2010

I just finished reading ‘The Wish Maker’ by Ali Sethi. It’s a large debut novel with over 400 pages and it’s good. I finished it in a week. It’s a coming of age story that is narrated through the main character who lives in Lahore. The author provides an illuminating look into life in Pakistan but more importantly shows that there are people in Pakistan who are not unlike people living elsewhere in the world. They have aspirations, hopes, and dreams. They fall in love and they fight. They laugh and they cry. They have fun, they party, they have relationships, they drink, they pray, the celebrate. They are not just fanatics, or terrorists or the victims of terrorists. They are more than the condescending singular identity that is ascribed to them by the newspapers and the cable news channels. The Wish Maker made me laugh and brought nostalgic memories of Pakistan. I thought that it would be last book that I read this year but I have already started reading Andalus by Jason Webster.

The year is coming to end and not just the year but a whole decade is coming to an end. It’s a strange feeling as I distinctly remember the start of the new millennium and the eve or year 2000 and it doesn’t feel like it happened a long time ago. It’s amazing to look back and see where I was then and where I am now. In the year 2000, I was in first year of college and unsure of my future. There were so many uncertainties. Now all those thoughts seem foolish and I think of how good the last decade has been to me. I graduated successfully and got a good job. I found the person who I intend to spend the rest of my life with and got married. I moved to Europe and traveled extensively around the world. I read great books and watched amazing films. I made great friends and lost others along the way. I lived life to it’s fullest, enjoyed every bit of it, now looking forward to another new and exciting year.

2009 has been a good year. I love to travel and got to see various new places. In the beginning of the year, I took a memorable trip to India and visited some of the places that I have been meaning to see all my life. My second trip took me to Budapest. I also saw Venice and Lisbon this year. In October I spent a few days in Sardinia. In three days I am off to London for the third trip year. It has certainly become one of my favorite cities in the world. After spending Christmas London I am going to spend the last few days of the year and the new year’s eve in Berlin. I am trying to see as much of Europe as I can. I feel that my time living here is coming to an end but now I have becomes accustomed to living here and don’t want to leave.

Some of the good books that I read this year include A Case of Exploding Mangoes, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, and The Story of My Experiments with Truth. I finished reading Among the Believers by Naipaul last week now I am certainly convinced that he is one of most arrogant, conceited, narrow minded, condescending, orientalist, islamophobic but brilliant writers of our times. His writing is addictive and his opinions are controversial. I hate his views but love his writing.

Surprisingly, the only book that I didn’t like this year was The enchantress of Florence by Rushdie. I still haven’t finished it. It’s such a bore towards the end that I struggle with it.

I have seen so many films this year that I can’t even remember many of them. When I try to think of particular movies that I really liked, Moon, The Hurt Locker, Milk, Revolutionary Road, Gran Torino, and Harry Brown come to mind. There are probably others that I can’t think of at the moment.

I hope the new year brings more successes, excitement, joys, and adventures.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years to all.