Tag: reading

  • What will Imran Khan be reading in jail?

    What will Imran Khan be reading in jail?

    What will Imran Khan be reading in jail?

    On Wednesday, in a clip posted on X (formerly Twitter) Aleema Khan could be seen talking to the media, stating that her brother , former Prime Minister Imran Khan is doing well in Attock jail. Aleema Khan said that her brother told her that he has gotten time for himself after years. “He has started finishing the Quran for the second time and has also read Islamic history,” she said, adding that Imran Khan will adjust to any environment, no matter the conditions.

    Later in the day, Intazar Hissain Panjutha, Imran Khan’s lawyer, took to X, asking for book recommendations on the history of Pakistan, history of the region and current affairs.

    Today he posted a picture of the books being sent to Imran Khan for reading.

    So what is Khan reading?

    How Democracies Die by Daniel Ziblatt and Steven Levitsky
    Published in 2018, this book is on comparative politics about how elected leaders can gradually destabilise the democratic process to increase their power.

    Monsoon By Robert D. Kaplan
    It reflects upon the vitality of India, Pakistan, China, Indonesia, Burma, Oman, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Tanzania for American power. Kaplan uncovers the effects of population growth, climate change, and extremist politics on the unstable region.

    People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn
    Zinn presents a different side of history from the more conventional “fundamental nationalist glorification of country”, exposing the exploitation and manipulation of the majority by rigged systems that cater to a few elite rulers from across the orthodox political parties.

    Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond
    Diamond dismantles racially based theories of human history while discussing the way that the modern world came to be.

    World Order by Henry Kissinger
    The book escorts the reader through to the complex mechanisms that have governed international relations throughout history.

    Secrets of Divine Love: A Spiritual Journey into the Heart of Islam by A. Helwa
    Helwa uses references from the Quran, ancient mystical poetry, and stories of prophets and spiritual masters to help one grow spiritually and strengthen connection with God.

    The Narrow Corridor by Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson
    The writers contend that a country’s rise and fall is dependent on culture, geography, or chance, but on the power of their institutions.

    Active Measures: The Secret History of Disinformation and Political Warfare by Thomas Rid
    A history of disinformation which tracks the increase in secret organized deception operations from the interwar period to contemporary internet trolls.

    The Revenge of Geography by Robert D. Kaplan
    Another book by Kaplan in the list. This one explores the role geography and the national borders play in world conflicts.

    Indus Divided by Daniel Haines
    Indus Divided talks about the significance of the Indus Basin river system for Indian and Pakistan and the dispute between the two countries after the partition in 1947.

    Empires of the Indus: The Story of a River by Alice Albinia
    It is part-memoir, part-essay in which the writer reiterates her journey through Central and Southern Asia.

    The China-Pakistan Axis: Asia’s New Geopolitics by Andrew Small
    The book explores the outcome of Sino-Pakistani ties for the West, India, Afghanistan, and for Asia, overall. It highlights the sensitive facets of their relationship including Beijing’s support for Pakistan’s nuclear program, China’s dealings with the Taliban, and the Chinese military’s planning for crises in Pakistan.

    Balthasar’s Odyssey by Amin Maalouf
    It is a novel revolving around a quest to find a book supposedly published during the days of the Ottoman Empire.

    The Next 100 Years: A Forecast for the 21st Century by George Friedman
    The writer predicts the future wars — why and where will they happen and how they will be fought; who will acquire economic and political power and who will lose; and how new technologies and cultural trends will change the way we live in the new century.

    As Through a Veil: Mystical Poetry in Islam by Annemarie Schimmel
    It is a story of Islamic poetry that covers the ambit of traditions and cultures, from Arabic religious verse to the Persian Sufis and the popular folk poetry of India and Pakistan.

    Adrift: How Our World Lost Its Way by Amin Maalouf
    The book traces how civilizations have divided throughout the 20th century, combining personal narrative and historical analysis to caution in regard to the future.

  • President Alvi shares his list of 10 must-read books

    President Alvi shares his list of 10 must-read books

    After Prime Minister Imran Khan’s monthly book recommendations, President Dr Arif Alvi has shared a list of his favourite books.

    Read more – Duchess of Cornwall shares a list of her favourite books

    In a 14-minute-long video shot inside President House’s library, President Alvi listed his top must-read books and encouraged the youth to read them.

    “I want the interest of book reading to stay alive in Pakistan,” says President Alvi in the video.

    Check out President Alvi’s recommendations below:

    1. Revelation: The Story of Muhammad (Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him) by Meraj Mohiuddin

    2. Capital & Ideology by Thomas Piketty

    3. The Anarchy by William Dalrymple

    4. Upheaval (How Nations Cope with Crisis and Change) by Jared Diamond

    5. Why Nations Fail by Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson

    6. The Metric Society by Steffen Mau

    7. The Big Picture by Sean Carroll

    8. Life 3.0 by Max Tegmark

    9. Superintelligence by Nick Bostrom

    10. The Art of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli

    Later, President Alvi’s son Awab Alvi shared that the president makes a conscious effort to include reading in his daily routine.

  • Duchess of Cornwall shares a list of her favourite books

    Duchess of Cornwall shares a list of her favourite books

    With everyone cooped up at home, there is a lot of time to do things that we have been unable to do otherwise like binge-watching shows or reading.

    The Duchess of Cornwall Camilla Parker Bowles, who is a passionate reader, has shared a list of her favourite books, in case anyone was looking for any recommendations. Check them out below:

    Meanwhile the Camilla and Prince Charles recently celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary. The couple is self-isolating at their Scotland estate, due to Charles’s testing positive for COVID-19 last month. The two remained separated until Charles was cleared of the virus and Camilla was assured to not show any symptoms.

  • 10 must-read books from 2019

    10 must-read books from 2019

    With the winter chills settling in, all we want to do is snuggle in front of the heater and possibly read a good book. Kamila Habib of My Bookshelf Pk rounds up this year’s must-read books:

    10. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

    What a brilliant debut novel. A heart-warming yet disturbing story of a young girl alone and abandoned, raising herself in the marshes of middle America. This story shows us the best and worst of humanity and is not to be missed.

    9. Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover

    The facts in this book were so extraordinary that for a while I couldn’t believe it was non-fiction. Every person needs to read this to learn important life lessons. The take away from this profound story is that no matter what the circumstances, the human spirit can conquer all.

    8. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

    Why would a seemingly normal, highly successful artist shoot her husband for no good reason? This riveting mystery is definitely one of the better thrillers to release in recent times. The fact that it would make a great movie just adds to the attraction.

    7. Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo

    This 2019 Man Booker winner follows twelve women as they navigate through their lives. It touches upon important subjects such as politics, feminism, cultural identity and orientation. This is definitely a very important novel for our time.

    6. 10 minutes 38 seconds in this Strange World by Elif Shafak

    This Booker Prize nominee delves into a myriad of relevant topics especially relating to countries where there is a tussle between religious fundamentalism and western perspectives I think this novel is timeless as well as timely.

    5. The Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

    This mystery, fantasy novel explores darker themes of the occult and ghost stories. A homicide survivor tries to navigate an Ivy League school while battling her literal demons. A spooky novel is a must, every once in a while.

    4. Becoming by Michelle Obama

    This celebrated memoir of former American first lady is an easy, heart-warming read. The take away from this narrative is that hard work and persistence overcome even the most abject of odds. For me the stand out was definitely Michelle’s mother as the poised, patient parent. We could all learn some parenting tips from her.

    3. Normal People by Sally Rooney

    I love divisive books even if I personally dislike them. This book definitely falls within this category by evoking extreme reactions within the reading community. You have to read it to decide which side you are on.

    2. On the Come Up by Angie Thomas

    This Young Adult book is definitely a must read. Sometimes stepping away from one’s usual genre is a struggle but a necessity. This is a simple yet relevant story about a young girl from a poor side of town trying to make her dreams a reality despite numerous odds.

    1. The Testaments by Margaret Atwood

    This Booker Prize winner picks up from where The Handmaids Tale left off. Gilead is as stringent and suffocating as ever, yet the powers that be, can never quite quell the strength of the human spirit and the will to survive. If you are into dystopian/feminist fiction this is definitely the book for you.

  • Did you know reading is healthy?

    Did you know reading is healthy?

    We all know books are good for the brain and food for the soul. But what we may not know is that books are healthy for us in other ways as well.

    Unfortunately, according to a recent survey carried out by Gallup, 75% of Pakistanis claim not to read any books at all and only 9% are avid readers.

    Here are some health benefits of reading books which might encourage you to head to the nearest bookstore and grab a book or two.

    Reduces stress

    Research from the University of Sussex suggests that daily reading can lessen stress up to 68 percent, even more than listening to music, drinking a cup of tea or taking a walk.

    Improves IQ

    Books improve verbal IQ and stimulate parts of the brain related to language and memory. Reading also delays cognitive decline in the elderly.

    Helps in weight loss

    For those struggling to lose weight, adding a good novel to your diet and exercise routine could help. A study from Duke University suggested that reading an inspiring novel helped young girls to achieve weight loss within six months compared to those who didn’t read.

    Boosts emotional intelligence

    Reading boosts emotional intelligence. By reading and imagining a character in mind, it becomes easier to see yourself in a character’s actions. Beyond just entertainment, you find inspiration and empathy.

  • From grade VI geography to ‘Gandhi and Civil Disobedience’; five books PM Imran should read

    From grade VI geography to ‘Gandhi and Civil Disobedience’; five books PM Imran should read

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s reading habits recently made headlines when The Current cited sources as saying that he is an avid reader who prefers books over television.

    Since the premier is a fan of non-fiction and is currently reading “The Silk Roads: A New History of the World” by Peter Frankopan, here are five books that we think he should give a read.

    1. Grade VI Geography:

    No, we’re not kidding. The world broke into laughter when PM Imran said, “…on the border region of Germany and Japan” while addressing a gathering in Tehran.

    https://twitter.com/ZakirKhan012/status/1120779290889469953

    While a lot of people argued that the idea of Germany and Japan sharing a border was just a slip of tongue, we don’t think taking a look back at those geography lessons from grade VI is a big deal.

    2. ‘Gandhi and Civil Disobedience: The Mahatma in Indian Politics’

    The Salt March of 1930 was an act of nonviolent civil disobedience in colonial India led by Mahatma Gandhi.

    Since the PM, before coming to power, was somewhat a civil disobedience fan, we think he might enjoy this one by Judith M Brown.

    3. Grade VIII Physics:

    It is hard to forget how the premier once said that the Chinese are working on a train that travels not at light ki speed, but “speed ki light”. We’re sure it was yet another slip of tongue, but…

    Maybe PM Imran can give grade VIII’s physics book a quick look before making such a claim again.

    4. ‘How Democracies Die‘

    This one is not that important since we might not be there yet. But every political leader should read “How Democracies Die” by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt.

    In the book, the Harvard University political scientists explain how elected leaders can gradually subvert the democratic process to increase their power.

    5. Trump: The Art of The Deal

    PM Imran will soon be leaving for the United States (US) on his maiden visit to the country since being handed the reins of the country.

    Since the premier will be meeting President Donald Trump, giving this book a read to know him better appears to be a good idea.

    The book, credited to Trump, talks about the US president’s childhood. It also describes his early work, building The Trump Organization as well as his actions and thoughts.