The Nine Lives of Pakistan


Name : The Nine Lives of Pakistan
Author : Declan Walsh
Year of Publication : 2020
Genre : Non-Fiction, Pakistan, International Relations
Rating : ***1/2 (3.5 stars out of 5)

In 1983, Tariq Ali memorably asked, "Can Pakistan Survive?" in the title of his book. Since then, many writers, local and foreign, have grappled with the fact that Pakistan has, somehow, survived. Declan Walsh, a journalist who spent many years in Pakistan, is the latest. He tells the tale of Pakistan by profiling nine people who encapsulate the country's contradictions. It is telling that many of those nine met a violent death. The author mixes daring reportage with history : For example, in a chapter on a Pashtun chieftain, the author introduces the subject playing around with guns, gives an overview of Pashtun history and then jumps right back to the subject playing a life-or-death battle in the tribal hinterlands. That the author survived these challenging assignments itself is an achievement, writing such an engaging book is a blood-soaked cherry on the cake.

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