Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Uzma Jalaluddin lists her favourite books

Uzma Jalaluddin lists her favourite books

ACCLAIMED Canadian author Uzma Jalaluddin announced herself with awesome debut novel Ayesha At Last, which was compared to Jane Austen classic Pride And Prejudice. Her recently released second novel Hana Khan Carries On has continued her impressive momentum as a writer and the story about the rivalry between two competing halal restaurants has been compared to hit Hollywood movie You’ve Got Mail.

The root of her impressive writing ability is directly connected to a deep love for reading from a young age and with that in mind Eastern Eye got Uzma Jalaluddin to select 10 books she loves.


Second lead inset hana khan carries on UK cover final

Before making her selection, she said: “It is impossible to have a top 10 of all time, for voracious readers like me, so this is my top 10 currently at the top of my mind and in no particular order.”

A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth: This is a classic, hilarious, nuanced, and a multi-generational tale set in India.

Anne of Green Gables by L.M Montgomery: The classic Canadian children’s novel about a redhaired orphan girl growing up in Canada’s smallest province, Prince Edward Island.

Three Cheers for Me by Donald Jack: This is an obscure but hilarious novel about a World War One bumbling solider.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams: A cult sci-fi comedy that made me laugh very hard.

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid: A contemporary novel that brilliantly explores issues of race.

Act Like It by Lucy Parker: A fun romance by one of my favourite authors, set in the world of the London theatre scene.

The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri: The classic literary novel by the great Jhumpa Lahiri is a great exploration of second generation south Asian identity in the United States.

Laughing All The Way To The Mosque by Zarqa Nawaz: A hilarious memoir by producer, writer, and Canadian Muslim comedian and creator of the hit Canadian television show, Little Mosque on the Prairie.

Better Luck Next Time by Kate Hilton: A hilarious and timely portrait of a complicated family whose matriarch is a feminist icon.

A Deadly Divide by Ausma Zehanat Khan: A fascinating crime novel that takes place in the aftermath of a mosque shooting in Toronto.

Visit www.uzmajalaluddin. com, Twitter @UzmaWrites & Instagram @UzmaJalaluddin

More For You

Fearless account of migrant women who built lives in UK

Nages Amirthananthar

Fearless account of migrant women who built lives in UK

AN ASIAN migrant who arrived in the UK without speaking a word of English has described her experience of assimilation in an award-winning documentary released last month.

Nages Amirthananthar, 83, features in Fearless, which tells the stories of six women who left their homes as young adults to build new lives in Britain.

Keep ReadingShow less
Raynor Winn

The controversy, now widely referred to as The Salt Path scandal

Getty Images

Raynor Winn calls Salt Path scandal claims 'highly misleading' amid backlash

Highlights

  • The Salt Path author Raynor Winn calls media claims “highly misleading”
  • Allegations published in The Observer raise doubts about key memoir details
  • PSPA charity ends relationship with Winn and her husband Moth
  • Winn pulls out of Saltlines tour but is still scheduled for literary events

Author rejects claims as legal advice sought

Raynor Winn, the author of the best-selling memoir The Salt Path, has strongly denied accusations that parts of her book are fabricated, describing recent media coverage as “highly misleading” and confirming that she and her husband are taking legal advice.

The controversy, now widely referred to as The Salt Path scandal, follows an Observer report that disputes aspects of the memoir’s central narrative, including the timeline and medical diagnosis that prompted the journey at the heart of the book.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jasbinder Bilan

Jasbinder Bilan

Jasbinder Bilan’s journey of heart and heritage: From Himalayan tales to global acclaim

When Jasbinder Bilan first paused her teaching career to pursue a creative writing degree, she had no idea it would lead to a life-changing breakthrough. What began as a leap of faith became a journey filled with hope, rejection and ultimately triumph. Inspired by her beloved grandmother and her Indian roots, Bilan poured her soul into her debut manuscript Song of the Mountain. Though the publishing world was not immediately ready for her story, perseverance paid off when she won the 2016 Times Chicken House Prize, launching her celebrated writing career. Now, following the success of her Costa Award-winning Asha and the Spirit Bird, Bilan returns with a powerful new historical adventure, Naeli and the Secret Song. In this exclusive interview, she speaks about the emotional inspiration behind the book, her love for young readers and the importance of believing in your voice — no matter how long it takes to be heard.

What first connected you to writing?
It was stories more than writing that were my first love. My grandmother, Majee, was the storyteller in our house and it was those bonding moments that sparked my love for creating my own stories. She told me lots of Indian folk tales at bedtime, but she also shared stories of our life in India on the farm near the foothills of the Himalaya. So, I grew up feeling connected to a place that I then filled with my imagination. As a little girl I loved drawing and writing, and always wanted to be a writer, but it took me a long time to make that dream come true.

Keep ReadingShow less
Rachel Zegler’s ‘Evita’ Performance Sparks Broadway Buzz

Rachel Zegler stuns in Jamie Lloyd’s Evita as Palladium crowds grow nightly

Instagram/officialevita

Rachel Zegler shines in Jamie Lloyd’s ‘Evita’ as West End hit eyes Broadway transfer

Quick highlights:

 
     
  • Rachel Zegler plays Eva Perón in Jamie Lloyd’s radical Evita revival at the London Palladium.
  •  
  • A viral moment features Zegler singing live from the theatre’s balcony to crowds on the street.
  •  
  • Lloyd’s stripped-down staging amps up visuals and sound but sacrifices storytelling depth.
  •  
  • Talks are on for a Broadway transfer as early as 2026 with Zegler confirmed to reprise her role.
  •  
 

Rachel Zegler commands the London stage as Eva Perón in Jamie Lloyd’s daring reimagining of Evita, a production that trades subtlety for spectacle and could soon be heading to Broadway.

Following the success of Sunset Boulevard, Lloyd’s signature stripped-down style meets rock concert intensity in this revived version of the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice musical. Zegler, in only her second major stage role, dazzles with commanding vocals and presence, even as critics debate the show’s dramatic clarity.

Keep ReadingShow less
K Anis Ahmed

K Anis Ahmed’s new novel Carnivore is as imaginative as it is provocative

AMG

K Anis Ahmed’s 'Carnivore' serves up satire, class war and moral rot

From the blood-soaked backstreets of Dhaka to the polished kitchens of Manhattan’s elite, K Anis Ahmed’s new novel Carnivore is as imaginative as it is provocative. A satirical thriller steeped in class tension, culinary obsession and primal survival, Carnivore follows Kash, a Bangladeshi immigrant-turned-chef who launches a high-end restaurant serving exotic meats – only to become embroiled in a sinister world of appetite and ambition.

But this is no simple tale of knives and recipes. Ahmed – a seasoned journalist, publisher, and president of PEN Bangladesh – brings a sharp eye to the grotesqueries of power and privilege. In this exclusive interview with Eastern Eye, he speaks about his passion for food, the moral murkiness of his characters, and why even the most ordinary people can spiral into extraordinary darkness.

Keep ReadingShow less