The Pakistani Bride

Many months ago I attended an event hosted by Milkweed Editions, an independent publisher headquartered here in Minneapolis.

At the end of the night, those in attendance were told to choose a book from the table at the door on their way out.

The books covering the table had all been published by Milkweed. I grabbed one called The Pakistani Bride. It wasn't until recently, though, that I cracked its cover.

I loved it.

It was written by a woman name Bapsi Sidhwa, who has an impressive personal story herself. She's written several novels and while she grew up in Pakistan, she now lives in the States.

The Pakistani Bride was actually Sidhwa's first book. Milkweed's recent edition will hopefully breathe new life into its circulation. It would be a fantastic book club read. Young women - high school aged - should read it, too, I think. It would get them all riled up about women's rights. There is much to talk about here.

The book is partially set in the city of Lahore, Pakistan. It's a city I've never visited myself, but have a vivid picture of in my head.

Up until about two years ago, I'd never even heard of the place. But then I read a book called The Dancing Girls of Lahore -- which totally captured my imagination.

And then, this past summer, I read another book set in Lahore. This one was called The Reluctant Fundamentalist. It, too, held my rapt attention.

So while I've never been there, now, after reading three books in fairly close succession that were all set in this city, Lahore is prominent in my mind.