I’m writing again—another children’s novel—and
whenever I write I look for good non-fiction books to read.
Every writer will tell you that it’s difficult to read
fiction when you’re writing. It interferes with your
voice. I find, however, that I can read non-fiction and not
feel like anyone else’s voice is encroaching on mine.
Non-fiction—autobiographies, biographies, history and
memoirs—can be quite satisfying to read. There’s
something very comforting and sometimes even very exciting
about reading the details of someone’s life. It’s
kind of like having sanctioned voyeurism.
Biographies and autobiographies can be very helpful in understanding
world events as well. Understanding one person’s life
can shed a whole new meaning on a country’s history or
even a present-day situation. Just before the Iraqi war, I
read a biography of Saddam Hussein. I knew the minute I read
the last page that any war in Iraq was a big mistake.
Lately, I’ve been interested in finding out more about
Pakistan, a pivotal country in dealing with the whole terrorist
situation. Pakistan’s relationship with India has always
been a definitive factor in south Asia’s politics. The
US perceives Pakistan as a key player in the “war against
terrorism” because of its relationship with Afghanistan.
The assassination of Benazir Bhutto piqued my interest in
Pakistan as well.
I found two intriguing books about Pakistan on Amazon.com.
In the Line of Fire is the memoir of Pakistani general and
President Pervez Musharraf. It’s filled with a lot of
bravado, but it is an important read. Musharraf paints himself
as having more luck than a leprechaun. He says he was supposed
to have been on President Zia Ul-Haq’s airplane when
it mysteriously crashed. He’s escaped death on numerous
occasions and he has managed to stay in power in a very volatile
country prone to military coups.
Musharraf briefly documents his early childhood in old Delhi,
India, where he went to the best schools. His rise to power
and his coup are over-idealised in his book. Musharraf paints
a picture of a conscientious leader avidly searching for Osama
bin Laden. I’m not so sure how much I believe that. One
thing is for certain: Musharraf certainly has led an exciting
life, not to mention a charmed one. In many ways, Musharraf’s
autobiography reads better than a fiction spy novel.
An ever better read is The Terrorist Prince—the Life
and Death of Murtaza Bhutto. This was an unbelievable read.
This book explains the history of politics in Pakistan that
arose from a feudal system. After the death of Prime Minister
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Murtaza, Bhutto’s elder son, decided
on a policy of revenge.
He set himself up as a terrorist and succeeded in hijacking
a Pakistani airplane. He ordered the death of one of his father’s
aides, a conscientious man who never crossed the Bhutto family.
Murtaza had as many friends killed as foes. He had a long-standing
battle with Benazir and always thought he should be the rightful
heir to the Bhutto political party, the Pakistan Peoples’
Party (PPP).
Raja Anwar, an important adviser and minister to Bhutto, writes
Murtaza’s memoir. Without Anwar, Murtaza might have been
a footnote in Pakistani history. He was never particularly
liked. He was never able to drum up any real support.
What makes this book so fascinating is Anwar’s first-hand
account of Bhutto’s trial and hanging and Murtaza’s
life in Afghanistan. Anwar was whisked off to Afghanistan
after Ali Bhutto’s death to be part of Murtaza’s
terrorist organisation. Anwar presents a clear and amazingly
objective account of the Bhutto clan. The book concentrates
on Murtaza, but does briefly show how Benazir came to power.
Murtaza Bhutto was assassinated by the Pakistani police after
he returned to his homeland during Benazir’s reign. She
took a lot of flak for that and many people believe Murtaza’s
assassination led to her political demise six weeks later.
Although Murtaza was not a popular figure, people were incensed
about his murder. You will have to order this book on Amazon.com
also.
For other good non-fiction reads, I’ve turned to American
political scene. I’ve actually re-read parts of two books
that helped me to make my decision about which candidate to
vote for in the upcoming US election. Believe it or not, my
decision to support Barack Obama was partly based on preferring
his autobiography to Hillary Clinton’s.
Hillary Rodham Clinton has a very fat memoir out called Living
History. It documents her relationship with Bill Clinton and
her stand on policies. It’s a rather dry read because
it skims over juicy parts like the political scandals the
Clintons faced and the whole sex scandal with Monika Lewinsky.
Still, it does give a basic understanding of Hillary Clinton,
who appears to be a very guarded person.
I’ve seen this book in Nigel Khan bookstores. It is important
because it shows what she had to go through as a woman involved
in politics.
Then there’s Barack Obama’s autobiography, Dreams
from My Father, that was published several years before he
ran for the Senate. I was impressed with Obama’s candour,
his positive attitude and his security.
A good biography also helps you to identify with a person’s
circumstances or feelings. As an anthropologist and single
mother with two racially mixed children, I could certainly
identify with Obama, a racially mixed man who had an anthropologist
for a mother. I saw hope in his story and of course that is
the message he has carried into his campaign.
You can find Obama’s memoirs in just about any bookstore.
For some reason many people tend to overlook non-fiction books
as a satisfying form of literature. Secondary students who
want to build their reading comprehension skills, reading
speed and ability to make inferences should check out non-fiction.
When reading seems like a daunting experience, it certainly
helps to have a real person to focus on.
Check out your favourite bookstores for a great selection
of non-fiction.
Happy reading!
