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50 Books: What’s on Bookshelves and Library Borrow Lists in the Amaliah Community?

by in Culture & Lifestyle on 31st December, 2020

We asked the Amaliah community what their recommended reads for the year ahead were. We’ve seen some favs, some new recommendations and many have been added to our personal wish list for the year ahead. From books on race to religion or romance, there’s a pick for everyone.  We’ve curated the list for you and you may spot some of our fav #bookstagrammers below.

If you have read one of these books and would like to submit a book review then please email contribute@amaliah.com

1.Quran of the Oppressed: Liberation theology and gender justice in Islam

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I love training/inset days at my kids’ school. It means I get to go out with one or two of them and get some quality time in. Today we headed out to the beautiful @pearls_tearoom for lunch where I snapped a pic of a book I finished a few weeks back but hadn’t yet reviewed. Also, can you spot me?⁣ ⁣ Qur’an of the Oppressed by Shadaab Rahemutullah is one I had on my radar for a long while and one day when I went for a supervision meeting one of my supervisors said she’d been sent a book that she thought I’d appreciate more and out she pulled this one! Alhamdulilah, I was so pleased!⁣ ⁣ In this work Rahemutullah introduces and summarises the liberatory approach to reading the Qur’an, especially vis-a-vis South African apartheid, as is the case with the work of Farid Esack, and gender, as in the case of Ali Asghar, amina wadud, and Asma Barlas. This is a great book not only for understanding the interpretive methods and the social and political contexts of these scholars and how they read the text of the Qur’an in a manner that addresses their contexts, but also in reading their approaches with a positive and productive critique of their approaches too, that is fair and well considered. ⁣ ⁣ Though an academic text, it’s written in an accessible manner. It’s the price tag that sadly makes it so eye-wateringly inaccessible. If you can source it through a library though, I’d highly recommend you do so! ⁣ ⁣ #quranoftheoppressed #shadaabrahemtullah #tafsir #jummahmubarak #pearlstearoom #islamicstudies #quranicstudies #faridesack #aminawadud #asmabarlas #aliasgharengineer

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2. Loud Black Girls

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🚨Out NOW! 🚨 . Now that we’ve learnt how to Slay in our Lanes, what’s next? Yomi Adegoke and Elizabeth Uviebinené invite the next generation of black women in Britain – authors, journalists, actors, activists and artists – to explore what it means to them to exist in these turbulent times. . From assessing the cultural impact of Marvel’s Black Panther, to celebrating activism in local communities. From asking how we can secure the bag while staying true to our principles, or how we can teach our daughters to own their voices, to reclaiming our culinary heritage, the essays in Loud Black Girls offer funny touching and ultimately insightful perspectives on the question of ‘What’s Next?’ . . . . (Regram @slayinyourlane) #loudblackgirls #slayinyourlane #fbs #forbookssake #books #reading #read #bibliophile #igreads #bookstagram #instabook #tbr #BlackHistoryMonth

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3. The Beekeeper of Aleppo

4. Muhammad by Martin Ling

5. Secrets of Divine Love

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.READY STOCK Alhamdullilah! Here is the book I promised I would write you guys! I put my heart and soul into these words because I felt like there was a need for something that spoke to the broken pieces within us. People ask me what this book is about and every time I struggle to answer this question because I want to say its the journey of discovering Islam through the essence of love that has always existed within it. “Secrets of Divine Love” confronts and challenges how Islam is taught online and in the mainstream media, and it is deeply rooted in classical Islamic theology. Thats the thing, this religion, or better said way of life is about love. We are called to be scholars of love, to live in love, and become love. I think without love everything we do becomes void of passion, excitement, and loyalty. I think without the love of Allah our worship becomes rigid, dry, and brittle. I think it is through the love of Allah and feeling loved by Allah that we unveil the faith that we have always carried but had forgotten due to the veils of shame, judgement, and criticism. I pray it serves every single one of you who are longing to feel closer to Allah and to experience His Love 💕 #Repost from @quranquotesdaily Secrets Of Divine Love Ready stock di @merakibooks_ 🔥 #secretsofdivinelove #linkinthebio #merakibookshighlight #merakibooks #bookstagrammalaysia #malaysiabookstore

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6. Pachinko

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📚 #APIBOOKSTATOUR 📚 – “We cannot help but be interested in the stories of people that history pushes aside so thoughtlessly.”- Pachinko by Min Jin Lee 작가님✍🏼🇰🇷 – Pachinko by Min Jin Lee 작가님 is one that completely changed my life. A multigenerational family saga about Sunja whose decision to abandon Korea for Japan and how her decision has a ripple effect across three generations. It is in Pachinko that I first saw someone of my heritage represented not as a side character but an extremely nuanced main character. Also, it is one of the first books written about Koreans by a fellow Korean author that was read by so many. To see that Pachinko was so loved and resonated with many made this little Korean girl’s heart swell up with pride. Not a feeling that comes up often when you live in America, but I was so proud to be Korean. Pachinko will always hold a special place in my heart. Not only did Pachinko feel like my own family’s history, but 작가님 is able to masterfully capture the effects of colonization, the Korean War, Korea’s economic boom, even to Koreans who were not in Korea during those times. When I first found out Pachinko did not take place in Korea, I was disappointed. Would it truly capture what it means to be Korean outside of Korea? However, I think that’s what I love most about Pachinko now because 작가님 shows the strong connection we have towards our heritage, no matter where we may be. With the exception of Sunja, her kids all grew up in Japan. However, while they never visited Korea, their connection to their Korean heritage was so strong. Eventually one of the characters struggles with his identity, not knowing where to call home. I think about “heritage” a lot. Like many of you, I have built a life in America and will not return to live in my motherland. But, the strong connection, that pull I have towards my heritage is something I can never deny. With age, I’m desperate to hold on to my “Korean-ness” even more, afraid that with the next generation, some of my heritage may be erased. This is why I read. Through books, my cultural heritage will live. Our stories will never be erased🇰🇷

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7. Sex and World Peace

8. Slavery in Islam

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Slavery & Islam (gifted by @oneworldpublications ) || an overview • – – I started reading Slavery and Islam by Jonathan AC Brown during Ramadan. This book originally started off as a series of essays written by the author for Yaqeen Institute and I’ll admit that the author’s whiteness did influence how I approached it. I was worried that the book will border on “apologetic” where slavery is concerned but a thorough reading of the Introduction put me at ease, somewhat. • – This book sets out to answer the questions “why do our scriptures condone slavery and why did our prophets practice it? How can we venerate people and texts that considered slavery valid or normal? And if we see clear and egregious moral wrongs that those people and texts so conspicuously missed, why are we generating or honoring them in the first place?” These questions are particularly important in the extreme case of sex slavery. • – In the first chapter titled “Does Slavery exist?” which I need to point out took a lot of willpower for me to read as openly as possible, Brown came to one conclusion, amongst many, that because humans have had (and still have) trouble defining slavery across different societies, the word is being stretched to its limit in discourses, in a way that result in the “cheapening of the sufferings of enslaved Africans (emphasis on “in America”) This conclusion especially stood out to me while reading the comments under John Boyega’s “I fucking hate racists” tweet. So many people are looking for ways to trivialize the fact that George Floyd was killed simply because he was black with phrases like “other races face racism too”. In short, trying to broaden the umbrella of racism in a conversation that’s obviously about the systematic racism Black people face! • – Lots of other races face racism too, yes and white people can’t claim they experience racism 🙄. Please stop trying to “all-lives-matter” black people’s struggles. If your privilege is blocking all these things from entering, I can’t help you and it’s not the job of black people, who already have to deal with so much, to teach you. Do better! Read some books!

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9. Ayesha at Last

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I devoured Ayesha at Last and was quite sad when it ended! It was lighthearted and full of humor, while addressing some serious topics. A modern day Canadian Muslim retelling of Pride and Prejudice that felt unique in comparison to the original tale. We follow Ayesha Shamsi, a teacher that dreams of being a poet. The community around Ayesha is constantly reminding her that she has grown past the usual age to get married, however Ayesha is an independent woman who does not want an arranged marriage. Through a friend at work, she meets Khalid, a smart, hardworking and traditional man trying to find himself. Khalid initially judges Ayesha on her not being a traditional Muslim and the sparks between them fly. The author touches on many themes that are apparent in the Western Muslim communities of today, such as faith, arranged marriages, immigration, and religious discrimination. She also captures the diversity of these communities, the different ethnicities and nationalities, traditions and cultures, beliefs and levels of religiosity. There is one portion of the book that disappointed me, one of the main characters is peer pressured to trim his beard and conform to Western wear. He is then praised and applauded by everyone. I think the author was trying to convey that the man was confident in his identity and his faith without needing to visually display it by dressing in traditional clothing, but this felt more like he lost a part of himself. However, our two main characters had so much depth that it was hard not to love them. I also loved the relationship that Ayesha had with her grandparents. I would recommend. 4 Stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ For Own Voices reviews, please check out @sumaiyya.books, @manybookslesstime and @romancelibrary.

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10. The Problem with Forever

11. How to Stay Sane in an Age of Division

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"If I go on writing stories, will those memories protect me?" 💥How to Stay Sane in An Age of Division by Elif Shafak I highly encourage everyone to pick this one up! The way Shafak touches a lot of vital issues concerning humanity — namely identity, home, tribalism, race, democracy, anxiety, anger, and belonging(s) — is wonderful. The book is saturated with meaning, sensitivity, strong and complex opinions, and total love for human psyche and the world. I didn't expect to cry so much with this book, but it happened. I felt that Shafak's writing touched me to the very core of my existence, and it even brought up thoughts and feelings that I never knew I had inside me. I just can't wait to read more of her writing. 🌌The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa Honestly, I can't find words to describe this book! A dystopian novel, set on an unnamed island, where things keep disappearing: boats, music boxes, ribbons, birds, photographs — who knows what comes next? Are people themselves facing the danger of disappearing as well? As things keep disappearing, they also get erased from people's minds, and they completely lose their meaning, as people lose any memory they had of those things. But not all people. Some of them, are able to retain their memories. Those people are brutally taken away by The Memory Police, and nobody ever sees them or hears from them again. A young novelist — our narrator and main protagonist — decides to hide and protect her editor, who is one of the people who don't forget. But, can she contradict and act against the Memory Police? Can she prevent herself from experiencing another loss? This mesmerising, heart-rending, haunting, and claustrophobic tale is one of the most sensational books I've read recently. Ogawa's writing is complex, infused with intimacy and depth. An imaginative, dark, and powerful story, with psychological complexity and multiple layers. Highly recommend! . . . #bibliophile #bookworm #bookish #bookishlife #booksofinstagram #bookstagram #bookgram #instabooks #howtostaysaneinanageofdivision #thememorypolice #bookreview #bookrecommendations #bookpost #bookblog #bookcover #bookcommunity #bookstagrammer #read

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12. Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine

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It’s #WorldMentalHealthDay! ✨ 📚 In honour of this very important day, I wanted to share one of my favourite novels; one that tackles this issue in a powerful, delightful, and heartwarming way. 💝 if you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend it! Gail Honeyman nails this storyline, and it’s full of light and hope. 💭 The importance of being kind in these times cannot be overemphasised. Indeed, the internet world can be a harsh and denigrating place. It can also be the place where we wear our most potent masks 🎭 and hide our insecurities and mental state behind all of our highlight reels. I just finished watching a documentary which reminds me that internet representation does not equate to reality! 💛 Please reach out to your loved ones. And at the same time… Let’s remove the stigma surrounding reaching out for help! Please reach out to a mental health professional if you are battling with debilitating things. It’s okay not to be okay. 💛 Any reading recommendations on #MentalHealth? Share in the comments below!

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13. Your Silence will not Protect you

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i thought a lot about this quote/book title by audre lorde while posting my last story about antisemitism in the left. words by a wise, black lesbian poet and feminist that i read while i was sipping sweet mint tea in the cafe of the parisian mosque. i was talking to @the.woman.machine about shared experiences of oppression and i wasn‘t actually that sad. it was empowering. i don‘t advocate to appropriate other people‘s struggle – i will never be able to relate to audre lorde‘s words the way black (queer) women can. i don’t like how differences between different groups are erased in many contemporary feminist discourses. everyone faces different struggles which we have to acknowledge. but in my opinion exchanging and supporting each other, having each others backs is the only way to survive in (a often very hateful) society. i‘m glad i know so many people who are happy to discuss and happy to share their experiences which absolutely shouldn‘t be a must. #audrelorde #paris #yoursilencewillnotprotectyou #paris

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14. The Patient: He’ll use your fear against you

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The Patient ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The beginning of this book reminded me strongly of The Silent Patient; a mysterious patient that our young, smart protagonist needs to figure out, a fellow Doctor who seemed like an asshole and the writing in the form of diary/blog posts, but the similarity’s stop there. But not even 20 pages in, I was hooked. The Patient is an easy book to read in one day, not just because it’s quite short, but because you are so intrigued by the mystery. I love books featuring mental health, psychology and mystery, and this had it all. I had an inkling about the ending, which was only slightly correct because this book turned out to be way different than I expected. Overall, I loved that I couldn’t put this book down, and the ending is quite genuinely frightening and very different to my usual reads. There’s also talk about it becoming a movie by Ryan Reynolds sooo definitely keen for that! 💙 Jacqueline

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15. Mornings in Jenin

15. Traveling Home

16. Minaret

17. Natives: Akala

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One of our regular events is book club (@bookishleeds) run by the wonderful @hspruce The next book is @akalamusic ‘s “Natives” and we’ll be discussing up to chapter 7 on Tuesday, 10th December at 7pm. It’s open to absolutely everyone so if you’d like to attend, the door’s open. We encourage open conversation and healthy debate but equally if you’re not in talkative mode, there’s no pressure, everyone is very friendly! 📖 . #coworking #coworkingspace #coworkingspaces #sharedworkspace #flexible #workspace #office #work #wework #meanwood #independentleeds #smallbusiness #hotdesk #entrepreneur #creative #innovator #freelance #digital #futureofwork #leedslife #leeds678 #discoverleeds #leedspopup #meanwood #leedsevents #womenintech @femmebought #bookclub #leedsbookclub #bookstagram #nativesakala

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18. The stoning is Soraya

19. The lies that bind

20. The Parisian

21. The Promise of Patriarchy: Women and the Nation of Islam

22. A woman in no man

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👩🏽A Woman Is No Man👩🏽⁣ ⁣ 5/5 stars⁣ ⁣ W O W! Etaf Rum’s debut novel is spectacular and took us on quite the rollercoaster of emotions that we were not prepared for. A Woman is No Man follows Deya, an Arab-American teenager as she struggles to navigate her life in America whilst living with her traditional family. Deya’s narrative is often compared to her mother’s from over a decade earlier and it truly shows the hardships of growing up in a conservative household whilst holding a vastly different mindset. This book is engaging, infuriating, powerful and beautiful. Do yourself a favour and give this book a read.⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookphotography #bookrecommendation #bookreview #bookworm #goodreads #instabook #bookaddict #bookaesthetic #bookaholic #bookblogger #booklover #booknerd #bookreviewer #readersofinstagram #bookclub #bookclubbook #herpeople #harpercollins #etafrum #awomanisnoman #contemporary #fiction

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23. A fly girls guide to university

24. The beauty of your face

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The Beauty of Your Face by @saharmustafahwriter is absolutely incredible. . . A story about a young Palestinian woman who’s family immigrated to the US, and is trying to figure out where she belongs and dealing with the racism and hatred she faces. And then comes face to face with a school shooter, where she is the headteacher. . . I think this is such an important book for people to read, it shows how complicated it is being an immigrant, trying to fit into a place that doesn’t really want you there, that thinks you are less because of the colour of your skin. To see how blind hatred can cause so much death and destruction. . . Once I started reading I just couldn’t put it down and I related so much to the MC, Afaf. An incredibly poignant and relevant story that everyone should. . . My full review will be up on my blog later today! . . . . . #sjmseptember2020 – wick Wednesday . #underratedbooks2020 – underrated standalone . . . . . . . . #thebeautyofyourface #saharmustafah #muslimshelfspace #diversebooks #diversereads #booksbooksbooks #underratedbooks #legendpress #bookstoread #bookrecommendations #bookreviews #bookbloggers #fictionbooks #contemporarybooks #lovethisbook #bookaddicts #bookhoarder #booksandtea #readingisfundamental #readthisbook #booksandcandles #wickwednesday #bibliophiles #representationmatters #muslimbooks

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24. Our Women on the ground: Arab journalists

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Via @bimler_and_bimler 💖 💚

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25. Awaken the giant in you

26. When I hit you

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Review: WHEN I HIT YOU by Meena Kandasamy . Stop #4 on my tour of the 2018 @womensprize shortlist. . Set in India, When I Hit You follows an unnamed narrator who marries a university professor and moves with him to a small, secluded town away from her friends and family. When he begins to abuse her physically and emotionally, she must find the courage to stand up for herself in a society that stigmatizes women who leave their husbands, even in the face of domestic violence. . Loosely based on Kandasamy’s own abusive marriage, this novel was very emotionally draining for me. At one point, I wondered why I was putting myself through such a deeply disturbing text. But the book helped me understand that I want to ensure I’m a true ally for people experiencing domestic violence. I want to be someone who doesn’t blame the victim, someone who looks for signs of abuse, someone who asks another person how they’re doing and really, truly, wants an honest reply. The narrator in this novel has nobody but herself—I want the people in my life to know that, at the very very least, they have me. . It wasn’t a flawless read—Kandasamy’s poetic style was distracting for me at times. But the benefits of reading it vastly outweighed those little irritations. . Recommended for: fans of The Handmaid’s Tale, or Yrsa Daley-Ward’s poetry . Amazing quote: “I am the woman who is willing to display her scars and put them within exhibition frames.” . #bluestockingbookreviews . . . . . . . @atlanticbooks #whenihityou #meenakandasamy #beautifulbooks #prettybooks #bookrecommendations #booksbooksbooks #booksoninstagram #bookcovers #bookdesign #bookcollector #bookcollection #bookcommunity #bookreview #bookreviewer #bookreviewblog #booksandplants #bookphoto #bookphotography #paperbacks #bookish #bookishfeatures #bookstagramfeature #bookstagrammer #bluestocking #bluestockingbookshelf #bookaccount #womensprizeforfiction

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28. Homes: A refugee Story

29. When we were Arabs

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“I am a Jewish Arab. For many, I’m a curiosity or a detestable thing. Some say I don’t exist, or if I did, I no longer do.” Thus go the opening lines of Massoud Hayoun’s book When We Were Arabs, which the writer described to me as a “decolonial memoir of my grandparents and what came before”. The book is an acutely well-researched and thorough account of the lives of Jewish North Africans before and after most of them left the region. I loved this book so much, and I’ve written a whole article on it, you can find it in my bio! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you @massoud.hayoun and @thenewpress for the copy! Picture courtesy of @ladiagnenaar, thank you for being my profesh book photographer while I hold my baby 😂. #ilhamreviews #whenwewerearabs #thenewpress

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30. The Pact we made

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Hello, it’s Sumaiyya (@sumaiyya.books), checking in to ask if you’ve read any books set in Kuwait? This month on the podcast I highlight THE PACT WE MADE by Layla Al Ammar (@laylaalammar_author), a brilliant #MeToo novel set in Kuwait.This novel is the story of a woman who’s living with trauma and is struggling against the societal pressure to get married by a certain age. Know more about THE PACT WE MADE by tuning in to our first episode under the theme of Dualities! Art lovers will appreciate some aspects of this novel.⠀ .⠀ 📸 : @sumaiyya.books⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #theReadingWomen #ThePactWeMade #LaylaAlAmmar #KuwaitiAuthor #ReadMoreWomen #WomenWriters #ReadWomen #NewEpisode #WomenPodcaster

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31. Girl, woman, other…

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Open your current read in page 26, and the first verb you find is what you should be doing right now. What is it? I’m currently reading What if it’s us in Spanish, and the first verb is… “Move on”. 🤯🤯 You guys I’m not lying and the book isn’t either lmao. And I did this randomly so @arrowmindedstories help me here this is scaring me 😂 Wolfsong, page 26: “think”. That’s more normal and still something I need to do, indeed 😂. So here’s another current read (Girl, woman, other) that I guess I’ll finish this month or the next, no rush 😝 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #girlwomanother #bernadineevaristo #currentlyreading #currentread #reading #read #love #book #bibliophile #books #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookishinstagram #bookishlove #bookblog #bookblogger #bookcommunity #booksofinstagram #booklover #bookrecommendations #authorsofinstagram #bookphotography #bestseller #coffee #booknerd #booknerdigans

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32. The Vanishing half

33. Kite runner

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Title : The Kite Runner Author :  Khaled Hosseini Pages : 371 The unforgettable, heartbreaking story of the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father’s servant, The Kite Runner is a beautifully crafted novel set in a country that is in the process of being destroyed. It is about the power of reading, the price of betrayal, and the possibility of redemption; and an exploration of the power of fathers over sons—their love, their sacrifices, their lies. A sweeping story of family, love, and friendship told against the devastating backdrop of the history of Afghanistan over the last thirty years, The Kite Runner is an unusual and powerful novel that has become a beloved, one-of-a-kind classic. #thekiterunner #kiterunner #kiterunnerbook #khaledhosseini #khaledhosseinibooks

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34. The map of salt and stars

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🧭 THE MAP OF SALT AND STARS – Zeyn Joukhadar 🧭 • • I have a bad habit of starting books without reading their blurbs properly, and this was another. I had no clue what I was getting into! Maybe that’s why it hit so hard and left me an emotional wreck. • • • The book follows two stories set in two different timelines: the first follows Nour, a 12 year old Syrian girl bought up in America whose family moves back to Syria after her fathers death. However, it isn't long before the civil war reaches it's peak and soon they are forced to flee.
The second story goes back hundreds of years and follows Rawiya, a young girl who wants to see more of the world and seek her fortune. She leaves home to become the apprentice of Al-Idrisi, a legendary (and very real) mapmaker who is on a quest to create a map of the world.
• • • I was a sobbing mess by the end of this book. Reading accounts of families fleeing their destroyed homes is heartbreaking already, but reading it from the eyes of a 12-year-old is distressful. Nour sees and experience things that no child should have to and the deaths, destruction and pain that follows their journey forces her to grow up too fast.
• • They were just like any other family; laughter, squabbles and all. But the shells dropping, that once seemed so distant, decided to rain on their area one evening, destroying all they knew and leaving them with no choice but to flee. Nour and her family were the lucky ones that actually made it. This isn’t a true story but it makes you wonder about those many people they met on their way that never made it. Those shot at borders, drowned at sea or shelled at home. They too were people once with stories of love and warmth and family. They too were people just looking for a place to feel safe. It reminds me of an insta post I saw a while back: 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 & 𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘹𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘣𝘪𝘤 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴; 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 & 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘶𝘤𝘬. • • Continued in comments ⬇️⬇️

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35. White Tiger

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‘Go to Old Delhi,and look at the way they keep chickens there in the market. Hundred of pale hens and brightly colored roosters, stuffed tightly into wire-mesh cages. They see the organs of their brothers lying around them.They know they are next, yet they cannot rebel. They do not try to get out of the coop. The very same thing is done with humans in this country.’ – Arvind Adiga, The White Tiger – —————————————————— QOTD: What are some of your favourite contemporary reads? For a debut novel The white Tiger is absolutely phenomenal, this is my first contemporary by an Indian author And I am so glad I picked it up, I pulled an all nighter with this one! The writing is so good that you just can’t put it down. Adiga’s the portrayal of India is discordant but true, the dark side of the nation is presented with such dark humour that makes you apprehensive but also enjoy the novel at the same time. #thewhitetiger #bookstagram #booklove #arvindadiga #coffee#booknerd#delhi#bangalore#contemporarybooks #priyankachoprajonas #rajkumarrao @priyankachopra @netflixfilm @netflix_in @netflixqueue @gouravadarsh @rajkummar_rao @vjymaurya @maheshmanjrekar @mukul.deora @ava @purplepebblepictures @tessjosephcasting

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36. Jumpa Lahiri: In other words

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One week after moving from America to Rome, Jhumpa Lahiri begins writing a secret diary – in Italian not English. 📝 In Other Words is the result: a memoir of language-learning and Lahiri’s quest to discover a new authorial voice. 📝 For Lahiri, language, identity, and cultural heritage are raw topics. She feels herself a “linguistic exile” from India yet also a “continuous estrangement” from the US: a person without country or specific culture. 📝 One of the most charged chapters is The Wall – in which Lahiri describes her appearance as a hindrance to being accepted linguistically in Italian. People assume she cannot speak Italian, that her Italian is flawed, that they won’t understand. Taking him at face value, no one expresses surprise when her Caucasian husband speaks Italian. 📝 Lahiri describes In Other Words as a “hesitant” book. It is. It is short and shallow and intimate. For those learning languages, there is much to empathise with – though there are few practical tips here for beginners. This is Lahiri’s diary in and about Italian: her private triumph. 📝 QOTD: Are you learning a foreign language at the moment or living in a country away from your motherland? I’ve been learning Spanish for a year and love reading books in Spanish – decoding each sentence like a treasure-hunter! . . . #jhumpalahiri #inotherwords #inaltreparole @bloomsburypublishing #italian #italianwriters #bookstagram #booksandcoffee #booksandbiscuits #bookpeople #languagelearning #bookphotography #bibliophile #bookblogger #bookreview #nonfiction #bookphoto #lettura #libri #creativewomen #booksandhotdrinkstuesday #bookflatlay #avidreader #fortheloveofbooks #bookpics #booktime #lectores #whattoread

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37. The body keeps score

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The limbic system is shaped in response to experience, in partnership with the infant’s own genetic makeup and inborn temperament. Whatever happens to a baby contributes to the emotional and perceptual map of the world that its developing brain creates. The brain is formed in a “use-dependent manner.” This is another way of describing neuroplasticity, the relatively recent discovery that neurons that “fire together, wire together.” When a circuit fires repeatedly, it can become a default setting—the response most likely to occur. If you feel safe and loved, your brain becomes specialized in exploration, play, and cooperation; if you're frightened and unwanted, it specializes in managing feelings of fear and abandonment. The frontal lobes allow us to plan and reflect, to imagine and play out future scenarios. They help us to predict what will happen if we take one action (like applying for a new job) or neglect another (not paying the rent). They make choice possible and underlie our astonishing creativity. Generations of frontal lobes, working in close collaboration, have created culture, which got us from dug-out canoes, horse-drawn carriages, and letters to jet planes, hybrid cars, and e-mail. Neuroimaging studies of human beings in highly emotional states reveal that intense fear, sadness, and anger all increase the activation of subcortical brain regions involved in emotions and significantly reduce the activity in various areas in the frontal lobe, particularly the medial prefrontal cortex (watchtower of the brain, 'mindfulness'). When that occurs, the inhibitory capacities of the frontal lobe break down, and people “take leave of their senses”: They may startle in response to any loud sound, become enraged by small frustrations, or freeze when somebody touches them. Without flexible, active frontal lobes people become creatures of habit, and their relationships become superficial and routine. Invention and innovation, discovery and wonder—all are lacking. -Bessel van der Kolk,MD #thebodykeepsthescore #ptsd #cptsd #traumainformedcare #neurofeedback #neuroplasticity #emdr #somaticexperiencing #traumainformedyoga  #traumasensitiveyoga #vipassana

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38. A place for us

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This Ramadan, I’m part of an awesome collab between @southasianreadingchallenge & @muslimreadathon. I’m excited to create South Asian-Muslim related book content in the coming weeks and to share my Ramadan Readathon To Be Read (TBR) list! Books by South Asian-Muslim writers have an asterisk🌙✨: 1. *A place for us by Fatima F. Mirza (reread) 🌻 2. *The henna wars by Adiba Jaigirdar 🌻 3. The thirty names of night by Zeyn Joukhadar 🌻4. Proud: my fight for an unlikely American dream by Ibtihaj Muhammad 🌻 5. All-American Muslim girl by Nadine J. Courtney 🌻 6. *The secret lives of the Amir sisters by Nadiya J. Hussain 🌻 7. Thorn by Intisar Khanani 🌻 8. *I hope you get this message by Farah N. Rishi • • #ramadanreadathon #sarc2020 #book #southasian #aplaceforus

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39. The Family Tree

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*BOOK REVIEW* . . ✨ Have you ever put off writing a review because you think you would not be able to do justice with the book? Has there been a book that has rendered you speechless and hits you right at home, with all the fireworks in the background and that Harry Potter soundtrack playing on loop? Your roots will always lead you home. Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home. And if yours has not rerouted to you towards The Family Tree, this might be the time to drop whatever you are doing, and refresh your location! . . ✨ Sairish Hussain’s writing is flawless, brilliant, and soul-stirring and compelling. Her precision to detail and inherent aspiration to bring about a book that would change lives by presenting the imminent issues at hand is palpable. She did not want to write about a Jihadi bride or woman going through obnoxious ordeals. She wanted to tell the world that normalcy exists in Muslim culture and families. And she did an impeccable job at that. . . ✨ The Family Tree is defying all the preconceived notions that have been created about Muslim families in general and especially those who had to leave their homeland and settled somewhere else. It’s about cultural appropriation and perseverance. It’s about a family who despite everything, stayed true to their roots and refrained from making feeble attempts to blend into the whiteness. The Family Tree has taken the word relatability to a new height. It’s a family saga about love, resilience, loyalty, and friendships. To a Muslim readers’ joy, there is a father who adores his family and takes pride in them, there is a brother who acts like a guardian angel towards his younger-feminist sister and values her tenacity, there are friendships veracious than blood, leaping cultural prejudice and religious boundaries! And that’s just not it. With the way issues like mental health, drug addiction, colonization, cultural snobbery, and racism have been intellectually discussed and represented, veritably adds more reasons as to why this book should be fervently read and spread.

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40. Love in colour

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“Can you properly cherish and relish and revere something without the fear of losing it?” 📖 Love in Colour 🖊 Bolu Babalola ••• Love in Colour is a collection of short stories that reimagine ancient mythologies and folktales from various cultures spanning from West Africa to China in a way that gave greater agency to the women in these stories; “it was less about being chosen and more about their agency in allowing themselves to love and be loved” • I enjoyed this collection very much. Every single story was so engaging, they had so much depth, they were incredibly thought-provoking and they were written so beautifully. The stories were also very funny. I found myself laughing out loud so many times. There is also a lot of diversity in the stories chosen to be a part of this collection and in the way they were retold. Some of the retellings were very modern some less so, there was variation in writing style and even in the genre. But I enjoyed every single one • I liked that even though the central theme of the collection was romantic love, the stories were not focused on the cliches and mushy stuff. Actually, I felt like the stories touched more on love than romance. To me, they are quite different. I think romance is performative love and focuses on the ‘honeymoon period’, which isn’t necessarily bad. But the stories in this collection explore the power of love, finding love in complicated circumstances, lost love, the courage that is required to accept love and the courage that love can bring out in us. It’s very heavy on the complications and challenges, but even within that there is a lot of joy • Do you think there is a difference between love and romance? • • I got my copy from NetGalley but the book will be released on August 20th 2020 (UK)

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41. Sweet cultivation By Allia Dahmes

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A story on an aspiring writer who thought she couldn’t reach confidence, too. In 2016, I started to post my poems on my Instagram page. I thought, “What if my thoughts are too deep?” “What if people I know will assume circumstances or scenarios on my writing?” I kept deleting, posting, deleting and for an entire year I took a step back to work on building the mental strength and the confidence to share my writing again. During that time, I read books by authors I felt inspired by. I followed poetry pages that helped me resonate in ways I would’ve never imagined. I let my social media feed be a product of inspiration and motivation. I slowly but surely began to feel inspired by the creative writing I was surrounded by. I knew one day that I wanted to share my writing, so I came to the realization that I wanted to be in the position of a writer instead of the reader. I knew that it won’t happen overnight. I went at my own pace; faced a lot of ups and downs (because life is filled with them and success doesn’t happen smoothly). I fed a mentality in my mind that it’s not about the numbers, or the opinions, or the followers. It’s about sharing words that came from my heart to the world because my way of expression and resonating with souls is mainly by that. I enjoy it. I love to give. I see this as a gift Allah has given me; the ability to do such is something I tried/ still do my best to find purpose in. But at the same time, I try to not let it consume or drain me. Two years later, two self published books later, a loving Instagram family later, I can’t help but express my gratitude to you amazing people. Your support is overwhelmingly beautiful. Alhamdulillah. So to the aspiring writer or author, if I can do it among many others, I promise that you can do it too.

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42. The Little Prince

43. Think like a white man

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I can’t remember the last time I laughed so much while simultaneously being so horrified by a book. That’s exactly the reaction that @nelsabbey provoked in his brilliantly satirical ‘Think Like a White Man’. If nothing else, this book was such a comfort for me in my decision not to enter into the corporate world 20 years ago. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Although this is satire…there is far too much truth in it for it to be dismissed as a humorous take. The satire coils itself around the daily discrimination and indignities that people of colour are forced to endure. That’s why his warning at the start is very important, this book is for black people, but not as an act of resistance, this is unashamedly an ode to ‘how to get yours’ without worrying about inconvenient things like ethics and bringing about change at a structural level. As Abbey explains, this is for Black people who wish to enter the corporate world: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ “ – You are a professional (or you aspire to be one) and therefore have an intimate understanding of the necessity of Prozac (or aspire to such an understanding). – You *can* handle the truth” ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Nels Abbey takes you on a journey on how to survive the white corporate world, imparting wisdoms in their hundreds along the way such as: “14. Don’t stray from MLK when asked who your black heroes are.” ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ When Abbey finally takes you to the holy land, and you reach the pinnacle of corporate management, he doesn’t stop his advice. His Machiavellian tactics of consolidating power are sage-like: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ “Appoint some black people to a few subtly black positions (e.g. the diversity department), however, do not even think of hiring more than one black person to key positions in the company. The more the boardroom looks like a Wu-Tang Clan or So Solid Crew album release party, the more the share price suffers.” ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot to be sad about in between Abbey’s humour, but this book was particularly well done and reveals the face of White corporate power. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #thinklikeawhiteman #corporatelife #whitesupremacy #racism #nelsabbey #bookreview #instabooks #bookgram #bookstagram #thebookslamist

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44. Salt Houses

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🇵🇸 Palestine 🇵🇸 . I’m not yet in a place where I can review this book fully. I just haven’t had the emotional space to digest. Needless to say, the emotional impact of this book was compounded by reading it while in Palestine. This incredible #ownvoices story explores the legacy of decades of displacement. The story follows four generations of one Palestinian family, from the 1960s to today, as they move from country to country looking for a semblance of home outside of their true homeland. . I was naturally drawn to certain characters more than others, and felt that some of their moves coincided with more conflict a little too neatly (they live in Kuwait when Saddam invades, in Lebanon during the civil war, etc). But overall the overwhelming lack of peace and security was a powerful theme – along with the concept of home – and these characters will stay with me for a long time. . ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Four stars. I may revisit this once I’ve left Palestine and had some more time to process (the privilege of this mobility is not lost on me). But highly recommend in the meantime! . This is my read for prompt 13 of the #readingwomenchallenge : a book by an Arab woman . . . . #palestine #salthouses #internationalreads #readtheworld #readeverywhere #bookreview #reading #readwomen #readingwomenchallenge2020 #theunreadshelfproject2020 #booksbooksbooks #travelreads #bookrecommendation #bookrec #recommendedreading #kindle #historicalfiction

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45. You people by Nikita Lalwani

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#icedcoffeeandcurrentlyreading⁣ ⁣ YOU PEOPLE by Nikita Lalwani is a book I feel hasn’t gotten much publicity. The story is set in and around a pizzeria in London primarily staffed by undocumented immigrants – all of them living in the margins and in constant fear of discovery and deportation.⁣ ⁣ I am not far in yet, but it definitely shows a version of London you rarely see portrayed in fiction.⁣ ⁣ My reading is all over the place at the moment – I can’t seem to decide what I’m in the mood for. I have about four books on the go at the moment 🙈 I did finish 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘞𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘍𝘰𝘳 by Katherine Center this weekend and my review will be up soon! I’ll be honest and say I liked it, but I didn’t love it.⁣ ⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ #nikitalalwani #bibliophile #youpeoplebook #youpeople #booktography #coffeeandcurrentlyreading #bookwineandmetime #currentlyreading #readersofinstagram #bookish #booksandcoffee #whattoreadnext #igreads #bookobsessed #ukbookstagram #bookcommunity #booksbooksbooks #bookishpost #bookaholic #booksofinstagram #reading #bookblogger #instabook #amreading #bookblog #mustread #bookrecommendations #booksofinsta #bookphotography

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46. Zainab Ghazzali’s Return of the Pharaoh

47.The Star Outside my Window

48.The Shadow of the wind

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The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón ADOPTED Goodreads Rating: 4.3/5 Genre: Mystery Barcelona, 1945: A city slowly heals from its war wounds, and Daniel, an antiquarian book dealer's son who mourns the loss of his mother, finds solace in a mysterious book entitled The Shadow of the Wind, by one Julian Carax. But when he sets out to find the author's other works, he makes a shocking discovery: someone has been systematically destroying every copy of every book Carax has written. In fact, Daniel may have the last of Carax's books in existence. Soon Daniel's seemingly innocent quest opens a door into one of Barcelona's darkest secrets–an epic story of murder, madness, and doomed love. #belsunhauls All adoptions can be made through tokopedia. FREE ONGKIR (link is on my bio 😆) #jualbukumurah #obralbuku #bukuimport #bukuimportmurah #jualbuku #buku #bukubagus #bukubestseller #motivasi #bacabuku #bukumurah #novelmurah #jualnovelmurah #jualbukumurah #bukusecondhand #bestsellerbooks #bukumurah #bukumurahindonesia #tokobukuonline #tokobuku #powermerchant #sayabukabuku #sabtubacabuku #bookishindonesia #theshadowofthewind #carlosruizzafon

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49. Why I’m no longer talking to white people about race

50. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

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Do you read celebrity memoirs? If so what are some of your favorites? 💙 I read them once in a while and they're always a mixed bag for me. I've enjoyed As You Wish by Cary Elwes and Mara Wilson's memoirs, amongst others. 💙 BORN A CRIME by Trevor Noah was everything I expected it to be. It was hilarious, but also a very honest look at the way he grew up, born illegally to a Black mother and a white father during apartheid in South Africa. Noah was a handful as a child, to say it kindly. 😂 If you are interested in reading this book, I highly recommend listening to it on audiobook. Noah has the best accent, and in general he's just very eloquent and fun to listen to! I listened to it in under 24 hours. 💙 #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #readersofinstagram #instabooks #bookish #bookworm #booksofinstagram #bibliophile #memoirs #celebritymemoir #bornacrime #trevornoah #booksandcandles #wickandfable #booksaboutracism #booksaboutrace #funnybooks #booksirecommend #bornacrimebytrevornoah

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Amaliah Team

Amaliah Team

This article was written by a member of the Amaliah team or a collective team effort. You can follow us on @amaliah_tweets for the latest or head over to our Instagram @amaliah_com. If you're reading this and are thinking about contributing an article then send us an email with a brief or a full article to contribute@amaliah.com

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