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Tuesday 28 April 2009

IB - Imran Ahmad - Unimagined

Title:  Unimagined
Author:  Imran Ahmad
Publisher:  Aurum
ISBN:  9781845133252
Price:  £7.99

The Back of the Book:  Part Bend it Like Beckham, part Adrian Mole, Unimagined is the hilarious memoir of a Muslim boy born in Pakistan, who moves to London aged one and grows up torn between his Islamic identity and his desire to embrace the West.  Imran recalls his childhood in a series of vivid snapshots:  outrage as deservd victory is snatched away from him in the Karachi Bonnie Baby contest; bitterness as he is tricked out of his collection of Tarzan bubble-gum cards by junior con artists; the heady taste of early success in the Metropilitan Police schools quiz; joy at passing the entrance exam to the local grammar school; uncertainty as he seeks to become a doctor (like all good Asian boys); bewilderment as he tries to learn about girls at university; and shock at experiencing racism in its many forms.

Unimagined is the endearing sotry of a Middle England everyman who just happens to be Muslim.

Why I Chose this Book:  I nearly deleted this book without purchasing a copy when it came to the top of my wishlist as I'm generally more interested in the experience of women than men.  However, I'm fairly sure I'd added it in the first place after a very enthusiastic review on a friend's blog so I did buy a copy.

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