BOOKS IN BRIEF.

So many of us - women, especially - would nod in agreement at a grandmother admonishing a young girl to tie back her hair at sunset, because that is when the djinns come out. Such familiar themes make up the poems in this debut collection, which celebrates the Indus Valley culture, mourns religious extremism and explores the personal and political through a multilingual, female experience.

Life Literally: 25 Eventful Years of a Writer's Journey

Dr Erum Hafeez

A compilation of writings published in Pakistan's leading national newspapers, magazines and websites from 1996 to 2001, this book encompasses the author's well-researched thoughts on a host of diverse subjects, from the dazzle of 'imported' spouses for a desi bride or groom, to scam vocational training centres, to an education system that's pushing students into the pits of despair.

Sahabzada Yaqub Khan: Pursuits and Experiences as Prisoner of War

Maj Gen Syed Ali Hamid

Much is known of Yaqub Khan's life as a lieutenant general, diplomat and, ultimately, the...