A Case of Exploding MangoesTeasing, provocative, and very funny, Mohammed Hanif’s debut novel takes one of the subcontinent’s enduring mysteries and out if it spins a tale as rich and colourful as a beggar’s dream. 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? Here are the facts: • A military dictator reads the Quran every morning as if it was his daily horoscope. • Under Officer Ali Shigri carries a deadly message on the tip of his sword. • His friend Obaid answers all life’s questions with a splash of eau de cologne and a quote from Rilke. • A crow has crossed the Pakistani border illegally. As young Shigri moves from a mosque hall to his military barracks before ending up in a Mughal dungeon, there are questions that haunt him: What does it mean to betray someone and still love them? How many names does Allah really have? Who killed his father, Colonel Shigri? Who will kill his killers? And where the hell has Obaid disappeared to? |
Contents
Section 1 | 3 |
Section 2 | 19 |
Section 3 | 30 |
Section 4 | 44 |
Section 5 | 61 |
Section 6 | 70 |
Section 7 | 75 |
Section 8 | 83 |
Section 21 | 196 |
Section 22 | 205 |
Section 23 | 212 |
Section 24 | 219 |
Section 25 | 226 |
Section 26 | 239 |
Section 27 | 240 |
Section 28 | 252 |
Section 9 | 91 |
Section 10 | 96 |
Section 11 | 101 |
Section 12 | 115 |
Section 13 | 128 |
Section 14 | 137 |
Section 15 | 149 |
Section 16 | 156 |
Section 17 | 169 |
Section 18 | 177 |
Section 19 | 184 |
Section 20 | 190 |
Section 29 | 258 |
Section 30 | 269 |
Section 31 | 276 |
Section 32 | 283 |
Section 33 | 287 |
Section 34 | 296 |
Section 35 | 300 |
Section 36 | 302 |
Section 37 | 305 |
Section 38 | 308 |
Section 39 | 325 |
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Common terms and phrases
2nd OIC Afghan Akhtar Allah ambassador arms Army House Arnold Raphel asked Bannon Bill Casey bloody boots Brigadier TM C-130 Hercules Cadet cell civilian Colonel Shigri command Corporal Lessard crow dead door dorm eyes face feel felt fingers flying front glass hand head information minister Inter-Services Intelligence Islamabad jeep kill knew Lady look Major Kiyani mango Maoists morning move nation National Day Parade never night Obaid Pakistan parade square picked plane prayers prisoners pulled Quran realised rifles salute seems shalwar kameez shirt shoulder shouted Silent Drill Squad sitting smell smile soldier someone stare started stood subedar major suddenly Sun Tzu sword talk television tell thing thought TM's trying turned Uncle Starchy uniform voice waiting walking wearing whisper woman women Zainab Zia ul-Haq Zia's