The notepad: Saman Shamsie

Saman Shamsie shares her favourite novels with us, including one written by her sister


February 14, 2016

Saman Shamsie hails from a family of renowned literary geniuses. She is a published author, a regular contributor to Newsline magazine, and a teacher at the Karachi Grammar School. She shares her favourite novels with us, including one written by her sister.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - C.S Lewis



An all-time favourite, I read excerpts from it to my students to try and hook them onto reading. It is such an imaginative and compelling story about children who enter another world through the wardrobe. It has all the juicy ingredients of betrayal, a pure heart and the ultimate triumph of good over evil.

The Unburied - Charles Palliser



It is an intellectual mystery involving a lost manuscript. It is written in the style of a Victorian gothic novel. Its descriptions are very evocative, so one is immediately transported away to another era. Palliser is one of my favourite authors.

The Secret of Santa Vittoria - Robert Chrichton



A hilarious book set in WWII. It is based on the true story of an Italian village going to great lengths to save their economy from being destroyed by the occupying Nazis. It is one of the few books where I actually laughed out loud while reading.

The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseni 



This is a beautiful and moving story about an Afghan boy, who carries a guilty secret and ultimately finds his way to America. The main character, Amir, is flawed and Hosseni makes no excuses for him. I found him interesting, as he is not always easy to like.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams



One of the funniest books I have ever read. I think it appeals to people of all ages. The characters, Arthur Dent, also known as Dent Arthur Dent and the two-headed Zaphod Beeblebrox are hard to forget. It is story about a man finding his way into space just before the earth is about to be demolished.

Salt and Saffron - Kamila Shamsie



This is a hot favourite of mine. As Kamila’s sister I have loved and read all her books many times. This was her second novel, and it sort of blew my mind that she had written it. I loved the complexity and interweaving of characters and the many fantastical tales. The stories reminded me of my grandmother and her tales of the past.

Gone with the Wind - Margaret Mitchell



I read it when I was 13. It was the biggest book I had ever read at the time, and I could not put it down. It is an epic story set against the backdrop of the American Civil war. The characters are hard to forget. It was an emotional read and I cried quite bit. I remember being able to quote a lot from it.

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