Monday, December 21, 2009

Books

Ainay Kay Samnay
Atiya Dawood
Readership / Level
Students of Gender Studies / Women Studies, human rights researchers, NGO activists, government policy makers, legislators, political activists and feminist legal experts.
Description
Ainay Kay Samne is the autobiography of a prominent Pakistani feminist, journalist, poetess, writer and women’s rights activist from Sindh. She wrote this autobiography, during her stay at Sanskriti Kendra Residency, New Delhi (an institution which supports artists). In this autobiography she has described the rural life of Pakistan as she belongs to a poor rural family. Ainay Kay Samne contains the detailed account of problems faced by a rural woman in Pakistan.
About the Author / Editor
Atiya Dawood, the celebrated Sindhi poet, writer, activist, has been hailed as the ‘most important feminist writer in Sindhi’ by Shaikh Ayaz, the renowned Sindhi poet. Through her writings she has highlighted the oppression of women in Pakistani society in the name of tradition. In her poetry she raises her voice against misogyny and bias and in support of women who fight for empowerment and equal rights with men. Atiya Dawood’s work has found appreciation in Pakistan and abroad. Her poems have been translated into German by Annemarie Schimmel, the noted Iranologist and scholar who wrote extensively on Islam and Sufism, and also into English and Urdu. A poem was published in Jane Goodwin’s Book The Price of Honour. She has published six books and articles on women’s rights, peace, justice, gender issues in the major national dailies and literary magazines. She is a recipient of the Sindh Adeeb Award awarded by Akhil Bharat Sindhi Boli Ain Sahit Sabha, India.



Intikhab-e-Kalam: Ghalib
Compiled by Muhammad Reza Kazimi
Readership / Level
Students from secondary level to the students of Urdu literature at BA (Hons) and MA level, general readers, readers interested in Urdu poetry.
Description
This book contains selections from Ghalib (1797-1869), widely regarded as the greatest poet of Urdu. Ghalib’s turn of phrase contributed to philosophical vocabulary and his assertiveness proved more realistic than the abject submission of the traditional lover of the tradition he inherited. On the other side, Ghalib was a sceptic grounded in pantheism. This created a tension which charged his poetry, and spilled over also to romantic themes. The present book does not aim merely at being handy and more accessible. Dewan-i-Ghalib now in circulation is actually a selection carried out by the poet’s friends. Here are included verses which were uncritically discarded, and excludes verses uncritically selected, cutting the gem of his poetry anew, so that Ghalib’s poetry can be seen in a new light, and in a format doubly attractive to students.


The Genesis of South Asian Nuclear Deterrence
Pakistan’s Perspective
Naeem Salik
Readership / Level
Description
This book is an attempt to provide a complete picture of the dynamics of South Asian nuclearization. It covers the historical evolution of the technological developments of the Indian and Pakistani programmes and the nuances of the countries’ respective policies towards the international non-proliferation regime. It also covers developments since May 1998 in the two countries with respect to the development and articulation of their nuclear doctrines, setting up of command and control systems, and the creeping operationalization of their nuclear capabilities. It provides an overview of the rapidly developing nuclear delivery systems in India and Pakistan as well as their efforts at stabilizing the nuclear environment by agreeing on some significant nuclear and missiles related Confidence Building Measures. Given the controversies, myths and misperceptions surrounding the A.Q. Khan network the book attempts to provide a realistic and balanced view of the episode. It also addresses issues related to international concerns about the safety and security of Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal.


A Bad Woman’s Story
A Translation of Buri Aurat Ki Katha
Kishwar Naheed
Readership / Level
Description
This book is Kishwar Naheed’s response to those who are quick to label a woman as bad. It is a searing indictment of a society that uses custom, religion and even brute force to keep women down. She hits out hard and fearlessly at social and political injustices and at the materialism and sham religiosity she sees around her. It’s what you would expect of one of Pakistan’s leading feminist poets, known for her defiance and outspokenness. Born to a conservative family in pre-partition India, at a time when women were in such purdah that they could not show their hand to a hakim without dipping it in flour, Naheed saw these same women turn into political activists in the run-up to Partition. She too learned to do battle early on—to go to college like her brothers, to express herself and, at the age of 19, to marry the man of her choice. The marriage turned sour and it is an indication of her refreshing candour that she doesn’t gloss over her hurt and disappointment. Rich in literary, historical and cultural allusions, A Bad Woman’s Story is written in a punchy, witty style that keeps the reader engaged and entertained from beginning to end.
About the Author / Editor
Kishwar Naheed was born in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, India in 1940. Her family moved to Lahore during the partition of the subcontinent in 1947. She is one of the best-known feminist poets of Pakistan. Her first collection of poetry, Lab-i goya, published in 1968, won the prestigious Adamjee Prize for Literature. This collection of traditional ghazals was followed by a collection of nazms, translations of foreign poetry, and many works in free verse. She also wrote for children and for the daily newspaper Jang, published her autobiography in 1994 (it appeared the following year in India), and in 2001 saw her collected poetic work released in a 1312-page volume entitled Dasht-i qais men Laila. Her daily columns in Jang were also collected and published in 1999. Her poetry has been translated into English and Spanish, and her well-known poem ‘We, sinful women’ gave its title to a path-breaking anthology of contemporary Urdu feminist poetry translated and edited by Rukhsana Ahmad, published in London by The Women’s Press in 1991. The Library of Congress has 25 works by Kishwar Naheed in its collection and she recorded for the Library in Lahore in 1977. She held the position of Director General of the Pakistan National Council of Arts before her retirement, edited a prestigious literary magazine called Mah-i naw, and founded an organization named Hawwa (Eve) whose goal is to help women without an independent income become financially independent through cottage industries and selling handicrafts.Durdana Soomro is the author of Karachi: Pleasure Gardens of a Raj City (2007) and co-author of Bengal Raag, an account of twins coming of age in Bangladesh in the period leading up to the 1971 war. Born in Dhaka, she spent many years in Amman, Riyadh, Istanbul, and London. Her peripatetic life has led to an interest in languages. She studied Arabic at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London and also speaks French. She has translated the work of prominent Pakistani writers from Urdu to English, some included in the anthology Fault Lines (2008). She lives in Karachi and is an avid golfer.


Combating Terrorism
Saudi Arabia’s Role in the War on Terror
Ali Saeed Awadh Asseri
Readership / Level
Description
The book illustrates the history of terrorism starting as far back as one can and goes on to describe it in theory and in practice. The Islamic perspective on terrorism is an important component of the book highlighting the stress on peaceful co-existence. It then illustrates the root causes of terrorism and gives a broad outline of the three-pronged Saudi strategy to combat the scourge covering the domestic, regional and international dimensions. It also highlights the Saudi initiative with regard to Inter-Faith dialogue and its pivotal impact on the efforts to control the spread of terrorism in the world. The book concludes with a study of some cases that emulate the Saudi strategy and by revisiting the counter-terrorism efforts throughout the world.

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