Showing posts with label English. Show all posts
Showing posts with label English. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 12, 2024

Surprise, Kill, Vanish: The Secret History of CIA Paramilitary Armies, Operators, and Assassins ( Annie Jacobsen )


Annie Jacobsen's "Surprise, Kill, Vanish" is a gripping dive into the clandestine world of the CIA's paramilitary operations. In this meticulously researched and thought-provoking book, Jacobsen pulls back the curtain on the secretive and often controversial activities of the agency's elite operatives.

Thursday, June 6, 2024

The Long Walk to Freedom ( Nelson Mandela )


The book is an autobiography. It follows Mandela's life growing up in apartheid South Africa and fighting against this regime. Two key themes in Long Walk to Freedom are racial inequality and unity. Today, Mandela is remembered as a key anti-racist figure of the twentieth century.

Why Nations Fail ( Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson )

Based on fifteen years of original research Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson marshall a broad range of historical evidence from the Roman Empire, the Mayan city-states, medieval Venice, the Soviet Union, Latin America, England, Europe, the United States, and Africa to build a new theory of political economy, ultimately examining why some nations are poor and others rich. Janet Hunter takes issue with the absence of nuancing in the book, but is nevertheless impressed by its striking historical narratives which will do much to captivate readers and stimulate debate.

Tuesday, June 4, 2024

The Mahabharata ( Kisari Mohan Ganguli )


The Mahabharata is an ancient Indian epic where the main story revolves around two branches of a family - the Pandavas and Kauravas - who, in the Kurukshetra Warbattle for the throne of Hastinapura. Interwoven into this narrative are several smaller stories about people dead or living, and philosophical discourses.

Friday, May 31, 2024

Pakistan: Between Mosque And Military ( Husain Haqqani )


 Among U.S. allies in the war against terrorism, Pakistan cannot be easily characterized as either friend or foe. Nuclear-armed Pakistan is an important center of radical Islamic ideas and groups. Since 9/11, the selective cooperation of president General Pervez Musharraf in sharing intelligence with the United States and apprehending al Qaeda members has led to the assumption that Pakistan might be ready to give up its longstanding ties with radical Islam. But Pakistan's status as an Islamic ideological state is closely linked with the Pakistani elites' worldview and the praetorian ambitions of its military. This book analyzes the origins of the relationships between Islamist groups and Pakistan's military, and explores the nation's quest for identity and security. Tracing how the military has sought U.S. support by making itself useful for concerns of the moment – while continuing to strengthen the mosque-military alliance within Pakistan – Haqqani offers an alternative view of political developments since the country's independence in 1947.

Thursday, May 30, 2024

Pakistan The Garrison State ( Ishtiaq Ahmed )


In 1947, the Pakistan military was poorly trained and poorly armed. It also inherited highly vulnerable territory vis-à-vis the much bigger India, aggravated because of serious disputes with Afghanistan. Over the years, the military, or rather the Pakistan Army, continued to grow in power and influence, and progressively became the most powerful institution. Moreover, it became an institution with de facto veto powers at its disposal to overrule other actors within society including elected governments. Simultaneously, it began to acquire foreign patrons and donors willing to arm it as part of the Cold War competition (the United States), regional balance-of-power concerns (China), and ideological contestants for leadership over the Muslim world (Saudi Arabia, to contain Iranian influence). A perennial concern with defining the Islamic identity of Pakistan, exacerbated by the Afghan jihad, resulted in the convergence of internal and external factors to produce the ‘fortress of Islam’ self-description that became current in the early twenty-first century. Over time, Pakistan succumbed to extremism and terrorism within, and was accused of being involved in similar activities within the South Asian region and beyond. Such developments have been ruinous to Pakistan’s economic and democratic development. This study explains how and why it happened.

Pakistan: A Hard Country ( Anatol Lieven )


 Pakistan: A Hard Country” is written by Anatol Lieven, who is a British author, policy analyst, and journalist (1985-1998). His well-researched masterpiece “Pakistan: A Hard Country” was published in 2011, which includes twelve chapters distributed in four parts in which he basically explicates the domestic or internal policies, issues, structures, dynamics and struggle of Pakistan (as its title suggests) rather than external ones. This book elucidates the power and political society of Pakistan in depth.

Empires of the Indus: The Story of a River ( Alice Albinia )


 Empires of the Indus: The Story of a River is a non-fiction book by Alice Albinia published in 2008 by John Murray (publishing house). It is a part-memoir part-essay recount of Albinia’s Journey through Central and Southern Asia, following the course of the Indus River from Karachi to Tibet. Throughout the book, Albinia encounters and describes facets of culture and history, and relates them to the existence of the river. The book gives an insight into the communities as well as the history and political framework of the countries through which the Indus flows.

Wednesday, May 29, 2024

PACHINKO ( MIN JIN LEE )


 
Pachinko is the second novel by Harlem-based author and journalist Min Jin Lee. Published in 2017, Pachinko is an epic historical fiction novel following a Korean family who immigrates to Japan. The story features an ensemble of characters who encounter racismdiscriminationstereotyping, and other aspects of the 20th-century Korean experience of Japan.

The Forty Rules of Love: A Novel of Rumi ( Elif Shafak )


 The Forty Rules of Love is a novel written by the Turkish author Elif Shafak, Her interest in writing this book was influenced by the degree she received in Gender and Women’s Studies. The book was published in March 2009. It is about Maulana Jalal-Ud-Din, known as Rumi and his companion Shams Tabrizi.This book explains how Shams transformed a scholar into a Sufi (mystic) through love.

HOW TO GET FILTHY RICH IN RISING ASIA ( MOHSIN HAMEED )


 How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia is a striking slice of contemporary life at a time of crushing upheaval. Romantic without being sentimental, political without being didactic, and spiritual without being religious, it brings an unflinching gaze to the violence and hopes it depicts. And it creates two unforgettable characters who find moments of transcendent intimacy in the midst of shattering change.

I AM MALALA ( MALALA YOUSAFZAI )


 The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban

HOW PAKISTAN GOT DIVIDED ( MAJOR GENERAL RAO FARMAN ALI KHAN )



The book is an eyewitness account of the events that led to a civil war in   East Pakistan, which culminated in the creation of Bangladesh. It is written by Major General Rao Farman Ali Khan, a well-known army officer present in the Eastern Wing during the war of 1971. His experience of the Eastern Wing spanned almost five years; in the latter three years (1969–71), he held the key appointment of Advisor on Civil Affairs to the Governor of East Pakistan. By virtue of this role, and the length of his tenure in East Pakistan, he acquired deep insight and knowledge of the political and military events as they unfolded.

Monday, May 27, 2024

From MTV TO MECCA ( KRISTIANE BACKER )


 In the early 1990s Kristiane Backer was one of the very first presenters on MTV Europe. For some years she lived and breathed the international music scene, quickly gaining a cult following amongst viewers and becoming a darling of the European press. As she reached the pinnacle of her success she realised that despite having all she could have wished for, she was never truly satisfied. Something very important was missing.

A fateful meeting with Pakistani cricket hero Imran Khan changed her life. He invited her to his country where she encountered a completely different world to the one she knew, the religion and culture of Islam. In place of pop and rock stars she was meeting men and women whose lives were dominated by the love of God and who cared very little for the brief glories of this world. She began to read the Quran and to study books about the faith. A few years later, after traveling more widely in the Islamic world and knowing that she had discovered her spiritual path, she embraced Islam in a London mosque. And then her real adventures began.

 In this very personal memoir, Kristiane Backer tells the story of her conversion and explains how faith, despite the many challenges she faced, has given her inner peace and the meaning she sought.

Wednesday, May 22, 2024

And Then There Were None ( Agatha Christie )


 Then There Were None is a very refreshing read that is a must-read for any mystery book fanatic. It is no wonder that the novel has lasting influence, even decades after publication. The plot is well-crafted, the ending is unexpected, and behind it all are key societal themes. Nothing less than a true gem.

The Little Prince ( Antoine de Saint-Exupéry )


 The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry is a timeless classic that tells the story of a young prince who travels from planet to planet, learning valuable life lessons along the way. It is a poignant tale that explores the importance of human connections and the beauty of innocence.

A Tale of Two Cities ( Charles Dickens )

Profound human love and the most repugnant savagery, horror and redemption, a heroine and a grotesque revenger, two families with dark secrets, two cities, all in the backdrop of the bloodbath that was the French Revelation. In reading it, be prepared for the "Best of Times and the Worst of Times."

Tuesday, May 21, 2024

The Crow Eaters by Bapsi Sidhwa

At the dawn of the twentieth century in Pakistan, Freddy Junglewalla moves his family — pregnant wife, baby daughter, and Jerbanoo, his rotund mother-in-law — from their ancestral forest home to cosmopolitan Lahore. He opens a store, and as his fortunes grow, so does the animosity between Freddy and his mother-in-law. While Freddy prospers under British rule, life with the domineering Jerbanoo is another matter entirely.

This exuberant novel, full of rollicking humor, paints a vivid picture of life in the Parsee community.

Monday, May 20, 2024

Ice Candy Man by Bapsi Sidhwa

 


The 1947 Partition of India is the backdrop for this powerful novel, narrated by a precocious child who describes the brutal transition with chilling veracity. Young Lenny Sethi is kept out of school because she suffers from polio. She spends her days with Ayah, her beautiful nanny, visiting with the large group of admirers that Ayah draws. It is in the company of these working class characters that Lenny learns about religious differences, religious intolerance, and the blossoming genocidal strife on the eve of Partition. 
As she matures, Lenny begins to identify the differences between the Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs engaging in political arguments all around her. Lenny enjoys a happy, privileged life in Lahore, but the kidnapping of her beloved Ayah signals a dramatic change. Soon Lenny’s world erupts in religious, ethnic, and racial violence. 

Sunday, May 19, 2024

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson

 


Three Cups of Tea is a memoir by Greg Mortenson that recounts his journey in building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. It sheds light on the importance of education in promoting peace and understanding in the world.