Book Review: Sex Slaves: The Trafficking of Women in Asia by Louise Brown

Louise Brown states that Japan forcefully recruited 100, 000 girls and women during World War II, as sex slaves. Most of them were Korean women (p. 8). She argues that prostitution is not just about poverty. It is a business founded upon all sorts of inequalities (p. 60). The author stresses that the sex slaves do not have a choice. They cannot resign because of poor working conditions and the unreasonable conduct of their employees and clients (p. 96). 

Writing about the whole sex business in Asia, the author writes that psychological conditioning is every bit as brutal as the physical coercion of girls and women into the trade. Sex workers are stripped of their previous identities and women who refuse are beaten, tortured and sometimes killed (p. 122). Companies in Japan treated their employees to annual sex tours to Korea, Thailand or the Philippines (p. 82). The author also establishes a link between the boom in the Cambodian sex industry and the 22,000 UN peace-keeping forces in the country during 1991-93 (p. 138).

Writing about the trends in South Asia, the author states Pakistan the internal trafficking of girls for prostitution is far more common than the trafficking of Bangladeshi, Indian and Afghani women (p. 63). The author mentions that the Japanese maybe the biggest spenders in the sex market but the Pakistanis are the biggest hypocrites (p. 152). Further in the book the author writes about the dominant mother complex, sadism in Japanese society, corruption in the Japanese immigration department, and the Japanese people (who consider themselves as the 'whites' of Asia).

As per the author, the Kandupatti brothel in Central Dhaka housed five hundred women and girls. It was established by the British during the colonial period (p. 166). The author also critiques the Sharia and considers it misogynist. Brown says that 'the institution of prostitution, the people who profit from it, and the men who enjoy it who deserve our unreserved condemnation (p. 246). In addition to that at another place the author stresses that 'prostitution has to be damned for the dehumanizing, woman-hating activity that it is (p. 255). She concludes that sex slaves are the intrinsic product of male-dominated Asian societies (p. 255). Both prostitution and traditional marriage can be interpreted as a continuation of a primitive form of human transaction whereby women exchange sex for food and protection (p. 129).

This book covers many stories from India, Pakistan, Burma, Japan, Nepal, China, Malaysia and Thailand. The author does not provide any detailed account of the connection between the institution of prostitution, colonized lands and the colonizers.

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Book Review: Mother Teresa: Her Life, Her Work, Her Message: A Memoir by Jose Luis Gonzalez-Balado

Mother Teresa's father was of Croatian Origin and her mother was of Venetian origin. Her home country was Albania. Albania gained its independence after five centuries of occupation by the Turks. Mother Teresa was against abortion. She believed that charitable assistance must be provided without the desire for publicity (p. 139). She found her support in Jesus and taught the world what it means to be rich in the love of God.

Mother Teresa had a diplomatic passport. When she went to Norway to receive the Nobel Peace Prize she proposed that in place of the customary banquet, its equivalent cost be destined for poor. Mother Teresa can be easily termed as one of the most famous women in recorded human history. Some called her saint, others called her miracle but she was a person who truly engaged herself in helping the most needy members of human society. 

Many of the important events of her Mother Teresa's life are covered in the book. These include her call to join the Sisters of Our Lady of Loreto, her assignment to teach in Calcutta and her life dedicated to the betterment of the underprivileged. Mother Teresa founded the order called Missionaries of Charity. She received numerous awards including the Nobel Prize.

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Book Review: The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love by Bell Hooks

 

Bell Hooks says that militant feminism gave women permission to unleash their rage and hatred at men but it did not allow us to talk about what it meant to love men in patriarchal culture, to know how we could express that love without fear of exploitation and oppression. To simply label men as oppressors and dismiss them meant we never had to give voice to the gaps in our understanding or to talk about maleness in complex ways. She believes that feminist thinking and practice are the only way in which the crises of masculinity can be addressed.

The author writes that ‘we live in a culture where emotionally starved, deprived females are desperately seeking male love.’ She admits that many women cannot hear male pain about love because it sounds like an indictment of female failure. Moreover, she also writes about her own case where she did not want to hear about her partner’s feelings and pain. Moreover, in the book the author says that majority of the patriarchal attitudes are taught by mothers. These attitudes are reinforced in schools and religious institutions.

The author states that dismantling and changing patriarchal culture is the work that men and women must do together (p. 24). Further in the book, the author writes that feminist researchers are often unwilling or reluctant to target practical thinking. She believes that when men embrace feminist thinking and practice, which emphasizes the value of mutual growth and self-actualization in all relationships, their emotional well-being will be enhanced.

The popularization of gangsta rap, spearheaded by white male executives in the music industry, gave a public voice to patriarchy and woman-hating. The author views contemporary books and movies offer clear portraits of the evils of patriarchy without offering any direction for change. In her view until there is creation of a popular culture that affirms and celebrates masculinity without upholding patriarchy, there will be no change in the way masses of males think about the nature of their identity.

Further in the book, the author writes that it is possible to critique patriarchy without hating men. Without citing any figures, the author states that working women are far more likely than other women to be irritable. She states that ‘women want to be recognized, seen, and cared about by the men in our lives.’ She further stresses that love cannot exist with domination.

In the concluding chapter the author writes that those of us who love men do not want to continue our journey without them. We need them beside us because we love them. She believes that a culture of healing that empowers males to change is in the making. Healing does not take place in isolation. Men who love and men who long to love know this. She stresses that women should stand by them, with open hearts and open arms (p. 188).

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Book Review: Bhopal Connections Vignettes of Royal Rule by Shaharyar Muhammed Khan

 

Khan, the grandson of the last ruling Nawab of Bhopal writes about the dramatic events, characters, scandals, social practices, culture and history of Bhopal. Specific attention has been given to the four successive women rulers of Bhopal. Some of the social customs are shown through the lens of foreigners including Badcock, and Marjorie Memsahib. The first part of the book covers the history of Bhopal and the second part covers the contemporary anecdotes.

The Bhopal state was founded by Dost Muhammad Khan, an Orakzai Pashtun soldier in the Mughal army. As a result of the Anglo-Bhopal treaty Bhopal became a state in 1818. Bhopal was ruled by four begums from 1819 to 1926. Bhopal had a French connection. Before Nadir Shah attacked India in 1739, the French people had moved their estate. At Shergarh, the Bourbons built a housing colony church, school and a small fortress. They mainly married into the Indian Christian community. Still in Bhopal there is presence of the French people.

Bhopal was very loyal to the British. The mutiny of August 1857 had reached the princely state of Bhopal as it was one of the most loyal supporters of the British. The ruler at that time was Sikander Begum. According to the author, once she slapped the British Political Agent Lancelot Wilkinson in public, when he touched her ear-ring. The Rani of Jhansi challenged her (Sikander Begum) because she was a British loyalist. She accepted the challenge threating her by firearms. By December 1857 the Rani of Jhansi was killed in battle. Sikander Begum took control over the state. The British recognized the services of Sikander Begum.

The author of the book states the Sikander Begum went to the famous Jama Masjid in Delhi. This masjid was converted by the British as a stable for their horses. Sikander ordered the closure of the stable and gave a large sum for the renovation of the mosque. In Bhopal the ruling elite sought permission from the British regarding matters of marriage.

In 1911, Sultan Jahan Begum, the fourth Begum of Bhopal embarked on a journey to Europe. She attended the coronation of King George V. She also visited Paris and the embarked in a train towards Istanbul. She was disappointed to see that women were wearing high heels and frocks. The Turk Sultan wanted to confer an award on her, but the British did not approve of this. The Begum was very disappointed.

The second half of the book covers interesting stories about Maimoona, the Prince of Wales’ Tiger Hunt, Badcock, Marjorie Memsahib, The Cricket Match and Maan Saab (the second Begum of Junagadh). The author of the book mentions Badcock as the royal butler who served for twenty-three years. He first served the Begum of Bhopal in 1925. The Begum was there to plead the succession of her surviving son, Hamidullah Khan.

In 1921 the Prince of Wales reached India. He visited Bhopal for hunting tigers. For the hunting guests, it was said that back then the tigers were drugged and hunted. The hunters remained unaware of this. In some cases, circus tigers were also used to please the guests.

The story of Mubarak who leaves for London to sell a necklace is very interesting (p.120). Mubarak meets a lady in London. She accompanies him to India. The stories of Nawab of Junagadh and his wife shows their opulent lifestyle and their treatment of subordinates. Once the Nawab ordered his minions to throw a young Pathan tennis coach to the hungry lions, as he developed a crush on the Nawab’s flirtatious daughter.

Maan Saab, the abandoned wife of the Nawab needed the company of men. She collected a few gigolos from the feudal gentry of Bhopal. When Bano, a maid of Maan Saab urinated in her bathroom, Maan Saab gave her a thorough beating. She was in a hurry so she ordered Allah Rakhi to teach her a lesson. She was so brutally tortured that she passed away. Maan Saab was arrested and served sixteen months in prison.

The author tries to recreate life and times of the rulers of Bhopal. Some of the interesting points in the book include the women rulers, loyalty to the British, French connections, tiger hunts and the meeting between the ruler of Bhopal and the Ottoman Sultan.

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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 societal pressure marries another man. This story is about happiness, sorrow, tragedy and to a large extent about complexity of human relations in the oriental world.

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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 in penitence. Despite her young age Chuyia becomes a source of change in the lives of other widows.

Madhumati, the eldest widow in the Ashram supplies widows to rich clients through a eunuch named Gulabi. Chuyia’s friend, the young and beautiful Kalyani, is also used for prostitution by Madhumati- the patronizing widow. Kalyani falls in love with Narayan, a young Gandhian of the upper class.

Narayan informs his mother about his choice for marriage. His mother is displeased and shocked. The traditional balance of culture, morals and religion are under threat, according to his mother. For Kalyani, this would mean challenging the balance of power in the Ashram. With that, it would also mean defying openly the religious dictates. Bapsi Sidhwa has beautifully shown details of the characters, societal intricacies, moral fabric, class system and hypocrisy of the upper classes.

The story ends with Kalyani’s death when she is left in a state of despondency. Chuyia’s fate changes when she climbs the train with Shakuntala. Shakuntala is upset as Madhumati has forced the young Chuyia into prostitution. She does not want that to continue.  Narayn promises Shakuntala to take Chuyia’s responsibility, as he had already promised Kalayani.  Narayan is on Gandhi’s train march and leaves his native town with Chuyia. This novel offers a great insight to the lives of widows in colonial India. A very rich and detailed narration by Bapsi Sidhwa keeps her reader attentive throughout the novel. Worth reading!

 

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Book Review: The Dancing Girls of Lahore by Louise Brown

I have not come across a more in depth narration of the living conditions of the inhabitants of the Shahi mohallah of Lahore. The writer stays at Iqbal’s (a professor of National College of Arts) place in the Shahi mohallah and closes observes the lives of the people around her. Brown writes about her interaction with Maha and her daughters. Maha’s miseries and her financial conditions are brought to surface. When Maha was young she earned better than what she earned when she started approaching her middle age. Her daughters are now her only hope. Her marriage with Adnan is also troublesome.

Living in this part of Lahore, Maha also discovers the lives of the transgender community. She befriends some of them and observes their bonds and relationships within the community they live. Furthermore, the author describes the life around the eateries, cinema, streets and shops. She also adds the rituals of the month of Moharram when business in the mohallah is the lowest in the year. The class system and the hierarchies within the Shahi Mohallah are complex and Brown has explaines them in simple words. The use of drugs, rape, violence and money is elaborately discussed. Young girls in the area also do business in the other parts of Lahore. Some of them visit defence for dance parties and earn their living. Others, not all of them visit the gulf states and earn money.

Throughout the book the exploitation of woman is clearly highlighted by the author. Women who live in the mohallah cannot exit the vicious circle as they have many mouths to feed and they are the breadwinners for their families. It is saddening to know that daughters are considered gold, as they ensure the smooth living conditions by selling their bodies. The daughters when meet the standards of the mohallah sell their bodies and sustain their lives. Young girls are preferred for the business and are always in great demand. It would have been more helpful if the author had suggested some reforms for the denizens of the area. She has just written about a basic problem, without suggesting few solutions.

Unfortunately, the people living in the Shahi Mohallah will continue to suffer until drastic reforms are introduced to stop the exploitation of women which started many centuries ago. Readers should surely read this book as it presents a heartbreaking story of thousands of women who have become prey to the horrible exploitative system.

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Book Review: In the Name of Honour: A Memoir by Mukhtar Mai

Mukhtar Mai’s book is a true, bitter and inspiring account of her struggles in life. Her name came to surface in June 2002 when journalists wrote about her. She was gang raped and punished for an honor crime allegedly committed by her brother. The accusation against her brother was never proved. After Mukhtar Mai was gang raped she intends to commit suicide. Instead, she went against the local custom. She took her rapists to court. The true story in this book revolves around Mukhtar Mai who faces stiff resistance. Despite all odds she fights the powerful, establishes a school in her village and helps other women under oppression.

Amna Buttar who supports Mukhtar Mai very strongly is threatened by one of Pervez Musharraf’s closest friend Brigadier Ijaz Shah. Referring to a planned visit by Mukhtar and Amna to New York, Ijaz says: ‘We can do anything. We can just pay a little money to some black guys in New York and get people killed there.’

Mukhtar belongs to the peasant Gujar caste. Her rapists are from the powerful Mastoi clan. They initially accuse Mukhtar’s brother Shakur of having relation with Salma, a woman from their clan. They rape the 12-year-old Shakur. Later a local panchayat (tribal court) declares that a woman from Shakur’s family be made a symbol of punishment. Mukhtar Mai is chosen, and raped by a group of men. At first Mukhtar was depressed, but she stood up and took the rapists to court. Mukhtar says that: “In our villages, most peasants cannot afford to hire a lawyer, so people prefer to appeal to a jirga because the government’s justice costs too much”.

The author regrets that if she knew how to read and write then everything would have been much easier. Moreover, she says that in Pakistan it is difficult for a woman to prove that’s she has been raped, since she is legally required to provide four male eyewitnesses to the crime. On August 31, 2002, the court delivers its verdict stating six men condemned to death and fifty thousand rupees in damages and costs.

Mukhtar already in the news opens her first school with the help of the government by the end of 2002. The little girls start calling her Mukhtar Mai ‘respected big sister’. Later Mai befriends Naseem in whom she finds comfort. Further in the book the author explains the marriage customs, her own marriage and her divorce. In addition to that she talks about the different women who approach her and address her with their own grievances. Mukhtar mentions the case of Dr Shazia Khalid, who was raped in Balochistan and who had no choice but to leave the country with her husband, leaving her son back home. Mukhtar believes that she will not give up her identity and will work to provide relief to her country which faces many issues. Despite all odds Mukhtar Mai fights the powerful, establishes a school in her village and helps other women under oppression.

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Book Review: The Diary of a Social Butterfly by Moni Mohsin

I bought this book when I thought I was giving too much time to history and politics. So I bought this one- just for a break.


This is an interesting book about a Pakistani elite woman who lives in her own world. The writer brought together many acts, events, attitudes and sophistication into one character called ‘Butterfly’.


Butterfly lives in a high society where she acts and behaves in a certain manner. This provokes the reader in thinking about the different social relations which exist in a multi-dimensional society. The under privileged has certain needs, fears and anxieties whereas the elite who make up their own bubble live a totally different life. The character of Butterfly is pre occupied with in laws, black magic, money, weddings, parties, charity balls, scandals, consumerism, property and wealth.


This book has been written at a time when Pakistan was going through turbulent times in its history. 9/11, Invasion of Iraq, Kashmir Earthquake, Tsunami, Lal Masjid and Benazir’s assassination also affect Butterfly’s life, but to what extent? This could only be uncovered giving this book a read.

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Book Review: Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse

Nobel Laureate Hermann Hesse’s novel Siddhartha is revolves around a character named Siddhartha. Siddhartha is a Brahman who embarks on a spiritual journey. Govinda his close friend also chooses to accompany him.

This journey takes them to Gotama Buddha. Govinda becomes Gotama Buddha’s disciple whereas Siddhartha does not wish to become one. Siddhartha believes that Buddha’s teachings miss something. Hence he carries on his spiritual journey in a different manner.

Siddhartha believes that during his spiritual journey he had many teachers. He meets a beautiful courtesan, a rich merchant, gamblers and even a follower of Budhha. Later he meets Vasudeva (the ferryman) and also learnt a lot from the river too. When Siddhartha gets old, he meets his close friend Govinda after ages. He tells Govinda: “Wisdom cannot be passed on. Wisdom which a wise man tries to pass on someone always sounds like foolishness”.

I believe this novel makes one think about the complexities of life. How nature has its effects on a man and his surroundings. Further it reflects on the issue of existence, creating curiosity in the reader regarding wisdom as Siddhartha tries to learn more and get enlightened. In addition to that it provokes the reader to think about human emotions, social relations, greed, wealth, prosperity, contentment and satisfaction.

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Book Review: The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

Kafka was a German writer who lived from 1883 to 1924. This book The Metamorphosis has been translated by David Wyllie. Spending an early disturbed life and facing a strict father Kafka’s work reflect certain elements of his own life experiences.

Kafka writes about a man named Gregor Samsa. Gregor is the central character of this story. One morning Gergor discovers that he has overslept and turned into a bug. He is unable to carry out his job as a travelling salesman. As a consequence of his paining condition Gregor loses his job. His family is disturbed by him discontinuing his job. A domineering father, physically weak mother, and a young sister cause him thinking too about his worrying circumstances.

I believe in this work Kafka has addressed the issues of a breadwinner who now faces alienation after losing his job. He has slowly been cornered by his own family who now do not even wish to enjoy his presence in the house. Gregor seems to have lost all his social relations.

For some readers this might not be an interesting novel as Gregor is portrayed as a bug and at the same time he possesses human characteristics. In my view the author has tried to bring out the complexities of life by stressing on the human emotions in his characters. In doing so Kafka addresses human relations such as sorrow, repentance, endurance, agony and disaffection.

This book was published during Franz Kafka’s life time and is considered as one of his masterpieces.

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Book Review: Spirits Rebellious by Kahlil Gibran

I read Khalil Gibran for the first time in my first year of university. Originally written in Arabic Spirits Rebellious caused great agitation and trouble after its publication. It was burnt by both the Church and the angered state officials as it was considered a threat to state stability. Back then Lebanon was under brutal Turkish rule.

Gibran rose against the religious and political injustice during that time. Specifically the story of Khalil the heretic in this book caused the great annoyance to the ruling Sultans. Two other stories titled Madame Rose Hanie and The cry of the graves are also in the book. Spirits Rebellious portrays Gibran’s protest over inequality between man and woman, failure of principles of law and justice and corrupt practices of religious administration.

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Book Review: Walking with the Comrades by Arundhati Roy

This work by Arundhati Roy draws serious attention on the ongoing rebel movement in India. Maoist guerillas are waging war against the brutal and suppressive Indian government which is adamant on furthering the interests of multi-million dollar corporations.

Roy writes about the time she spent with the guerillas on the frontline fighting the government soldiers. She writes briefly about the history of the Naxalites, different personalities of the movement, her life in the forests with the rebels, role of women, makeshift schools for children, and about poverty and malnutrition among the guerillas. Roy believes that the government wants more minerals, clearing of forest lands to pave the way for mining companies, dams and large corporations. She leaves the reader with an important question: whether global capitalism would also engulf this part of the world?

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Book Review: Sand and Foam by Kahlil Gibran

I read this book in late 2012 or early 2013 at Ewing Hall. I borrowed it from a friend. Sand and Foam is one the books of Gibran written about impulse of man’s heart and mind. The themes which he addresses in the book include travel, nirvana, faith, secrecy, traits of humans, children, knowledge, youth, dissent, greed and indifference.

At one point he says: “If you reveal your secrets to the wind you should not blame the wind for revealing them to the trees. Furthermore he states: “You cannot have youth and the knowledge of it at the same time; for the youth is too busy living to know, and the knowledge is too busy seeking itself to live”.

On equality Gibran is of the following view: “Should you sit upon a cloud you would not see the boundary line between one country and another, not the boundary stone between a farm and a farm. It is a pity you cannot sit upon a cloud.

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Book Review: My Khyber Marriage by Morag Murray Abdullah

My Khyber Marriage brings out the experience of a Scotswoman who marries a pathan chieftain’s son. Morag meets Abdullah in Britain. Before marrying him she converts to Islam. Abdullah is the son of a tribal chieftain on the Indian Frontier.

 The first chapter starts with the very first meeting of Morag and Abdullah. Initially Morag’s father is apprehensive about her marriage to an easterner, but later he agrees to the proposal. Despite caution from friends and family Morag marries the easterner. Syed Abdullah takes his wife to his tribal country in the East where a marriage ceremony takes place. Before the marriage, his wife takes a bath in ass’s milk for beautification. Some of the observations of the writer stress that all highland folks around the world believe in luck and many of the blood feuds trace their origin to water issues.

Furthermore the author describes her life inside the fort and the roles assigned to each gender. Adding on to that the writer discusses various legends of the area. One of such legends is known as the white lady’s hill. One day Morag flees from the fort and travels to the white lady on the hill. She takes this risk to prevent a bloody fight. Later her husband discovers this and thanks God for her safety, as she might have got killed by gunfire.

Moreover the author mentions about the time when the women defended the fort resisting an attack. At another instance she describes her journey into the snake valley. This adventure is triggered by the frequent mention of snake valley in different local stories. Morag helps in her sister-in-law’s marriage. Furthermore Morag explains the strict moral codes of the tribal society and the limited choices available to women.

Later Morag and her husband travel to India. They are invited by an Indian Raja. Moray and her family leave for India. She writes a separate chapter on her journey through ninety-nine tunnels. Their visits to Simla and Dehli are also highlighted in later part of the book. In her final chapter Moray compares East and West. On hearing about her mother’s illness, she travels to Scotland along with her daughter Margaret. There she compares her life in the Freeland and that in Scotland. Morag intends to go back home in the Freeland where life is simple and the honor one one’s clan comes before anything else.

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Book Review: Mr and Mrs Jinnah The Marriage that shook India by Sheela Reddy

Muhammad Ali Jinnah is a Khoja Ismaili, born to Jinnah Poonja and Mithi Bai. In school Jinnah faces difficulty in his studies.  He leaves school to join his father’s business. After some time he realizes that his job is a monotonous one. With his father’s sanction Jinnah travels to England, to work in a company owned by his father’s acquaintance. There after some time Jinnah leaves the job, instead he chooses to study law. Before leaving for Britain, Jinnah marries as per his mother’s wish. In Britain Jinnah qualifies the ‘Little Go’ test to study law and later opts for Lincoln’s Inn. While Jinnah is abroad, both his wife and mother die.  After returning to India Jinnah falls in love with Ruttie, a sixteen year old girl, daughter of a Parsi baronet called Sir Dinshaw Petit. Later when Ruttie marries Jinnah against her father’s wish, Dinshaw files a law suit in which he claims Jinnah to have abducted his daughter. After marrying her, Jinnah allows his wife all sorts of freedom. Jinnah even allows her to take part in politics. Her maiden speech has been highlighted in the first half of this book.

When Jinnah takes part in politics, Gandhi asserts Jinnah to speak Gujrati, but Jinnah is obdurate. Furthermore the author writes about the instances of embarrassment, times of loneliness and stages of struggle in Jinnah’s life. Jinnah’s political sagacity and demeanor as a speaker are also praised. Jinnah loved to say ‘In politics you cannot be emotional’. Jinnah considered Edmund Burke to be his role model. Various political events kept Jinnah busy and on the contrary relations with Ruttie kept deteriorating. Ruttie felt alienated as Jinnah could not spare time for her. Ruttie joined dancing classes as she was very fond of dancing, but later Jinnah forbade her from dancing with any man.  Ruttie’s interest in her only child remained minimal. For many years the child remained nameless. Ruttie had sleeping disorders and took sleeping pills. Later she got addicted to morphine.

On 4 Jan 1928 Jinnah and his wife parted. Ruttie and Jinnah even met after they separated as she was severely ill and suffered from depression. One day Ruttie took her own life by taking an over doze of sleeping pills. Jinnah was devastated. His only child was called Dina. Jinnah was against Dina’s marriage with Neville Wadia, a Parsi who had converted to Christianity. This book explains in detail the various political events which affected the relations between Jinnah and his wife. Personal letters of Ruttie show her level of disappointment and disenfranchisement in life. Her death at the age of twenty nine left Jinnah heartbroken as he did not marry again.

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Book Review: The Bride by Bapsi Sidhwa

Qasim, a tribesman from the mountains, decides to live in Pakistan when the sub-continent takes new contours in 1947’s partition. On his journey to Lahore he takes an orphan girl, named Zaitoon, for his daughter. Qasim and Zaitoon start living with Nikka pehlwan’s family in Lahore. Nikka initiates his business by borrowing cash from Qasim whereas Qasim starts earning with a small job on daily wage. Nikka’s wife Miriam helps in the upbringing of Zaitoon. Qasim wants Zaitoon to marry one of his clansmen called Sakhi. When Qasim deems it appropriate for Zaitoon to get married she is taken by Qasim to his village. On their way Zaitoon is attracted towards an army man. She remains silent and does not disclose it to Qasim. Furthermore she is perplexed by her position in the new society in which she is about to move. 

When Qasim returns back to Lahore Zaitoon realizes that her new life in the mountains is engulfed with misery and pain. Her husband physically tortures her, there is no reasonable diet and living conditions are not conducive. One day Zaitoon decides to run. When her husband discovers her absence, he along with his tribesmen starts the hunt for Zaitoon. She knows that once discovered in the forests they will surely murder her. After days of wandering and discomfort Zaitoon finally reaches an army camp. There she is rescued by a military official who sends her down country, away from the wrath of tribal people. Sakhi informs his brethren that her wife is already dead, despite knowing that she is still alive. Sakhi had been assured by the army official that he would make sure Sakhi’s honor remains intact by not leaking any news of her. On the other hand Sakhi would not direct any threat to the girls’s life. Sakhi had agreed as he had no other option, because he could not wage a war against the military might. Sakhi wailed and gave in. This book is about mores, matrimonial affairs, obligations and family loyalties which Sidhwa has nicely, weaved and presented before the reader.

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Book Review: Benazir Bhutto Daughter of the East

Benazir Bhutto’s autobiography starts with the chapter named ‘The assassination of my father’. In this chapter she narrates her father’s case, visits to his jail and the deplorable living conditions of the jail where he was kept. Moving forward Benazir reminisces her childhood and talks about her family life. She took her O level exams at Vatican embassy in Pakistan. Later on Benazir went to Harvard University to pursue higher education. Benazir is of the view that, by studying at Harvard she began to understand more about Pakistan than she had been while living in Pakistan. 

When her father visited US for attending the UN sessions he would direct Benazir to be part of those sessions as an observer. In addition to that Benazir remembers her father telling her: “One of the fundamentals of diplomacy is to create doubt”. Later when Benazir went to Oxford she also served as the President of Oxford Union, for three months. Tariq Ali, a leftist had also remained president of the Oxford Union. In the book Benazir Bhutto presents her father’s case before the reader and argues that Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto had made adequate reforms in Pakistan which were in accordance with Islam.  After attending Harvard, Benazir went to Oxford. At Oxford University, Benazir also owned a personal car. On her return she intended to join Pakistan’s Foreign Service. When Benazir returned to Pakistan she had an Urdu tutor and her father would always tell her to improve her Urdu. In this book frequent mention of Zia-ul-Haq is made by Benazir. Benazir believes her father was judicially murdered by Zia and his cronies. Zia who had passed over six generals kept harassing Benazir and her family. She was kept in Sukkur jail, Karachi Central jail and was numerous times under house arrest. Benazir at one point in her book also mentions that both she and her mother were allowed to keep servants in jail. 

Adding on to that Benazir was later permitted by Zia to go abroad on medical grounds. There she travelled between London and Paris. She continued her political engagements for her party and also got involved in highlighting the perils of Zia’s rule in Pakistan by engaging with the western media. When she was in France, her younger brother Shah Nawaz died under mysterious circumstances. Shah Nawaz used to train guerilla fighters in Afghanistan and is said to have mentioned Zia’s threat to his life, prior to this incident. Moreover in the book Benazir unveils about her marriage with Asif Zardari, who was also from a feudal background. Benazir believes that under US pressure Zia held the elections of 1985. She further narrates events till the day of Zia’s plane crash in Bahawalpur. Benazir concludes by hoping to cast her vote in 1988 elections and believes that one day Pakistan would become a democratic and progressive country.

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Book Review: The Village by the Sea by Anita Desai

This story of Anita Desai revolves around a family which lives on the western coast of India where industrialization is yet to set in motion. The setting is of a village named Thul and the story is entirely based on fact. In the story Hari is a young boy whose father is a drunkard and his mother is extremely ill. The family has deplorable living conditions and they do not have a proper source of income. Hari catches fish with his small net unlike many of the villagers who own fishing boats. Other than that the family does not have sufficient cultivable land. Every year a family from Bombay visits Thul for vacations. Hari and his siblings do their menial work and get some cash in return.  With an ailing mother and a drunkard father life for Hari is worrisome. One day Hari hears about the construction of a factory in the near future at Thul which would provide jobs to the local population. Hari seems confused; he wants a job desperately but also craves for a typical village life. Hari wants no adulteration in the natural environment of his village. One day he leaves for Bombay with the people of his village. They want to present their petition to the Chief Minister showing their disapproval in written form regarding the construction of factories. There in Bombay at the rally confusion arises when Hari realizes that none of his friends from his were present there. This leaves Hari pondering. In fact Hari only joined the rally in order to get a job in Bombay. Hari located the address written on a piece of paper by the De Silvas. He was promised a job by them when they last visited Thul. But on reaching their house he was informed that the De Silvas were not home. Hari was distressed. In Bombay Hari had a tough time, as he worked at a small restaurant and after some days he joined a watch mending shop.  Heavy rainfall in Bombay exposed the strange living conditions to Hari. He now missed the natural environment of his village. Everything in Bombay was flooded with rain water. Now Hari wanted to return to Thul. His mentor at the watch mending shop advised Hari to return to Thul and with that also gave him business ideas. With the money earned at Bombay and his fears Hari returned to Thul. There he met his siblings. Lila told his brother Hari about their lives and how they depended on the De Silvas; and later on their friend Sayyid Ali for their survival, in Hari’s absence. A day before Diwali Hari went to the hospital to bring back home his mother who had been admitted to the hospital by the De Silvas. He was happy to see his father who quit drinking. All the family members celebrated Diwali jubilantly at Thul and it seemed to be the merriest day of their lives. Later Hari meets Sayyid Ali the person from the city who was studying birds. He told him about his apprehensions regarding the construction of factories in Thul. Sayyid Ali the bird watcher was the first customer of Hari as he gave him his watch for repair. Hari got confidence from conversing with this gentleman. Life goes on is what Hari learned. For survival human adaptability is important.  Hari could now see his mother joining the other womenfolk for the rituals on the beach. Now he felt contented with his life in Thul.

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Book Review: Nisso By Pavel Luknitsky

This historic novel revolves around a girl named Nisso who lives in the mountains of Central Asia. She loses her parents at an early age. Her maternal aunt gives her to Aziz Khon in marriage. Aziz Khon pays her the price. One day Nisso decides to run away from Aziz Khon. She runs away and reaches a valley named Siatang. At Siatang she is under the protection of Sho-pir an ex-red army soldier. Mededev is a comrade and works in Siatang to improvise the life of the local population. Nisso is in love with him, but she does not express her feelings until later. Aziz Khon gets to know about the presence of Nisso at Siatang valley. He prepares a force of basmachi people. One day Aziz Khon attacks on Siatang in Sho-pir’s absence. Aziz Khon’s forces loot, plunder and kill people in Siatang. Khon wants to torture and then brutally kill Nisso. Sho-pir while returning to Siatang hears about the attack of Aziz Khon. He gets enraged and fights against the basmachi. During this fight he gets severely injured. To his rescue the red army men enter Siatang and capture the basmachi along with Aziz Khon. Sho-pir is badly hurt and is in bed. Gulriz’s son Bakhtior had been killed by the basmachi. Gulriz is devastated to see the dead body of her son. Sho-pir later recovers and goes to Volost with Nisso. This novel displays the oppression of the Khans in Central Asia; and shows how the populace was liberated by the soviets and soviet way of life.

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