Daniyal Mueenuddin
The headlines from Pakistan are relentless, and all too familiar. But Pakistani author Daniyal Mueenuddin, in his stunning debut collection of short stories, goes well beyond the predictable, into the brooding, tender heart of his country.
Friendships and love affairs; poverty and ambition; the dramas, large and small, of rural life. Behind it all, a tapestry of banyan trees, mango groves, decaying feudal estates. And history, in the eyes of maids, laborers, and landowners.
This hour, On Point: Daniyal Mueenuddin on his Pakistan.
You can join the conversation. What’s your question about life in Pakistan? Pakistani, South Asian listeners, do you hear familiar voices in Daniyal Mueenuddin’s stories?
-Jane Clayson, guest host
Tom Ashbrook is on vacation this week.
Guest:
Daniyal Mueenuddin joins us from New York. His debut collection , “In Other Rooms, Other Wonders,” has captivated critics, with strong reviews in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal. He grew up in Pakistan and was educated here in the United States. He worked in the U.S., but moved back to Pakistan years ago and now tends a farm in a rural stretch of Punjab province, where he grows mango, cotton, and sugarcane.
You can read the collection’s title story at The New Yorker.
Tags: books, culture, pakistan
“The preachers in the mosques might be a bit more virulent.”
This statement touches a sensitive nerve in US-Pakistan relations. There are many similarities between the evangelist christians in The USA and the fundamentalist muslim mullahs of south Asia.
Both groups subjugate women. The primary difference is that many Pakistani muslims are perceived as being eager to administer violent punishment upon females who “stray” from strict patriarchy.
It may not be quite on-point to state this, now, but a Pakistani born broadcaster in Buffalo beheaded his wife there last week. This sort of horror does nothing positive for the image of traditional Pakistani men.
Posted by Mari McAvenia, on February 20th, 2009 at 11:40 am ESTNot in the minds of Americans, at least. Maybe it’s a different experience all together for those virulent preachers in Pakistan, though, and the flocks of people who listen to them, faithfully.
Daniel Mueenuddin attended a boarding school in Massachusetts and later, moved on to attend Dartmouth College.
Did his English teachers in either school directly influence his becomeing a writer? Was Daniel an English major?
Would he credit a mentor/thesis advisor with getting him to “write about what he knows.”
–Charles Whitin, Providence
Posted by Charles Whitin, on February 20th, 2009 at 11:47 am ESTGrowing up in pakistan, I was not able to find any romance in life there, everything, every aspect of life was controlled, by family or tradition or religion. Even the most utterly non sensical tradion had to be followed without question, yes, even by my US educated uncle and a physician father.
The blind leading the blind, the most illitrate were able to recite Koran, without eve knowing what the words meant, because they were forced to learn it, and that was the only possible “education” provided them,
none of it has changed much in the past forty years.
Rich get richer, and oppress the poor, in all manners, there is no concept of justice or fairness, no concept of human rights and respect for the rights of the others, thus we have the Islamist insurgency, supported by the poor, just as I had predicted 23 years ago to my relatives there.
What I do see and have been writing about is, that the United States, over the last many years has followed down the same road of not caring about the poor, or giving a whit about economic and social justice, all in the name of progress.
When you corrupt a senator, or a police officer,aa judge or a city council man, once, for your own advantage, you corrupt the whole lot of them for everyone.
In many ways, I see the United States becoming more like Pakistan, and that is a scary thought.
Posted by MOHAMMED N. RAZAVI, on February 20th, 2009 at 4:42 pm ESTThis was a great program. How can I find out about the music that was featured
Posted by Syvalia Hyman,III, on February 20th, 2009 at 8:35 pm ESTduring this broadcast?
Regarding Syvalia Hyman’s question about the music featured on the February 20 program: “Writing the Unkown Pakistan,” I believe I recognized the haunting voice of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, a Pakistani vocalist of the ancient Qawwali tradition. He is considered the Pavarotti of this style. Deservedly so. One can find his biography on Wikipedia.
Robert Young
Posted by Robert Young, on February 20th, 2009 at 11:29 pm ESTShahbash for a beautiful book of linked short stories depicting the lives of people in different social, and economic groups of Pakistan. I’m looking forward to more of your storeis, and I’d love to meet you in person if you visit the Boston/New Hampshire area. Your life in two different worlds strikes a chord dear to me having lived 40% of my life in India and 60% in the US. At Duke I married a PHD forestry student. Shortly after marriage Madhu wanted to return to India. I went with him and lived a very enchanting and different life as the American wife of an Indian forest officer in Himachal Pradesh. Being of two cultures is something very special and I totally agree with your comment on the radio show that one changes so much in personality while speaking two different languages and truly interacting with people of two cultures. When I am speaking Hindi I also increase my gestures and my facial expressions change as you mentioned.
Posted by Elma E. Vaidya, on February 21st, 2009 at 11:20 am ESTDaniyal’s life experience reminded me of my childhood. Raised by servants who almost become part of your family. Not just those individuals but their relatives as well; for examples their children, nephews etc… I am about the same age as D.M. and can relate to his experience. You can write so much about Pakistan. Its story changes every 10 years. 70’s was sociallism, 80’s was Soviet war, 90’s was Taliban and last 10 years have been war on terrorism.
Posted by Imad Raza, on February 21st, 2009 at 6:53 pm ESTJust found out from NPR’s Morning Edition that his mother is from Wisconsin and that’s where he spent his time in the U.S. as a kid. And he’s writing stories about our state! Yay!
Posted by Mike, on March 6th, 2009 at 10:26 am ESTHow wonderful! Daniyal’s insightful observation of the life and society in Pakistan is very informative. It is a unique perspective which is not only honest but is also presented with empathy. I suggest we should spread the word about this book. Let more people read it. Thank you, Daniyal, for writing it.
Iftikhar Ahmad
Posted by Iftikhar Ahmad, on April 18th, 2009 at 1:57 am EDTNew York