Written by Jasmine Shaheen
The Shalimar Gardens, the Faisal Mosque, the Pakistan Monument and the Minar-e-Pakistan. Pakistan is not only beautiful with its places and history; it is the birthplace of brave and outstanding writers that you should know by now.
Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below if you have or will be reading one!
Exit West by Mohsin Hamid | Goodreads
The critically acclaimed novel has been gaining buzz ever since it came out and in a time like ours, the story is vital to bibliophiles from all over the world. It’s a story of immigration, seeking refuge to escape the horrors of the world, and finding love in the midst of all the shadows.
Broken Verses by Kamila Shamsie | Goodreads
“At what point does character-playing become habit, something for which we are grateful because it allows us to go through the world with the ease that comes from being predictable to ourselves, even if that predictability takes the form of neurosis, hysteria, depression? And at what point does that habit turn darkly into addiction?
Kamila Shamsie delivers a story of abandonment of home, family, and self. Broken Verses presents the conflict of a Pakistani woman trying to find out her identity while struggling to deal with her mother’ abandonment.
The Shadow of the Crescent Moon by Fatima Bhutto | Goodreads
Fatima Bhutto’s debut novel is set over the pace of one day. Exploring modern-day Pakistan and what’s it like to live in the midst of a never-ending war. Five individuals will have to face difficult circumstances and make even difficult choices.
A Case of Exploding Mangoes by Mohammed Hanif | Goodreads
Winner of the 2009 Commonwealth Book Prize in the Best First Book category, this title is funny, cynical and intriguing. Hanif presents a satirical comic based on the plane crash that leads to the death of General Muhammad Zia ul-Haq, former president of Pakistan. The novel offers possible explanations of what might have happened before the plane crashes while also shedding the light on some of Pakistan’s current issues.
I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb | Goodreads
There shouldn’t be one person in the world hasn’t heard of the girl who survived the shot in the head. This book is about the girl who defeated the odds and the survived to tell the story and change the world. The true story of Malala Yousafzai is an inspiration to all young girls, women and all individuals all over the world.
