Before we get into which country we’re reading next, I wanted to take a moment to thank Julie, Beth C., Sue, & Gemma for single-handedly running the book club without me for the last month or two. I began working for a new company & was focusing all my energy there as I got up to speed. Thanks to our wonderful book club management team, I was able to take that time knowing that the book club was in their very capable hands! (Also, a special shout-out to Julie since she had a bit more pressure on her shoulders as a moderator who’s been involved with managing the club for a while.)
Can you guess which country we’ll be reading based upon the following from Fact File?
It’s famous for truck art (decorating trucks with complex floral patterns, poetic calligraphy, & a splash of colors).
It’s one of the world’s top producers of milk, cotton, & surgical instruments.
A rare species of “Blind Dolphin” is found there in the water of a major river.
It’s the world’s largest producer of handsewn soccer balls (aka footballs as they are known there) producing 40-60 million per year.
The world’s longest glacial system outside the polar regions is located there as is the only fertile desert in the world.
Sugarcane juice is the national drink.
It’s the world’s sixth-most-populous country,
The world’s seventh-largest collection of scientists & engineers is from this land.
Mango is its national fruit (with 24 varieties) while its national flower is jasmine.
Sylvester Stallone’s Rambo III was filmed there.
Any guesses which country? If not, what if I added in:
It generated a whopping $1 billion in freelancing technical expertise via the internet. (It ranks on the 4th spot behind India, Bangladesh, & the US.)
It’s the only Muslim country after Turkey to open combat jobs for women.
In the 1980s, it elected its first female Prime Minister.
So what country are we reading?
It’s the riveting country of Pakistan! I’m also thrilled to say I discovered a wonderful memoir-based cookbook from there: “Open this spellbinding cookbook, and its stunning photographs will instantly cast you away to the bustling markets, street food stalls and generously-laden dinner tables of Pakistan. Usmani garnishes her recipes with charming anecdotes about her childhood in Pakistan. This book is an unprecedentedly authentic snapshot into the culinary culture of this often overlooked country.”―The Independent
“My favourite sort of cookbook: personal, beautiful and full of things I want to eat.”―Meera Sodha
”This book is a treasure. Charm, information and what Sumayya calls ‘the flavour of my Pakistani heritage’ permeates every single recipe. It's an excellent book both for armchair-reading and for its detailed recipes.'―Jaffrey
“A cookbook to covet…fascinating, visually appealing and filled with tales, childhood memories and plenty of insight into inspiring, traditional dishes from Pakistan” ―Grazia Magazine
”Summers Under the Tamarind Tree is a contemporary Pakistani cookbook celebrating the varied, exciting and often-overlooked cuisine of a beautiful country. In it, former lawyer-turned-food writer and cookery teacher Sumayya Usmani captures the rich and aromatic pleasure of Pakistani cooking through more than 100 exotic yet achievable recipes. She also celebrates the heritage and traditions of her home country and looks back on a happy childhood spent in the kitchen with her grandmother and mother.”
HAVE ANY BOOK SUGGESTIONS?
Just let us know your Pakistan suggestions by Thurs., Nov. 25 11PM ET. (That’s NYC time. See it converted to your time below.)
You can comment with your suggestion below or in our online book club in Facebook.
We'll use 1 suggestion from each moderator, 1 suggestion from an admin, & 2 suggestions from book club members to compile a list of 6 books. The book judged as best will then be read.
Please note - We're specific in our books, they must:
Largely occur in the location specified unless the world/situation described is not specific to a country (e.g., sci fi, fantasy, some poetry, philosophical books, etc.)
Be written by an author born there who has spent a good portion of their life there
Exist in paperback & ebook available on both Amazon & Kindle at least in the US & hopefully elsewhere
Also, we love it when folks suggest books which are also available in audio format. While we know this isn’t always possible so it is not a requirement, it is more inclusive & something for which all of us should strive.