Unimagined: A Muslim Boy Meets the West

by Imran Ahmad

Imran Ahmad remembers his childhood in a series of vivid snapshots: outrage as deserved victory is snatched away from him in the Karachi Bonnie Baby contest; being tricked out of his collection of Tarzan bubblegum cards by a junior con artist; the heady taste of success in the Metropolitan Police schools quiz; joy at passing the entrance exam to the local grammar school; and shock at experiencing racist abuse from pupils, neighbors, and strangers. After moving to London from Karachi at age two, Imran’s response to his strange new surroundings is to engage in an eternal quest to become the quintessential English gentleman: tie perfectly knotted, shirt pristinely ironed, hair neatly combed. Like most boys, he also has a parallel obsession with cars and girls: he yearns to go driving off into the distance in a Jaguar XJS and encountering danger, adventure, and a vivacious brunette. This is a lighthearted and amusing look at the results of East meeting West inside the head of a precocious and headstrong boy.

At age one, Pakistan-born Imran Ahmad moved to London and grew up torn between his Islamic identity and his desire to embrace the West. In this endearing memoir, Imran recalls his childhood in a series of vivid snapshots: outrage as deserved victory is snatched away from him in the Karachi Bonnie Baby contest by third world corruption and injustice; bitterness as he is tricked out of his collection of Tarzan bubble-gum cards by junior con artists; the heady taste of success in the Metropolitan Police schools quiz; joy at passing the entrance exam to the local grammar school; uncertainty as he seeks to become a doctor; bewilderment as he tries to learn about women at university; and shock at experiencing racism in its many forms. As he grows, Imran stumbles though life encountering colorful characters, philosophical dilemmas, and theological threats. Will he really be “left behind” if he doesn’t embrace Jesus Christ as his personal saviour? Will he be sent to Hell for having coffee with girls (especially non-Muslim ones)? Is there a correlation between studying and passing exams, or is it entirely the will of God? Is it okay to be Western and Muslim, or are the two irreconcilable? And what about America, that alluring land of many contradictions? Eventually Imran embarks on a determined quest to become the quintessential English gentleman: tie perfectly knotted, shirt pristinely ironed, hair neatly combed. Like most boys, he has a parallel obsession with cars and girls: he yearns to drive off into the distance in a Jaguar XJS and encounter danger, adventure—and a vivacious young woman (preferably brunette, but any kind considered). Today Imran continues to write on his website http://www.unimagined.org and his blog http://www.unimagined.typepad.com. A book of the year pick by both The Guardian and The Independent, this is a deliciously funny and painfully insightful look at a life lived between two worlds.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Biography, Pakistan, Biography Memoir, Religion, Islam

280 pages, Hardcover

First published September 12, 2006

Reviews

[Δx Δp ≥ ½ ħ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pas liat poster launching buku ini, ada satu pertanyaan yang mengganjal, Memangnya kenapa kalau seorang muslim datang dan tinggal di negrinya James Bond (yang notabenenya nonmuslim)? Toh, James Bond pun kalau datang ke negeri muslim dia tidak risau. apalagi ini seorang bocah!

Karena penasaran apa sebenarnya isi buku ini dan ingin mendapatkan tanda tangan Pidi Baiq (dia datang sbg bintang tamu --memberi kata pengantar buku ini-- dan sukses bikin peserta launching terpingkal-pingkal) buat buku Drunken Marmut saia. sialnya, saia lupa buat bawa ketiga buku lainnya T_T
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Orangtuaku berlangganan majalah Life yang datang via pos. Dalam sebuah edisi terdapat artikel berjudul "Yang Tewas Dalam Seminggu". Aku mengitung sebelas halaman berisi foto-foto kecil tentara Amerika yang tewas dalam perang di suatu tempat. Aku tidak pernah menyadari bahwa ada begitu banyak warga Amerika yang berkulit hitam; sebelumnya kupikir hanya ada beberapa. Dalam acara televisi Amerika, kami hanya melihat sesekali orang kulit hitam di sini dan di sana

Beberapa edisi Life yang lain menunjukkan foto-foto orang-orang yang pergi ke bulan. Aku menatap foto-foto itu, terpesona... Semua orang ini berkulit putih, tidak seperti mereka yang tewas dalam perang.

Lahir di Paksitan yang terkoyak (tahun 1962), membuat keluarga Imran (si penulis) mencoba mengadu nasib ke negri Inggris. Sebagai warga yang berbeda dalam hal warna kulit terlebih agama, membuat keluarga mereka sadar, hidup di Inggris tidaklah mudah. Bahkan, di negara semoderat Inggris, terutama saat itu, sistem rasial sangatlah kentara. Mulai dari larangan tinggal di flat dan perumahan khusus orang kulit putih, larangan naik kendaraan umum, hingga perlakuan rasial yang diterima Imran di sekolah, yang semestinya menjadi tempat di mana ajaran-ajaran primitif ttg rasisme dienyahkan, kelak akan terus dikenang dan meninggalkan kesan mendalam dalam dirinya, rasisme dalam bentuk apapun sama sekali tak manusiawi.

Memang, pada tahun 60-an, masalah rasisme tidak hanya melanda negara-negara miskin dan berkembang (ingat, betapa kejamnya sistem apartheid di Afrika Selatan sehingga perlu figur agung seperti Nelson Mandela untuk menghentikannya), namun juga melanda negara-negara modern yang menjadi kiblat demokratis. Bahkan, untuk negara setaraf Amerika pun perlu tampil sosok-sosok kharismatik seperti Matin Luther King Jr atau Malcom X. Tak terkecuali di negri tujuan keluarga Imran memperbaiki nasib, Inggris. (Bahkan, hingga detik ini, rasisme menjadi isu panas yang melanda negara-negara Eropa Barat seperti Perancis, Inggris, Denmark, Belanda, dll)

"Trauma" masa kecil ini membuat Imran kecil menjadi begitu sensitif mengenai masalah perbedaan ras. Dia begitu risau betapa mimpi masa depan yang dirajut keluarganya saat masih di Pakistan ternyata tidak sesuai harapannya. Dia menyadari bahwa rasisme ini bisa muncul dimana-mana, bahkan dalam bentuk yang sangat halus. Mau tak mau, "ketidakadilan" ini telah menjadikan sosok Imran sbg pribadi yang kritis.

Di buku ini, kita akan terkejut betapa utk sosok "sekecil" dan "seumur jagung", Imran telah melihat dunia dengan cara yang tak sama dengan anak sebayanya kebanyakan. Pandangannya penuh keluguan, kepolosan, bahkan kadang terkesan naif (maklum anak-anak). Misalnya, dia begitu membenci semua hal yang berbau India karena alasan India berperang melawan Pakistan, negeri leluhurnya. Hehe... dengan alasan nyaris sama, dulu, pas masih SD, saia membenci segala hal yang berbau Belanda. dari pelajaran IPS, bagaimana Belanda menjajah Indonesia selama 350 tahun, di mata saia pas SD, sangatlah tak termaafkan. jutaan rakyat meninggal karena kerja paksa, atau kelaparan karena culturstelsel (tanam paksa). Betapa licin dan mulusnya jalan-jalan di Belanda sana yg dibangun dari keringat-keringat rakyat Indonesia, namun betapa rusaknya jalan-jalan yang ada di negara kita. Sangat tak adil dan licik. Karenanya, pas ada pengumuman saat Belanda gagal melaju ke final Piala Dunia 1998, saia bersorak :D

Namun, sesekali, pikiran2 Imran kecil begitu sangat mengejutkan sehingga menohok nalar dan keyakinan beriman kita. Misalnya, saat dia membaca berita ttg perang saudara India-Pakistan karena memperebutkan Kashmir. Kashmir yg dijuluki Surga India karena pemandangannya yang spekatakuler, memiliki penduduk mayoritas Muslim. namun, secara geopolitik, berada di bawah pemerintahan India (mayoritas Hindu). Pakistan yang merasa "memiliki ikatan historis dan sosial lebih kuat" karena sama-sama mayoritas Muslim mengklaim wilayah itu sbg wilayahnya. Perang pun tak terhindarkan. Ironisnya, perang ituh justru "dimenangkan" oleh India yan "kafir". Dan dampaknya lebih buruk lagi... Pakistan Timur malah memerdekakan diri dan membentuk negara baru, Bangladesh atas sokongan India. Dengan gamblang menjadi mimpi buruk orang Muslim Pakistan.

Dan, si kecil Imran, merasa gelisah dengan kenyataan ini. Mengapa Tuhan malah memenangkan kaum kafir? mengapa Dia memihak India yang memiliki banyak berhala? Mengapa Tuhan tidak membela orang-orang Islam Pakistan karena bukankah Tuhan adalah Muslim?

Jujur saja, dulu saia sempat berpikiran nyaris sama. mengapa Tuhan malah terlihat lebih menyayangi kaum-kaum kafir dan menjadikan mereka lebih makmur? mengapa justru kaum pilihanNya, umat agamaNya, dibiarkan menderita, kelaparan, dan kemiskinan. Siapa sebenenarnya yang harus dibela-Nya? Tuhan macam apa itu?


Banyak hal kelucuan yang menyegarkan kita saat membaca buku ini. krisis keagamaan dan identitas yang membelenggu kita, tampak sangat kocak sekaligus getir saat dituturkan oleh si bocah Imran. Kita akan belajar banyak hal akan pentingnya dan dalamnya makna dari iman, identitas, dan perbedaan.

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Buku ini menggunakan cara bertutur orang pertama dengan pencerita seorang anak-anak. Dari dulu saia kagum, takjub dan selalu menganggap bahwa cara penceritaan seperti ini (anak-anak yang berceloteh) adalah ajaib dan "sukar". Karya-karya legendaris seperti To Kill a Mockingbird-nya Lee, A Painted House-nya Grisham, Forest Gump-nya Groom, dll adalah karya2 fiksi yang memukau karena menuliskan kerumitan dunia diceritakan melalui kesaksian mata seorang anak-anak.

Namun, tak selamanya gaya penceritaan ini selalu bagus. Saia berpendapat bahwa gaya penceritaan ini perlu "ditangani" secara hati-hati. Jika tidak, kita bukannya melihat dunia dr mata si anak-anak yang polos dan suka mengoceh, tapi malah melihat dunia dari si nenek tua sok tau yang cerwet.

Dan entah mengapa, buku ini, seperti halnya novel Bright Angel Time-nya McPhee, "lebih dekat" ke arah si nenek yang cerewet. Kurang paham dengan apa yang saia maksud? Coba deh baca buku-buku di atas, dan Anda bakal tau apa yang maksud saia.

Mungkin juga sih karena buku ini adalah karya non fiksi (tepatnya memoar), jadi gak bisa selincah To Kill A Mockingbird. Tapi, ada karya nonfiksi lain yg si pendongengnya juga anak-anak yaitu Diary of Anne Frank yang "gila-gilaan" dan menakjubkan. Dan, jika buku ini disandingkan dengan Diary of Anne Frank, rasanya seperti melihat Superman yang perlu baling-baling bambu agar bisa terbang. :P

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Dan, sekarang, saia jadi tidak terlalu heran lagi, kenapa seorang bocah muslim perlu risau saat dia datang ke negri James Bond namun kita tak perlu risau saat James Bond datang ke negri Muslim. Karena, jika James Bond datang ke negri Muslim, dia akan dianggap pahlawan dan mungkin akan diagungkan hanya karena dia berkulit putih---bukan sebagai imigran gelap yang hanya menaikan angka statistik penduduk miskin dan kumuh--, James Bond tak perlu risau karena dia tidak akan mengalami perlakuan rasis...







PS : ada satu fakta menarik yang juga dulu pas masih SD merisaukan saia. Imran Ahmad, saat usia 9 tahun sangat menggemari cerita fantasi legendaris, serial Narnia. Dan, saat-saat dia tengah dimabuk oleh kehebohan buku ini, dia mengalami "pukulan" terhadap tradisi dan keagamaannya. Sebagaimana kita ketahui (maksudnya bagi yg dah baca serial Narnia), akan menjumpai bahwa musuh-musuh orang Narnia datang dari negri yang bernama Calormen yang kulitnya gelap (coloured man, kulit berwarna?). Bangsa Calormen digambarkan bertarung menggunakan pedang melengkung, memakan makanan pedas, dan saat menyebut pemimpin mereka, mereka suka bersorak dengan menambahkan pujian " semoga dia hidup selamanya!", dll. Simbolisasi ini sangat dekat dengan visualisasi orang Islam (terutama abad pertengahan), sebagai perbandingan, saat menyebut nama Muhammad, kaum Muslim akan membaca pujian atasnya, Sallalaahu alayhi wasalam, "semoga Allah memberi keselamatan dan kesejahteraan padanya".

Lagipula, para prajurit Narnia digambarkan "berkulit putih" dengan atribut perang seperti tentara Salib. Bagi Imran (dan saia dulu), ini sangat meresahkan, siapa yang harus dibela? tentara Narnia (yang baik) ataw tentara Calormen (yang jahat)?

[Bunga Mawar · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's just another "what I learned from this book".

Kami pindah ke Pondok Bambu saat saya baru memulai sekolah dasar. Sahabat pertama saya, yaitu teman yang akhirnya menemani perjalanan sepanjang enam tahun pulang pergi dari rumah ke sekolah adalah Joice, seorang gadis Batak. Menjelang Natal, dia akan meletakkan rumput di dalam sepatunya yang diletakkan di luar rumah. "Taruh rumput di sepatu, besok ada hadiahnya. Itu hadiah Natal, dikasih Sinterklas," katanya.

Hmm... asik banget. Selama enam tahun usia saya, keluarga kami tidak pernah Natalan karena kami Muslim. Kami merayakan Lebaran. Kalau Lebaran tidak ada hadiah, tapi ketupat selengkapnya, baju baru dan kue2. Tapi Sinterklas itu, kata Joice, memberi hadiah pada semua orang yang meletakkan sepatu berisi rumput. Jadi pada malam Natal, sebelum tidur saya sembunyi2 membawa sepasang sepatu saya ke luar, meletakkannya di bawah pohon jambu sambil meraup segenggam rumput halaman yang kurang subur tumbuhnya. Saya lupa membayangkan hadiah apa yang saya ingin dapat dari Sinterklas, tapi apa pun itu, pokoknya hadiah!

Besoknya, tentu saja libur Natal. Ibu memanggil saya dan menunjukkan sepasang sepatu yang tergeletak di bawah pohon jambu dengan petak2 rumput pitak di sekelilingnya. "Kamu kemarin lupa simpan sepatu, ya? Lihat tuh, sepatu kamu diseret musang sampai ke bawah pohon," kata Ibu. Saya hanya perlu melihat selintas, untuk tahu tidak ada tanda2 Sinterklas (atau musang) mampir semalam.

Ah, Sinterklas nggak asik. Saya cuma diam saja saat besoknya di sekolah Joice bercerita tentang hiasan rambut cantik yang diletakkan Sinterklas di sepatu sebelah kanannya.

Tunggu. Sepatu sebelah kanan?

"Di sepatu kiri, kamu dapat hadiah apa?"
"Ih, nggak ada lah. Sepatu kiriku di rak sepatu. Kan cuma sepatu sebelah kanan yang diisi Sinterklas."

Oh. Sinterklas rupaya nggak suka dengan anak yang meletakkan sepasang sepatunya pada malam natal. DIkira anak itu serakah, karena itu tidak diberi hadiah. Saya diam saja, merasa bersalah sendiri. Dan sampai sekarang ibu saya belum tahu balada sepatu berumput di pagi hari di bawah pohon jambu itu (di masa ibu menghabiskan masa remaja dekat kapel Mungkid di Magelang pun mungkin belum pernah ada ritual anak2 meletakkan rumput di sepatu pada malam natal). Apalagi karena besok2nya, saya makin besar, makin banyak makan, makin banyak belajar, makin pandai solat, makin rajin ngaji, dan makin gila membaca. Jangankan saya, Joice sendiri saat kelas 3 SD sudah tidak percaya lagi pada balada Sinterklas memberi kado... :p

Walah, tooong... Kenapa jadi nostalgia begini, yak? Kalau boleh berpendapat sedikit tentang balada si Entong Imran di kampung James Bond ini, maka cerita buku ini memang menarik. Singkirkan dulu perbedaan agama antara keluarga imigran ini dengan pribumi Inggris. Perbedaan ras jelas, perbedaan tingkat ekonomi, dan perbedaan standar kegantengan. Dan maklum saja kalau bocah cilik Imran cuma bisa ngomel2 tidak mengerti mengapa dia disingkirkan lingkungannya. Padahal dia juga tidak pernah solat kecuali saat diajak solat Jumat, tapi kok dia tidak boleh makan babi?

Jadinya, satu hal yang saya pernah bilang, kalau ada apa2 yang aneh pada pemikiran seorang anak kecil, lihat dulu dong apa yang sudah diajarkan orangtuanya. Saat orang tuanya tidak pernah mengajarkan apa2... ya... anak akan cari sendiri. Kalau pencariannya menyimpang ke jalan yang berbeda, yang salah ya orangtuanya, hihihi... *kebiasaan*

-Bagian berikut ditulis sambil merinding takut didatangi Entong Imran atau para penjaga malamnya. Hush-hush... jangan macem2 ya! *baca mantera paling top di GR minggu ini*-
Pak Imran, sekarang masih ngaji, nggak?

[Bruce Cline · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Perfect Gentleman, A Muslim Boy Meets the West by Imran Ahmad (pp 333). This is one of the most interesting social commentaries in the guise of a memoir I’ve ever read. Much of it is written from a youthful perspective that effectively uses naïveté ignorance (used non-pejoratively) to shed light on physical difference, relationships (mostly imagined), discrimination, racism, classism, school, culture, family, and above all religion. As the author, a Pakistani transplant along with his family, living in England and later Scotland, moved through childhood and into adulthood (including more relationships—also mostly imagined), higher education, politics, cars, and work, he increasingly talked about religion. As he was ‘accosted’ by evangelical Christians in obnoxious and repeated attempts to pull him away from Islam (sometimes harshly), he openly explores the two religions, their similarities & dissimilarities, faith versus rationally based beliefs, the historical Jesus and Muhammad, his own temptations, religious practice, comparisons of theological precepts and their real world applications, and more. His observations about himself, his beliefs, his very real doubts, his fellow believers, all the while making honest comparisons with other religions (though mostly Christianity and its adherents) are fascinating. All of this very heavy material is explored within a mostly lightweight framework and it seamlessly flows in, out, and through more mundane and secular elements of everyday life. Refreshingly, Ahmad is effortlessly humorous, never breaking a sweat while revealing humor in everyday events and situations. Because his views on all aspects of life come from an angle literally foreign to most of us, his observations are delightfully askew and above all insightful. This is an amazingly easy read, yet is as thoughtful and provocative a book as I have read in recent memory.

[Rhett · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the spirit of full disclosure, most of what follows actually started out as a comment on another reader's review. It only occurred to me after posting it, that it might serve as my own review of the book.

I came by The Perfect Gentleman, not because of any particular interest or familiarity with Islam or the experience of Pakistani immigrants in the U.K., but because I own a Jaguar XJ-S, for the very same reasons that the young Imran Ahmad wants one in the book. It's a connection, I suppose, but seemingly a thin one. Or so I thought at first. Ultimately, I was so moved by The Perfect Gentleman that I've given out over ten copies of it, explaining to each recipient how and why I think this book touched me.

I'm roughly the same age as the author, but I'm ethnically Anglo Saxon, with an ostensibly Christian background, and I grew up in an entirely different economic class, in a largely Anglo Saxon suburban California county in the U.S. In theory, I should have found the "fish out of water" memoir of a Pakistani Muslim boy growing up in the U.K. completely foreign. Instead, I found Imran Ahmad's frank, down to earth writing style, lightness of touch, and his ability to illustrate the universality of the human experience by exploring the cultural differences of those around him, so relatable and poignant that I came away feeling like I'd just met a new close friend, rather than a stranger living on the other side of the planet.

Most of us tell stories about who we think we are, where we come from and how we came to be the modern version of ourselves; and most of us do it in a way that makes us look good and virtuous, often at the expense of others. The Perfect Gentleman is different in that there are effectively two, very different Imran Ahmads: Young Imran is the callow youth at the center of the narrative, and for whom the title "The Perfect Gentleman" would be aspirational, and the modern Imran, who is the voice of the narrative, and for whom the title "The Perfect Gentleman", is ironic.

For this reader, the mystery at the heart of the story was: How does this youth, with his rigid and sometimes unsympathetic views, evolve into the kind of person who can reflect on his experiences with awareness and wisdom, fearlessly sharing his journey through the shortcomings of his youthful outlook on life in the service of a deeper inquiry? Taking the journey with him was rich, resonant and emotionally satisfying.

[Waqar Saleem · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is written out like an autobiography of the author whose family migrated from Pakistan to England shortly after partition when he was still a small child. Its chapters are indexed by the year he is writing about and his age at the time, with rarely more than 6 pages devoted to each year. This makes the book a quick read.

The book lists the author's observations of and reflections on the world around him. The style is candid and the author's personal sense of humour shines through as he tackles living in the West while simultaneously harbouring Islamic values. While the author experiences many of the things of a typical teenage boy at the time, these is an added strain of the conflict between the different realities he finds himself in - the West around him and his traditional Islamic values, his being coloured in a society dominated by white people.

Whereas writings on the above topics can make for heavy and serious reading, I commend the author for presenting a cheery, breezy look at them. He takes no sides and offers no judgments, but writes simply about how he himself along the course of a normal, daily life, comes to terms with these issues.

The book is a good, light read that through its candid humor and frank, sometimes innocent and insightful, observations grips you from the start to the finish. I enjoyed it a lot!

[Baljit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished this in a day..... Absolutely refreshing!

Imran writes candidly about his life as a Pakistani boy in London. From a room in a bedsit, to his parents own home, his entrance into a prestigious grammer school and his university days in Scotland.
But thru his ups and downs he is plagued by religious questions and his discussions with various Christian evangelists fuel his doubts about Islam being the true path. Life is a journey as Imran discovers....

Hope this brilliant writer produces more fine work

[Dolores]

I met the author a few weeks ago when he gave a talk about the book in Dallas. He is very funny and the passages he read were hilarious. This book is NOT ABOUT A TERRORIST. Far from it. It dispells the myths and propaganda. It is about a Muslim growing up in London and being comfortable in both worlds. It is about reaching out and understanding that we all have the same desires and dreams in life, no matter who we are.

[Dick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really interesting book about Christianity-Islam and how to find your way as immigrant in UK.

[Neil Rendall · Rating 3 out of 5]

A happy library book find; although a few years younger than me, I really identified with the way the author describes his primary and secondary school years and his home life - quite surprising since I'm white, and a product of the time of more overt casual and not-so-casual racism. He writes chronologically through his education years, providing insight into how he thought of God/Allah and confusions and insights, not as a theological exercise but simply as an incidental record alongside all the other ups and downs going on through his life. At points in time he often presents his views and conclusions as simple and naive, although he's clearly neither of those. It is a clever device and reminds us how whatever we are now, we are built on what's gone before. I didn't go to University, so I didn't identify so much with his continuing academic life, but it was interesting as to how he developed into his adulthood. An enjoyable read, related with self-deprecating humour at times.
The cover shown here has the sub-title, 'A Muslim Boy Meets the West'. There's something wrong with that; my version has the sub-title, 'Muhammad, Jesus and James Bond'. Much better.

[Puty]

Entertaining memoir from an interesting point of view: Moslem boy meets the West. It's really honest that it's funny , talking about a lot of things, from ridiculous students problem like body odour, to discrimination and inter-religion debate. I really like the way Imran pointing out quite a lot of stuff about Islam in a very rational & universal way, to the level I'm recommending it to both non-Moslem & Moslem. Also recommending it to Moslem parents who are raising kids in Western culture because it will give you even the slightest idea what kind of struggle your kids are facing.

Enjoyable!

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir. It's written in a very readable and deciptively simple style. In his own quiet, subtle way Imran Ahmad has addressed some big themes. The writing though is engaging, and honest, remarkably so, and Imran emerges as a decent young man, with all the bad habits, concerns and confusions of the young. Many of his trial and tribulations along the way are hilarious, and touching, and any of us who have had an unrequited love, or tried to bargin with God, will be able to sympathise with him.

[Johara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't usually do biographies, but this was by far the most enjoyable, light reading books I picked up from the biography section.

[Sooraya Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bought my copy after meeting the author during the World Halal Forum (Kuala Lumpur) back in 2012.
An overall charming and interesting read. But I didn't quite get the ending and epilogue.

[Catullus2 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hilarious!

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutelly loved the picture of the small boy on the cover. Clearly a curious and defiant face wondering what the hack is going on.
I liked the way Imran wrote and do not undestand the critics about his 'uninteresting' life. What is an interesting life anyway? If one can write about his growing up, coming of age, about his honest questioning of good and evil, about his fear of not finding the right relationship, about the cars he loves - that's life, I think. Why does it have to be meeting VIPs or sleeping with them?
It is sad, that many are critisizing it for lack of humor. How wrong they are. There is a wonderful humor through-out, but it is not the much loved 'British' humor and they can not see it. It needs an immigrant to see it....

[Effie Gavriel · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5
A smart, funny social commentary which definitely has something to say.
However, it often drags on with unnecessary events, details, and repetitions which make it a bit tiring.
It is overall honest and pleasant.

[Tabish Khan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an entertaining biography of what it was like growing up as a Muslim boy in the UK, not far from where I grew up. While he grew up a few decades before me, there's a lot I could identify with in the book, including some of the inevitable culture clashes.

[TC · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book proves that apparently it is possible to lead an undistinguished, unremarkable life, and yet be given the opportunity to publish your memoirs not only in your home country, but to have a special "American Translation" published to help break you to a whole new market. (This edition is clearly meant for the US, with helpful footnotes explaining some intricacies of UK schooling, and also replaces Britishisms for their American equivalents, like "subway" and "cell phone." I guess his publisher figured none of his readers would be fans of PBS.)

As best as I can tell, Imran Ahmed lived a somewhat privileged life, enjoying the free grammar school and free college education that one once used to receive in the UK, all while dreaming of owning a Jaguar, imagining himself as better than he is, and wondering how to talk to girls.

What's supposed to make it somewhat unique, I guess, is that he was an immigrant from Pakistan. He does occasionally deal with the ignorant racism of his neighbors and classmates. But it's not as if his house was firebombed, or he was beaten to near-death, or he was denied numerous opportunities because of his race. His subtle "outsider" status could easily be echoed by any nebbish schoolboy who got picked on.

He spends a lot of time wondering about his faith as a Muslim, mostly because he seems to constantly attract American-style Evangelicals who scare him with a lot of talk of imminent eschatology. It challenges him to examine his own faith, and, unsurprisingly, he eventually comes to accept it as the one that's right for him.

He does this not at a remarkable age, either, but around the same time most of us do--as a young adult. For the book takes us painstakingly through each year of his schooling, from grade school through post-graduate, with a few chapters thrown in about his first job, which was as a young management trainee for Unilever, one of the largest companies in the world. I feel his pain.

In short, he seems to have had a better life than I've had. So I struggle to understand what I'm supposed to learn from this.

This book is not without its charms. He captures well the kind of self-absorbed bubble that a young person (particularly a young male) goes through as he imagines himself the next James Bond. It's funny to read, because, we've all been there. So from that standpoint, it's an enjoyable light tomb of self-effacing, very relatable humor.

And I might have been OK with that except that at the very end, it's clear that he expects me to believe these experiences somehow give him something important to say, and so we're treated to a rushed account of how he's all different now after twenty years of adulthood (jetting around the world working for international corporations), with deep insights he must share. The pièce de résistance is when he crows about how great it is to travel across the US as a guest speaker of the Unitarians, lecturing on Muslim-Christian relations. Great work if you can get it.

Given that he seems to think his life gives him some moral platform in rarefied air on which to make such lofty observations, I can't help but feel irritated by the whole book. If he'd left it as a fun little read of humorous anecdotes about growing up, dealing with bullies, being overwhelmed by the opposite gender, falling in love with cars, slacking off in class then being perplexed at his lack of academic success, and struggling with his faith, it might have been a book we could call "charming." But the last chapter and epilogue makes it seem more like it was one long info-mercial for his new career in colloquium.

[Bev · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really need to revert to my old rule of allowing 10% of a book as the decider of whether or not to carry on reading. I can't believe I carried on for almost half of this book before adding it to the growing pile of books to donate to the local charity shop.

I am left with a question, though: why do so many people like it? Does the author have a lot of friends, or ???? The writing style waivers between the tone of a 3 year old and that of an adult pretending to write like a youth but with a voice that is totally unconvincing. Unfortunately, both voices are totally unconvincing, and totally lacking in charm because of that. If you are going to write a book about your childhood, accept that you're writing it as an adult and don't use almost-baby talk in some places and adult conversation in others. It's a real skill, but not one that this author has mastered.

Urgh, too much time wasted on this one.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I accidentally left the library's copy of the book at school and was so devastated that I paid $12 to download it onto my Nook so I could finish. This coming from someone who hasn't paid for a book in 2+ years.

The book is funny, honest, and discusses topics like racism and religion in ways that encourage the participation and critical thinking of the reader. For my ESL students, the beginning chapters are short enough to be manageable in one sitting. The book will also appeal to more reluctant readers and students, especially because the author himself admits to going through stages of academic reluctance himself.

I definitely plan to recommend this book to students for summer reading and use excerpts in class next year.

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

On one level this is an endearing coming of age story told by a person who is a Pakistani Muslim living in Great Britain. On another level it is an apologetic for moderate Islam which ends up evolving into a warm and fuzzy universalism.

It was eye-opening to observe Ahmad's faith journey as he grappled with a religious culture clash. His story is told against the framework of selected key historical events, helping to flesh out his decisions in a known time frame.

Although I enjoyed many aspects of his intellectual honesty and found myself truly enjoying his wit and humor, as a Christian I have disagreements with some of his starting assumptions and resulting conclusions.

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I often wonder about the sort of people who feel driven to write autobiographies. Undoubtedly some are just self-indulgent show-offs, others are driven by the opportunity to make a lot of money before their fifteen minutes of fame are past and some feel the need to record the 'truth' behind some historically important things that happened in their lives. Some achieve greatness, some hang out with the rich and famous and others get away with recounting the details of a fairly ordinary life by writing it up in a really entertaining way.

If you are a fairly ordinary person who hasn’t hung out with stars or politicians, hasn't been caught up in momentous events and hasn't slept with a premier league footballer, then you'd better hope you're either very funny or very interesting. If you haven't got an 'angle' you might want to think again about writing your story - or stick to vanity publishing and print a few copies for your grandchildren but don't bother with general distribution. Sadly – and I say it with a true sense of disappointment – Imran Ahmad is neither funny nor interesting enough to justify 280 pages on his life up to the age of 28 and I hope he’s not planning a sequel. I suspect in the flesh he's a rather lovely man, but lovely doesn't justify the hours I spent reading a book in which very little really happens and there aren't enough laughs to compensate for that lack of action.

I've got a fascination bordering on obsession with all things relating to the Indian sub-continent. This extends to wanting to read not only about those countries but also about the immigrant experience of Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis living in the UK or USA. I've maxed out on autobiographies of UK-born or bred writers of Pakistani, Indian or Bangladeshi origin but Unimagined is by far the least commendable of those on my shelf. Put simply, despite his charm, wit and excellent historical attention to detail, Imran Ahmad only held my attention up to the age of about 14 or 15. After that age, his moaning and beating himself up about the meaning of religion and his pursuit of a girl who just wasn't interested in him got as annoying and repetitive as his breakdowns in his Renault 5.

Imran Ahmad's story is one of disappointment. He learned about disappointment early in his life when he was robbed of first place in the Karachi 'Bonnie Baby' contest by the child of one of the organisers, hence recognising that life really isn't 'fair' and that corruption runs deep - too handy lessons, indeed. When the British government of the early 1960s encouraged economic migration from the Commonwealth, his parents uprooted the family and moved to the UK in search of better prospects. Of course, they discovered in the process that the streets of London weren't paved with gold but that it didn't matter too much because a decent job at Heathrow Airport had plenty of fringe benefits.

Despite a tough start in a dodgy sub-let bed-sit, this isn't a tale of poverty and underprivileged sacrifice. If you're looking for an Angela's Ashes style 'My s**t life' story, look elsewhere because there's no pretence to a life of poverty. Ahmad's family do well in their new country and are soon buying into all the trappings of the British middle class; a nice television, the first video player in the street and some 'keeping up with the Joneses' cars. He goes to a good school and gets along pretty well. Yes, there are incidents of childish racism and bullying, issues of religious confusion and mental torment over what life's all about, but I don't think any of that's particularly restricted to one particular religious group. He wants to do the 'right thing' by his family and become a doctor because nice Pakistani boys don't study the classics or social sciences but not everything goes quite to plan.

We're taken through Imran's childhood, schooldays, student life and eventually on to his first employment. The problem is (and I hate to say this) that it's just not very interesting. His early years have far more funny incidents which perhaps suggests that his parents who may have told him these stories might just be a lot funnier than he is. I loved some of the early chapters and some of the little vignettes of everyday life. As an example, he has been taught to say 'No' if offered pork when visiting school friends' houses but it's not until he's eight years old that he finds out why. Turning down sausages at a friend's house, the friend’s mother explains to her son that it's because of his religion. Imran writes "Oh so that's why I don't eat pork! It's because of my religion". This is an autobiography of someone who just doesn’t seem to realise that he’s not as smart as he thinks he is.

College life is a bit of a mess and all the mooning around over girls who weren’t interested, exploiting his status as a young man with an unreliable car and a generous heart who can drive girls around even if they are way out of his league rang true in a way I doubt the author intended. He reminded me of so many of the ‘losers’ from my student days who naively failed to spot their generosity being exploited by those in need of transport.

One of the most disturbing things for me was realising that after university, Imran took a very similar career route as me, targeting Unilever as the company he wanted to join and leading a peripatetic lifestyle for his first few years in the job. Why disturbing? Because I realised he was really boring and guessed I was probably just as boring myself when caught up in that whole corporate trainee whirl. I made a mental 'note to self' saying "Don't ever write about your life".

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fantastic read! I just loved everything about it: the style, the wit and the very important issues that were dealt with throughout the book. The book offers very interesting insight on both Islam and Christianity. The short paragraphs and randomness of the first chapters are a bit unsettling at first but its gets better as the pages are turned and one is drawn into the story:)

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imran's journey was one I truly enjoyed following him on. Much of his experience was uniquely Muslim, but I found some of the experiences with religion, tradition, and personal conviction universal. This book is a wonderful example of how we change as we grow!

[gieb]

jadi pengin baca. beliin dong, tong!

[Miguel · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://silenciosquefalam.blogspot.pt/...

[Ranoush Fadeem · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Perfect Gentleman by Imran Ahmad is a witty, insightful, and unexpectedly moving memoir that charts the journey of a Pakistani Muslim boy growing up in Britain. Unlike the title might suggest, this isn’t about suave sophistication—it’s about identity, belonging, and the sometimes awkward, sometimes hilarious, and often poignant struggle of trying to fit into two worlds at once.

Ahmad’s storytelling is witty and self-aware, blending humor with deeper reflections on faith, racism, social class, and the immigrant experience. He takes us through his childhood fascination with James Bond, his youthful ambitions of becoming the ultimate "perfect gentleman," and the reality check that comes with adulthood. The contrast between his Western upbringing and his Pakistani heritage is particularly fascinating—whether it's navigating arranged marriage expectations or the casual racism of 1970s and 1980s Britain.

What makes this memoir so compelling is Ahmad’s ability to turn deeply personal experiences into something universally relatable. He doesn’t lecture or self-pity; instead, he tells his story with a light touch that makes you smile even when he’s discussing difficult topics. If you enjoy books that mix humor with heartfelt honesty, The Perfect Gentleman is a wonderful read—both entertaining and thought-provoking in equal measure.

[Sylvia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book. The beginning was charming and the prejudice that Imran experiences made me both sad and angry. His many thoughtful discussions of the differences between Islam and Christianity and his attempts to understand religion were interesting. Also his ability to see how the Arab world and its interpretation of Islam is off putting and frightening to many Westerners. The weakest part of the story was his history with women with his fixation on them and his inability to convert any of that into love. Also, the book pretty much just comes to a halt, skipping twenty or more years of his life, when such great detail was given to the beginning.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting and very readable memoir. It is marketed as a culture conflict story (the subtitle is: A Muslim Boy Meets the West) and certainly religion is discussed. Nevertheless, far and away most of the book has to do with the author's struggles to connect with people. He is very candid in how uncomfortable his interactions with girls in his youth have been and does not hide how the boys he knew as a child and young adult often disliked and/or offended him. Only in the last, and perhaps shortest, chapter of the book (age 48) does he speak to having a personal emotional connection at all, and that connection is with a rabbit.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Imran Ahmad's memoir of growing up Muslim in the UK. He is frank about his struggles to meet girls, understand religion, and find a reliable car. Along the way he encounters disappointments but learns from them. His talk of Scotland made me homesick.

It was interesting reading a memoir written by a British male Muslim. Most of the Muslim memoirs I have read were written by women living in America. The only thing that bugged me was that he skipped over a huge chunk of his life. He jumps from age 25 to age 37. So I feel like I missed out on something.