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Review
'Taseer uses this intensely personal prism to spring a narrative that darts deftly between physical journey and childhood memoir. The paternal relationship he never had becomes the backbone of the book, which is all the better for it. Uncomfortable reading for Daddy, certainly, but gripping for the rest of us.' Literary Review
Product Description
When Aatish Taseer receives a challenging letter from his estranged father in Pakistan, he decides to set off on an expedition across the Islamic world in search of his own Islamic heritage, as well as to discover how other young people across the Middle East felt about theirs. In a post-9/11 world Aatish is forced to confront himself and his relationship with the religious and secular worlds he moves in, as one of many 'crisis children living on the faultline of Islam and modernity'. He explores issues of identity and religious self-discovery with a fascinating cross-section of people ranging from transvestites in full hijab in Istanbul, and Norwegians considering conversions in Damascus, to Hare Krishnas in Tehran. As he travels, Aatish tells the story of his own family over the past fifty years. It is an absorbing and thought-provoking journey which culminates in an emotional reunion between Aatish and his father in Lahore, on a day that brings home the stark reality of attempts to reconcile old belief systems and liberal reform in a divided region where East meets West.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An unexpected page-turner,
By
This review is from: Stranger to History: A Sons Journey through Islamic Lands (Hardcover)
I found this book a page turner. Aatish Taseer is a master of detailed description and of dramatic tension. He sets off on a journey West to East across the Muslim world, looking for a deeper understanding of the faith of a father whom he has hardly ever met. Gradually as we accompany him through his adventures, he tells us about the relationship of his parents and of his own sad attempts to make meaningful contact with his absent father. His account does not claim to be an exhaustive academic study of Islam, based on research. The picture he paints is vivid - far more vivid than tables and pie-charts - but anecdotal. What is revealed by the anecdotes, piled up chapter by chapter, is the extreme diversity and contradictions as well, confusingly, as an underlying unity, contained within what we think of as Islam. It also becomes clear to how great an extent what Aatish Taseer initially calls "culture" is deeply steeped in international politics.
I learnt a good deal about Islam incidentally while driven by curiosity about his quest to find himself and his father. This drip feeding of information while keeping the reader engrossed by the underlying narrative reminded me of "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance`' and of "Sophie's World". I am sure I am not alone in having to admit to having only superficial knowledge of Islam. This book has provided me, not only with a deeper understanding of its teachings and practices but also reminded me of the perpetually hovering influence of global politics. Whether you classify it as autobiography, travel writing, adventure or politics, it's a good read.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Hard work, and for me an unrewarding tale of childhood redemptiom,
By Mr. Philip Harkins "If in doubt, Smile! :-)" (London) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE) (TOP 1000 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Stranger to History: A Sons Journey through Islamic Lands (Hardcover)
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Programme (What's this?)
It is a book that manages to grasp a mere shadow of its true potential, and leaves one with an appetite for more, only to find empty, occasionally rambling and pointless prose in place of more meaty words and soul nourishing details and adventures.
This is a story of one man reflecting on his life and travels, one made without the presence of his father, a figure ever present in the books background, but never in actual place, and the places he has sen and been to. Some descriptions leave you wanting more and are fascinating; For example his trip to the Holy city of Mecca, as well as his brush with Iran's secret police, while others are more ordinary and everyday travel tales and, it has to be said, occasional mind numbing detail as well. So, in conclusion, interesting, but not the best travel book, and the growing up wthout a father seems somehow squeezed in there simply to be in there... so to speak. Make your own minds up!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Hmmm...,
By
This review is from: Stranger to History: A Sons Journey through Islamic Lands (Hardcover)
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Programme (What's this?)
This is a tough one to review. I really liked the idea of it, and initially I was gripped, but it gradually lost its hold on me till near the end I was reading it in small parts over a long span of time.
It doesn't seem to be entirely sure what it's about. It's about a son's journey to understand his father and their estrangement, yes, but it also tries to be a travel book and an exploration of religion and how it can be warped, but doesn't fully satisfy any of these angles. As previous reviewers have said, some of the places the author travels to get a lot of book time, others very little or are simply mentioned in passing. The description is often beautifully written, though the transition from travel writing to sudden philosophical musings about what it means to be culturally Muslim, etc, seemed quite jarring. The author does write negatively of the corruption and misinterpretation of Islamic doctrine in countries such as Iran, though his attack feels somewhat tepid, as if he's afraid of being TOO negative. After reading about how Iran rules its people I was left seething in anger and I wanted to see that reflected by the author. Despite its flaws, the book is still an intriguing read and I recommend it for those interested in, or trying to learn about, Pakistan and India and Partition. The author's exploration of why Pakistan seems to function worse than India makes for educational and insightful reading. The ending of the book is mildly haunting, though I would've liked to read more about the author's personal experience of being in Pakistan at the time of Benazir Bhutto's assassination. All in all, a read that might appeal to those interested in India and Pakistan, and Islam and the Middle East, though don't expect a completely satisfying travel book, or a completely satisfying exploration of Islam.
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