Book Review: With the Quaid-i-Azam During His Last Days by Lt.Colonel Ilahi Bakhsh, MD

This monograph is a first-hand account of the last days of Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Written by a medical doctor, this book sheds light on the last two months of Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s Life. This book is an outcome of the entries in the author’s personal diary.

The first edition of this book was published in 1949. With the Quaid-i-Azam during his last days is divided into three chapters. This includes his time at Ziarat, Quetta and Karachi. This book review here is for the 2011 edition published by Oxford University Press Karachi. The preface to the third edition of the book written by M. Nasir Ilahi specifies that the author was required to delete certain passages from the book as they were considered to be politically inappropriate and sensitive.

Jinnah was at Ziarat, later he was moves to Quetta so that the altitude does not affect his already fragile health. Afterwards he was moved to Karachi. When Quaid was being shifted from Quetta to Karachi an incident happened. After landing at Mauripur Aerodrome Quaid was put into an ambulance. From Aerodrome to Governor General’s house the distance was 9 to 10 miles. Ambulance had stopped working after about 4 miles due to some engine trouble. Another ambulance was arranged. At 6:10 A.M, almost two hours after landing at Mauripur Aerodorme Quaid reached his destination.

Earlier at Quetta the author had refused a person willing to meet Quaid. Mr. Amin stressed on Dr. Ilahi that a specific person was willing meet Quaid-i-Azam on urgent basis. The author asked his name from Mr Amin, but Mr Amin said he could not disclose it. Later in Karachi the author had found the identity of the visitor, after Quaid-i-Azam’s death. The author also does not disclose the name of the visitor in this book and leaves the reader perplexed.

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Book Review: The Luminous Life of Jackie Chan Edited by Shyam Dua

When I was in school I remember watching Jackie Chan’s amazing movies. After reading this book I get an idea about Jackie’s struggles in the movie world. He surely did not become a star overnight.

Jackie Chan’s real name is Chan Kong-Sang. Born to underprivileged parents in Hong Kong he gets admission at Peking Opera School. Here students are taught traditional Chinese arts of performing, singing, acting, acrobatics and martial arts. He moves to Australia with his parents.

As far as his career his concerned, Jackie performs as child actor and later as a stuntman. Only later does he get lead roles in movies. Later he takes charge of duties ranging from producing to directing films. Jackie makes his films both funny and exciting at the same time. He also owns a stuntman company.

According to the book in Hong Kong only the blockbuster Jurrasic Park has surpassed at the box office. This account of Jackie Chan also includes an interview of him. In the interview Jackie believes he is like a bank. He collects and saves all his fans. They never go away. One of the last chapters of the book includes one on filmography and the other one is reviews on few of his films.

Changes in Jackie Chan’s life, his inspiration, struggle and his massive influence on films has been portrayed in very simple words this short book.

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Book Review: Iqbal As I Knew Him by Doris Ahmed

This book is a first-hand account of a German lady who lives in Dr. Muhammad Iqbal’s house. She comes to his house after the death of his wife Sardar Begum. Doris looks after Allama Iqbal’s children and manages his house.

In the book the author mainly talks about Iqbal and the people around him. Doris discusses Iqbal’s daily routine, his clothes, servants, his house, children and his friends. The last five headings of the book are dedicated to Iqbal’s relatives. The author views Iqbal as a deeply religious person who leads a simple life. Nawab of Bhopal sends monthly stipend of Rs 500 to Iqbal. In addition to that Iqbal refrains from taking beef as it makes him ill. The reason Iqbal states is that his ancestors had been Hindu Brahmans.

 Iqbal cares a lot for his children Bano and Javed. He had married thrice. When Iqbal was on his deathbed he really missed Hakim Qarshi who was away in Hyderabad. He believed Qarshi could provide him comfort.

Furthermore the book includes about Javed’s growing up, going to Cambridge, coming back, getting married and having children. It also includes details about Bano and her children. There are about half a dozen pictures at the end of the book which includes author’s pictures with Iqbal’s family. This book reveals the relations of Allama Iqbal with his close friends and family.

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Book Review: Lahore in the Time of the Raj by Ian Talbot and Tahir Kamran

This is an amazing book which provides an account of the interesting colonial period in Lahore. It gives the reader an insight to Lahore’s importance in South Asia.

Various connections/ networks of Lahore with other important cities of United India have been explored in this book. This connection includes Calcutta, Delhi, Bombay and Karachi. It does not end there. Areas such as Afghanistan, Arabia, Europe and North America have also had relations with Lahore. These linkages had social, cultural and economic characteristics.

The second chapter on the Darvazas and Mohallas reveals how the life of the city was influenced. The tourists/ travellers who visited Lahore shaped many elements in the city. All this is explained in great detail. Some of the poets, wrestlers, cricketers, politicians and academicians are also discussed.

Furthermore the consumption of foreign goods in colonial Lahore has been elucidated in a separate chapter. Both the British and those well off Indians shaped a pattern of consumption in Lahore. The route of pilgrims who travelled to Hejaz via Lahore has also been highlighted in the book. Others who visited shrines in Lahore and other places in India have also been mentioned. Migration in Lahore, Lahore’s importance as a city in the independence movement is also discussed in great detail. Official statistics have also been quoted from credible estimates.

Moreover establishment of educational institutions in Lahore by the British are also cited. Various prominent graduates of Islamia College, Government College and FC College and Punjab University have been briefly mentioned in this book. Examples include KK Aziz, Allama Mashraqi and Allama Iqbal’s educational years in Lahore.

Anybody interested in history of subcontinent or history of Lahore must read this book!

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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: Contemporary Issues in Pakistan Studies by Saeed Shafqat

This particular book by Dr. Saeed Shafqat is a compilation of different articles. In every article a separate theme has been addressed. Writers who contribute to this book analyze the issues confronting Pakistan. These writers are from different academic backgrounds who analyze with great detail. Moreover this document is an excellent example of inter disciplinary work with respect to Pakistan Studies.

 A total of thirteen articles have been included in the book. Six of the articles are written by Shafqat himself. The articles in this book encompass Jinnah, pre-partition scenario, bureaucracy, politics in Pakistan, military, participatory development, foreign relations, and strategic issues of security, Kashmir issue and democracy in Pakistan. Published in 1995 this book is both well researched and documented.

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Book Review: The China-Pakistan Axis Asia's New Geopolitics by Andrew Small

Andrew Small has given an impressive account of friendship of India’s two most powerful neighbors. China and Pakistan known as all-weather friends but over the years this relation has also not escaped trouble.  Based on eight chapters this book narrates the historical background of China Pakistan relations.  Moreover issues related to nuclear development and cooperation between China and Pakistan is addressed in great detail. A comprehensive study of India’s concern over the years regarding China is highlighted. China-Pak axis in the region has always alarmed Indian foreign policy makers as it changes the flux of strategic imperatives for India.

China sees itself as a significant player in the region and globally at large. It wants a hand in Afghanistan’s stability and in recent days has also taken keen interest in negotiations with the Taliban. China sees the Uighur population in China’s Xijiang province as a threat to its stability as evidence very well suggests that terrorist elements are involved in radicalizing the population.

Furthermore the Karakoram Highway and its importance are also mentioned by the author. China has strategic ambitions that stretch all the way from Xiajing to the Middle East. The One Belt One Road initiative of China is a manifestation of these strategic objectives. CPEC, a segment of this grand project is about including Pakistan in the vital scheme and providing for its infrastructure development. The author believes that like the Karakoram Highway, Gwadar has never been completely viewed as a commercial plan rather it has strategic and political ambitions.

The main explanations given for OBOR include outsourcing of extra Chinese industrial capital by giant Chinese companies; build markets for Chinese products, promote development in China’s western regions, provide alternate maritime transportation routes for China and lastly increase China’s influence in areas where there is little resistance from United States.

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Book Review: World Famous Dictators by Ian Schott

World Famous Dictators by Ian Schott is a short book regarding ten ruthless autocratic rulers. The countries which they ruled include Haiti, Ancient Rome, Uganda, Mongolia, Rumania, Russia, Central African Republic, Germany and Iraq. Early childhood, rise to power and the brutal methods of coercion of the dictators are elaborated. Anecdotes are mentioned which reflect their brutal and ruthless commonalities. Collectively these dictators killed millions of people, legalized anything illegal, butchered communities, used cruelty and savagery to further their rule. Their sole aim was to hold onto absolute power. From Caligula to Saddam Hussein history’s most evil geniuses have been included in this book.

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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: Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

Into the wild is based on Christopher Johnson McCandless’s real story. After completing his university degree he decided to live in the wild. He gave $25,000 of his savings to a charity. In April 1992 he hitchhiked to Alaska and moved north of Mt. Kinley. During this journey he had to abandon his car, burn his wallet cash and experience a new way of living. He chose this life.

Many writers/commentators believe McCandless to be mentally unstable whereas others consider his strange behavior to be nonconformist in many ways. As the maverick grew up he came to know about his father’s earlier marriage which disturbed him to a great degree. Moving on to hostel life he became more detached from home. He did not write letters that often. He seemed disenchanted. But he always remained close to his sister and cared for her.

Moreover McCandless did not want his family to know about his whereabouts. That was the reason he changed his named. During the trip Chris read Tolstoy, Jack London and Henry David Thoreau. He did part time jobs to gather funds for his last Alaskan expedition. McCandless ended up in in an abandoned bus. He hunted with his rifle but game was short in number. He ate roots of different plants. Some of these roots are believed to have caused his death as they turned out to be toxic.

Four months after his death, his decomposed body was found by a moose hunter. His sad demise caused great sorrow for his family. Later his parents visited the bus where he had died. The writer of this book initially wrote an article on his death and later developed a book which we now know as Into the Wild.

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