The notepad

Aysha Raja, a lawyer by profession and the owner of the bookstore ‘The Last Word’, spoke to us about her love for books, and how she’s drawn to fiction and satire in particular!

Catch-22 By Joseph Heller



Where warfare is a norm of our modern age, Heller brings us face-to-face with its absurdity and senseless loss. Catch-22 is full of dark humour, and leaves us with much to ponder on.

Scoop By Evelyn Waugh



Staying on the theme of unrest, Waugh satirises the press in this hilarious sendup of war correspondents chasing a story in the hapless African Republic of Ishmaelia.

Flashman And The Mountain Of Light By George Macdonald Fraser



One of a series of novels based on the supposedly discovered historical papers of the misogynistic and cowardly Victorian soldier Harry Paget Flashman. Mountain of Light sees Flashman sleep his way through Ranjit Singh’s court, plot the Khalsa Army downfall and smuggle the hapless Dilip Singh along with the stolen Kohinoor to England. This book is surprisingly an accurate comic account of the ruthless nature of the British Raj.

A Case of Exploding Mangoes By Mohammad Hanif



The funniest and most believable alternative history of Zia-ul-Haq’s Pakistan. This book is close to my heart for many reasons. Not only did it provide relief during the worst of Musharraf’s military rule, but Hanif’s debut was the first book I ever launched as a publicist. Just reading this book felt like an act of defiance, and like any true classic, it stands the test of time.

Orlando By Virginia Woolf



A journey through time and gender as embodied by the 200-year-old Orlando. This book is an exploration of the inequalities and resulting ironies caused by gender differences, a fiercely feminist book essential for both sexes!

The Master And Margarita By Mikhail Bulgakov



A surreal, fun and searing novel that defies summary. The story flits between Moscow during Soviet Russia and Jerusalem at the time of the crucifixion. Reading this is my all-time favourite experience.

In The Eye Of The Sun By Ahdaf Souief



A devastatingly beautiful coming of age novel the size of a brick: It charts Aasya’s sexual awakening which kicks off during the ‘73 war in contemporary Cairo. Aasya’s string of disappointments, broken dreams and obsessions makes you rethink the values all Muslim elites hold dear.