Unimagined

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Perth Writers Festival 2009

'Ow! My bum hurts.' - click here

Stella Rimington and Imran Ahmad. I know! -- reminds you of M and 007!

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Ubud Writers and Readers Festival 2008

'Why, oh why, do these awful things always happen to me?' - click here

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Edinburgh International Book Festival 2008

'If I'd known you were coming, I'd have worn long trousers' - click here

PLEASE NOTE: The Writers’ Yurt is strictly for invited writers, authorised Festival staff and nominated guests only

(all to be wearing Festival IDs, unlike this gentleman who wandered in without a pass).

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Sydney Writers' Festival 2008

Dear Australia, THANK YOU for the most wonderful week of my life. You were overwhelmingly kind and appreciative. I love your wonderful country! I hate to leave and I hope to come back soon.

SWF DIARY/PHOTOS - click here

(Maybe I'll just over-stay, rent a room and write books from here.)

(Don't worry, Department of Immigration and Citizenship, I did leave.)

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11 April 2008

Dear Imran Ahmad,

I'm sorry to have kept you waiting so long. Things overtook me, and in my disorganised way (quite unlike the persona you present in 'Unimagined') I let it slip until the day before yesterday, when I took up the book again and read it through with great pleasure.

It deserves all the praise it's had – it's very clearly and vividly written, it's funny and perceptive about schools and neighbours and friends and girls and especially about the narrator himself, with his continuing puzzlement about religion, his smartly pressed clothes, and his apparently naïve fixation with cars.

It's very clever, actually, to have presented a character so original and unusual, and yet so warmly human and recognisable. The "I" of the book is a real literary creation – and I don't mean, of course that you made any of it up: just that a successful memoir depends just as much on art as a successful novel does.

I'm very happy for you and your publishers to quote any of this. Good luck with your literary career as well as your business one!

Yours,

Philip Pullman

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Imran Ahmad (who?) addresses the Cambridge Union Society – click here

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A big THANK YOU to those people (nearly 200) who came to my event at the Edinburgh International Book Festival 2007. You were the most wonderful audience anyone could have wished for. You laughed heartily when you were supposed to laugh, you listened quietly when you were supposed to listen, you asked thoughtful questions afterwards. Your comments to me in the signing queue were very generous and I am deeply grateful. It was the best day of my life. Also to the organisers and staff of the Festival for having me and being so welcoming. THANK YOU!

FESTIVAL DIARY/PHOTOS - click here

U n i m a g i n e d

a Muslim boy meets the West

Imran Ahmad

click to connect

The best books of 2007 – The Independent

The pick of the literary crop 2007 – The Sydney Morning Herald

Books of the year – The Guardian

Paperback of the week (19 April 2008) – The Guardian

Best non-fiction read of 2007 – dovegreyreader

Best books of 2007 – The Belfast Telegraph

Shortlisted for the YoungMinds Book Award 2007

Film/television rights – sold! (is Pierce Brosnan available?)

Unimagined is on the short list (of six books) for the YoungMinds 2007 Book Award - click here

This is not a prize for children’s books. Winner to be announced on 15 November at a theatre in London. (Do we have to wear tuxedos?)

What happened at the YoungMinds 2007 Book Award? - click here!

' ... wonderfully funny, heart-warming, perceptive, enlightening and ironic ... His episodic story of coming to terms with the ways of the West is reminiscent of Adrian Mole, with echoes of White Teeth, but it has its own unique voice ... endearing, deadpan humour ... Likely to be a word-of-mouth hit ... has the makings of a slow-build bestseller ... '

publishing news

‘Imran Ahmad came second in the Karachi Bonnie Baby competition. The photograph taken to commemorate his achievement is reproduced on the cover of this delightful book. ‘Smartly dressed, suave and handsome, I looked like James Bond, although I was somewhat unsteady on my feet.’ Imran was denied the first prize - the daughter of the organisers won. The judges were their friends. ‘I began my lifelong struggle against corruption and injustice.’ Unimagined is beautifully written, funny and endearing, and in its own quiet way, important.’

Sue Townsend

Describing her one selected book in The Guardian – ‘Books of the Year’

'Hurrah for a memoir that isn't miserable! Hurray for Imran Ahmad's terrific sense of humour ... an entertaining, moving and thoroughly thought-provoking tale of our times.'

The Daily Mail

'Wonderfully evocative and strangely touching.'

The Sunday Times

'A compelling quest for belonging ...'

The Guardian

'A fascinating insight ...'

Sydney Morning Herald

'... had the audience in stitches ...'

Edinburgh Festival Review

'What a very strange book. There's more to it than meets the eye.'

THEbookmagazine

L I N K S

click to connect

Manchester Grammar School selects Unimagined in Year 9 Top Ten Recommended Reading List

University of Stirling places Unimagined on core reading list for English Literature

Bruce Elder writes an extraordinary foreword to the Australian edition of Unimagined

Scott Pack writes about the publication of Unimagined * RECOMMENDED INSIGHT *

Grumpy Old Bookman and Clive Keeble discuss Unimagined * RECOMMENDED INSIGHT *

'Why, oh why, do these awful things always happen to me?' (UWRF 2008)

'If I'd known you were coming, I'd have worn long trousers' (EdBookFest 2008)

The Governor and the Canapé (SWF 2008)

Linda Grant (Booker Shortlisted) really likes Unimagined

Unimagined ranked no 11 at Sydney Writers' Festival 2008

Imran Ahmad appears on Salam Café – watch here (after 11 mins elapsed time)

Imran Ahmad on ABC News (Australia)

The Principal of Sydney Boys High School recommends Unimagined

HeatWorld: 'Brilliant!!! I didn't want it to end ...'

David Baddiel takes Unimagined on his summer holiday

The Irish Consul in Edinburgh buys Unimagined, reports The Scotsman

BBC News on Unimagined

The Daily Mail seems to like Unimagined (full page in print edition)

Unimagined mentioned in the New York Times

Unimagined reviewed in the Sydney Morning Herald

Nicholas Lezard is unexpectedly touched by Unimagined (Thank God, because he really trashes books he doesn't like)

Unimagined quoted in The Independent

Unimagined in The Wall Street Journal (India edition)

Imran Ahmad in Edinburgh International Book Festival Top Ten Tips

Imran Ahmad in Terrorism and Liberalism debate (see video in MEDIA below)

dovegreyreader's very kind words about Unimagined

Unimagined in THEbookmagazine

emel magazine likes Unimagined

Unimagined in Albion magazine

Unimagined is Esmerelda's Book of the Week

Mrs C likes Unimagined

The Age of Uncertainty likes Unimagined

Deborah Harper (Psychjourney) thinks Unimagined is 'wonderful'

A big Unimagined feature in Stirling Minds (pages 18-19)

Dawn (Community Librarian) likes Unimagined

Antonella Gambotto-Burke likes Unimagined in Australia

Unimagined in Media and Islam (San Francisco Bay Area)

Imran Ahmad interviewed in The Asian Writers Project

Andrew Collins recommends Unimagined

Panel selects Unimagined in Booksellers' Choice

publishing news selects Unimagined in date with eight

sandpiper likes Unimagined

Gardners recommends Unimagined

Catherine Simon mentions Unimagined in Le Monde

Unimagined reviewed in The Canberra Times

Unimagined in The Morley Observer (about the Morley Literature Festival)

Le Monde interview with Imran Ahmad

Andrew Collins mentions Unimagined in his blog

Unimagined in The Good Book Guide

Unimagined in The Word magazine

A very serious literary review of Unimagined in The Guardian (Lighten up, Anita, it's a funny book!)

Unimagined in The Herald

Unimagined in The Sunday Times

Unimagined in Asiana

Unimagined in The Surrey Comet

Unimagined in The Stirling Observer

Unimagined reviewed in The Saudi Gazette

Unimagined in 2007 Spectacular Reads

Alison Lane seems to like Unimagined

New Books magazine likes Unimagined

Unimagined is 'Book of the Month' in Nomads of the Word

Unimagined is 'Book of the Month' in crescentlife magazine

Perth International Arts Festival recommends Unimagined

Heaven Ali 'thoroughly enjoyed' Unimagined

Green Gathering likes Unimagined

Unimagined in PICKup Entertainment

lyzzybee likes Unimagined

Unimagined in Nshima & Curry

A Common Reader likes Unimagined

Unimagined discussed in Ekklesia

Unimagined in To Be Confirmed

Unimagined reviewed in goodreads

Unimagined reviewed in Austrolabe (Australia)

Desicritics likes Unimagined

More kind words about Unimagined from dovegreyreader

Baroque in Hackney likes Unimagined

VibeWire liked the Unimagined event in Bali

NewMatilda likes Unimagined

Susan Wyndham thinks Unimagined has 'a wacky sense of humour'

Heywood Clan will have an opinion on Unimagined

The Mercury (Australia) seems to think Unimagined is useful

The London Book Club seemed to like Unimagined (1)

The London Book Club seemed to like Unimagined (2)

The First London Book Club also seemed to like Unimagined

David Lubich thinks Unimagined is rubbish

Billingsgate Book Club (Sydney) completely trashes Unimagined and calls me a 'hypocritical twerp'

Billingsgate Book Club refuses to allow posting of a supportive comment

Imran Ahmad reviews Sathnam Sanghera's book in The Daily Mail

Imran Ahmad comments in The Guardian

Imran Ahmad writes on the Narnia books, by C S Lewis

Unimagined in DePers op zaterdag

Le Monde: Les mille et une colères des musulmans de Sa Majesté

Grã-Bretanha tenta impedir uso de véu muçulmano

Niewyobrażalne: Muzułmańskie zasłony testem tolerancji

Müslümanların Peçesi İngiltere’nin Müsamaha Sınırını Test Ediyor

R E V I E W S

My favourite book of 2007 is this memoir of a Muslim boy, born in Pakistan, who moves to London at the age of one in the 1960s. With his Islamic identity and desire to embrace the West, the book paints a beautiful picture of growing up in a strange culture.... the end result is unforgettable.

Ann Widdecombe MP, author and columnist

Unimagined is a funny, beguiling and insightful account of a young British Muslim boy growing up in 60s and 70s British society – his encounters early on in life with racism, and later with the material world of fashion, cars and girls.

Above all, though, it’s his struggle to find his religious identity that makes this timely book so important. Imran Ahmad takes us with him on his personal journey of discovery, gradually learning the meaning of Islam, measuring it alongside Christianity and working out where and how he fits in. I can’t wait to read more.

Sue Cook Broadcaster and author

This absorbing personal tale probably does more to help us understand each other in our multi-cultural society than one hundred Downing Street seminars. It’s also very funny.

John Pienaar BBC Senior Political Correspondent and BBC Radio Five Political Editor

Charming, informative and honest ... a childhood memoir in which the occasional bad thing happens, but is remembered and communicated without the melodrama or martyrdom of the form. The author has a photographic memory for all the important bits: mechanical failure in secondhand cars, dialogue and news stories glimpsed on television and precise exam scores.

I enjoyed the book very much ... I read Unimagined in two days.

Andrew Collins Presenter: BBC Radio 6 Music; Film Editor: Radio Times; Author: Where Did It All Go Right?

I was delightfully surprised to find a witty and incredibly relevant memoir which had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion. It reminded me of Nigel Slater's Toast with the short, pithy chapters which are both moving and funny at the same time ... What's more, he has the best author [cover] photo I have seen in years.

Scott Pack Former Buying Manager: Waterstone’s; Commercial Director: The Friday Project

Compelling, revealing, and very easy to read. I liked the short chapters and the way the incidental observations added up to a bigger picture.

Rosie Boycott Broadcaster, journalist and author

... style and a sense of humour ... what a change ... what a delightful change ... brilliant stories too about the joys and confusions of identity politics ...

Yasmin Alibhai-Brown Broadcaster, journalist and author; Columnist: The Independent

The tender humor and intelligence of this memoir belies its political importance; through it, Muslims are humanized. Imran Ahmad, Pakistan-born and London-raised, writes beautifully of his life … “I follow the road ever higher and come to a point where a well-trodden walking track heads off from the road at 90 degrees and up into the infinite distance of the hills,” he reports. “I cannot resist it. I come off the road, climb over the fence where the steps are, and head along this path, up into the sky.” Just beautiful.

Antonella Gambotto-Burke Author and journalist

In Unimagined, Imran Ahmad writes with warmth, humour and insight about the challenges and joys of growing up nerdy, dreamy and Muslim in Britain.

Emily Maguire Author, columnist

I consumed Unimagined as soon as I started it. I couldn't wait until the plane ride. It was an absolute joy to read. I loved every moment of it ...

Randa Abdel-Fattah Author

Unimagined follows Imran Ahmad through his childhood days growing up as a Muslim in Britain during the 60’s, 70's and 80's, through school, university and into his first job. It is engaging, an easy read and truly very funny. Most of all it is profound and revealing, giving the Western reader a deep insight into the Muslim psyche. In these days of incomprehensible suicide bombings and agonising military campaigns, when we live under the shadow of the 'Clash of Civilizations', this is a book that gives the world clarity and, perhaps, optimism.

Hugh Fraser Broadcaster and writer

Book of the Week

Unimagined by Imran Ahmad I am jumping unashamedly onto this particular bandwagon as this is one of the best books I have read in ages. Clever, simple, funny and sad, the book describes the author's experience of growing up a Muslim in a newly multi-cultural Britain. Impossible to put down and equally impossible to forget.

Clare Christian Managing Director: The Friday Project Girl Friday - blog

From: Kelder, Jeroen

To: Ahmad, Imran

Sent: Wednesday, April 18, 2007 5:41 PM

Subject: Your book

Amazing - I sat next to a gentleman in the plane and he was reading your book and laughing. Have to note that he was quintessentially British.

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Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld

A U T H O R

Imran Ahmad – Background click here

Imran Ahmad works with global information systems in a major corporation. He is currently based in London.

Author's e-mail: Author@unimagined.co.uk

Imran Ahmad checks this e-mail regularly and really welcomes your comments. Please mention 'Unimagined' in the Subject field, to help filter out the spam. Thank you.

I am happy to consider addressing your school, book group or other organisation, doing a book reading or participating in a panel discussion, debate or interview.

Trustee of bmsd: British Muslims for Secular Democracy

'No individual, group or gender should have any theological or regressive cultural values imposed upon them.'

Unimagined – not-quite-a-blog click here

T H E B O O K

The majority of Reader Reviews are for the HARDBACK on Amazon UK

UK France Germany Canada USA

USA: now available from Powells.com – click here

Japan – click here

Please note that the earlier self-published book 'The Path Unimagined' is no longer available, even though it continues to be listed on some Amazon sites and they claim it will come in 4 – 6 weeks. It will come never.

E X T R A C T S

(These English extracts include American language variations)

Acknowledgements; Separation; Monsoon; Bond; Bed-Sit

Immigrant

School

University

Cars

Girls

Religion

Cars, Girls, School, Religion and Immigrant

America