BookDragon » Pakistani American

The Wish Maker by Ali Sethi

SI BookDragon — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:39:56 +0000

I confess the main reason I finally plucked this debut novel (written by its author when he was just 23) from my never-shrinking ‘to-read’ pile was because I found the audible version is narrated by Indian American actor Firdous Bamji. After finishing Amitav Ghosh’s The Hungry Tide, I was missing Bamji’s transporting characterizations … alas, even Bamji couldn’t bring enough sparkle to the ultimately disappointing, overwritten family saga.

Wish Maker basically begins where it will end (don’t worry: no spoilers): narrator Zaki Shirazi arrives in his native Pakistan from his U.S. college in the first chapter to attend the wedding of his cousin-raised-as-his-sister Samar Api, the event which will mark the novel’s end. Over the 400-plus pages in between, we meet the many women – yes, the men are mostly absent – that shape and influence Zaki’s young life: his imperious, power-wielding conservative grandmother who is the family matriarch; his widowed, liberal, feminist mother often at odds with the matriarch; and, of course, his free-spirited, rule-defying cousin-sister Samar Api (who is, actually, Zaki’s father’s first cousin, the daughter of his grandmother’s younger sister, to be absolutely accurate).

Sethi gingerly overlays three generations of Pakistan’s tumultuous history – from its violent separation from East Pakistan-turned-Bangladesh to the controversial leadership of Benazir Bhutto to the country’s ongoing struggles toward democracy – with reminders of the unexpected influences of western pop culture (The Wonder Years!) and the closer-to-home fantasies created by Bollywood. Sethi is never overtly political except to allow Zaki’s mother an occasional anti-colonial diatribe, but he does remain keenly aware of the inequity of gender-based privilege throughout. Undoubtedly, the characterization of Samar Api’s mother remains the most memorable by story’s end.

I (again) confess that I don’t have any glaring, obvious reasons as to why Wish Maker eventually proved so lackadaisical a read (and listen); surely it seems to have had all the potential elements to be stupendous (including that 23-year-old wunderkind bravado!). But bottom line: at 432 hardcover pages or 11 hours in narration, such a time commitment is inevitably better spent with others … in Pakistan alone, Daniyal Mueenuddin, Kamila Shamsie, Mohammad Hanif, Mohsin Hamid, Bapsi Sidhwa all beckon with unforgettable tales.

Readers: Adult

Published: 2009

Filed under: ..Adult Readers, .Fiction, Pakistani, Pakistani American Tagged: Ali Sethi, Betrayal, BookDragon, Family, Friendship, Love, Wish Maker

Wanting Mor by Rukhsana Khan

SI BookDragon — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 19:25:06 +0000

Sometimes even the saddest tragedies can eventually lead to happy new beginnings … even if the journey is a bit circuitous and challenging, to say the least!

When Jameela, a young Afghan girl, loses her Mor (the Pushto word for mother) to illness, she can’t imagine that anything worse can happen. Her mother was the kindest, most loving presence in her life. Born with a cleft lip she keeps hidden as much as possible, Jameela was well aware she would never be considered attractive, but her mother always told her, “‘If you can’t be beautiful, you should at least be good.’” And ‘good’ Jameela continues to try to be.

Left alone with her drinking, gambling, disappearing father, she is suddenly uprooted without warning from their small home village to the big city of Kabul. Jameela is quickly put to work as a house servant, and is uprooted again when her father unexpectedly remarries. Her new stepmother is selfish and abusive, although her new stepbrother seems to have a generous heart and tries to teach Jameela to read. But the brief, almost-family-like respite for Jameela doesn’t last long: her irresponsible father is easily manipulated by his new wife to abandon Jameela in a crowded market intersection. With nowhere to go, no one to turn to, Jameela must rely on the kindness of strangers to survive, but eventually she finds a home, new friends, and for the first time in her life, she finally begins her education.

Rukhsana Khan based her latest novel for young readers on the true story of another young girl, Sameela, documented in a single paragraph in “a report on children in crisis that was issued by Afghanistan’s department of orphanages,” she explains in her ending “Author’s Note.” Khan sets her story in 2001 just after the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, already a ravaged nation. “When countries go to war, it is always civilians, especially children, who suffer the most.” Such simple, heartbreaking truth indeed.

Access to education will ensure Jameela’s future. Khan’s book is yet further testimony that educating girls can and will make the most lasting, powerful difference in changing the persistent tragedies of the world. Khan’s title, is both homage to Jameela’s mother, but also a fervent prayer for more, for education, for a future, for peace. Indeed, educate girls and the impossible will become possible.

Click here to see Khan’s other titles on BookDragon.

Readers: Middle Grade, Young Adult

Published: 2009

Filed under: ..Middle Grade Readers, ..Young Adult Readers, .Fiction, Afghan, Canadian Asian Pacific American, Pakistani American Tagged: BookDragon, Coming-of-age, Family, Friendship, Girl power, Identity, Mother/daughter relationship, Parent/child relationship, Rukhsana Khan, Wanting Mor

Indivisible: An Anthology of Contemporary South Asian American Poetry edited by Neelajana Banerjee, Summi Kaipa, and Pireeni Sundaralingam

SI BookDragon — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 18:48:22 +0000

The title – Indivisible – the editors explain, is “a word taken from the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance.” Through the 49 diverse American voices represented here with roots in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, Indivisible explores “[t]he issue of whether unity and pluralism may be reconciled …” The editors starkly remind that in a post-9/11 world, the “voices [of many South Asian American poets] had been diminished by the tide of anti-Muslim and xenophobic sentiment arising after the attacks.” Given the recent Quran burning threats and the ongoing debates over who is welcomed as Ground Zero’s potential neighbors, that oppressive tide unfortunately remains challenging at best.

Regardless, creative expression will not be stemmed. Through many years of devoted labor, three tenacious editors – Neela Banerjee is a journalist, fiction writer, and editor; Summa Kaipa is a literary curator, psychologist, and magazine editor; and Pireeni Sundaralingam is a playwright, literary judge, and scientist – have created a remarkable collection that pays homage to a “multiplicity of languages, cultures, and faiths” while acknowledging the “inherent contradictions in grouping together writers of such differing backgrounds.”

Established, award-winning writers such as Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, Vijay Seshadri, Amitava Kumar, and Meena Alexander, mix experiences with younger, break-out voices including Srikanth Reddy and Shailja Patel. From Reetika Vazirani’s search for elusive glamour in her prose poem “From the Postcard at Vertigo Bookstore in D.C.,” to Tanuja Mehrotra’s borderless memories laid bare in “A Song for New Orleans,” to Sejal Shah’s lost road trip through “Independence, Iowa,” to Sundaralingam’s own unique snowflake discovery in “Vermont, 1885,” these category-defying, form-pushing works criss-cross the country, searching, watching, discovering, being …

Lucky for us as we enjoy the journeys …

Tidbit: Co-editor Pireeni Sundaralingam makes her Smithsonian debut at SALTAF 2010 this Saturday, November 13. She’ll be sharing the stage with award-winning Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni … and me as their moderator. Uh-oh …

Readers: Young Adult, Adult

Published: 2010

Filed under: ..Adult Readers, ..Young Adult Readers, .Poetry, Bangladeshi American, Indian American, Nepali American, Pakistani American, South Asian American, Sri Lankan American Tagged: Anthology, BookDragon, Cultural exploration, Identity, Immigration, Indivisible, Neelajana Banerjee, Personal transformation, Pireeni Sundaralingam, Politics, Religious differences, Summi Kaipa

The Big Red Lollipop by Rukhsana Khan, illustrated by Sophie Blackall

SI BookDragon — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 12:02:52 +0000

Pakistani Canadian writer Rukhsana Khan takes on sibling rivalry once again, but unlike her adorable 2005 title, Silly Chicken, this time, all her characters are all of the human variety …

When Rubina gets invited to her first-ever birthday party, her mother – being of a different culture– insists that she must take her younger sister Sana along. Ami will not budge, and Rubina has no choice but to call her friend Sally about the unwanted extra guest.

At the party, Sana is the typical little sister. She has to win, she falls, she cries. Her not-so-considerate behavior doesn’t get much better at home, either. Worst of all, it will be a long time before Rubina is asked to another party …

Still, Rubina proves her older, more mature, big sister mettle when Sana comes home in great excitement with an invitation of her own …

Illustrator Sophie Blackall clearly seems to be having the most fun of all … the two-page spread with an aerial view of angry Rubina giving chase after a wicked little Sana as they dash from room to room adds gleeful energy indeed. Oh, what a challenge it is to be the oldest!

Readers: Children

Published: 2010

Filed under: ..Children/Picture Books, .Fiction, Canadian, Pakistani American, South Asian American Tagged: Big Red Lollipop, BookDragon, Cultural exploration, Family, Rukhsana Khan, Sibling rivalry, Siblings, Sophie Blackall

Skunk Girl by Sheba Karim

SI BookDragon — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:00:10 +0000

Without giving too much away, I have to say that this heartfelt debut has one of the most touching first-kiss scenes ever: up on a snowy mountain under a bright clear sky, having just taken a tumble while skiing, making snow angels and laughing … and then … just *smooch*. What’s not to love about that?

For not-yet-16-year-old high schooler Nina Khan, being a good Muslim daughter means no weekend parties, no sleeping over even at her best friend’s house because some strange man (her best friend’s dad?!) might see her in her pajamas, and most especially no talking to boys because that just might lead to getting pregnant! With a genius sister at Harvard (of course, Sonia never even looked at boys except as disdainful competition), Nina’s got a big expectations to meet. But when new boy Asher arrives in their sleepy little town, he turns every girl’s head … including Nina’s. Now what’s a good Pakistani American daughter to do?

Readers: Young Adult

Published: 2009

Posted in ..Young Adult Readers, .Fiction, Pakistani American, South Asian American Tagged: BookDragon, Coming-of-age, Cultural exploration, Family, Friendship, Girl power, Identity, Parent/child relationship, Religious differences, Sheba Karim, Skunk Girl

A Party in Ramadan by Asma Mobin-Udden, illustrated by Laura Jacobsen

SI BookDragon — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 05:11:24 +0000

When young Leena is invited to Julia’s pony party which happens to fall on the first Friday of Ramadan, she decides she will go anyway and just not eat or drink. During the month of Ramadan, observant Muslims fast during the day as a sign of gratitude and perform good deeds in order to feel closer to God. Leena is still too young to fast every day of the holy month, but she is looking forward to breaking the fast with a traditional iftar dinner with her aunt who will be visiting.

At the party, Leena realizes just how difficult not eating or even taking a small drink of water is. When the sun finally sets and she breaks the fast with her family, she is that much more grateful for all the blessings of her life.

Review: “In Celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month: New & Notable Books,” The Bloomsbury Review, May/June 2009

Readers: Children

Published: 2009

Posted in ..Children/Picture Books, .Fiction, Pakistani American, South Asian American Tagged: Asma Mobin-Udden, Bloomsbury Review, BookDragon, Family, Friendship, Identity, Laura Jacobsen, Parent/child relationship, Party in Ramadan, Religious differences

In Other Rooms, Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddin

SI BookDragon — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 12:40:40 +0000

What can I say? This debut collection is a gift. In eight intertwined stories using spare, perfectly measured language, hapa Pakistani American Daniyal Mueenuddin captures the lives of the haves and have-nots – money, position, power – with both precision and grace.

Each of the collection’s characters revolve around the elderly K.K. Harouni, whose extensive household and massive holdings begin in a Pakistani village and emanate far beyond. Each is fighting for survival with various skills: Nawab the electrician gains enormous local status by managing to secure himself a motorcycle, Saleema the servant goes from one man to another searching for comfort and security, Jaglani the skimming land manager succumbs to love late in life, socialite Lily hopes to change her meaningless rituals with marriage, while wandering Rezak falls victim to kind intentions.

Review: “In Celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month: New & Notable Books,” The Bloomsbury Review, May/June 2009

Tidbit: Talk about missed opportunities! Mueenuddin was in the River Cluster while I was in Mid-Mass at Dartmouth … we were in the same graduating class, holy moly! And then it turns out we overlapped at Yale for three years, too. And it takes this book to find out about him! His mother is also best friends with the grandmother of our son’s oldest friends – got all that? Anyway, we’re going to work all our angles to try our best to get him to the Smithsonian this fall for the latest SALTAF (South Asian Literature and Theater Arts Festival). Stay tuned!

THIS JUST IN (on April 22, 2009): Mueenuddin is coming to SALTAF 2009. That’s Saturday November 7, 2009. How’s that for some fabulous news??!!

THIS JUST IN (on October 15, 2009): Mueenuddin’s a finalist for the 2009 National Book Award. I swear, I should be a book bookie!

Readers: Adult

Published: 2009

Posted in ...Absolute Favorites, ..Adult Readers, .Fiction, .Short Stories, Hapa, Pakistani, Pakistani American, South Asian, South Asian American Tagged: Betrayal, Bloomsbury Review, BookDragon, Colonialism, Daniyal Mueenuddin, Family, Father/son relationship, Haves vs. have-nots, Identity, In Other Rooms Other Wonders, Parent/child relationship, Politics

The Pakistani Bride by Bapsi Sidhwa

SI BookDragon — Thu, 01 May 2008 15:11:44 +0000

First published in 1983, Sidhwa’s haunting first novel has been brought back with a new introduction by grand dame Anita Desai. It’s based on a true story Sidwha heard while traveling in Pakistan about a young bride who ran away from a brutal marriage, only to be hunted like an animal and murdered in the name of honor. Sidhwa gives voice to that silent soul, giving her a history, a life, and even hope.

Review: “In Celebration of Asian Pacific American Month: A Survey of New & Notable Books,” The Bloomsbury Review, May/June 2008

Readers: Adult

Published: 1983, 2007 (re-issued with new preface)

First Daughter: White House Rules by Mitali Perkins

SI BookDragon — Thu, 01 May 2008 15:11:16 +0000

Sameera Righton, who first appeared in First Daughter: Extreme American Makeover, now calls the White House “home.” Sparrow, as her parents call her, is the adopted Pakistani-born daughter of the new U.S. President and his First Lady. Living under 24/7 scrutiny is harder than she expected, but being a resourceful teen, escape doesn’t remain impossible for long. Let the adventures begin!

Review: “In Celebration of Asian Pacific American Month: A Survey of New & Notable Books,” The Bloomsbury Review, May/June 2008

Readers: Middle Grade, Young Adult

Published: 2008

The Best Eid Ever by Asma Mobin-Uddin, illustrated by Laura Jacobsen

SI BookDragon — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 22:14:33 +0000

When Aneesa, a young Muslim girl, wakes up on the first morning of Eid with just her grandmother, she greatly misses her parents, who are on a pilgrimage to Mecca. At the prayer hall, Aneesa meets two girls whose family escaped war in their homeland with virtually nothing. Aneesa learns the true meaning of Eid as she shares some of her bountiful gifts, indeed making it the best Eid of all.

Review: “TBR’s Editors’ Favorites of 2007,” The Bloomsbury Review, November/December 2007

Readers: Children

Published: 2007

First Daughter: Extreme American Makeover by Mitali Perkins

SI BookDragon — Tue, 01 May 2007 19:08:00 +0000

With her Republican front-runner father, Sameera “Sparrow” Righton just might be headed to the White House. That is, if her father’s PR spinners can make her more ‘all-American,’ given her Pakistani heritage as the beloved adopted daughter of two headstrong activists who want to change the world. She goes from invisible teenage schoolgirl to glam chic, thanks to the campaign’s makeover gurus, but discovering just who the real Sameera Righton is turns out to be the best adventure of all. Check out the accompanying, real-life blog, www.sparrowblog.com by the fictional Sameera on the all-too-real upcoming 2008 Presidential elections.

Perkins continues spunky Sparrow’s story in First Daughter: White House Rules.

Review: “In Celebration of Asian Pacific American Month: New & Notable Books,” The Bloomsbury Review, May/June 2007

Readers: Middle Grade, Young Adult

Published: 2007

Negotiating Ethnicity: Second-Generation South Asian Americans Traverse a Transnational World by Bandana Purkayastha

SI BookDragon — Fri, 05 Aug 2005 03:17:49 +0000

A careful examination of 48 second-generation South Asian Americans whose parents arrived from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal during 1965 and the mid-1980s. Through personal stories and sociological context, Purkayastha explores how this second generation projects self-identification in a world where they are clearly not white, yet often not Asian enough.

Review: “New and Notable Books,” AsianWeek, August 4, 2005

Readers: Adult

Published: 2005

Husband of a Fanatic: A Personal Story Through India, Pakistan, Love, and Hate by Amitava Kumar

SI BookDragon — Thu, 07 Apr 2005 15:10:51 +0000

Amitava Kumar, a Hindu Indian writer based in the United States, marries a Pakistani Muslim in 1999 when India and Pakistan are at war: “I felt good about marrying ‘the enemy,’” he writes, “ … my marriage had opened a new track for people-to-people diplomacy.” Then he is named in an online blacklist of so-called Hindu traitors. While his journey begins in an ethnic enclave in New York, Kumar also travels through the South Asian continent, as everyone from relatives to religious leaders weighs in on the age-old tension, distrust, and outright hatred based not on individual encounters but the blindness of national and religious identity.

Review: “New and Notable Books, AsianWeek, April 7, 2005

Tidbit: Kumar was a provocative, very funny guest at SALTAF 2007 (South Asian Literary and Theater Arts Festival), a much-anticipated, highly-attended annual fall event sponsored by the Smithsonian APA Program and NetSAP-DC.

Readers: Adult

Published: 2005

Sadika’s Way: A Novel of Pakistan and America by Hina Haq

SI BookDragon — Thu, 07 Apr 2005 14:32:32 +0000

Not exactly one of the newest titles (it arrived later than sooner on my desk), but certainly noteworthy because of its subject matter. It opens with the Pakistani birth of Sadika – an unwanted daughter – and moves swiftly along through her coming of age, her lack of marriage prospects, and her eventual blossoming as an independent young woman. A sense of “you GO, girl” keeps moving the story, and you can’t help but root for naïve Sadika as she finally claims her own voice and learns to navigate a discovered newly sense of self.

Review: “New and Notable Books, AsianWeek, April 7, 2005

Tidbit: Hina Haq was one of our many wonderful guests for SALTAF 2005 [South Asian Literary and Theater Arts Festival].

Readers: Adult

Published: 2004

Trespassing: A Novel by Uzma Aslam Khan

SI BookDragon — Thu, 07 Apr 2005 14:31:08 +0000

Another tale of Pakistan (finally, multiple entries in this area!), this one a lyrically written love story – with all sorts of obstacles, of course – about a modern daughter running an inherited silk factory, and a Massachusetts-educated student returning to Karachi for his father’s funeral. The story is woven together with bits and pieces of the lovers’ perspectives, mixed in with the overarching story of their lives together – and apart.

Review: “New and Notable Books, AsianWeek, April 7, 2005

Readers: Adult

Published: 2005