Jul, 2021 07:02am
Jhumpa Lahiri’s latest offering, an English translation of her Italian novelette, explores the raw, unfiltered musings...
Published 25 Jul, 2021 07:02am
The writer, who passed away on July 5, brought his keen journalistic eye to bear on his often symbolic short stories
Published 18 Jul, 2021 07:08am
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
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
Dilip Kumar is not merely the screen name of a single historical individual, Yusuf Khan of Peshawar. It designates a...
Published 18 Jul, 2021 07:08am
Reading like a suspense thriller film, a novel effectively depicts the unscrupulous players — including politicians, governments
Published 11 Jul, 2021 03:33pm
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
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
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
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
Unlike his Journey into Europe: Islam, Immigration and Identity — which I reviewed with pleasure and admiration ...
Published 04 Jul, 2021 06:28am
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
Short stories combining heart-warming family drama with hard-hitting social commentary make for engrossing reading...
Updated 05 Jul, 2021 12:01pm
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
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
Naheed and Riaz altered the literary landscape for women writers who came after them...
Published 27 Jun, 2021 06:53am
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
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
A compelling account examines the structural dynamics of military life and how they fit with the broader pursuit of the...
Published 27 Jun, 2021 06:53am
A welcome and accessible new book seeks to understand a fast-ascendant China, and how global China is transforming the...
Published 20 Jun, 2021 06:06am
Was Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib’s young poetic voice different from his mature one? Ghalib himself gave credence ...
Published 20 Jun, 2021 06:06am
World War I, Palestine, Ottomans, Mongols and Arabs — a history buff cannot get enough...
Published 20 Jun, 2021 06:06am
A 2020 Booker Prize-shortlisted debut juxtaposes dystopian fiction about climate change with contemporary relationships, but...
Published 20 Jun, 2021 06:06am
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
French-Senegalese writer and academic David Diop’s sophomore novel At Night All Blood is Black, originally...
Published 13 Jun, 2021 07:05am
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
A topical anthology by Pakistani writers illustrates experiences of life upended by the pandemic...
Published 13 Jun, 2021 07:05am
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
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
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
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
A well-respected and experienced oncologist argues in a revolutionary and very readable book that Big Pharma, hospitals,...
Published 06 Jun, 2021 06:32am
An eye-opening book, currently the best study on Putinism and the politics of the Russian industrial oligarchy, offers a warn...
Updated 01 Jun, 2021 11:04am
Classical textual sources report an intriguing anecdote in the generally adventurous life of the philosophical giant...
Published 30 May, 2021 07:05am
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
Former The Guardian correspondent Samira Shackle presents a compelling story about Karachi through the eyes of five extraor...
Published 30 May, 2021 07:05am
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
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
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
Tanveer Anjum’s latest collection — compiling selected poems from seven previous collections — showcases the poet’s journey...
Published 23 May, 2021 06:06am
A well-produced coffee-table book is the first-ever compilation and retelling of Pakistan’s fashion history...
Published 16 May, 2021 05:45am
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
A useful book mapping out Pakistan’s political parties allows for intriguing analytical approaches by...
Published 16 May, 2021 05:45am
Professor Shamim Hanafi, who passed away in Delhi on May 6 from Covid-19, conquered the heights of fame...
Published 16 May, 2021 05:45am
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
A recently published book is a useful introduction to modern China and its phenomenal rise...
Published 09 May, 2021 07:06am
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
Zahid Hussain’s new book presents an account of the US war in Afghanistan in which, for the first time, Pakistan and Pakistan’s...
Published 09 May, 2021 07:06am
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
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
A long biography of one of the greatest historians of our times, focusing on the banality of his everyday life rather than his...
Published 02 May, 2021 06:59am
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
A collection of articles previously published in various journals, books and newspapers provides a historical perspective of...
Published 02 May, 2021 06:59am
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
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
A pioneering book discusses concepts of economics and development in everyday Urdu language, and how to change policies...
Published 25 Apr, 2021 06:20am
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
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
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
Former US National Security Adviser John Bolton’s voluminous memoir serves as a sad reminder of a mindset that has permeated...
Published 18 Apr, 2021 06:56am
Haunting, troubling, yet extremely thought-provoking, this collection of macabre short stories is a rich, intense and...
Updated 27 Apr, 2021 04:09pm
In the issue of April 4, 2020, in the essay ‘Saving the Ghazal’ by Shariq Khan on the works of Shamsur Rahman...
Published 11 Apr, 2021 07:08am
The cement basin around the fountain was small, and she liked to play inside it on hot summer days. But the neighbours, who...
Published 11 Apr, 2021 07:08am
A taut and fast-paced debut novel shines a bright light on the marginalisation of the minority and poor communities of Pakistan...
Published 11 Apr, 2021 07:08am
A poet and essayist presents evocative vignettes and verses that serve as an exploration of multiple identities and a paean to...
Published 11 Apr, 2021 07:08am
A beautiful book features artwork on Mohammad Ali Jinnah from 29 visual artists, and engaging critical commentary that...
Published 11 Apr, 2021 07:08am
The 12th Karachi Literature Festival was a digital event with audiences forced to take part only from their homes. But it still
Published 04 Apr, 2021 06:57am
The Zeenat Haroon Rashid (ZHR) Writing Prize for Women, now in its third year, is accepting submissions for the 2021...
Published 04 Apr, 2021 06:45am
Often, when I’m bored with the books I’ve been reading or with the enforced solitude of lockdown, I return to my...
Published 04 Apr, 2021 06:45am
