Granta 112: Pakistan

Granta's issue 112 is on Pakistan. Is my country enjoying a literary renaissance? You decide! Whether you agree or not, the cover, by the truck artist Islam Gull, is beautiful, no? There is also some stunning artwork within the issue itself, often in conjunction with the writing, and the result is quite lovely. Copies can be ordered on Granta’s website, as well as through several online bookstores, and at the many events being organized to launch this issue around the world. For details please see: http://www.granta.com/Magazine/112

I’ll be at Lit Crawl in San Francisco next month, where I’ll discuss, among other things, my short story in the Granta issue, titled, “Ice, Mating.” (I love the title; why is nobody talking about the title?!) Lit Crawl, the final day of Lit Quake Literary Festival, is on October 9^th. I’ll be speaking/reading from 7:15-8:15 at Modern Times bookstore on 888 Valencia Street in the Mission. Hope to see you there!

While in the Bay Area, I'll also be reading at Revolution Books in Berkeley, 2425 Channing Way, off of Telegraph Avenue. (For details please call (510) 8481196 or visit: http://www.revolutionbooks.org/p/events-calendar.html) This reading will be on October 12th from 7:00-8:00 p.m. At Revolution Books I'll be reading from my third novel, recently released, The Geometry of God.

An exciting side note about The Geometry of God. It won the Bronze Award in the Independent Publishers Books Awards 2010, was selected as one of Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books of 2009, and was a finalist of Foreword Magazine’s Best Books of 2009.

Tahira Abdullah speaks on the floods in Pakistan

The interview above addresses the following questions I asked Tahira Abdullah, prominent Pakistani human rights activist, about the floods in Pakistan. My questions are about the Swat Valley (in northern Pakistan) and about Sindh province (southern Pakistan).

1. In a previous interview, you mentioned that the IDPs (Internally Displaced People -- displaced from Swat Vallley after first the Taliban takeover, and then the subsequent actions of the Pakistan Army) were the first to be hit by the floods. Could you elaborate?

2 In the same earlier interview, you mentioned the need for boats. Because of the steepness of the mountains areas, what is the primary means of transport now that the area is under water and boats are hard to find?

3. Is there any one detail you want to stress about how Sindh has been affected? Anything that stands out as different from the impact on other areas?

There is also this excellent audio interview with Tahira

http://webstudio.ciopakistan.com/2010/08/11/pkflood-relief-tahira-abdullah-paints-a-real-picture/