A Person of Pakistani Origins

by Ziauddin Sardar

What does it mean to be a Pakistani? Can it mean more than one thing? And what do others think it means?
Ziauddin Sardar explores what makes a Pakistani, and whether it's something one wants or ought to be. Reflecting on his culture and heritage through tales of the Pakistanis in his life, A Person of Pakistani Origins is a whirlwind tour of dueling poets, Bollywood films, a bookish auntie who harbors feminist urges, and a vanishing uncle who reappears miles away.
Thoughtful and generously laced with humor, this book delves deep into Pakistan's eclectic culture, and the humble insanity of everyday life for a person of Pakistani origins. Sardar richly celebrates the importance of where we come from, and of who we become.

256 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2019

About the author

Ziauddin Sardar has written or edited 45 books over a period of 30 years, many with his long-time co-author Merryl Wyn Davies. Recent titles include Balti Britain: a Journey Through the British Asian Experience (Granta, 2008); and How Do You Know: Reading Ziauddin Sardar on Islam, Science and Cultural Relations (Pluto, 2006). The first volume of his memoirs is Desperately Seeking Paradise: Journeys of a Sceptical Muslim (Granta, 2006). His recent television work includes a 90-minute documentary for the BBC in 2006 called 'Battle for Islam'. Sardar's online work includes a year-long blog on the Qur'an published in 2008 by The Guardian newspaper.
Sardar is a Visiting Professor of Postcolonial Studies in the Department of Arts Policy and Management at City University London and is Editor of the forecasting and planning journal, Futures. He is also a member of the UK Commission on Equality and Human Rights. His journalism appears most often in The Guardian and The Observer, as well as the UK weekly magazine, New Statesman. In the 1980s, he was among the founders of Inquiry, a magazine of ideas and policy focusing on Muslim countries. His early career includes working as a science correspondent for Nature and New Scientist magazines and as a reporter for London Weekend Television.
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Reviews

[Aliza Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could give more stars, I would.
I talked to my friend last night about how I have been having a difficult time finding a book that relates to the idea of being a immigrant. A lot of books have been written that try to reconcile being a Muslim in a privileged country, but I've always had a hard time connecting to them.

What I have been eagerly searching for is this book. It seeks to understand the meaning of being Pakistani, a topic that is seldom written about even if many try to understand it. Sardar does an incredible job of explaining the internal and external conflicts of what it means to be Pakistani. His critical analysis in 6 sections breaks down the true roots of immigrant life and the meaning of being a Pakistani person.

Sardar makes this book accessible to all readers with his sharp wit, amazing story telling skills, and brief explanations of concepts which some may not know. I can't praise this book enough, and I can't recommend it enough!

[Mohsin Nisar]

First few essays were interesting and afterwards it was just a ride down the hill skimming through the pages. The writer has his own ideology and choices of life which he has elaborated keeping in mind his pakistani roots.