Latest Read: Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

Well!  Well Well! Was certainly not expecting this.  

When Trevor Noah was introduced last year as host of the Daily Show I decided to trust Jon Stewart. I watched the first few episodes. Of course I saw potential but I also knew that it had taken Jon Stewart many years to come into his own.

Then the elections came and I devoured talk shows. Trevor Noah was much more comfortable by then. I loved that he spoke about Africa on his show often; that he owned his past with pride.

I got the book last week. It is a book of stories from his childhood arranged more or less chronologically; it is honest, down to earth and made me fall in love with his mother. 

It is also a familiar book in many respects for people coming from a third world country. As he describes the ghettos I see glimpses of my home country in that. When his stepfather is worried about what people will say and lets that completely destroy himself and his family, I find myself nodding in understanding. I have seen the Black Tax his mother warns him about.

Due to this book, I now understand about why a fishing rod is as necessary as lessons on fishing and have gained a better understanding of how blurry the line is between civilian and criminal when circumstances are hard.

I would recommend this book. 

Latest Read: The Golden Legend by Nadeem Aslam

Nadeem Aslam, hum aap pay waray jaain.

I think Nadeem Aslam is one of the most important writers of our time. He writes about what plagues people, giving a reason for the madness while neither justifying nor blaming anyone for it. 

This story is set in the fictional city of Zamana in Pakistan. Zamana is an Urdu word meaning era or these times. In the story, Helen, a poor Christian girl is educated by her parents' Muslim employers: a husband and wife architect couple with big hearts and a wondrous house. There is also a beautiful Kashmiri boy who plays the santoor and falls in love with Helen. The character I bonded with the most is Lily, Helen's father; a man who wants to do more for himself and his family. 

I think The Wasted Vigil was brilliant. This book is better. 

Latest Read: Exit West by Mohsin Hamid

I had not liked his previous book too much; had been put off by the style mostly. This book I liked very much. It is about two young adults who fall in love and then have to leave their city as refugees. 
Some people did not like the doors in the book - I loved the doors. They helped put emphasis on the couple and their relationship rather than on the journeys refugees have to undertake. Hamid, I think, wanted to focus on what a person becomes when they are forced to leave their life behind.
I would recommend this book. It is a bit long winded at times but I did not mind that and appreciated his style quite a bit.