Weekend Reading List

'A Case of Exploding Mangoes' by Mohammed Hanif deals with the untimely death of Pakistani general Zia Ul Haq in a plane crash. Lest you suppose it's a serious read though, here's a snippet from the synopsis of the book on the Random House website:

"Why did a Hercules C130, the world’s sturdiest plane, carrying Pakistan’s military dictator General Zia ul Haq, go down on 17 August, 1988? Was it because of:

1.Mechanical failure

2.Human error

3.The CIA’s impatience

4.A blind woman’s curse

5.Generals not happy with their pension plans

6.The mango season

Or could it be your narrator, Ali Shigri?"

A NY Times review says "Indeed, like “Catch-22,” “A Case of Exploding Mangoes” is best understood as a satire of militarism, regulation and piety." Read the rest of the review here (there are spoilers, so be warned).