Book Review: The Soul of a Butterfly by Muhammad Ali

 One of the finest boxers of human history- Muhammad Ali, in conversation with his daughter Hana Yasmeen Ali reflects on his life journey. Muhammad Ali was a legend who had an unwavering conviction, and this book presents his personal recollections. His daughter’s memories, his own stories and poems that touched his heart are also recorded in this book. Muhammad Ali says: “I see that many people build big beautiful houses but live in broken...

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Book Review: The Procession By Kahlil Gibran

 This unique work of Gibran is unique in the sense that it is his first major work in verse. It was originally written in Arabic and translated into English by Dr. George Kheirallah. A biographical introduction has also been added by Kheirallah. This introduction puts light on the poet’s life and his perception in his native land. His mystical drawings have also been added in the book. Gibran arrived in the United states with his mother and...

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Book Review: Between Morn and Night By Kahlil Gibran

 The magnetism of Kahlil Gibran is seen in this work where he brings different themes under his microscope. The Tempest, slavery, satan, the mermaids, the poet, and we and you are some of the chapters in the book. Gibran shifts between poetry and prose bringing out the deep meanings of topics which remain close to his heart. I personally found his writings on slavery very amazing. His definition of blind, mute, deaf, lame, ugly, subtle, twisted,...

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Book Review: High Road to Hunza by Barbara Mons

 This book is a travelogue of a couple who travel from United Kingdom whom visit Hunza in the spring of 1956. Peter Mons, the author’s husband is accompanying her on this exciting journey. The couple had written to the ruler of Hunza in 1955 about their desire to visit Hunza. The ruler Muhammad Jamal Khan said that if we could get permission from the Government of Pakistan to enter Azad Kashmir, he would be delighted to welcome us in his territory....

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Book Review: The Broken Wings by Kahlil Gibran

 The Broken Wings is one of the famous works of Gibran. Through his inspirational writing Gibran recounts the story of his own first love. He writes about the taboos of traditions. Equally well known and read among the eastern and western population of the world, to many Gibran was a poet, philosopher and artist. With great craft Kahlil Gibran brings to the reader his adoration and passion for Selma Karamy, the girl of Beirut. Selma, due to...

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Book Review: Mirror of History by Mubarak Ali

Mirror of history by Dr. Mubarak Ali is a collection of one hundred and ten articles. The themes discussed in this book include politics, religion, society, language, culture, sports, science and architecture.  All these themes are discussed from a common man’s perspective. He does not fall in line with those authors who present the perspective of the political elite. Instead, he encourages the reader to understand the ignored segments...

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8:50 A. M. October 8, 2005: Stories of Hope and Courage from the Earthquake in Pakistan by Fatima Bhutto

 I read this book almost fifteen years after the devastating earthquake, that killed thousands of people in northern Pakistan. This book by Fatima Bhutto was published in 2006, and the royalties and profits from this were to be donated to the earthquake victims- as mentions the cover of the book.  Covering the inspiring stories of the affected people Fatima pays a tribute to their courage and resilience. The numerous accounts in the book...

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Book Review: V. I. Lenin by Margaret J. Goldstein

Vladimir Lenin was born on 10th of April 1870 in Simbirsk, Russia. His name at birth was Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov. The Ulyanov family had six children. Lenin’s father worked for the government. On 1st of March 1881 when Vladimir was ten years old, bombers set off two explosions near Czar Alexander’s carriage outside his palace in Saint Petersburg. The second explosion killed the Czar. People’s Will, the organization of the bombers believed that once...

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Book Review: Bob Marley by Garry Steckles

 Garry Steckles, the author of this book has written a wonderful biography of Bob Marley- one of the renowned personalities from the Caribbean region who made his name on the global level. On 6 February 1945 Nesta Robert Marley was born in rural Jamaica. His father was a white man named Captain Norval Marley and his mother black named Cedella. Nesta had a typical rural childhood where he engaged in working on the farms and playing games. When...

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Book Review: Power and Terror: Post-9/11 Talks and Interviews by Noam Chomsky

 Noam Chomsky completed his undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania. He received his PhD degree from the same university in 1955. Moreover, he has received many honorary degrees and has written extensively on important themes. Considered a world-renowned political activist and professor, Chomsky in this book presents his views through a lengthy interview and a series of public talks he gave in the spring of 2002. Without...

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Book Review: Setting the East Ablaze: Lenin’s Dream of an Empire in Asia By Peter Hopkirk

In 1920 Lenin had declared that England was Soviet Union’s greatest enemy and they must be hit in India hard. During this tense period of the twentieth century various intelligence gatherings missions were carried out, both on the Soviet and the British side. The Soviet secret police known as Cheka as rival of the British intelligence, which was still the world’s most formidable intelligence service. Disguised as member of shooting trips, scientific...

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Book Review: Identity: Contemporary Identity Politics and the Struggle for Recognition by Francis Fukuyama

 Tracing the development of the idea of identity from the time of Plato, the author Francis Fukuyama gives a simple message of shaping a universal understanding of human dignity. Unless humans do that conflict seems unavoidable. The author says that the inner self is the basis of human dignity. He adds that economic grievances become more severe when indignity and disrespect are attached with it. The concept of identity is rooted in Thymos, according...

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Book Review: The Girlfriend By R. L. Stine

I personally think this book presents a short story with so many lessons for the reader. It is about a boy named Scotty and his friend Lora. Scotty has been accepted at Princeton and is happy in life until he faces a difficult situation. Lora goes to Paris with her family for holidays. During this time Scotty meets Shannon, a girl at his school. Things change very quickly as Shannon gets addicted to Scotty. Scotty regrets his action and tries to...

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Book Review: The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

This novel was written by Ernest Hemingway in the United States in 1899. The author of this book worked as a journalist, took part in both world wars of the twentieth century and covered two civil wars too. In 1954 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature. Seven years after this, he sadly committed suicide. The story of this novel revolves around a person named Santiago. In his younger days he was called by his full name, but now “salao” has...

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Book Review: Ibn Khaldun: His Life and Work by Muḥammad Abdullah Enan

 The author of this book presents a study on Ibn Khaldun, one of the distinguished personalities in the history of Muslim thought. Although western scholars benefited from Ibn Khaldun, but the author believes that in the East he is still not fully appreciated. The early chapters of the book cover the early life period of Ibn Khaldun and his adventures, whereas the latter part focuses on his intellectual and social legacy. Born in 1332 in Tunis,...

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Book Review: Water by Bapsi Sidhwa

 In this book Bapsi Sidhwa adapts Deepa Mehta’s controversial film ‘Water’. The setting is based on the backdrop of Gandhi’s rise to power in India of 1938.  The story revolves around the life of an eight-year-old girl named Chuyia. Chuyia is a child-bride who is abandoned away from her village at an Ashram, when her fifty-year-old husband dies. Like all the other widows there at the Ashram, she is expected to spend the rest of her life...

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Book Review: Judgment of History by Mubarak Ali

Judgment of History is one of the more than eighty books published by Dr. Mubarak Ali. This book is a collection of articles on various themes in history and historiography. Ali presents a pro-people approach in his writings.  He does not agree with the dominant narratives of history where local perspectives of the people are missing. In his simple style Ali discusses dynasties, imperial powers, Europe, Mughals, Arabs, Romans, traders, civilizations,...

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Book Review: Principles of Social Reconstruction by Bertrand Russell

 Principles of Social Reconstruction is a compilation of lectures written by Bertrand Russell in 1915 and delivered the very next year.  Based on eight chapters this book covers themes of growth, state, war, property, education, marriage, religion and the potential of the human race. Russell says that ‘without understanding and sympathy it is impossible to find a cure for the evil from which the world is suffering’.  He further adds...

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