Because books

cover story

Reflecting on the importance of reading in light of the Lahore International Book Fair

I never feel worse about the lapses in my reading habit than I do when I start a new book. That might seem counterintuitive – surely the guilt should be way higher when I’m not reading as opposed to when I finally am? But it isn’t until I return to the world of books that I fully realize what I’ve been missing out on. Because as soon as that first spark of knowledge hits my brain, it becomes blindingly obvious that no amount of binge streaming or doomsurfing (and/or joyscrolling) can come close to the magic of delving into a good book. 

This realization is perhaps at its peak whenever the Lahore International Book Fair (LIBF) rolls around. Towards the end of every winter, the fine folks at the LIBF Trust join hands with the Pakistan Publishers and Booksellers Association to organize a festival of books, much to the delight of my grey matter and the chagrin of my wallet.

The first thing you feel, as you enter the halls of the Expo Centre, is the absolute joy of being around people who share your interest and realize just how important books are, and who understand your enthusiasm at finding that obscure volume that you’ve been looking for, followed immediately by the anxiety that the said tome will now join that ever-growing TBR pile that is threatening to touch the ceiling. (#SoLittleTimeSoMuchToRead etc.)

Next on the agenda is the absolute dread that instantly destroys your soul as soon as you see the price labels. Ain’t no way you can afford that very long list of titles you had in mind when you merrily strolled into the building, blissfully unaware of your crushing poverty. The afternoon then becomes a test of your impulse control, as you decide what to take with you and what to leave behind, while frantically sending friends a virtual SOS to walk you off the ledge of overspending. (This year, a friend managed to get me to remove two books from my basket, and I felt very prudent about just purchasing … 13 books instead of 15. Because 15 is obviously too many while 13 is just fine! Also, the irony of buying a book on decluttering while basically adding a whole heap of things to a room that is already beginning to look like a hoarder’s nest was not lost on me.)

But that’s the LIBF in a nutshell: a joyous gathering of book enthusiasts that unites you with the books of your dreams, that aims to inspire reading but is mired by an economic reality that doesn’t exactly encourage the habit. Your best bet, of course, is to find that one stall – and there always seems to be one! – that is offering proper, significant discounts and hope they have the books you are looking for. Then begin reading, be reminded of what you’ve been missing out on, and this time try not to let go.

*****

This is why I’m broke
(i.e. the book haul)

So, I ended up buying way too many books at this year’s book fair. As usual.

The first book I picked is about … cats. Because obviously. I have yet to master the art of walking away from anything that has a picture of a cat on it. How does one do it? Such a mystery. It’s a gorgeous little hardcover with a velvety spine, although probably full of information that I already know, but … velvety spine, you guys!

I was next drawn to Stephen Fry’s Heroes, even though I haven’t read Mythos and have no idea if the book will make any sense to someone who can’t tell Artemis from Achilles. 

Then there is a beautiful inspirational colouring book (so recommended) and a kind of meh creativity drawing book (so not recommended), and there are way too many self-help books because I’m totally not having a midlife crisis at all. 

The Will Smith autobiography just ended up in the pile because discount. 

My selection is, as always, fairly light on fiction. I chose a couple of random Grisham novels; I haven’t read one of his books in ages and thought I might give these a go. And I got Silo (irritatingly with an Apple TV+ series cover), just to reread the terrific ‘Wool’ short story. 

I purchased a Doctor Who paper doll book for a friend who loves the series, and a book about coffee art for a friend who loves coffee (but I have since decided he sucks so I might just end up keeping it).

I also went back for a couple more books and some stationary. (Have I ever actually used a highlighter? Unsure. But it sure is nice to own 8726439 of them.) I got two dictionaries for free, which I’m irrationally thrilled about. Oh and I bought way too many planners. I have suddenly gone from owning zero Filofaxes to having more Filofaxes than a normal human person can use in a lifetime. But hey, at least now I can maybe find a use for all those highlighters?

So, yeah … that’s the book haul. Now what exactly is the procedure for filing for bankruptcy?

*****

Notes from LIBF 2025

The 38th edition of the Lahore International Book Fair was held at the Expo Centre from 5 to 9 February this year. The annual event brought together sellers from across the country, giving book enthusiasts access to countless volumes from a variety of genres, all under one roof. But just how important is reading, and what can be done to inspire people to adopt this habit? We asked the participants for their take on the significance of reading and how to encourage this activity.

Mansoor Muhammad Siddiq
Generation Book Collection, Owner
We are from Karachi and for 35 years we had a shop at Khori Garden, an historical area that old readers must be familiar with. I entered the field of books at the age of 11. Around 25 years ago, it used to be like we would got two books and there would be 100 customers for them, and they would fight over the books. With the craze of IT since then, we were getting the impression that the craze of books will decrease, but after about 15 years, we feel like people are once again gravitating towards books.
The economic conditions of the country are such that everyone cannot afford books. Books seem even more expensive than gold. Out concept is to sell books at the cheapest price possible. Our price is even less than pirated editions; we are selling books worth PKR 6000 for only PKR 300. So customers are picking 20 books instead of one.
When we attend such exhibitions, all the publishers are under one roof which makes it easier for the customers, and it also encourages us that there are still people who read. We have noticed that girls are a lot more interested in reading than boys. It is up to the parents to inspire their children. There are many who collect pocket money all year round for the Karachi Expo event. So it seems like we are turning back towards books, and it is very heartening.
There are people who have entire libraries at home and are passionate about their collection, although this craze is ending because there often isn’t enough space to make libraries in houses anymore. We have a lot of stock that we can’t display here. The stalls are very expensive. The government should give us free of cost space, and we can pass that benefit on to the customers.

Francis Dsouza
Liberty Books, Senior Manager
We are trying to promote book reading in Pakistan – in Lahore and Karachi, everywhere – and we try our best to have book signings for people so that they get updated knowledge of books – the authors come and sign the book and give them a lecture about the book. We have activities running always, one or two activities every month. And we also try to promote in school exhibitions so that children get to buy some books, and we offer a good discount to them so that they are affordable for them. In our store, we also have a discounted section for customers who like to buy cheaper books, and we have a variety of books for everybody. We try our best to promote education and reading.
We should always keep in mind that children need to learn, and guide them to go towards reading. In the future it is good for them. It is [vital] to understand the importance of reading so that a person gets more educated and knows how to [improve their] life. So that’s why I think reading is always a good thing to promote.

Haroon Siddiqui
Siddiqui Rare and Antique Books, Owner
If we talk about books … like, this Lahore International Book Fair is taking place, it has its own importance – people can get all kinds of books on all kinds of topics in one place. The routine trend of books is declining these days. Mobiles and the Internet have made a huge impact. But the importance of books can never decline, because books don’t teach us wrong things – if mobiles are in our hands, then many wrong things appear in front of us and our children who should stay away from such things. You should bring youngsters towards books instead of mobiles. This will be better for you and your coming generations.
To inspire them, you should have events like this book fair, and you should take children to bookshops. I have seen that when parents buy books for their children, the kids insist that they want to hold their own books. If we hand them a mobile, then how will they be drawn towards books? So it is an appeal to everyone that they should inspire kids and bring them towards books.

Muhammad Hamza Gaziani
The Book Kingdom, Proprietor
Reading has always been a very important thing in everyone’s life – it gives you knowledge, it gives you experience. If, for instance, you are reading an autobiography, you’re going to get to know what the struggles of that person were and how he gained all that success, that knowledge. So reading helps you gain knowledge and [learn from] the experiences of people, which eventually helps you get successful in your life.
We can encourage people to read by doing more events like book fairs and by giving them the best prices we can so that every person can afford a book, and every person can buy a book so that they get encouraged in reading.

Muhammad Sajid Iqbal
Readings, Imports Manager
A lot of things have been added to our society that do give us some benefit but in the long run we can’t symbolize them in our lives. The biggest issue we are facing right now is that of social media. Our new generation is attracted to these new things, and book reading is taking a backseat. Book was always a very important element in the evolutionary process, and I think it still is and will remain. These things won’t end. In our childhood we saw that there was a wonderful trend of Eid cards, which was a lovely gesture in which people would interact with each other one way or another. Now that interaction has ended. Society has dispersed at that level. So it’s better that we should tell the new generation that social [media] interaction is important but it is not important enough that because of it we forget these traditions and things.

Asim Malik
Oxford University Press, Assistant Manager
Reading is the most valuable asset in this world. We at Oxford have been serving this [field] from the late 1800s, and we are well known in the publishing industry. I believe reading and knowledge is much more important than any other activity in this world because it’s healthy, [and it helps people grow].
[To inspire people to read] we must publish as much as we can. It is a digital world today, but I think the importance of physical books is still there and one should appreciate it. Rather than using digital tablets and gadgets, one should be promoting reading [books] as much as they can.

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News International - 14th February, 2025 *

Mind, heart, soul

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Reading may famously be a dying habit but the crowd at the Lahore International Book Fair seemed to be on a collective mission to prove otherwise. Sure the digital age may have drastically changed how we consume everything from news to literature, but based on the turnout at the 2024 LIBF, there is clearly no shortage of people who still love books.

The 37th edition of the yearly exhibition took place at the Expo Centre in Lahore in the first week of February, and while the weather may have been cold and the day overcast, there was still plenty of hustle and bustle at the arena on the cloudy Sunday afternoon when I visited the event. 

Not only was the book fair a chance for bookworms to find just the volume they were looking for and booksellers to reach their customers, but the five-day event gave bibliophiles the opportunity to cherish seeing like-minded people turn up in droves and show their support for printed works.

Books galore

The massive hall was filled with stalls of the various booksellers, offering everything from English content to Urdu literature. Whether you enjoy fantasy, sci-fi, romance, memoirs, real-life adventures, religious books, or anything in between or beyond, you were very likely to find something of interest among the thousands and thousands of volumes on display. 

Much of the exhibit featured new books, some imported, many expensive enough to make you wish you’d win the lottery already and remind you that life is indeed unfair.

A handful of stalls focused on the resale of old book. Among them was Old Books Collection from Karachi. Muhammad Ali Siddiqui, from the aforementioned retailer, seemed pleased with the outcome of the event. “We have a stall at the book fair every year,” he said. “This is our fifth book fair, and the result is good, MashaAllah.” The event, he explained, helped his business reach new readers and customers, and gave him the chance to meet people.

Pre-loved books may not catch everyone’s fancy, but they can be a blessing for those on a budget. Muhammad Abid Siddiqui from Siddiqui Book Centre, another old books business, pointed out their value. “We find and keep second-hand books,” he said. “The price of new books has increased because of the hike in the price of paper, and even slim volumes can cost as much as two to three thousand, so we promote second-hand books.”

Bookworms aplenty

Among the sellers of the pricy new volumes was Liberty Books from Karachi, represented at the LIBF by Rizwan Ahmad, who was more than pleased with the number of people who had turned up at the event. “It’s going really well; the response has been even better than we expected,” Rizwan enthused. He explained that Liberty Books had chosen to step away from the book fair for half a decade because of rampant piracy, and had only just made their return to the event. “We have returned after six years,” he said, “and we re-entered the book fair with limited stock. We left this because of piracy. Now Insha’Allah next years we’ll also come achay taraikay se because MashaAllah the response is very good. It’s going well.”

And while the abovementioned Siddiqui Book Centre’s Abid Siddiqui was, likewise, satisfied with the overall turnout and sees this yearly gathering as a way to help the young generation develop an interest in reading, he did have a few suggestions on how it could be even better. “Our experience here is good, but it is still not at the level that it should be,” he explained. “The reason for this is that a lot of people don’t even know about this [event], and if it was covered by the media and news of the book fair had been spread in Lahore, then even more people would have found out about it.”

Paper power

There is something so heartening about gatherings like the LIBF and how they highlight the value of books. Muhammad Hamza Gaziani, the proprietor of The Book Kingdom, emphasised just how vital this medium is. “I feel like books are very important for everyone as they increase your imagination, your knowledge, your speaking skills – [they have an impact on] each and every thing. 

“Book fairs,” he continued, “are very important so that the people who don’t really know about books can get introduced to them and [can have access to] especially those books which aren’t available online or in physical stores. Some are like mangas – Naruto, comics; these are very rare, and we are the ones who are specially keeping them.”

Azhar, a longtime employee of Readings, also expressed just how important books are for society. “Books are essential for human transformation,” he said. “If I talk about myself, I have been working for Readings for about 16 to 17 years and I feel like I have changed from the person I was back then. I have learned a lot from books. Like everything has an aura, books have their own aura. When a book is in our hands, we don’t get that much time to read but even reading the summaries, even knowing about books briefly, even that brings about a lot of changes in us. If I have changed so much in the company of books, then I feel if everyone stays attached to books, it will not only change them individually, but since individuals come together to develop society, the whole society will change and there will be a positive impact. The nation will develop and perform better.”

Happy with his experience at the LIBF, Azhar was excited to see people showing their love for books. “You can see people are participating in a good way,” he noted. “The impression we were getting that reading habits are declining and people are not drawn towards reading, that impression is being revoked here. There are people here in significant numbers, and from a business perspective, people buy books, that’s how we do business. We import books, and import a lot of books. And this is just the Lahore edition. If this is the situation in one city, then overall the situation is not bad, I feel.

“This is one event,” he continued. “There should be more events like this in a year so that more people are attached and there is even more awareness. I am not mayoos with respect to books.”

It’s such a good thing that the LIBF has given us optimism when it comes to reading, for what better way is there to nourish the mind, heart, and soul than a good book?

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 16th February, 2024 *

In case you missed it

bookshelf

If you didn’t get the chance to read these books last year, now might be a good time to catch up!

Fiction

Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

Inspired by Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, Ann Napolitano’s latest novel Hello Beautiful tells the story of family, love, and loyalty through the tale of the tightknit Padavona sisters, who embrace an introverted guy with a negligent family after he becomes involved with one of them. But their close familial bond is tested when a tragedy strikes and threatens to pull them apart.

A sad, emotional drama, Hello Beautiful was a book club favourite last year, and also has Oprah’s seal of approval.

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

A white writer takes a recently-deceased Chinese American author’s manuscript and tries to pass it off as her own in Yellowface, a treatise on authenticity, racism, and cultural appropriation in the publishing industry and beyond.

When literary darling Athena dies in a freak accident, her struggling contemporary June steals the former’s just-finished masterpiece and sends it to her agent, rebranding herself as Juniper to release the plagiarized book. Will she manage to keep her secret, or will she be exposed as a fraud?

Yellowface explores weighty themes, its commentary wrapped in dark satire, as it tells the tale of its very flawed protagonist and a fiercely competitive industry.

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Sixty-year-old tea shop owner Vera Wong gets a chance to put her amateur sleuthing skills to the test when one morning she discovers a dead man in the middle of her shop!

Taking charge of the investigation – because of course she will do a better job than the police! – she comes up with a list of suspects and promptly decides to uncover who committed the crime and why.

Filled with quirky charm, Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers makes for a fun, cozy read.

Swamp Story by Dave Barry

If you’re looking for a laugh, then pick up a copy of humourist Dave Barry’s latest novel, Swamp Story, a “caper full of oddballs” that promises to take you on a silly, zany ride.

The characters include the beautiful Jesse, who is stranded in a small cabin in the Everglades with her baby and desperate for a way out; her hunky but hapless ex Slater who dreams of being a reality TV star; business owner Ken Bortle who is trying to bolster his failing enterprise by luring tourists in with a hoax; and several other individuals of varying morality levels and intelligence.

There are mobsters and a hidden treasure, a drug kingpin and a presidential hopeful, and all kinds of mayhem, all in a story that is just as funny as it is ridiculous.

*****

Non-fiction

The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann

The author of Killers of the Flower Moon – a Martin Scorsese adaptation of which arrived in cinemas last October – turns his attention to the Wager Mutiny, a 1741 incident that took place after a British warship was wrecked on a desolate island.

David Grann recounts the tale of treachery and betrayal that unfolded in the wake of the accident that left a group of sailors marooned in a barren wilderness for months. Well-researched and gripping from start to finish, this non-fiction account offers complex repercussion alongside so many twists it reads like a fiction thriller.

Oh and Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio have already acquired the screen rights to this book as well, so an adaptation of this too shall arrive at a cinema near you at some point in the future.

Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity by Peter Attia

If you want to live a long life for some reason – why though? – then you might want to grab a copy of Peter Attia’s Outlive, an “operating manual for longevity” that investigates aging, long-term health, and living a better life.

The Canadian-American physician dissects the science of longevity and shares personal experiences as he helps us understand how taking care of our emotional and physical health can help us ward off or delay diseases.

It may be a tad too long but the book does drive home the point that taking care of your body – through everything from exercise to proper sleep – can help improve your life so that you can live longer and healthier.

The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin

Acclaimed music producer Rick Rubin shares inspirational advice in The Creative Way, a study on navigating the creative process and overcoming creative hurdles.

The writer – who has worked with a varied array of artists, from the likes of Metallica to Johnny Cash – shares wisdom from his decades in the music industry and says that “creativity has a place in everyone's life, and everyone can make that place larger”.

Some might feel that it reads a little too much like lessons from Zen 101, but hey, we could all use a little bit of positive inspiration, no matter what form it takes.

The Cat's Meow: How Cats Evolved from the Savanna to Your Sofa by Jonathan B. Losos

Cats are awesome – that is a fact and any evidence anyone might present to the contrary is by default invalid. Jonathan B. Losos has decided to celebrate our wonderful feline overlords companions in The Cat’s Meow, a tome that explores the “past, present, and future of the world's most popular and beloved pet”.

The book takes a genial look at the history and science of cats, and details how the contemporary cat evolved from its feral ancestors and became an irreplaceable member of our households.

It may be best suited for the most ardent of animal lovers, but those who are interested in the topic will appreciate all the information that is packed in this volume.

- By S.A.

Us Magazine, The News - 19th January 2024 *

A Very Punchable Face - charmingly self-deprecating

book review

SNL comedian Colin Jost’s affable memoir takes an amusing look at his life and career

Book: A Very Punchable Face

Author: Colin Jost

Full disclosure: I, personally, have never wanted to punch Colin Jost in the face. Based on my limited exposure to his presence via Saturday Night Live clips on YouTube, he has seemed too bland and unexceptional to warrant such a visceral response. But apparently there is something about his work, image, and – clearly – face, that rubs some people the wrong way. He addresses all this and more in A Very Punchable Face, a charmingly self-deprecating memoir that just might make you want to punch him a little bit less.

For those unfamiliar with the bearer of this fist-clench-inspiring mug, Jost is a comedian who joined SNL as a writer in 2005, before eventually becoming one of the show’s co-head writers and the co-anchor of the Weekend Update segment. He is also the latest husband of Scarlett Johansson. Which means he has the seal of approval of one of the most gorgeous and successful actresses on Earth. And when you read his book, you can kind of see why ScarJo fell for him.

Jost has, of course, joined a long list of comedians who have written memoirs. But the thing about actor/comedian books (by the likes of Amy Schumer, Mindy Kaling, and Anna Kendrick, to name a few), which often come in the form of essay collections is … they can be quite underwhelming, and even, at times, read like a random set  of lazy blog posts the celebrities typed on their phone in their downtime

To Jost’s credit, A Very Punchable Face actually reads like a book, and a fairly good one at that, at least as far as celebrity memoirs go.

The comedian covers a range of topics – his childhood in Staten Island; his Irish Catholic upbringing (and its many side effects); not being able to speak until he was four years old; his accident-prone nature; attending Harvard (with the likes of Pete Buttigieg and Mark Zuckerberg) and graduating with a (very practical) degree in The History and Literature of Russia and Britain after abandoning his stated major, Economics; and many other (often humorous) life experiences – in the amusing volume.

But his focus remains, primarily, on his comedy career. Jost charts his career trajectory, from writing for the Harvard Lampoon, trying to find a job at late night shows, and writing for an animation company, to finally submitting a sketch packet to SNL and subsequently landing his dream job, which he has now held for fifteen years.

A fairly large chunk of the book sees Jost talking about his SNL experiences. As he recounts his successes and failures at the television series, shares behind-the-scenes titbits, and lists the standout sketches that he penned, you would have to be fairly interested in the long-running Lorne Michaels sketch show to really appreciate and enjoy his recollections on the topic.

Ultimately, Jost’s main strength here is that he knows how to tell a story and connect with readers. His prose is often funny, and a couple of his tales – particularly the essay about his mother, who worked as the chief medical officer in New York for more than two decades, including during 9/11 – are quite affecting. Plus his self-deprecation is instantly disarming. And even if the book does not completely change your opinion of him, his self-awareness and wit will at least leave you with the sense that behind this supposedly punchable face is a rather intelligent guy.

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 4th July, 2021 *

Aria - Iran's Doctor Zhivago?

book review

Book: Aria

Author: Nazanine Hozar

Reach for just about any book on your shelf and you will find a couple of enthusiastic blurbs on its cover. Each line of praise will try its best to draw you towards the novel, each recommendation raising your expectations of what you are about to read. And when that endorsement comes from an author as well-known as Margaret Atwood, who compares the book to a tome as celebrated as Doctor Zhivago, you are bound to think that what you have in your hands is the next literary classic.

It is with these high expectations that we are introduced to Aria, Iranian-Canadian writer Nazanine Hozar’s debut novel and, as per Atwood, “a Doctor Zhivago of Iran.”

True to the comparison, the novel attempts to deliver a sweeping drama set against the backdrop of political turmoil, as the Iranian revolution collides with a young girl’s life. But the result, ultimately, isn’t quite as riveting as you might hope.

Spanning nearly three decades, Aria opens in the early 1950s in a turbulent Tehran and ends in the early 1980s, soon after the downfall of the last Shah of Iran and the instatement of Ayatollah Khomeini as the country’s Supreme Leader. At the centre of the tale is the titular protagonist, who experiences several trials and tribulations through the various stages of her life, just as the winds of change are sweeping her country.

The book is divided into four main parts, the first three of which are named after her three maternal figures — “a mother who left her, a mother who beat her, and a mother who loved her but couldn’t say so” — while the last reflects Aria’s own journey of motherhood (although none of the sections fully focuses on the character it is named after).

As the novel begins, a newborn infant is abandoned in an alleyway, from where she is rescued by a kind army driver, Behrouz, who names her Aria, “after all the world’s pains and all the world’s loves.” Not pleased with her husband’s decision to adopt a discarded, blue-eyed, red-haired baby, Behrouz’s wife, Zahra, treats the child cruelly, raising her with abuse and neglect.

A series of events eventually lead Aria to her next surrogate mother, the affluent Fereshteh, who provides the girl with a significantly better home and upbringing, but remains emotionally distant. Behrouz and Fereshteh soon start sending the young girl to help out the impoverished family of a woman who, unbeknownst to Aria, is her birth mother, Mehri.

Her parents aren’t the only source of complications in her life. Drama follows Aria wherever she goes. Her friendships — from her childhood pal Kamran, to schoolmates Mitra and Hamlet — all lead to misfortune in one way or another. And then, of course, there is the socio-political turmoil shadowing every turn of the story, as a revolution alters the life of every character in the tale.

Hozar displays a talent for bringing a complex setting to vivid life, and her ability to create unique, fascinating characters shines throughout the novel. Many interesting individuals appear in the proceedings, such as Aria’s friend Kamran — who makes beaded bracelets for her — or Kamran’s father, Kazem, who injures and infects his hand, but continues working as a bricklayer. Or Rameen, a captain in the army who forms an entanglement with Behrouz. But these characters don’t always get the satisfying arcs they deserve. Instead, they often just disappear till the story needs them again.

It is peculiar that, despite all the melodrama constantly surrounding her, somehow Aria is not the most intriguing character in her own book. Far from it. You get the feeling that someone such as, say, Rameen, has a much more interesting story to tell, if only Hozar would let him tell it.

The novel’s scope, perhaps, is a little too ambitious. The author populates her yarn with too many characters and weaves a tapestry that doesn’t quite cohere. Pacing issues plague the narrative, as the story goes from a laconic build-up to a rushed wrap-up. Some incidents are described in more detail than seems necessary, while others don’t get the space they require. Plus, the dry, distant prose makes it hard to stay absorbed in the events or really connect with the strong, but flawed, protagonist.

It also doesn’t help that, all too often, the most important development in the book relies on contrived coincidences (especially towards the jarring end) and the characters behave in ways that don’t seem entirely credible.

Where Hozar excels, though, is in creating a fascinating portrait of a complex nation — one inhabited by Muslims and Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians — on the precipice of change, her vivid descriptions relaying the stark realities of a divided region and poor populace. You will, however, need prior knowledge of the historical developments and figures to fully understand the depth and breadth of the various settings and situations.

All in all, Aria may not be an instant classic, but it certainly has its merits. The story would have benefited from some fine-tuning and the novel could have used some editing, but it is still likely to please readers who enjoy slow-paced, character-driven family sagas and are both knowledgeable about, and intrigued by, Iran’s culture and history.

- By Sameen Amer

Books & Authors, Dawn - 11th April, 2021 *

Physics will not judge you

book review

A compendium of impractical but entertaining and scientifically solid advice that will help you see everyday issues in a new light

When we run into a problem, most of us are inclined to look for the simplest solution. Randall Munroe, on the other hand, seems to have a very different philosophy when it comes to handling problems: make them as complicated as humanly possible and see where that leads you.

That is precisely the approach he takes in his book, How To: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems, a tome that shows there’s clearly no issue that can’t be made more complicated with a little bit of science and a whole lot of imagination!

Best known for his delightful webcomic xkcd, Munroe — formerly a roboticist at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) — has been amusing us with his nerdy stick-figure creations for nearly 15 years. Along with his online offerings, he has also employed his wit and wisdom to create interesting books, such as 2014’s What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions, in which he provides logical answers to humorously bizarre user-submitted queries, and 2015’s Thing Explainer: Complicated Stuff in Simple Words — another very self-explanatory title.

Munroe’s latest volume finds him exploring unusual approaches to accomplishing seemingly simple (as well as some not-so-simple) tasks. Each of the book’s 28 chapters is dedicated to a different topic and applies science, research and creativity to come up with fascinatingly convoluted scenarios.

Many subjects seem like practical concerns before the author takes them to impractical extremes. In ‘How to Throw a Pool Party’, for instance, Munroe doesn’t provide us with a tutorial on putting together the invitations, snacks and décor for a social gathering. What we get instead is a humorously thorough manual on how to build and fill the pool that you would need for the aforementioned party. And, thanks to the magic of science, you are no longer bound to create an average, conventional pool. “Physics doesn’t care if your question is weird. It just gives you the answer, without judging,” Munroe reassures us — before explaining how we can construct a pool out of cheese and fill it with 150,000 bottles of Fiji water.

The discussions don’t degenerate into absurdity, though. The author and illustrator makes sure that he examines interesting ideas along the way. There is something fascinating in every chapter. For instance, ‘How to Tell If You’re a Nineties Kid’ explains the impact of nuclear tests on unsuspecting humans; ‘How to Send a File’ delves into the migration of butterflies; and ‘How to Take a Selfie’ teaches us about occultation (when an object in the foreground blocks an object in the back).

While most chapters are inspired by fairly routine tasks — such as jumping really high, digging a hole, sending a file online, charging your phone or mailing a package — a few stranger ones are also thrown into the mix. If you want to learn how to build a lava moat, keep your house from moving, or power your house on Mars, then this book has you covered.

Munroe’s intelligence and knowledge shine through with his unique take on each subject. Along with his own insights (which are often built upon research or backed by calculations), the author also occasionally reaches out to some experts in their fields in order to “apply their unique expertise to ridiculous tasks.” Most prominently, he interviews astronaut Chris Hadfield on emergency landings and, in what is perhaps the book’s most memorable moment, recruits tennis superstar Serena Williams to help test whether tennis serves could be an effective countermeasure against hovering drones.

The writer’s witty geek humour, and the stick-figure cartoons that accompany the text, make the book a fun read. The more theoretical elements have generally been made accessible to the layperson, although there are a few parts that might still be a little difficult to follow if you aren’t well-versed in basic science.

The material is perhaps easier to digest if it’s read a section at a time instead of being devoured in larger chunks. The mathematical components can occasionally be a bit dry, while some theories and formulae might leave you wishing you’d paid more attention in your high-school physics class. It’s a good thing then that Munroe’s enthusiasm for science is absolutely contagious. How To is likely to motivate you to further explore the ideas discussed therein, and might even inspire you to look at the world in a fascinatingly offbeat way.

All in all, this compendium of impractical advice might not teach you how to actually do anything in a simple, easy way, but its amusingly convoluted takes serve as an entertaining, thought-provoking read that will help you understand different topics, learn random scientific trivia and see things in a new light.

- Sameen Amer

Books & Authors, Dawn - 8th November, 2020 *

Fantastic voyage

book review

An award-winning author writes an accessible and entertaining book, chock-full of facts and historical anecdotes, that captures the wondrous nature and failings of the human body

Book: The Body: A Guide for Occupants

Author: Bill Bryson

The most fascinating thing about our seemingly unassuming but wholly remarkable planet is simply our very presence on it. The Earth’s ability to host life makes it the most special rock in our galactic neighbourhood, and life itself is perhaps the biggest wonder our universe has to offer. The fact that a handful of elements come together to form conscious, living, breathing, fully functional — and, occasionally, even intelligent — human beings, is nothing short of a miracle. And it is this incredible human form that is the subject of Bill Bryson’s The Body: A Guide for Occupants.

From the award-winning, bestselling author of A Short History of Nearly Everything and At Home: A Short History of Private Life, this new book is an entertaining and enlightening tour of our inner workings, taking a look at how we function and, more disconcertingly, malfunction.

The book offers an insightful discussion on anatomy, delving into the workings of the different parts and elements that make up a human, including the circulatory, respiratory, digestive, nervous, endocrine, immune, skeletomuscular and reproductive systems. Bryson gives readers a concise explanation of how each facet of the body works and how different organs come together to give us the ability to perform everyday functions and survive in an environment that often proves to be all too hostile.

Despite our resourcefulness, our species remains susceptible to various health problems, so alongside details on how it works, Bryson also sheds light on how the human body falters. A number of ailments, ranging from issues with pathogenic, genetic, evolutionary and even self-inflicted causes, are discussed. Our design flaws are analysed and the impact of our unhealthy lifestyles is often highlighted.

The book also sheds light on how, over the years, we have developed an understanding of both the functioning of the body and the diseases that plague it. We read about how patients in the past were subjected to painful, ineffective and sometimes even counterintuitive remedies, and learn about the work of dedicated researchers whose tireless efforts led to improvements in medical science, from which we benefit today and without whom we might still be suffering from what are now either preventable or treatable maladies.

It is disheartening to see how many of these remarkable researchers have been all but forgotten over time, especially by the general public. It is a peculiarity of our global culture that we shower those who entertain us with disproportionate wealth and attention, while overlooking those who have worked painstakingly to improve our lives. The Body will hopefully inspire readers to find out more about the likes of such people and offer them the gratitude they so rightly deserve.

Bryson provides a starting point to do just that, informing us about pathologist Theobald Smith, who discovered the causes of several infectious and parasitic diseases; geneticist Nettie Stevens, who discovered the X and Y chromosomes and the fact that males determine the gender of offspring; and neurophysiologist Charles Scott Sherrington, who helped shaped an understanding of the body’s nervous system. There is also surgeon William Stewart Halsted, who created the first formal surgical training programme in the United States, and microbiologist Albert Schatz, who discovered the antibiotic streptomycin, which is used to treat bacterial infections such as tuberculosis, pneumonia and influenza.

Bryson also places much emphasis on the point that we are a long way from understanding the many mysteries of the human body; we are repeatedly reminded of how much we still don’t know. Nonetheless, it is amazing to learn how far we have come — only a couple of decades in some cases — and astounding to discover how recent many scientific discoveries have actually been.

It is plain to see that a lot of research has gone into this book. The writer speaks to, and quotes, leading experts in various fields and relays their take on the areas in which they specialise. The historical anecdotes he digs up are downright fascinating and, perhaps, the most interesting part of the volume. However, given the plethora of diseases and microbes mentioned in the book, perhaps this may not be the best reading option for germophobes and hypochondriacs. If, for instance, the fact that we have “about 100,000 microbes per square centimetre” on our skin makes a prospective reader shudder, they might be better off picking up something else to peruse.

On the other hand, readers who are not squeamish will be riveted by all the trivia that The Body has to offer. The pages are chock-full of facts about the human form and filled with tidbits that capture the wondrous nature of the body. My favourite snippet, if anyone is interested, is that according to estimates, every day “between one and five of your cells turn cancerous and your immune system captures and kills them.” How amazing is that!

Most readers will probably be familiar with much of the basic science discussed here, especially if they studied biology in school, are avid fans of popular science, or have ageing parents, which — as it turns out — is a most unexpectedly effective way of learning about the body and its shortcomings. Even so, this book will serve as a useful refresher, reminding us of things that may have slipped our mind. The science has been made accessible for the layman, thanks to Bryson’s clear, simplified and often wry and congenial writing style. And while this may not be the most comprehensive or deepest book one can find on the subject, it is a rewarding read and terrific starting point for those who want a basic understanding before they dig deeper.

There are parts, however, that may be a little hard to retain for the casual reader, especially when scientific terms are listed. For instance, the cornea in the eye, we are told, has five layers: “epithelium, Bowman’s membrane, stroma, Descemet’s membrane, and endothelium.” Around the eyes are “the glands of Krause, Wolfring, Moll, and Zeis, as well as nearly four dozen Meibomian glands in the eyelids.” One would need either a pretty sharp memory or a bit of conscious effort to retain not just those terms, but a lot of other things mentioned in the tome.

All in all, however, The Body is an informative journey into human biology and Bryson makes this stroll not only entertaining, but also wondrously fascinating. The book is likely to leave readers will a sense of marvel at our design, motivate them to learn more about their physical form, and perhaps even inspire them to live a better, healthier life.

- Sameen Amer

Books & Authors, Dawn - 24th May, 2020 *

Artemis - one giant leap in the wrong direction for Andy Weir

book review

Book: Artemis

Author: Andy Weir

The massive success of a debut project may propel its creator to global stardom but it can also have some side effects. Operating under the shadow of an acclaimed first effort while struggling to meet its standards thenceforth can have its downsides, an idea that is conveniently illustrated by the phenomenon of the sophomore slump.

Artemis appears to be Andy Weir’s sophomore slump.

The American writer’s first novel, The Martian - story of an astronaut stranded alone on Mars - was one of the most exciting, interesting, and compelling science fiction adventures of recent years.

Unfortunately … exciting, interesting, and compelling are three of the things that its predecessor, Artemis, is not.

Weir shoots for the Moon with his second novel, stationing the proceedings on Earth’s satellite where a lunar city serves as the centre of the action. 

The protagonist is Jazz Bashara, a porter and smuggler of Saudi origin who moved to Artemis, the city on the Moon, when she was 6. Now in her 20s, she has established a reputation for drinking and sleeping around, having given up her religion, much to the disappointment of her welder father, Ammar, who is a devout Muslim.

When an underhanded businessman offers her the chance to make a fortune by sabotaging a rival company, she hatches an outlandish plan to carry out the job. But her scheme doesn’t go quite as planned, and she ends up running into a conspiracy that could have dire consequences.

Admittedly, the setting – the Moon! – is quite fascinating and it is fun to read about the lunar city and what it might be like to actually live on the lunar surface. Plus Weir is clearly adept at weaving science into his tales. All that, sadly, is undercut by a convoluted plot that is just plain ludicrous when it isn’t busy being preposterous.

It also doesn’t help that Jazz is about as irritating as a protagonist can be. A grown woman with the personality of a teenage boy, she seems immature, lazy, unnecessarily profane, amoral, and the opposite of bright. We’re repeatedly told that Jazz is very intelligent but she never bothers to actually demonstrate said intelligence at any point. She is meant to be witty but her attempts at humour are groan-worthy.

And why should we care about the fate of a reckless smuggler-turned-saboteur? Weir doesn’t venture an explanation. The Martian was a triumph because Mark Watney was working against astronomical odds, struggling for survival. Jazz, on the other hand, is trying to make a quick buck by destroying someone else’s property, causing extensive damage, and putting hundreds of lives at risk. All that – even if seen under the light of the absurd conspiracy – does not make her someone to root for.

Weir tries to create a multi-cultural society, but instead of coming up with something smart, he keeps stumbling on stereotypes. Parts of his characterizations are cringe-worthy; others are downright offensive. Everyone appears to have been given a nationality, religion, and sexual orientation seemingly at random. The supporting characters seem like they are diverse just for diversity’s sake.

There are plot points that ultimately don’t go anywhere. The pacing is off. The dialogues seem forced and unnatural.

Artemis is one giant leap in the wrong direction for Andy Weir. But what’s most frustrating about the book is that it could actually have been very interesting. At its core, there really is a fascinating idea – colonizing the Moon and all its wonderful, messy outcomes. Had this premise not been paired with an unsatisfying caper featuring a grating heroine, we might have landed on a tale that wasn’t this disappointing.

- Sameen Amer

The Express Tribune Blog - 14th June, 2019 *

A little bit of Reese, just not enough

book review

Book: Whiskey in a Teacup: What Growing Up in the South Taught Me About Life, Love & Baking Biscuits

By: Reese Witherspoon

Actress Reese Witherspoon has always seemed proud of her Southern upbringing, having paid homage to her roots in some of her acting gigs (Sweet Home Alabama (2002), Walk the Line (2005)) as well as her South-inspired lifestyle brand Draper James.

She now celebrates her Southern heritage in Whiskey in a Teacup, her first book, in which she shares the customs, traditions, and cuisine of the region where she grew up.

The book serves as a memoir, a lifestyle guide, and a cookbook all in one, putting together recollections from Witherspoon’s life with beauty, style, and decoration tips as well as recipes from her family and friends.

The American performer recalls her idyllic childhood in Tennessee and what it taught her about family, hospitality, and togetherness. She talks about some of her favourite Southern traditions, ranging from “midnight barn parties to backyard bridal showers, from magical Christmas mornings to rollicking honky-tonks”. Her grandmother, Dorothea, is referenced throughout the book; she evidently helped shape Witherspoon’s personality and clearly meant a lot to her granddaughter.

The writer also details how she keeps her house and how she entertains, sharing some of her tips for everything from party planning and hosting a book club to her hot-roller technique and telephone etiquettes.

Accompanying all the childhood anecdotes and everyday guidelines are standard Southern recipes – many of them from Dorothea’s kitchen – for dishes like casseroles, pies, biscuits, cakes, teas, and salads.

Witherspoon’s sweetness shines as she lovingly pays tribute to her beginnings by taking a brief looks at the various facets of the South and how it influenced her life. But in trying to be so many things at once – a collection of personal reminiscences, a lifestyle manual, and a recipe compilation – Whiskey in a Teacup fails to do justice to any of these aspects.

Repeating well-known generalizations about the American South does not an interesting book make; you can probably learn more about the region by reading its Wikipedia page. Her lifestyle advice basically comes down to common sense. And if you want a Southern cookbook, you’d be better off getting a proper Southern cookbook.

Teacup doesn’t function as a comprehensive biography either. The anecdotes in the book are pleasant but mostly not very significant, and they don’t reveal much about Witherspoon. There are no real honest, frank discussions or confessions here. Her viewpoint comes from a position of privilege. The actress either doesn’t have an inspiring story to share or simply doesn’t want to share it. The career lulls and personal setbacks – like the end of her marriage to Ryan Phillippe and the infamous “Don’t you know who I am?” disorderly conduct arrest episode with her current husband Jim Toth – that she has been through don’t get a mention here. The book just focuses on maintaining the image that the actress has meticulously cultivated through her entire career. Even the catalogue-esque photos that accompany the text seem posed and staged instead of candid snaps; she has the same smile on her face in all of them.

If you want to read about Reese Witherspoon’s love for monograms, how she makes her casseroles, and why she feels pets are an important part of the household, then this is the book for you. The actress brings her Southern charm to the project but doesn’t bring any particularly original or creative content. The magazine-styled coffee table book reads like it was written by someone who didn’t want to have to write a whole book but wanted to publish one anyway. This quick read will entertain her fans but for the rest of us, there simply isn’t much depth here. A more detailed, nuanced look at the subject matter or a proper biography would have been a lot more interesting and rewarding.

- Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 21st October, 2018 *

Summer reading

cover story

When the summer heat kicks in, you have the perfect chance to chill out with a good book. Here are some new and recent offerings that you could enjoy this summer.

Fiction

The Rooster Bar by John Grisham

It’s hard to resist John Grisham’s legal thrillers. If you haven’t had the chance to check out his latest novel yet, then the summer will be the perfect time to delve into the popular author’s newest page-turner. The American writer focuses on corruption in the legal field and for-profit educational institutions in The Rooster Bar, the story of three third-year debt-ridden law students at a third-tier law school who drop out and open a fake law firm. There’s intrigue, there’s drama, and while this isn’t Grisham’s best work, it’s still an entertaining light read.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

The debut novel by British writer Gail Honeyman has created quite a buzz since it was published last year. The story of a young, troubled office-worker in Glasgow who learns to overcome her lonely lifestyle, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine is a touching, thought-provoking novel that has been praised by critics and readers alike. The film rights were optioned by Reese Witherspoon’s company Hello Sunshine, so you might want to read this one before the movie comes out!

The Oracle Year by Charles Soule

Best known for his work as a comic book writer for both DC and Marvel Comics, Charles Soule recently published his debut novel, The Oracle Year, a satirical, sharp-witted tale of a man who wakes up from a dream one morning with 108 predictions about the future that actually start coming true, giving him great power as well as leaving him targeted by many enemies. Its offbeat, intriguing plot makes this fast-paced adventure a riveting ride.

Bash Bash Revolution by Douglas Lain

Sci-fi and fantasy writer Douglas Lain ventures into the world of gaming for his latest novel, Bash Bash Revolution, the story of a high school dropout who excels at playing the titular outdated Nintendo game. His father, a computer geek, keeps appearing and disappearing from his life, which eventually sends the teenager on a journey that leads him to discovering “the true nature of the government-sponsored artificial intelligence programme his father has been involved in”. It’s an interesting concept and an engaging storyline that is likely to please fans of books like Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One.

Still Me by Jojo Moyes

English romance novelist Jojo Moyes is having considerable success with her Me Before You series, the first installment of which was turned into a film in 2016. She recently unveiled the third part of the series, Still Me, which continues the story of Louisa Clarke, as she moves to New York City and works for a wealthy young socialite. While the sequels may not live up to the original, those who are invested in the story might appreciate the chance to continue reading the protagonist’s saga.

The Outsider by Stephen King

The King of Horror is back with another suspenseful horror thriller. The Outsider revolves around the investigation into the brutal murder of an eleven-year-old boy. Who is the culprit? All the evidence points towards one of the city’s most popular, respected citizens, but the suspect has an alibi that conflicts the evidence, leaving the investigators to wonder if some other force may be at play here. With its twists and turns, this novel promises another gripping tale from the prolific writer.

The Merry Spinster: Tales of Everyday Horror by Mallory Ortberg

This book may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but readers who like peculiar stories are in for a treat. Mallory Ortberg has put a horror spin on classic fairy and folk tales in the short story collection The Merry Spinster. Homage is paid to the original source material while some creepy surprises are sprinkled into the adventures for a strange, unsettling experience. If you want to read something different and intense this summer, then this collection of horror tales just might be what you’re looking for.

Non-fiction

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara

At the time of her sudden death in 2016, crime blogger Michelle McNamara was working on her book I’ll Be Gone in the Dark. The unfinished volume was posthumously updated and finalized by true crime writer Paul Haynes, with an introduction by author Gillian Flynn and an afterword by her widower, actor Patton Oswalt. The finished effort was released this year, almost two years after her death, and only two months before authorities captured Joseph James DeAngelo, the alleged Golden State Killer. McNamara is credited with coining the “Golden State Killer” moniker to refer to the man who committed at least 12 murders, more than 50 rapes, and over 100 burglaries in California, U.S., from 1974 to 1986, and in the book she writes about her hunt for the criminal behind those heinous acts. HBO has purchased the rights for I’ll Be Gone in the Dark and are now developing it into a documentary series.

You Are Awesome: Find Your Confidence and Dare to be Brilliant at (Almost) Anything by Matthew Syed

If you need a quick shot of motivation at any point this summer, then try English journalist Matthew Syed’s You Are Awesome, an inspiring little volume that aims to empower you to “find the confidence to realize [your] potential”. While the book is aimed mainly towards young readers, grown-ups can benefit from its contents as well and learn that self-improvement isn’t as hard as it seems.

Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House by Michael Wolff

It’s one of the most talked-about books of the year, which isn’t surprising given its subject matter. American journalist Michael Wolff’s Fire and Fury takes a peek into the inner workings of the Trump administration, highlighting the incompetence of those at the highest level of power. It’s all very controversial and critics are skeptical of some of the volume’s most shocking claims, but if you’re into international politics, then you might want to read this book - as well as James Comey’s autobiography A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership - and see what the hoopla is all about.

My Girls: A Lifetime with Carrie and Debbie by Todd Fisher

Todd Fisher has unique insight into the lives of two of the most iconic actresses of all time: his mother Debbie Reynolds and sister Carrie Fisher. It’s hard to imagine what he must have gone through when they both died, one day after the other, in December 2016. Now, Fisher is opening up about his life with the silver screen legends in the touching memoir, My Girls: A Lifetime with Carrie and Debbie. Fisher writes about the good times and the bad, sharing details from his mother’s financial troubles and his sister’s mental issues, looking back at their extraordinary lives with love and affection.

Brave by Rose McGowan

Italian-born American actress Rose McGowan was among the many women of Hollywood who spoke up against Harvey Weinstein last year as part of the Me Too movement. This year she has released her memoir, Brave, detailing her account of the alleged assault and its aftermath, and also discussing other aspects of her life, like her tough childhood living as part of the controversial Children of God cult. McGowan’s experiences as a survivor of cults and harassment are tough and harrowing, and make Brave a compelling, albeit difficult, read.

The Future of Humanity: Terraforming Mars, Interstellar Travel, Immortality, and Our Destiny Beyond Earth by Michio Kaku

As we keep depleting the Earth’s resources (and generally ruining it in every possible way we can think of), humankind might find itself in need of a new home. Renowned theoretical physicist Michio Kaku takes a look at the possibility of leaving the Earth and settling elsewhere in The Future of Humanity, an effort that makes scientific ideas about developing a sustainable civilization in outer space accessible to the layman. If you’re interested in space exploration and astronomy, then you might want to add this volume to your reading list and find out how science fiction is turning into reality.

Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

Ancient mythologies have often been a source of inspiration for fantasy writers, and the great Neil Gaiman is no exception. After being inspired by these legends to create the magical realms in his fiction, the English author has now explored the old stories of the Norse gods in his new book, Norse Mythology, a retelling of various myths revolving around well-known names like Odin, Thor, and Loki, giving us a glimpse into their world from their origin through their upheaval in Ragnarok. If all you know about this topic comes from the Marvel movies, then this book will offer a nice introduction to these ancient tales, all presented in Gaiman’s enjoyable writing style.

- S.A. 

Us Magazine, The News International - 25th May, 2018 *

Warmth, wisdom, and wit from wonderful wordsmiths

the bookshelf

A look at the standout books published in 2017

Like every year, 2017 also gave us lots of touching, amusing, fascinating works published by amazing writers from all over the world. Here’s a look at some of the many (many) standout books that captured the attention of bibliophiles everywhere this year:

Fiction 

Origin by Dan Brown
Massively popular (and just as controversial) writer Dan Brown has become a household name around the globe on the back of the success of his Robert Langdon books. The Da Vinci Code (2003) – the second instalment in the series – remains one of the world’s best-selling novels. This year, the American author sent his most famous character on his fifth adventure in Origin, a mystery set in Spain that revolves around the death of one of Langdon’s former students turned famous futurist who was about to reveal a secret that would have changed science and religion forever.

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
Three years after making a splash with her bestselling debut novel Everything I Never Told You (2014), Chinese-American author Celeste Ng published her second novel, Little Fires Everywhere, in 2017 to much critical praise. The story is centred on two families in the author’s hometown Shaker Heights, Ohio, where a custody battle over an adopted Chinese-American baby divides the neighbourhood.

Beartown: A Novel by Fredrik Backman
A Man Called Ove (2012) put Swedish writer Fredrik Backman on the literary map when it was published in English in 2013. His recent new offering was Beartown, an absorbing look at a small, ailing community that rests all its hopes on its junior ice hockey team winning a national tournament, but is left in shock as a scandal leaves the town in turmoil.

Into the Water by Paula Hawkins
Zimbabwe-born British author Paula Hawkins’ psychological thriller The Girl on the Train (2015) became the fastest-selling adult novel in history nearly two years ago. Her sixth novel, Into the Water, came out in 2017, and offered another dose of psychological suspense, as the death of a woman – whose body was found in the river – forces her sister to return to the place she had escaped and brings up old memories and secrets.

Artemis by Andy Weir
After dazzling us Earthlings with his novel about an astronaut stranded on Mars, sci-fi author Andy Weir took us to the Moon this year in Artemis, the story of a smuggler caught up in a conspiracy for control of a lunar colony, once again blending his science smarts with his wisecracking humour to produce another witty near-future thriller. The book is currently in the process of being turned into a movie, with the amazing Phil Lord and Christopher Miller developing and directing the project.

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
The long-awaited seventh novel by The Fault in Our Stars (2012) writer John Green, titled Turtles All the Way Down, came out in 2017, and told the tale of a high school student who has multiple anxiety disorders and ends up searching for a fugitive billionaire. A film adaptation for this book is also in development.

Exit West by Mohsin Hamid
A pair of young immigrants, displaced from their war ravaged country, went through magical doors while trying to find a place for themselves in the world in Exit West, Pakistani author Mohsin Hamid’s latest work, a treatise on the global refugee problem that generated much international interest for both the writer and his fourth novel. And – yes, you guessed it – this book will also head to the big screen soon, with Norwegian filmmaker Morten Tyldum attached to the project as the director.

Non-fiction

Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson
This year, Walter Isaacson – who has previously written several biographical bestsellers, including Einstein (2007) and Steve Jobs (2011) – turned his attention to one of the most fascinating polymaths of all time: Leonardo da Vinci. The book presents a very thorough look at the life and work of the Italian creative genius who came up with ideas that seemed way ahead of his time and produced some of the most famous paintings in history.

What Happened by Hillary Rodham Clinton
As the world tries to come to terms with Donald Trump’s electoral win and subsequent presidency, his 2016 opponent Hillary Clinton gave her account of the presidential race and how it panned out in her new book, What Happened. Divided into six main parts – ‘Perseverance’, ‘Competition’, ‘Sisterhood’, ‘Idealism and Realism’, ‘Frustration’, and ‘Resilience’ – What Happened shares the former first lady’s experience of the American presidential campaign and her analysis of why she lost the election.

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson
The incomparable Neil deGrasse Tyson gave us a crash course in astrophysics in his latest book, Astrophysics for People in a Hurry. The bestseller made complex scientific concepts accessible to the layman, and sheds light on the mysteries of the universe, covering topics like the nature of space and time in witty, insightful, and easy-to-grasp chapters.

Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery by Scott Kelly
From March 2015 to March 2016, American astronaut Scott Kelly spent 342 consecutive days in space. The mission was part of a scientific research project aboard the International Space Station meant to study the health effects of long-term spaceflight, with changes in his body studied against his identical twin brother, former astronaut Mark Kelly, who stayed on Earth. He detailed his space adventure in the riveting memoir Endurance, a fascinating account of a very unusual experience.

Mythos: A Retelling of the Myths of Ancient Greece by Stephen Fry
British national treasure Stephen Fry beautifully retold old Greek myths in his 2017 book Mythos, an entertaining and knowledgeable take on the ancient world and how it sheds light on our own times. The writer has used his smarts and wit to recap the adventures of Greek figures, gods, and goddesses, like Apollo, Aphrodite, Hades, Hercules, and Pandora, retelling their tales for modern times.

Soonish: Ten Emerging Technologies That'll Improve and/or Ruin Everything by Kelly and Zach Weinersmith
What will the world be like in the future? No one really knows for sure, but that has never stopped many of us from trying to predict how things will go. That’s exactly what Kelly and Zach Weinersmith have done in Soonish. Putting together their intelligence and humour, the couple explored ten new technologies in their 2017 tome while predicting the impact these emerging fields could have on the world.

- S.A.

Us Magazine, The News - 22nd December, 2017 *

Unfiltered - Lily Collins turns to writing

book review

Book: Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me 
Author: Lily Collins

Not all celebrity memoirs are created equal. The most impressive ones are written by artists who have interesting, intriguing stories and experiences to share, and are willing to candidly discuss tales from their unusual lives. The least impressive ones come from celebrities who don’t have much to say and just seem to be cashing in on their fame by putting together a dull volume.

Lily Collins’ book, unfortunately, falls in the latter category.

The 28-year-old daughter of English musician Phil Collins published her first book, Unfiltered: No Shame, No Regrets, Just Me, earlier this year. Part memoir, part self-help manual, the slim volume sees the British-American actress coming up with a collection of lacklustre, trite essays that try to give the illusion of being deep but in reality barely scratch the surface of the subjects they examine.

Collins’ romantic struggles, family issues, and insecurities are briefly mentioned in the book, none in a way that would give you a complete or clear look at any of these facets of her life. She writes about initially being insecure about her eyebrows, dating an addict, being ghosted by her boyfriends, her close relationship with her mother, and her father’s battle with alcoholism, but does not discuss these topics in a satisfying way.

The one issue she does open up about is her battle with eating disorders. The actress struggled with anorexia and bulimia in her teens, and was overly focused on losing weight, restricting what and how much she ate, binging and purging, and even becoming addicted to diet pills and laxatives during an emotionally unstable time in her life. She has since overcome her eating issues, in part by delving into cooking and baking, and says that she makes “progress with [her] disorders” with “every passing day”.

While sharing snippets from her life, the actress also tries to inspire her readers to love and value themselves, encouraging them to “embrace [their] differences as things that make you unique and special”, speak up and be more assertive, be more open and communicative, and turn their shortfalls into triumphs.

But none of her inspirational words ever rises above generic clichés. It’s a relentless onslaught of platitudes and hackneyed, worn out ideas delivered with absolutely no originality or creativity. As a result, everything she says starts to sound like meaningless tripe that does not make an impact on the readers or help them better themselves in any significant way.

If there is any original thought in Lily Collins’ head then she hasn’t bothered to include it in this book. Everything she mentions has been written more eloquently and convincingly in countless books before, and the actress adds nothing new to the discussion. Nor does she give you a particularly candid, close look at her professional or personal life (aside from her battle with eating disorders). If you want a straightforward take on her life as a young woman trying to make it in Hollywood and the daughter of one of the world’s most famous musicians, then you’ll find the lack of details in this book very disappointing. If you want to find out more about her budding acting career, like her experiences from the sets of The Blind Side or Mirror Mirror or how she feels about the failure of The Mortal Instruments series, then this isn’t the book for you as none of that is discussed in Unfiltered. And if you want to read an inspirational tome that encourages you to love yourself, then you’d be wise to pick any of the countless other books that have been written on the topic, most of which are significantly better than this one.

It also doesn’t help that Collins just isn’t a good writer. She doesn’t know how to structure her thoughts or convey her ideas coherently. Even though she is 28 years old, her voice comes off as that of a teenager who is writing for tween readers. Only very young girls are likely to find any of the material in this book revelatory or inspirational, although even the majority of them might find some of the things she says unrelatable. For instance, she writes that when she was studying at school, her mother used to take her to the countries – from India to places in Africa – that she was learning about because “the best way to learn [about different places is] to immerse ourselves in the cultures and experience them as locals do”, and seems oblivious to how privileged her upbringing has been or how unpractical this idea is for the majority of us who simply do not have the means to do so.

Ultimately, all Unfiltered proves is that repeating corny clichés does not make for a compelling read. Only her diehard fans will appreciate this effort as it will give them a quick glimpse at her life and thoughts. Everyone else will be better off giving this volume a pass, as it lacks substance, details, originality, and just about everything that makes a book interesting.

- Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 1st October, 2017 *