Reading resolutions for 2014

Just a quick post today 2014 is coming on us tomorrow and I am actually working overnight which I haven’t done before but hoping for a quiet night and maybe a chance to read a bit .Well what does 2014 hold what resolutions am I doing for the next year ?
1 to review every book read in 2014 with in a week of finishing it ,I hope this will stem overflow of unreviewed books I have
2 read more translations yes I can see you laughing at the back there .Bymyt my actual percentage read in translation dropped from 92% to 90% this year so I will be trying to up that .
3 less new book and some more of my own books .I constantly buy second hand books 95% are old translated titles in a vein effort I’m trying to read century of books from around the world over next couple of years so this will mean using my own tbr pile to fill gaps .
4 better record keeping ,I’m terrible at tracking what I read through a year so will be trying to keep a more accurate record .
5 Fun end day this blog is fun my hobby I want bring the fun back and get the non converted to translated reading converted and fun is the way so yes more crappy film comparison in reviews more football linked post because I want to spread how much pleasure books from around the world can bring every reader !!!
What your ideas for next year ?

Stoner ,stoner how many translations could be discovered like stoner

Well unless you’ve been under a rock for last couple of years .you won’t have missed the rise and rise of Stoner a slow climber a writer book it is said ,I enjoyed it but maybe not as much as others the style had the soft spoken style you find in a number of European writers ,this as I start considering a review of stoner , set me thinking of how many stoners are out there either translated and out of print or not even translated ? For me the answer is more than we imagine every year sees a few gems that have been waiting for a publisher to take a dive to translate or a publisher to reissue people like pushkin press , Peirene ,NYRB , Dalkey archive and twisted spoon have in recent years all discover gems Walser ,Zweig , Fallada , Vanderbeke to name a few of many .I’ve been buying and looking at books towards my century of translation project and am amazed what has been translated and fallen out of print .So let’s hope the next stoner is a translation and sets about a wave of rediscovery of lost writers from around the world ?
have you a writer in translation you think should be highlighted ?

Humbooks 2014 my choices for Lisa

Well a very happy Christmas from Winston and I .I am virtual gifting books again this year was so happy when I got an E mail from Lisa saying she would love to be partnered with me this year to swap virtual books around this christmas tree so I have thought long and hard of something different to give Lisa SO here are my choices for Lisa –

Public enemies by Michel Houuellebecq and Bernard Henri-Levy

I have read and not reviewed this book  as i want to fully read it twice before reviewing it and think like me it is one Lisa will find a lot in ,the book consists of a series of e-mail exchanged between these two great intellects ,they talk about everything but it is a lot about themselves and the books and ideas they love a unique glimpse into the French mind . Also the Houellebecq section was translated by Frank Wynne .

Khirbet Khizeh by S .Yizhar

I have reviewed this book a few years ago on the blog it is considered a classic of modern Hebrew literature it follow a troop of seven men as they attack a small Palestine village in the Israeli,this is one day in the conflict a short intense shot of the war ,S Yizhar went on to serve in the Israeli government and did also write the epic Days of Ziglag ,which hopefully will reach us in English someday soon and I’m hoping that if Lisa loves this she will join me in reading the 1100 page book that follows seven days in the conflict and is considered the best book of modern Hebrew literature (a question is why we will have to wait over 40 years to read when it comes out in English ?)

Pascal Garnier

My last choice isn’t a single book but a selection of books from the darkly witty late french writer Pascal Garnier .I have reviewed two so far and read the other two available in english .I think Lisa will love his dark humour and the world he describes ,my favourite was A26 a brother and sister fight the oncoming of the modern world as best they can .

Now I will be cheeky and choose two for the host of this event –

For Emma

Encyclopaedia Of Snow by Sarah Emily Miano

I did pick this as my book that needs a wider audience a few years ago on Kim’s reading matters blog .Miano was a student of Sebald at Uea and this was her debut novel it takes the form of a journal that has been found in the snow about snow a collection of piece poems clippings form a great piece of digression fiction in the style of Sebald

For Guy 

Raid and the Blackest sheep by Harri Nykanen

For Guy I struggled to find something but then remember I had review a noirish Finnish crime book over a year ago that Guy might enjoy Raid and the blackest sheep follows a criminal that is a hitman but with a moral code and in this book is sorting out some wrongs at the time I compared him to the Saint but he is darker .Also I will do a bonus for guy as I know he loves noir crime and that is to point him in the direction of the podcast down these mean streets ,a podcast I have been following for about seven months that plays old radio detectives .What makes this one stand out is the guy that runs it gives great info on the shows and it also has a killer jazz intro to it .

So once again Thanks to the site Freelang  one worth looking at many great piece on translations and will give you free translations

TRANSLATION
AFRIKAANS	geseënde Kersfees
ALBANIAN	gëzuar Krishtlindja
ALSATIAN	gleckika Wïanachta
ARABIC	ميلاد مجيد (miilaad majiid)
ARMENIAN	Shnorhavor Surb tsnund
AZERI	Noel bayraminiz mubarak
BASQUE	Eguberri on
BELARUSIAN	З Божым нараджэннем (Z Bozym naradzenniem)
BENGALI	subho baradin
BOSNIAN	sretan Božić
BRETON	Nedeleg laouen
BULGARIAN	весела коледа (vesela koleda)
BURMESE	Christmas nay hma mue pyaw pa
CATALAN	bon Nadal
CH’TI	joïeux Noé
CHEROKEE	ulihelisdi danisdayohihvi
CHINESE	圣诞快乐 (shèng dàn kuài lè)
CORNISH	Nadelek lowen
CORSICAN	bon Natale
CROATIAN	sretan Božić
CZECH	veselé Vánoce
DANISH	glædelig jul
DHOLUO	bedgi sikuku maber
DUTCH	vrolijk Kerstfeest
ENGLISH	merry Christmas
ESPERANTO	gojan Kristnaskon
ESTONIAN	häid jõule
FAROESE	gleðilig jól
FILIPINO	Maligayang Pasko
FINNISH	hyvää joulua
FRENCH	joyeux Noël
FRISIAN	noflike Krystdagen
FRIULAN	bon nadâl
GALICIAN	bo Nadal
GEORGIAN	gilocav shoba axal wels
GERMAN	frohe Weihnachten / fröhliche Weihnachten
GREEK	Καλα Χριστούγεννα (kala christougenna / kala xristougenna)
HAITIAN CREOLE	jwaye Nowel
HAWAIIAN	mele Kalikimaka
HEBREW	חג מולד שמח (hag molad saméa’h)
HINDI	Krismas ki subhkamna
HUNGARIAN	boldog karácsonyt
ICELANDIC	gleðileg jól
IGBO	annuri Ekeresimesi
ILOCANO	naragsak a paskua
INDONESIAN	selamat Natal
IRISH GAELIC	Nollaig shona
ITALIAN	buon Natale
JAVANESE	sugeng Natal
JAPANESE	merii kurisumasu
KABYLIAN	tameghra tameggazt
KHMER	រីក​រាយ​បុណ្យ​ណូអ៊ែល (rik reay bon Noel)
KINYARWANDA	Noheli nziza
KIRUNDI	Noheli nziza
KOREAN	메리크리스마스
KURDISH	Noela we pîroz be
LAO	souksan van Christmas
LATIN	felix dies Nativitatis
LATVIAN	priecīgus Ziemassvētkus
LIANGMAI	mathabou Christmas
LIGURIAN	bón dênâ / bón natâle
LITHUANIAN	su Kalėdomis / linksmų Kalėdų
LOW SAXON	vrolik Kersfees
LUXEMBOURGEOIS	schéi Chrëschtdeeg
MACEDONIAN	среќен Божиќ (srećen Božić, formal) / Христос се роди (Hristos se rodi, informal) / Навистина се роди (Navistina se rodi, as a reply to the informal greeting)
MALAGASY	tratry ny Krismasy / arahabaina tratry ny Krismasy / arahaba tratry ny Krismasy
MALAY	selamat hari natal
MALAYALAM	Christmas ashamshagal
MALTESE	il-milied it-tajjeb / milied hieni
MANX	Nollick ghennal
MAORI	meri Kirihimete
MIZO	Krismas chibai
MONÉGASQUE	bon Natale
MONGOLIAN	zul sariin bayariin mend hurgie
NORMAN	jostous Noué
NORMAN (JÈRRIAIS)	bouan Noué
NORWEGIAN	god jul
OCCITAN	bon Nadal
OROMO	baga ayyaana dhaloota Kiristoos isin ga’e
PAPIAMENTU	bon pasku
PERSIAN	کریسمس مبارک (Christmas mobaarak)
POLISH	wesołych świąt bożego Narodzenia
PORTUGUESE	feliz Natal
ROMANI	baxtalo Krečuno
ROMANIAN	un Crăciun fericit
RUKIGA	Noheiri nungi / webale Noheiri
RUSSIAN	с Рождеством Христовым (S rozhdestvom Khristovym)
SAMOAN	ia manuia le Kerisimasi
SARDINIAN	bona pasca’e Nadale (logudorese) / bona paschixedda (campidanese)
SCOTTISH GAELIC	Nollaig chridheil
SERBIAN	Христос се роди (Hristos se rodi)
SHONA	Krisimas yakanaka
SILESIAN	Radosnych godów
SINDHI	Chrismas joon wadhayoon
SINHALESE	suba nattalak wewa
SLOVAK	vesele vianoce
SLOVENIAN	vesel božič / vesele božične praznike
SOBOTA	dobro dedek
SPANISH	feliz Navidad
SRANAN	switi Krisneti
SWAHILI	heri la Krismasi
SWEDISH	God Jul
TAGALOG	Maligayang Pasko
TAHITIAN	‘ia ‘oa’oa e teie Noera
TAMIL	கிறிஸ்மஸ் தின நல் வாழ்த்துக்கள் (Krismas dina nal vaagethoukkal)
TELUGU	Krismas shubhakankshalu
THAI	สุขสันต์วันคริสต์มาส (souksaan wan Christmas)
TONGAN	mele Kilisimasi
TSWANA (SETSWANA)	Keresemose sentle
TURKISH	Noeliniz kutlu olsun
UDMURT	Shuldyr Ymuśton
UKRAINIAN	З Різдвом Христовим (Z Rizdvom Khrystovym) / Щасливого Різдва Христового (ʃtʃaslyvogo rizdva Hrystovogo)
VIETNAMESE	Mừng Chúa Giáng Sinh
WALOON (“betchfessîs” spelling)	djoyeus Noyé
WELSH	Nadolig llawen
WEST INDIAN CREOLE	jénwèl
YIDDISH	אַ גוטע ניטל (a gute nitl)
YORUBA	e kun odun Keresimesi
ZULU	UKhisimusi omuhl

a couple of great christmas songs and a bonus story

Well I am having a rather quiet ,uneventful christmas this year we coming of a bad year and decide to hold back and go big in 2014 on our christmas then .But I must admit Christmas does always bring me to a few of my favourite christmas songs the first is obvious as it was recently voted the nation favourite christmas song and also is in the single charts for the umpteenth year (always tickles me with Shane McGowan birthday falling on Christmas day ,he must make a tidy sum year on year from  this classic ) The song is a story of a couples american dream falling apart around christmas and for me it’s as much about being in love and yes your dreams fail at times but you have each other and have your memories to fall back on .

The second song was from a few year ago and it was from the Bob Dylan christmas album it turns out after listening to the theme time radio hour Bob did on christmas he is a fan of christmas he even told every one on that show how he made his figgy pudding ,I ‘m sure this theme time show is online somewhere but couldn’t find it this evening .The song is called “it must be santa ” is also actually is rather Irish in its tune as well, has a feel of a reel as the song winds up and seems to speed up just as a reel does when it is played .The video was fun for this ,wouldn’t we all love bob at our Xmas party?

Now I promised you a story ,I do think in some ways  literature is the poor relation of christmas ,I know there are a number of christmas stories but it isn’t as big in novels as it is for singer and filmmakers both of whom seem to draw inspiration from the festive period more than writers .But one writer that did try a different take on the Christmas story is Paul Auster with his long short story Auggie wrens Christmas here it is read on a npr show from 2004 , by the writer himself .The story also form part of a film that Auster made with Wayne Wang an interlocking series of stories all connect with Auggie wren and his tobacconists ,if you haven’t watched it do as it has two great lead roles from Harvey Keitel and William hurt ,also a Forrest Whitaker tour de force as a father discovering his son for the first time .

Have you a favourite Christmas story or song ?

Happy christmas from Winston and I to you all ,I will be back with my Humbook choices tomorrow .

What is your blogging routine ?

Hello all today I’m asking a question of you my fellow bloggers writers and that is what is your blogging routine ? I feel this last year I’ve lost a rhythm I once had and just can’t find it ,with 2014 looming large in the background it is the perfect time to push on and try and improve my posting and writing routine .My question is what time do you write , how many post do you do at a time I.E do you do all your post once a week then just comment through the week or daily .I didn’t go to college etc which may have help me work a way to build a routine as I want to move winstonsdad to the next level of being a constant blog that post regularly and keeps up with the amount of books I read which I have struggled with for the last two years .Any advice will be gratefully received many thanks for following my blog and may I note this is the 800th post on winstonsdad

Blindly by Claudio Magris

Blindly by Claudio Magris

Italian fiction

Orginial title Alla cieca

Translator – Anne Milano Appel

source – library

Well sometimes you wander your local library just hoping for inspiration and that next great read to jump out and into your hand ,well I was actually looking for a couple of great Japanese novels when I came accross Blindly ,I saw it was one from the Margellos World Republic of letters book  ,which is a collection of books  from Yale that are designed to bring poets writer and voice from around the world to the English readers attention ,a few  that I had my eye on for a while so I thought give it a whirl and so pleased I did .Anyway Claudio Magris is an Italian scholar ,writer and translator ,he studied German lit at University and has been well-known for promoting Central European  culture in Italy .Blindly is his sixth book .

SO THEN , you want to know if my names is Tore .I see there a lot of you asking me that .Do I know what online means ? – aye-aye captain is still the language of the seas and even the Argo ,as  you decided to call this contraption , just to be funny is the name of the ship

Tore is a patient or is he and wasn’t the Argo Jason ship ?

Well now to blindly ,what is it ? well it’s a novel about a man in a  mental hospital called Tore  ! no , it’s not its a book about a man in a Yugoslavian prison island ,no its about a Jorgen Jorgenson a king of Iceland ! no .Well actually it is about all of the above this book is a wonderful mix of a mad man telling his story about his life ,then drifts into the King of Iceland in and around Hobart and the new colonies down under as they are beginning .A man who travelled to help Tito post world war two and set up the New Yugoslavia  but ends up on this prison island .The sea and build new kingdoms whether in central Europe or on the edge of the known world in 18th century Australia .

The Alexander rounds Cape Horn in October .The horizon very near , closer and closer .A wall of water advances and surges over our heads ,a single colossal wave curved like a vaulted arch close in behind the ship ; thunderous bursts shatter that  horizon raising columns of foam that crash into the sky

Sailing to Australia via the Cape

Well that’s it partly in a nutshell Magris prose are that drifting sort ,I was reminded at times of Seblad ,the way he flowed from one storyline to another also the sense of place and history of places like Sebald did so well . I was also  heavily remind of another Italian writer Diego Marini ,the fact the narrator of this book could be one or could be three  or two people ,we aren’t sure who is telling the story or even what is true and what is false of the history we are being told .Did remind me partly of the narrators in the two  Marini novels I have read that like this one get caught not knowing who they are ,but also caught between worlds .What we also see is the tales folding in on one another and the fact that in all the narratives we see the need for a safe world .Complex themes are touched on politics ,utopian dreams ,madness ,sanity .Well I will be trying more in this series of books  ,I have read two so far the first being Diary by Gombrowicz

Have you read any books from the Margellos world republic series ?

Under this terrible sun by Carlos Busqued

Under this terrible sun by Carlos Busqued

Orginial title – Bajo Este sol Tremendo

Translator – Megan McDowell

Source – review copy

Well I decide to review some of the wonderful books from Frisch and co over the next few weeks .Frisch and co are an e-book only piublisher of translated fiction and now just before christmas seemed a great time with Tablets and eReaders being this years top gift for most people ,everyone will be waking up on Christmas day turning there eReader or tablets on and wanting to place some great books on so I will point you in Frisch and co way .This book by the Argentina writer Carlos Busqued ,is a Buenos Aires based writer this book was his debut novel and was listed for the Prix Herralde ,it won praise for its use of direct language that may be vile but takes you to the heart of the expression .

The phone rang. The caller ID said “unknown,” which meant a call from a public telephone. Or from a person who was deliberately hiding their number. He didn’t answer.

Who is the call from ?

Under this terrible sun although quite unique in the books from Argentina I have read can be said to be in a vein of books from there ,the Lit thriller / crime novel .The pacing of the writing is very much like a thriller and the style is more akin to a lit novel .The book centres on a son whose mother has died this son Cetarti ,is a bit of a loser , well he remind me of a character that had maybe be cut from the Coen brother film The big lebowski or a side figure in Pynchon inherent vice ,this guy lives in a world of weed and documentary tv ,especially programmes about Giant squid for some reason .So Cetarti heads north to the part of Argentina his mother whom he had lost real touch with  when she lived .So he heads to the north of Argentina where he is  meet by the Lawyer Durate that is dealing with his mother’s estate .This leads to a side story of this Lawyers sideline and the man that helps him with this sideline Daniello (Now I viewed this guy as rather like the northern Argentina version of Cetarti a laid back dud that tends to follow what he is told to do just for an easy life ) Well the sideline happens to be transferring porn from old videos to digital content .Well that is the story it develops as we see the vile nature of the porn the men deal in and the waiting for the estate to be settled and how ever  there may be fraud involved .

He missed his car. At that moment, he would have liked to get on the highway with no specific plan. Cruise along the national highway system smoking the marijuana he had left, only stopping in service stations to fill up on gas, shower, and eat. He had a pleasant memory of the insects smashing against the windshield seconds after being illuminated by the car’s headlights. Sleep on the side of the road. Go with the flow. Smash into something on the road, in the final hours of an afternoon.

I choose this quote as it was highlighted by E J the publisher on the copy I read on Readermill .

Well this book owes as much to American lit as it does Argentinian lit .I was reminded of the later Pynchon book like  inherent vice  involves figures like this at the edge of life  ,stoners ,chancers  all feature in this book  .I also felt the porn section remind me of films like 8mm, where we open the door on the extremes of human nature ,very hard to read and eye-opening but this world exists and we are shown how vile it can be by this book .It also had a lot of similar tones to other recent Argentinian books I ve read that I would say fit into this Lit crime/thriller genre from Argentina they would be My father ghost climbing in the rain by Patricio Pron a son returns and uncovers his fathers past ,rather like this a man arrives and finds out more than he expected ,then there is also Carlos Gamerro’s books both on this lit crime feel and both follow men discovering more than want .This book is about discovering the underbelly of Argentina post the dictators that have often fuel the lit of the region what happens when they are gone how do some people go on ?

Have you a favourite novel from Argentina ?

Englands group teams for world cup 2014 the literature of our opponents

Well as many of you that follow the blog know I am a huge football fan and as I type the world cup groups for 2014 Brazil are being drawn live on tv so as we wait and see if it runs smoothly .We sit with baited breath as the draw carring on who will England get  ? I will of course  nearer the  time I may do another post about the Literature of the other teams in the world cup like I did four years ago. But for  today I focus on the three teams that England face in the world cup we will be playing

Uruguay

Well I ve not many Uruguaian  books under review just one Garden of Silica by Ida Vitale the well known Uruguainan poet .Other well known writers from Uruguay are Eduardo Galeano and Juan Carlos Onetti are probably the two most well known to us in English .I will be reading one or more before June .As for the players of Uruguay well Diego Forlan played for united that I support and of course Luis Suarez is very well know to most English football fans

Costa Rica

Óscar Núñez Olivas is the only name I know of in English easily available I will be looking more in depth at this I have on a couple of occasions when Costa rica first qualified to find a book from there and the Olivas on a year of reading was the only one that jump out more research may turn up another .As for players I had to look up their national team and find a player I knew well .Then saw there captain is a Fulham player Bryan Ruiz and scored this blinding goal .

Italy

Well the relief I ve a lot of Italian books under review on Winstonsdad .I had two in my top ten books this year ten by Andrej Longo and the parrots by Flippo Bologna .I m sure next year will have more italian books to add to the 23 under review on the blog .As for a player it has to be the bad boy of Italian football the former Manchester city player Mario Balotelli.So as they call him some super Mario goals .

Well we have the heat of the Amazon   and not the  easy group ,but it could be worse and I can’t wait for the games .Come on England#

How was your Draw for the world cup ?

Winston’s year the books

Well it’s that time of year when people start putting across the best of list .I have decided to do my best of year ,given the focus of the blog it is going be just translations ,I will not I have read The luminaries and lowland both on a lot of best of list I liked both but haven’t got round to reviewing them yet ,so I’m not mentioning them .As for other books in English not translated my favourite by far is The boy from Aleppo who painted the war by Sumia Sukkar the first I ve read around the current Syrian conflict .So to the top ten of 2013 .

The mirror of beauty by Shamsur Rahman Faruqi 

I reviewed this yesterday as I want it fresh in people’s memorey the rest of the list is books I have loved but by far this is my book of the year .An epic following the mother of a well-known Urdu poet in 19th century India and actually in an update to my previous review due out in the UK may 2014 .

My review 

The son by Andrej Nikolaidis 

A son wander around the port town of Ulcinj and thinks about his father and the history of this town .Andrej shared his love of my next book in the list  and its influence on this book .

My review 

 

The loser by Thomas Bernhard 

Glenn Gould in Vienna blows away two music students and we see the aftermath of a touch with a Genius on two people’s lives .

My review 

Ten by Andrej Lingo 

A short story collection based round the ten Commandments ,around the dark underbelly of the city of Naples .This also reignited a real love of short stories in me ,more about that at a future date .

My review

Mother departs by Tadeusz Różewicz

A son looking back on his mother ,growing up ,world war two and his brother from the foremost living Polish poet .A wonderful mix of prose and poems .

My review 

My fathers ghost is climbing in the rain by Patricio Pron 

Certainly if i had a side prize for the best title of the year this book would easily walk off with it .A son returns to Argentina and discovers more about his father than he thought .

My review 

A man in love by Karl Ove Knausgaard 

I love the first part of this collection and had hopes it would carry on and was surprised part two was  even better Karl now with kids and a struggling writer in the fictionalized version of his life ,can’t wait for part three next year .

My review 

Brief loves that live forever by Andrei Makine

I have loved his other books a glimpse at soviet summers of the past and fleeting romance and lives .Makine back on form here .

My review 

The parrots by FlippoBologna

A gem of a book about writers and a book prize we meet three unnamed writers at three stages in the career as they wait to see if they have won the big book prize .

My review

Sidewalks by Valeria Luiselli

A collection of non fiction writing from the wonderful Mexican writer mainly on the journey of discovery like looking for a grave in Venice .

My Review  

 

The Mirror of Beauty by Shamsur Rahman Faruqi

The Mirror of Beauty by Shamsur Rahman Faruqi

Urdu fiction

Translated from Urdu by the writer himself

Source – copy via Musharraf Ali Farooqi

Well I have raved about this Epic written by the renowned Urdu Literary critic , publisher and editor Shamsur Rahman Faruqi .He is the publisher of the well-known Indian Lit journal Shakhoon .This is his debut novel but he has in the past published a four volume study of the well-known poet Taqi Mir .The reason I held of on my review of the book is a feeling that this book would at some point get a Uk release but a few months on it seems not yet and I really want to share my love of this book .Which for me is easily the best piece of Indian fiction since and if  not even better than midnight children .

Wazir Khanam ,ALSO and perhaps better known as Choti Begam (Younger lady ) , was born around 1811 .She was the third and youngest daughter of Muhammad Yusuf ,maker of plain gold ornaments .She was born in Delhi but Muhammad Yussuf was not native to Delhi .His ancestors were from Kashmir .How and when these people reached Delhi , and what befell them in Delhi is a very long story .

The intro to the book explains where Wazir came from .

The novel is set just as India is changing the East India  company is gaining a foothold and the Mughal’s are still about  but their power is on the wain .We see this world through the eyes of Wazir Khanam ,she is a rare beauty and a rare women .Through the book she takes two lovers , also has two husbands along the way gives birth too a number of children among those is  Dagh a well-known poet .But this is his mother’s story she is a women that has lovers from both sides of the India she lives in both  British and Indian .She is almost a new women, not a figure we have been portrayed in other books about Indian  in this time ,no this is a strong-willed women that loves her life and her world and likes to be in control of it as much as she can .She first meets and marries a charismatic English man  called Blake, so  she moves away from Delhi but the marriage ends when he is killed and she returns to that  city .She then meets Nawab Khan and she also has many other lovers .This also sounds like a well lived but actually Wazir life is a battle and a lot of her loves end badly .But she loves her world the world she lives in is moving from the regal Mughal empire into the commerce and chaos at times of the British and the East India company .We see a world of painters ,carpet makers ,the desert of India  to the valleys of Khasmir and finally the chaos of the Metropolis Delhi through one women ,her husband ,lovers and children .We she her effect on the world a ripples in time and the people she touched and her family touch move in this changing India ,rather like the children born on the stroke of midnight in Rushdie’s midnight children Wazir and her family and friends move the world  of their time .

It took a great deal of argument before Wazir could persuade Marston Blake to approve the name Badshah Begam for their first daughter ,He refused to consider any other name than Sophia ,a name that identified her as a Christian .After a great amount of discussion in the first instance , he agreed to Masih Jan a name that was vaguely Muslim and could also be taken as Christian .

She cross the western and Asian world so well at times and fought for what she believed in

Well as you see this book some how captures a world now gone and little written about  .Faruqi is like an Indian dickens ,or even Hillary Mantel the lives touched in this book are the ones you don’t know a lot about ,the ones just down from the top Nobel men ,high-ranking officials but not the big ones ,but people near the top and how this women effect them and her .He captures a world I  loved that of the Darlymple books. But he brings it  to life of the page .I feel the fact he took six years to translate from his original Urdu book to this  English translation has made every word seem as thou they were written originally in English it is flawless .I feel this is maybe the greatest Indian novel and feel my heart sink that it isn’t even getting an Uk issue you can buy it via Amazon and I strongly urge you to buy it as like me you will no doubt be blown away by its beauty and world .Faruqi really weaves 19th century India he said in an interview his love of Urdu poetry at the time lead to the figure of Wazir and as he wrote he check up facts and built the story that way .I really enjoyed the arts and crafts described in the book from poets to carpet makers their jobs and lives opened up .