The Monk of Mokha (2018)

The Monk of Mokha is a non-fiction and true account of Mokhtar Alkhanshali's attempt to revive the Yemeni coffee trade and find his own place in the world. Alkhanshali is a Yemeni American and this book was written by Dave Eggers following years of interviews and research. The book was published in 2018 by Hamish Hamilton (Penguin) and the hardback edition is 323 pages long. Eggers divides this work into a prologue, five "books" (which comprise of a total of 42 chapters), and an epilogue. I will share some of the different components that make up this account as well as my thoughts on this type of writing.

The book begins by introducing the reader to Mokhtar Alkhanshali. We quickly learn about his childhood, immigrant background and his general upbringing, which contribute to his developing a quick-witted character. Eggers smoothly describes the series of events that result in Alkhanshali's transition into the coffee world. And yet trying to establish oneself with the intention Mokhtar had, is shown to be hardly a piece of cake. Alkhanshali is not only introduced to this idea somewhat coincidentally, he also has a lot to lose if he chooses to pursue this vision and he is, for the majority of this book, quite a desperate fellow. 

The reader, like Mokhtar himself once was, is immersed into the history and origins of coffee, which comprise of spirituality (Islamic ascetics), politics (colonisation) and criminality. This background not only shows how far coffee has come since its humble beginnings but also the extent to which the coffee trade has expanded and been exploitative on a global level. This history is fascinating in and of itself but even more so when we consider ethical trading and historical practises. 

We also learn about the delicate process of producing coffee as we know it today. Mokhtar Alkhanshali had to learn about the nature of coffee agriculture as well as the whole processing procedure and how to prepare coffee for roasting, grinding and finally preparation. As we learn the delicate nature of coffee production from his research and experiences, it reestablishes an increased level of respect for this "common" beverage. In fact, good coffee is far from common and if anything a privilege to drink. Of course coffee, as with anything in the world, comes in all shapes and sizes (and qualities) but Mokhtar learns and Eggers explains the labour intensive work behind this beverage. In some ways it explains that the "hipster" obsession with coffee connoisseur-ship is no joke.

Eggers also places these events in the context of contemporary American politics, and recognises the significance of islamophobia in the the US for Muslim Americans. In addition, Alkhanshali's adventures happened to take place while the Yemeni war began to develop, and he intended to visit Yemen to realise his project. In one of his visits he found himself stuck in the Yemeni war and had to try to get out for the sake of his life and business. Eggers does not ignore the social distinction Alkhanshali felt due to his background, and the implied privilege white Americans enjoy in the world. This is not elaborated on in detail as we also see how Mokhtar also experiences the privilege of holding an American passport when he is in Yemen, highlighting international hierarchies and bias. 

For much of the book, the events Alkhanshali experiences create much of the tension and suspense, as they are extremely delicate situations that vary from theft and poverty to matters of life and death. However, Eggers conveys the urgency of each situation accordingly and does not overly dramatise or exaggerate in a way to make you feel like you're reading a piece of fiction. The reader is very much reading about the real world, which is not short of its own dangers. Eggers' writing style is clear and engaging. I personally found the cultural insight into Yemeni society (as tribal as it is) quite fascinating and Eggers, an "outsider" himself, effectively conveys cultural distinctions so as to explain the reasons behind uncommon behaviour for Westerners. 

This is my first time reading a book by Eggers and even reading non-fiction about something so contemporary. Both the book and the company are so new (and real) that it is quite a new experience for me as a reader, especially for someone who is more attracted to historical works. The book was a birthday gift to me from my siblings, and definitely made for a change in my reading. I find Alkhanshali's cause (to revive Yemeni coffee trade and value its labourers) to be noble and his chosen approach to be befitting. At the very least this book offers readers the opportunity to learn a little more about the complexity of an "everyday" hot beverage but it otherwise has the potential to spark a little motivation in being more ethical about our coffee selection and seek quality where possible. 

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Have you read this book? What did you think of it? Comment your thoughts below, I'd love to hear what you thought. 

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China Rich Girlfriend (2015)

The sequel to Kevin Kwan's Crazy Rich Asians was published in 2015 by DoubleDay (Penguin books). The novel is 526 pages long (a digital edition 400 in print) and is divided into three parts. Kwan chooses to title his chapters largely by the location of the given scene but occasionally opts to focus on particular characters, thus reflected in his chapter headings. I will share my thoughts on the continuation of this story and compare it to the previous novel as well as how it met my expectations.

In terms of the progression of the storyline, the China Rich Girlfriend begins a couple of years after the previous one's end. I was glad that both the Nick and Rachel and Astrid and Micheal plots were developed. The latter definitely offered great value to the novel as a whole and I felt it was well presented and delicately recounted. Astrid's character is still like-able and I appreciate the way Kwan presented her relationship struggles. The former storyline was fairly steady though there was not tremendous focus on their relationship in relation to the many other events.

I personally wanted this sequel to develop the drama between Nick and Rachel and Nick's family (especially in Tyersall Park) yet the title clearly indicates the shift away from Singaporean affairs into Chinese territory. For this reason we have a host of new characters and an unexpected focus on

a smaller character from the first novel (who I won't disclose to avoid potential spoilers). While I wasn't personally too keen on this storyline, it did offer a perspective on trying to enter Hong Kong high society despite one's history.

Before getting hold of this novel, I was warned by other readers that it was a good book but not as good as the first one (as is often the case). Someone on instagram mentioned that they felt that this novel had "too much brand identification" and upon reflection, I can see why. The storyline is interesting but not quite as gripping as the first and often it feels like there are long lists of brands and other expensive things.

Overall, I found this novel was less rich in history and culture and despite the shortcoming of expensive lists, it makes for a nice casual read. I intend to read the final of the trilogy because it seems to offer the storyline I was hoping for: the dynamics between Nick and his family, especially with his grandmother.

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Have you read this novel? What did you think of it? Comment your thoughts on it below, I'd love to hear what you thought. 

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Crazy Rich Asians (2013)

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan has recently been turned into a successful Hollywood movie, with the first ever all-Asian cast. The novel was a bestseller and was published in 2013 by Corvus in the US and later by Doubleday. I got hold of the Kindle edition as it was on offer for 99p. The novel is 538 pages long and divided into three parts. I'll briefly cover the writing style and key insights that I found refreshing in my reading. 

The novel is preceded by a disturbing yet fabulous prologue. Each part begins with a quote about the Chinese. The first two parts are divided into chapters that focus into specific characters, either one at a time or as a family. In this way we are gradually introduced to the key personages who make up the complex social dynamic of the novel. In the third part, the chapters are headed by location and the earlier characters are merged into mutual social situations. By focusing onto characters separately at the beginning, the novel reminded me of Shafak's The Forty Rules of Love, however Kwan's insights and style of writing are immensely more interesting and engaging. Through his unnamed narrator Kwan gives the reader selected snippets of information about given characters, sometimes choosing to flashback in time to contextualise their present circumstances. Kwan also includes lots of "Singlish" terminology and words from various Chinese dialects, but these terms and others are comprehensively explained in the footnotes. 

While this novel does have a central romantic couple, it does not feel like a romance in the conventional sense, because this couple's relationship has already been long established (two years) so there is little courting involved. Even so, the couple are (for me) quite likeable because they are mature (nearing 30) and are generally reasonable and sensible personalities. Nicholas's "fatal flaw" is his naivety but no one is perfect and this also drives the plot. 

As Kwan admits, his motive for writing this novel was to give Americans an insight into another lesser known reality of contemporary Asia. For this reason, the book works very much as a socio-cultural tour guide or travel book into the wealthy world of Singapore. There is a sense of it being more of a touristic adventure which allows the reader and Rachel (a Chinese-American) to gain an exclusive insight into a new culture, world and family. In some ways I felt that the extreme wealth of the Singaporeans functioned as some sort of magical powers (money is power, right?) and so it felt other-worldly and bordered on fantasy in my personal experience. This made it even more fun to read.  

Some of the issues that Kwan touches on include racial discrimination as well as social class and standing. He also explains the difference between Old Money and New Money Chinese families and how this is relevant historically as well as in contemporary circles. In this way I felt that I learnt a little about the history of China and its people, including their migration. We also quite quickly realise that Singaporeans love their food, which can result in some friendly argumentation. 

Overall, I found the writing to be dynamic and catchy. I was immediately gripped into the novel and felt like I was exploring a whole new world and culture. Despite being worlds apart to the protagonists, they still captured my interest and care, and Kwan competently deals with socio-political issues while maintaining a strong narrative and plot. I'm on the verge of buying the sequel, and I hope I won't be disappointed! 

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Have you read this novel or watched the film? What did you think of it? Comment your thoughts below, I'd love to hear what you thought. 

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The Forty Rules of Love (2009)

I finally bought a copy of The Forty Rules of Love, because kindle was offering it for 99p so I obviously had to download it. Elif's Shafak's novel was initially published in 2009 though I downloaded the 2015 edition published by Penguin. It is 350 pages long and divided into five parts, which are associated with the four elements and "The Void". I'll briefly summarise what the novel is about, and then share my thoughts on the writing style and some of the ideas expressed in the novel. 

The novel follows two plots. It begins with Ella, who is a wealthy middle-aged, (non-practising) Jewish American housewife with three children. She is at a turning point in her life as she takes up a job with a literary agency. Her first manuscript that she needs to report on is the source of the second plot, and it is a novel about Shams of Tabriz and Rumi, the renowned Sufi mystics of the 13th century. Ella is dissatisfied with her life and the manuscript and the author's words push her to view and experience life differently. 

In terms of structure and style, Shafak plays with the chronology of the two plots by firstly intertwining them but also by revealing scenes from the end at the beginning and then taking the reader through the journey of revealing how those initial decisions came to be made. I'm not sure if this was a good structural move for the Shams story. The novel within a novel Sweet Blasphemy is written through the perspectives of numerous characters, who are interconnected by circumstance. In doing so, it offers several people's engagement with faith and religion, varying from indifference and hopelessness to the "zealot" and the mystic, which are valuable in their own ways. 

However, despite creating these different characters, who speak in their own chapters, and who offer their own experiences (thus changing the content), the style of writing seems fairly unchanging. The lack of variation in these characterisations resulted in me not being able to really get invested in any of the characters. Also, each character's chapter is relatively short (even if we meet them several times) and so this limits one's attachment too. Ella's emails provided a slight change, but that may have also been because it was a change of plot too. So I mainly continued to read for the characterisations of Rumi and Shams of Tabriz, who are renowned personages outside of this novel and thus piqued my interest more greatly. 

The novel's main theme, as expressed in the title, is love. It explores the transformative powers of love (and not only romantic love) and it contextualises Shams of Tabriz's forty rules of love by engaging with various characters and human experiences. I think this is a really nice idea, though I am less convinced by the execution of this concept due to the writing style and some structural reservations. 

As well as love, Shafak clearly wants to write about faith and religion. I appreciate her nuanced viewpoints of this controversial and delicate subject (since in many ways religion is considered hugely problematic and almost taboo or backwards now). This is a brave topic to engage with and she provides her readers with an opportunity to look at religion with a more open-eyed approach. Despite this, I did have some reservations about a couple of her descriptions of Sufis, that I felt were problematic, such as a protagonist claiming to be "spiritual not religious" and that Sufis are "not violent even when they have a reason". I felt that these expressions in particular pander to Western expectations of Sufism so it suits them. The first one is problematic because it seems to absolve the likeable character of the "ugly" label of religion, when rather the label should not be considered ugly, as religion comprises of spirituality. The second is problematic because it implies that Sufis (the good guys in this book and the "good Muslims" in Western discourse) ought to be passive and pacifists, which removes their right to self-defence, for example. Later in the novel Shafak counters the second notion slightly by stating that "There's a difference between patience and passivity", which I agree with more. 

Overall, I found that the idea behind the novel was promising, but the execution of it was not to my liking. The writing took some getting used to and perhaps that may be partly because Shafak is not a native English speaker. I do not know if that is the case or rather because I personally did not find myself invested in the story or characters. Nevertheless Shafak shares the importance and universality of love and how it can break barriers and transform people from all backgrounds and experiences, including those most "disconnected" from the real world or notions of injustice. The praise this novel received no doubt created high expectations and I was somewhat let down. I would give it about 3 stars. 

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Have you read this novel? What did you think of it? Comment your thoughts on it below, I'd love to hear what you thought. 

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Homosexuality in Islam: Critical Reflection on Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Muslims (2010)

Homosexuality n Islam: Critical Reflection on Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Muslims by Scott Siraj al-Haqq Kugle was published by Oxford Oneworld in 2010. It is a non-fiction text that comes to 275 pages (main body) but goes up to 335 including the notes, bibliography. glossary and index, which illustrates the extent to which this text is well-researched and comprehensive. I will highlight some of the key arguments in the text, divided by chapter, and provide my own thoughts on how convincing Kugle's argument is. 

Kugle begins his work with a case study to contextualise the need for this research and the social repercussions of publicly acknowledging a gay sexual orientation. By the end of the book he brings to the fore his engagement with contemporary realities (in terms of the legalisation of same-sex marriage in secular countries) and how Muslims of different sexual orientations and gender identities live and negotiate their life and faith in relation to these matters. 

He highlights the methods of coming to Islamic legal rulings and how they are negotiated, from Quran, hadith (reports of the Prophet Muhammad's words and actions) and reasoning of the various major schools of thought. These are divided into separate chapters. He makes the following significant points made in the respective chapters. "Liberating Quran: Islamic Scripture" points out that the story of Lot does not condemn gay people, as the crimes of Lot were not limited to sodomy and if their crimes included this element, it condemns rather the violence of the action. Furthermore, laws of previous nations are not necessarily applicable to Islamic law, as is the case for many other matters. "Critiquing Hadith: Islamic Oral Tradition" notes that there is no prophetic example to follow in terms of same-sex relationships (punishments or otherwise). It also highlights the prevalence of weak or fabricated hadiths. "Assessing Fiqh: Islamic Legal Reasoning" competently compares the logical reasoning behind the various schools of thought and thus explains their differing stances on same-sex sexual acts in relation to illegal heterosexual sex. Through these chapters he deals with the notions of prejudice, bias and inconsistency which then inform legal interpretations. 

From these criticisms and analyses, Kugle goes on to offer his own suggestions on how to address same-sex relationships in contemporary society. In his chapter "Reforming Shari'a: Islamic Ethics of Same-Sex Marriage" he offers the possibility of legalising same-sex marriage in the Muslim community and argues how such a shift in approach to nikkah contracts will also benefit women (and feminists) as well as gay Muslims. His argumentation is compelling and informed, as he deconstructs the reasons not to do so competently. 

Kugle's transgender argument is much shorter, being limited to the one chapter: "Reviving Spirit: Islamic Approaches to Transgender Experience" and is, for me, less convincing outside the frame of hermaphrodites. When I say "less convincing", that is not to contest Kugle's case for fair, human and compassionate treatment of people who choose to identify with another gender (and even surgically change their body with this intention), rather I mean that I do not know how such a decision can be deemed more than a "whim" in the Islamic perspective, and correspond to the essentialist notion of sexuality and gender that Kugle adopts. It is a complex matter and it requires more study, which Kugle at least offers a starting point for. 

To conclude, Homosexuality in Islam: Critical Reflection on Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Muslims that provides essential insights into the contemporary reality of homosexual and transgender Muslims in the light of Islamic understanding. It explores the conflicts gay Muslims face due to cultural and social forces prejudicing Islamic interpretation and consequently human treatment of homosexuals. He offers strong and convincing arguments for his case, especially for gay Muslims, and does so by breaking down the multiple components that inform Islamic legal jurisprudence. Due to this, this book also provides much information and insight, for those who do not know, into the workings of the Islamic law (or shari'ah) and its many nuances- obviously with a limited focus on this topic. 

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Sexual Ethics in Islam and in the Western World (2011)

Sexual Ethics in Islam and in the Western World by Ayatollah Murtada Mutahhari is a compilation of articles published in Maktab-e-Islam, the leading religious journal in pre-revolutionary Iran. They were translated into English by Khurshid Ali and published by the Islamic Centre of England in 2011. The book is extremely short and concise, at only 67 pages and 7 chapters plus an Introduction by S. Khalil Toussi. I will share a brief description of the author, provided by Toussi, before mentioning the key arguments presented in the book. 

Mutahhari, considered a reformist of his time, was born in 1919 to a clerical family in a village near the city of Mashhad. He began basic Islamic training in Mashhad and later went to Qom for advanced education in the Islamic sciences, where he stayed for fifteen years. He attended lectures by Ayatollah Ruhullah Khomeini on Mulla Sadra's philosophy, mysticism, ethics, and principles of jurisprudence amongst many other disciplines. He was also involved in socio-political activities and his theological writings aimed to debunk Marxism and atheism, which were influencing Iranian intellectuals of the time. He was assassinated in 1979. 

Mutahhari compares former Western concepts of sexuality, which were strongly influenced by a Christian culture, to contemporary thought and modern approaches to sexuality (i.e. a more libertarian approach). These offer two opposing approaches to sexuality. The Christian-influenced approach glorifies celibacy over sexual activity (because sexual activity is base), while maintaining that marriage and sex are necessary for reasons of pro-creation. The contemporary Western approach to  sexuality is one of fulfilling one's desires to the utmost and is greatly hedonistic and indulgent, and often associated with freeing oneself from the chains of institutions like marriage or concepts like chastity. 

Mutahhari notes the influence of Western thought on Muslim communities, since there has been an exchange of culture and ideas between Islamic thinkers and Western philosophers for centuries. Consequently, he describes in which ways Islamic thought and Western thoughts on sexuality are distinct. One way in which he does this is by underlying the importance of marriage in Islam and the goodness that lies in engaging in sexual relations. This is supported by the practice of the majority of the Prophets, who had wives and this was not a hinderance to their worldly or spiritual success. He links the spiritual virtues of sexual activities to a wholesome way of living and is not merely a union required for procreation. He argues that Islam does not advocate self-denial nor does it condone lustful activity.

Mutahhari distinguishes between love and lust and consequently finds flaws in the arguments offered by the Western thinkers Bertrand Russell and Will Durant. He also briefly engages with some of Freud's thoughts on the subject. Mutahhari argues that the institution of marriage aims to nurture love rather than encourage lustful behaviour. 

I found this short book to be extremely insightful because it competently engages with Western thinkers as well as offers comparisons and reasoning that reflect the changing attitudes to sexuality as I've noticed them (as well as the trends that we have been taught) through my literary studies. Yes, it promotes Islamic values and marriage, but it also highlights what elements of Western thoughts Muslims are prone to being influenced by and how Islam relates to these matters. The collection of articles are informative and worthwhile read for those interested in comparing Western sexual ethics to those in Islam. 

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The Translator (1999)

The Translator by Leila Aboulela is one of my primary texts for my Masters thesis (in progress) so although I may discover more interesting interpretations and analysis through the course of my research, I thought I would share a quick review of the novel now. It was first published in 1999 but my edition is from 2008, published by Polygon. This was Aboulela's first novel and is 196 pages and 23 chapters long. I will explore some of the key themes of the novel as well as its socio-historical significance. I will also briefly discuss the choice of genre but firstly I will add the blurb of the novel. 

The Translator is a story about love, both human and divine. Sammar is a young Sudanese widow, working as an Arabic translator at a British university. Following the sudden death of her husband and estrangement from her young son, she drifts- grieving and isolated. Life takes a positive turn when she finds herself falling in love with Rae, a Scottish academic. To Sammar, he seems to come from another world and another culture, yet they are drawn to each other. 

As indicated above, this is a novel of love, loss and healing where faith plays a central role. Sammar marries her childhood sweetheart and first cousin, Tarig but after his death she has to renegotiate her notion of love and heal herself in order to be able to love again. Aboulela manages to write about the grieving process in a delicate and careful manner and illustrates some of the "extreme" decisions that may be taken in grief but also shows how invaluable a strong support network is, since her trauma meant that she was incapable of being a mother to her child. Slowly she reveals what she considers to be some of the underlying factors in love, such as gratitude, feeling understood, respected and safe. 

The relationship between the East and the West is a strong theme in the novel. Aboulela deals with the Orientalist tension, which is voiced via her colleague Yasmin, and attempts to remove the division between the two worlds by indicating a "crossing" or exchange of the two. While Yasmin is critical of Western academia, Sammar attempts to engage with it (via Rae) to deepen the understanding of Islam in the Western context. This is while Sammar herself negotiates her faith and its practise in the secular context of Aberdeen and the culture shock of enjoying practising her faith freely and openly in Sudan to the secret prayers in the UK. This theme highlights the central role of religion in a practising Muslim's everyday life, as opposed to it being a random disposable hobby. The importance of faith is highlighted again when Sammar is faced with the reality of her situation: that she loves a non-Muslim man, who she cannot marry unless he converts. This predicament is in many ways symbolic of the relationship between the East and the West and it challenges contemporary notions of romance and the romance narrative. 

In terms of the writing style itself, Aboulela writes in a largely linear chronology, making use of occasional flashbacks and memories to fill in gaps in the reader's knowledge. The novel is narrated with a slow and careful pace with a third person voice with the majority of the novel focalised from Sammar's perspective and occasionally from Rae's. In terms of genre, it parallels Jane Eyre and the nineteenth-century domestic novel in many ways, although Aboulela clearly adapts the story to suit the changed context and protagonists. 

This novel, having been published in 1999, illustrates the tense relationship the West has had with Islam from before a 9/11 era, which people often use as the benchmark of when islamophobia began. Although 9/11 may have led to increased discrimination towards Muslims, there is a deeper history behind hostility towards Muslims and it goes beyond simplistic conclusions of one or two terrorist attacks. This novel strongly implies the difficulties Muslims in the West have to face in order not to perpetuate imposed stereotypes and for how long these stereotypes have existed. 

Overall, this novel is a serious, calm and sombre reflection of the experience of a Muslim woman in Britain. The secular prejudice that is criticised in the novel, still exists in academia today, almost 20 years later, thus making it relevant to contemporary struggles. The Translator challenges Orientalist discourse but does not seek to create a divide between the East and the West but rather looks at positive exchange and a new approach to their relationship. It was a thoughtful novel that quietly dealt with deep social and personal issues. I personally found that the technological restrictions of the time illustrated the nature of patient perseverance and it added an extra charm to the relationship.  

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Have you read this novel or anything else by Leila Aboulela? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below or message me via instagram. 

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Seasons of Splendour (1985)

Seasons of Splendour: Tales, Myths and Legends of India was written by Madhur Jaffrey in 1985 but my edition was published in 1992 by Puffin Books. I found this book in my childhood bedroom while clearing it out and my recent study into Indian history and culture obviously made me keep and read it. This collection of short stories is 183 pages long (including the guide to pronunciations). It was a fascinating and enjoyable read and I'll review its structure, themes and my overall thoughts so you can consider having a read for yourself. 

Jaffrey structured these Indian short stories in the order of the Hindu calendar and more specifically followed the chronology of selected festivals throughout the year to head her chapters. Each chapter includes one or several short stories associated to the named festival. Because Jaffery herself was told many of these stories orally via her family members, she respects this oral tradition by including a comprehensive pronunciation guide at the end of the book. The 12 chapters are as follows: Introduction, A Special Birthday, Time For The Dead, Dussehra The Festival of Victory, The Day of The Wintery Full Moon, Karvachauth- The Little Clay Pot, Divali- Festival of Lights, Holi- Festival of Spring, A Day For Brothers, Nine Days' Festival and The Festival For Parvati. 

Since these stories are taken from Hindu mythology and scripture, they deal with both spiritual and worldly matters and their relationship. The themes are consequently linked to this worldly life and its spiritual significance, and so life, love, conflict, loss, family and death are amongst some of the topics of instruction. When matters of good and evil arise, I found the stories and characterisation of people to be more nuanced than most, although there is still the notion of good and bad we see that it is not always possible to come to a conclusion on the matter without looking beyond the surface. 

I was already familiar with some of these stories and festivals through my Religious Education classes at school and from watching lots of Indian dramas/ films but some of the festivals I didn't know the reason and stories behind and those I was familiar with were told with more detail and depth than what our brief school lessons taught. Jaffrey enhances the collection by connecting the festivals to her own childhood and family, which adds a valuable layer of how these festivals are celebrated and "lived" but also a glimpse into an Indian family's life along with its heritage. The book is nicely embellished by the black and white illustrations by Michael Foreman; they are detailed and add a visual dimension to the tales. 

Overall, this collection of short stories was a pleasure to read and I only wish there were more of them, which I am sure there are- but I may have to delve into the traditional Hindu texts to learn more. This would be a great book to read to young children (even for bedtime as the tales are not too long), or for them to read for themselves, but I also find that it is a valuable book for adults searching for a sneak peek into Indian cultural and religious heritage without going into academic study. It is engaging and informative and I believe that it makes a refreshing change from mainstream children's literature. 

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Have you read any interesting books about Hindu mythology and legend? Do you have any suggestions of some similar books? Do let me know in the comments below. 

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The Good Immigrant (2016)

The Good Immigrant is a collection of 21 essays by people of colour (POC) that recount their immigrant/ diaspora experiences and/ or concerns in Britain. This collection was published by Unbound and edited by Nikesh Shukla; it is 234 pages long if I exclude the list of acknowledgements and supporters, of which there are many. It was produced thanks to the support of the public. My sister lent me her copy of this book after I told her I wanted to buy Reni Eddo-Lodge's Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race, since Eddo-Lodge contributed an essay to this collection. Along with my personal reflections, I will briefly describe some recurring themes in the collection. 

This book's strongest feature (for me) is that it addresses and gives voice to a whole spectrum of ethnic narratives and experiences. It obviously cannot cater for every immigrant experience in Britain but it definitely provides a solid variety with which POC can identify with and/or learn from. It covers several continents and takes varied approaches to the subject. I personally felt that it provided me with valuable windows into other worlds and cultural experiences, such as that of the Chinese minority and the Black community, while simultaneously showing me mirrors where I read narratives very close to my own. This combination creates a sense of solidarity with people from other cultural backgrounds, since we may experience discrimination differently depending on our race, and we can thus identify wider social issues that need to be resolved. 

While each essayist brought his/ her own perspective to the fore, a recurrent theme was the complexity and richness of each person's lineage (and consequently the experiences that come with it). Highlighting these complexities not only humanises us but also underlines to what extent our lives have been simplified for the "White man", whether it be on administrative forms or in the media. I sensed both a personal and analytical approach in the writings, which raise it above pure anecdotal sentimentality. The collection discusses the effects of living in the diaspora in the context of politics, culture, the education system, the media and even sex. 

Another recurrent theme is that of representation, especially in the media (including literature), to the extent that POC children (and maybe even adults) have internalised that stories are about White people, with White people representing the "universal" by default. Several essayists discuss the role of media and pop culture on upbringing and self-perception. This issue is being increasingly voiced on social media but I do not know to what extent it is being addressed in the real world- though I believe there is an active attempt for greater diversity in literature in terms of characters and authors. Nevertheless, it shows the bias we face from early on and the bias we expose our children to. 

To be clear, this book is far from being an emotional diatribe of 21 bothered Britons. It is an assessment and critique of multicultural Britain that raises important issues that need to be addressed in order to create an empowering, healthy and representative environment for the various communities that make up Britain today. The Good Immigrant explores the burden of Empire and living in the wake of colonisation while still being expected to conform to white standards like our ancestors while our White counterparts do not live with the same pressure to rectify the wrongs of the past. The ideas in this book are well articulated and the writing is quite beautiful; it is funny, shocking, sad and eye-opening. This is an important read for anyone in the diaspora- or whoever is considered an immigrant. 

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Another little shoutout and thank you to my little sister for loaning this book to me. It's a great piece of work and I'm so close to ordering my own copy!

Have you read this book? What did you think of it? If you haven't read it yet, do these issues interest you? 

Trumpet (1998)

A completely new genre of book after my Partition series but a novel worth analysing. Trumpet, written by the Scottish author Jackie Kay, was published in 1998 by Vintage Books. I read a digital edition on my iPad that adjusted the page count according to the text size but the print version is apparently 278 pages long; it has 36 chapters. The novel tells the story of the late Joss Moody, a black jazz musician (trumpet player), who lives the life of a man (wife and adopted child included) but turns out to have been biologically female*. The discovery of this transgendered life is the starting point of the novel and the conflicts experienced by his wife, son and the world around them make up the novel. It is based on the story of musician Billy Tipton, a real American jazz artist. I will discuss the issues of identity, some gender theory and the style of the novel. 

A major theme in the novel is the construction of identity which is explored in various ways. In terms of heritage, there is a significant discussion on what family means and through whom do we identify ourselves? Colman, the adopted son, knows his biological parents are not the ones he lives with nor does he consider them to be his parents. He does not know who they are so, despite the blood connection, his family and identity are defined through his adopted parents. This is why he is so devastated at the "betrayal" of his female father figure. Arguably the most marked symbol of identity in this novel is one's name. Names are windows into history, choice, biology and/or family. Changing names is something that takes place casually for marriage but also to change gender, to change parents and to share heritage, as in the choice for Colman's first name. How we choose to name ourselves or those around us reveals a lot, for Edith, Joss's mother, never stopped calling Joss by his feminine given name. Racial and national identity are also discussed in the novel, as Joss Moody has a black father and white mother but considers himself Scottish nonetheless. Their adopted son is also of mixed race and is encouraged to respect his Scottish heritage even when living in London. The extent to which identity is given to us or chosen is repeated in terms of racial versus national affiliations as well as in the understanding of sex and gender.

Gender theory in the art world (including the literary domain) is highly relevant in the analysis of this text. The reason for this is that Joss Moody passes as a man simply through two things: dress and behaviour. This supports the argument that gender is a social construct which is created through repeating and repeated behaviours. Conventions for a gender are usually set by social norms and then require to be imitated accordingly. Consequently, the question of gender identity may come down to which conventions one feels like following, although someone who wants "ultimate freedom from society" may try to defy all conventions, a challenge in itself. In any case, there are questions of authenticity and the importance of convention, even when being "unconventional". 

In terms of style, the novel is written from various (subjective) perspectives, and key characters' perspectives are repeated while periphery characters are given just one chapter. Each character engages with the issue (of Joss Moody) in a different manner most relevant to his/her own personal involvement. Kay does not forget to add a media perspective of this ordeal, for which journalist would not be interested in such a "quirky" scoop? Sophie Stones represents the ruthless media industry and a world seeking to take advantage of others for its own gain.The chapters and thoughts are not ordered chronologically. 

Joss Moody, however, is dead from the beginning and so his thoughts elude us; even in conversations that Millie (his wife) could share with us about his revelation, the narrative is cut short. This means that we never really hear his opinion and only know his actions. Other pivotal moments and conversations are also cut short and hidden from the reader, such as that between Coleman (the adopted son) and Edith (Moody's mother). For me, this was somewhat frustrating. It may be justified as unnecessary so that people accept the person and actions without feeling entitled to an explanation or even so that by providing explanations, Kay does not risk limiting the interpretation and desire for such lifestyle changes. However, I think the novel would have been stronger with the reasons embedded in them in order to allow "others" to empathise with such decisions more easily, to make it less abstract. 

Overall, despite the unsympathetic characterisation of Colman, one can understand his shock and frustration in the big picture, even if we do not approve his way of going about it. This novel discusses important issues in relation to personal identity and its affects on people around us. It engages with Freudian theory as well as gender theory to make its point. 

Have you read this novel or another addressing similar issues? What are your thoughts on how LGBTQ+ matters are dealt with in literature? Comments are open! 

* Note/ Disclaimer: I use the terms "female" and "male" to refer to the biological sex (and man/ woman to refer to the gender) and consequently consider Joss Moody to be a "female man" and transgender man (not transsexual) because he never undergoes a physical sex change but adopts another gender by hiding features belonging to females and enhancing male features. 

The Golden Sparrow (2013)

This is the last in my Partition books series, until I relaunch myself into the era and genre sometime in the unspecified future. The Golden Sparrow by Ashok Malhotra was published in 2013 with Createspace, an Amazon company, and comprises of 336 pages and 36 chapters. A sequel, Echoes from Far, was published in 2014. The Golden Sparrow fictionalises the experiences of the author and his parents during this period of history. I will be looking at stylistic as well as thematic elements of the novel namely, the depiction of the Indian (Hindu, Punjabi) culture, the role of the British and the British Raj, some consequences of Partition addressed in the novel.

The tale is told from the perspective of a Hindu child, Vikram, who has a supernatural sixth sense. He is able to predict or "get a feeling" for future events. I must admit that the supernatural gift was not quite convincing to me, as the examples were generally unspectacular and the feat needed refining. Vikram simultaneously recounts his life, from pre-birth (including how his parents met) to being a school-going boy and the Partition of India and its effects on his life. It does seem strange that at one point the narrator is someone who has not yet been born nor conceived but this is done well. The use of the present tense to describe past events is significant as it brings the events to the forefront and, in a way, relives them.

The novel begins in Lahore, a Punjabi city now in Pakistan. He describes the Indian culture as well as Hindu traditions in a captivating fashion and, despite my familiarity with the culture and traditions, I still learnt quite a few new things, such as the initial reason and use for dowries in Hinduism. I enjoyed the frank and sweet insight to the world of arranged marriages, a subject that often garners negative press. However, that does not mean that he shies away from typical family politics and the roles expected to be shouldered. He also does not exclude an insight into the culture of favours, bribes and signification of hospitality. Malhotra cleverly decodes the culture's structures and traditions for a Western audience and in a way that still entertains someone who shares his background. Malhotra takes the reader through Kashmir and New Dehli too, exploring common Partition-novel locations.  

A valuable insight this novel provides more than most of the others, is the presence and effect of the British in India. Vikram's family is educated and his father, Surinder Mehra, is an English literature professor, nicknamed "Shakespearewala", due to his love of the writer and the British culture. It is through Surinder Mehra that we learn the love and respect some Indians hold towards the British and the extent of the "Englishification" of the Indian education system, their loyalties and fashion sense. Our narrator equally shows the reader how the British manipulate and take advantage of Indians (via flattery and by granting titles) for personal and political gain. The British, in this novel, are also privileged to have their own "safe trains" and transport in a climate of immense bloodshed. The relationships  with the British are complex; they are intimate and distantly removed at the same time. Ultimately the novel comes to the same conclusion as Gandhi: the British Raj as a system is problematic because of issues like white privilege and institutional racism but every individual British person is not bad, as they could stand against the injustices caused by the British rule.  

Some interesting issues raised in light of the Partition and removal of the British include the increased suspicion between Hindus and Muslims, a psychological consequence, the decision to use Hindi or English as national languages to either create a national identity or international position in the world, a linguistic consequence, and the continued yet hidden presence of the British in business, a political and economic consequence. Malhotra also notes the establishment of camps of lost children, illustrating the huge human effects of the Partition on all levels of society. 

Overall, this novel shares some characteristics with other Partition literature for example, child narrators/ perspectives, fantastical elements and pre-, during and post- experiences. It is not as explicitly violent as Train to Pakistan or Cracking India but it does not deny the violence of the time either nor the human cost. It was a pleasant read and had some vague resemblances to Rushdie's Midnight's Children but definitely on a different register and it tackles some different issues. I'm contemplating reading the sequel but have a few other books on my list to get through first!

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Have you read any Partition literature or even the books mentioned? Have you enjoyed this little series? Did you learn anything new? 

Post a comment with your thoughts! :) 

Freedom's Battle (1921)

Mahatma Gandhi wrote this book in order to explain and advocate his political views. It does not refer to his personal life except for what is relevant to his political argument. The work sometimes seems repetitive, though we see Gandhi's efforts to explain, justify and respond to criticism about his political strategy of non-co-operation, which goes to show to what degree people needed convincing and reassuring. 

I read the kindle edition published by the Jovian Press in 2017. The nine chapters are entitled as follows: Introduction, The Khalifat, The Punjab Wrongs, Swaraj, Hindu Moslem Unity, Treatment of the Depressed Classes, Treatment of Indians Abroad, Non-Co-operation and Mahatma Gandhi's Statement, which refers to his statement during his trial in court. 

I personally learnt a lot (and maybe the most) from the first few chapters because Gandhi takes efforts to not only explain the function and importance of the Muslim Khalifat and Muslim rule in Arabia, but also the manner in which it was dismantled. This is a significant observation considering the contemporary climate is a clear continuation of the same motive that resulted in the dismantling of the Ottoman Empire, the Khalifat and the creation of nation states. India later became subject to the same division wrought upon Europe. 

Inter-religious tolerance is a key issue in Gandhi's argument, largely because he saw this relationship as key in creating a united front against the British as well as making the country function successfully. He highlights the inter-religious tolerance advocated in Hinduism (and I add that Islam advocates the same) and this alliance would only benefit independent India as it would create a positive and safe relationship with its neighbouring Arab countries. 

Gandhi notes the importance of valuing producers (people who make things) in society. This refers to craftsmen and women as well as farmers, which naturally protects and elevates poorer civilians as well as maintaining a social (and environmental) harmony. Modern India's history appears shameful and distant from this value. 

A valuable point in the development of Gandhi's personal political stance is his own disillusionment of the British. He went from being someone who was happy to serve them and see the best in them to being utterly betrayed by their dishonesty, mistreatment and corruption. Consequently, he openly criticises the British institution of Empire and details many reasons why. He demands justice and for them to recognise their wrongs. 

In his chapter "Treatment of Indians Abroad" Gandhi mentions the poor treatment of Indians in African colonies and in Britain. This is clearly due to racism. He also discusses his experiences in South Africa but otherwise focuses on India and International British politics. 

To conclude, there is an irony of secular India calling Gandhi the "father of the nation" since he was almost ascetic in his approach to gain independence, which is remote from the notions of secularism. He advocated religious tolerance while currently there is an increase in anti-Muslim sentiment in India due to Hindu nationalism. Gandhi's motivation for his strategy was doubly political and spiritual (religious). 

Partitions: A Novel (2011)

Paritions tells a tale of Hindu, Sikh and Muslim protagonists, namely Shankar & Keshav, Simran and Ibrahim Masud, that attempt to migrate across the newly-created border between India and Pakistan. Ibrahim Masud, is a socially recluse medical doctor, Simran is a teenage Sikh village girl and Shankar and Keshav are twin Hindu boys. 

Partitions by Amit Majmudar was published in 2011 by Metropolitan Books and I selected it for my self-study reading list on Indian Partition literature. The novel comprises of six chapters plus a prologue and an epilogue. I read a digital edition on my iPad that alters the page count according to my text size; I read it with 158 pages then 139 pages. Majmudar wrote this novel after reading and researching into the period, as opposed to personal experience like the authors Bapsi Sidhwa and Ashok Malhotra. I'll discuss the  representation of Muslim and Hindu characters, narrative elements as well as the notions of villainy and heroism.

The novel takes on a fantastical nature as the narrator is a ghost, the dead father of the two Hindu twins. In his unearthly form he focalises into the Hindu, Sikh and Muslim worlds and by way of the protagonists. He also gives insights into his life before his death, which reveals his Brahmin origins and the role his high caste played in his life and in his community. This raises issues of the purity and sanctity of his caste and the discrimination towards lower classes. The novel is mainly chronological, though it includes some flashbacks relating to the narrator. 

While Majmudar attempts to tell a tale that represents the suffering of all peoples in the conflict, I noted the characterisation of Ibrahim Masud made him harder to identify with than other characters. Also the villains we follow the longest in the story are Muslim villains, which suggests a disproportionate focus on their abuse, especially towards women and children. No doubt Majmudar implies the crimes of Hindus and Sikhs by mentioning the wounds of Muslim women to Pakistan and the looting and burning of buildings by Hindus, but he only shows the violence towards people via Muslims.  

The story of Ibrahim and Simran is based on the story of Buta Singh and a Muslim girl.  It is an interesting move by Majmudar to reverse the religions of the original protagonists. While Masud's name change may have been simply to refer to the origin of the character, it also illustrates how being considered Muslim is controversial. It also "robs" Ibrahim of his faith. Nevertheless, Ibrahim becomes, in many ways, the hero of the novel. I wonder if he had to be separated from his religious identity in order to become a "complete" hero but he definitely understood that care towards others is not restricted to co-religionists. 

In conclusion, the novel successfully incites suspense and concern and is well-narrated. It recognises the pain and suffering of peoples of both sides of the border and I rate it higher in its "authenticity" because it does not consistently translate all Hindi/ Urdu terms, which can sometimes feel like it's overly speaking to a Westerner than its own people. It exposes the abuse towards women and its organised nature, revealing a culture of trafficking. 

Cracking India (1991)

It's been a while since I've last posted something up on here, but I have been reading in the meantime. I have quite a few pending books I need to write about. I'll start with Cracking India a novel by Bapsi Sidhwa, which was published in 1991 by Milkweed Editions. The title was initially The Ice-Candy Man and Deepa Mehta directed the film Earth based on this novel in 1998. The book comprises of 32 chapters and I read the kindle edition. I'll discuss some of the key themes in the novel, the perspective of the narrator(s) and its link to the author and issues relating to the India-Pakistan partition/ Independence. This novel is set in Lahore a few years before Independence, during the Partition and continues to some months after the change. I have been reading and comparing various partition narratives and this will influence my analysis. 

The first-person narrator for the majority of the novel is Lenny, a young girl who belongs to the Parsee community. The Parsee community is a minority community in India and Pakistan that originated from Persia; they follow the Zoroastrian faith. This is significant because it provides a perspective of the Partition from within and yet from outside the Muslim-Hindu-Sikh conflict that dominated this period of history.  Their position during this time is simultaneously precarious and protected. Bapsi Sidhwa is a Parsee Pakistani-American herself and lived through the Partition of India. Not only did this novel give my an insight into a new religious culture in the Indian subcontinent, it provides "Partition literature" with a voice independent of the religious bias and hurt of the fighting groups. In the chapter 25 there is a part dedicated to "Ranna's Story", which is written with an authorial narrator, and this is based on a real personal experience. These two narratives allow for Sidhwa to provide an insight into both urban and countryside effects of the riots and fight for territory. 

Religion held a decisive role in the fight for Independence and Sidhwa chooses to include a wealth of characters to describe the dynamics between people of different faiths. This allows the reader to learn of the varied fates of these people, from immigration, death, conversion or safety. Instead of identifying all the characters by name, Sidhwa chooses to identify them with their profession or the role they hold in relation to Lenny. This creates religious ambiguity and readers have to decipher the faith later on. Sidhwa also refers to the issue of caste in Hinduism and how this affects social structures and relations. 

Politically speaking, Sidhwa refers to the most varied set of political figures of the time namely, Gandhi, Nehru Jinnah, Tara Singh and Mountbatten. Many of the other texts I've read only make reference to one or two of these men and thus ignoring significant political narratives of the time. The British are called out for their seemingly "random" allocation of cities and states to India or Pakistan, regardless of the residing population. 

Some other key themes in the novel include love, friendship and betrayal. The child narrator provides a naivety and innocence to worldly matters as well as frank observations of sexuality in her surroundings. The childish vision of the world does not mean that the novel ignores or removes the violence or brutality of the time, for children were not necessarily sheltered from the atrocities. 

This novel is well-written and has been deservedly praised. It is enriched by the poetry, language and the varied characters. If anything, I wish I had an insight into the origin of the hierarchy between Lenny's Godmother and her sister but that is a minor curiosity that may just be my own. A valuable book about the Partition that combines some of the strongest elements of the handful of novels I've read on the same subject matter.