A case of exploding mangoes is a 2008 novel by pakistani writer mohammed hanif. Hanif mixes fact with fiction, so you can either take this as a novel or as yet another colourful conspiracy theory. Mohammed hanifs exuberant first novel, a case of exploding mangoes, extends this tradition of assassination fiction and shifts it east to. A case of exploding mangoes is sharp, black, inventive, and utterly gripping. I especially enjoyed the poignantly satirical dictatorial subplot culminated by general zias bike trip. Muhammad zia ulhaq, president of pakistan from 1978 to 1988. Apr 03, 2018 a case of exploding mangoes 2008 by mohammed hanif is a unique piece of assassination fiction based in pakistan. To ask other readers questions about a case of exploding mangoes, please. A case of exploding mangoes audiobook by mohammed hanif. A case of exploding mangoes kindle edition by hanif, mohammed. Exploding mangoes centres on a rumour that a crate of mangoes gifted to gen zia contained a bomb which blew the plane up.
Hanifs exploding mangoes comic conspiracies sfgate. Jul 30, 2008 one of the funniest passages in mohammed hanifs acidly satirical novel, a case of exploding mangoes, is the official statement of a pakistani cadet facing interrogation by his superiors. Pakistani author mohammed hanif says all urdu copies of. Our notes cover a case of exploding mangoes summary and detailed analysis. A case of exploding mangoes, by mohammed hanif the new. Synopsis teasing, provocative, and very funny, mohammed hanifs debut novel takes one of the subcontinents enduring mysteries and out if it spins a tale as rich and colourful as a beggars dream.
The writer no doubt knows the thirst of reader for exploring the truth dumped underneath the heavy boots steps of military dictatorship and dirty. Author says pakistan satire confiscated as dictators family. This last act is one which is wholly captured in mohammed hanifs fiction novel, a case of exploding mangoes. Although framed as a mystery and ending with rational explanations for obaids disappearance and zias plane crash, a case of exploding. He won the board of examiners top prize at the university of east anglia this year for an excerpt from a case of exploding mangoes, which is his first novel. The use of symbols and their significance ebbed and flowed in different parts of the novel, and it wasnt until the end that you could fully grasp the symbols that you thought you had a handle on earlier in the novel. Mohammed hanifs exuberant first novel, a case of exploding mangoes, extends this tradition of assassination fiction and shifts it east to pakistan. Symbolism in a case of exploding mangoes compared to. A case of exploding mangoes by mohammed hanif, paperback. Click download or read online button to get a case of exploding mangoes book now. A case of exploding mangoes south china morning post. In the end, what we get is a story about a few bad men rather than a.
A case of exploding mangoes gets translated into urdu, pakistans national language a few years ago, pakistani author mohammed hanif wrote a case of exploding mangoes, a novel that lampooned the. First published, in english, in 2008, a case of exploding mangoes is a dark satire about the possible reasons for the death of general zia in a plane crash in 1988. Jun 08, 2008 in a case of exploding mangoes, journalist mohammed hanif, a graduate of the pakistan air force academy, comes forward with a theory of his own. It was also shortlisted for the guardian first book award. A case of exploding mangoes quotes showing 116 of 16 the generals who had called zia a mullah behind his back felt ashamed at having underestimated him.
Pakistan army chief ashfaq pervez kayani, but not identical as revealed at the novels end and transports shigri between prisons. A case of exploding mangoes is a pakistani journalists extremely witty fictional spin on his countrys politics, army which have, throughout its history, often been the same thing and its defacto head of state, general muhammad ziaulhaq. Were considering expanding this synopsis into a fulllength study guide to deepen your comprehension of the book and why its important. He was in the pakistani air force for seven years, and then a journalist in pakistan, where he is also known as a playwright. A case of exploding mangoes targeted by authorities after. Awardwinning pakistani journalist and novelist mohammed hanif says copies of his bestselling satirical novel a case of exploding mangoes. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers.
Pakistani author mohammed hanif on monday alleged that all urdu copies of his 2008 satire a case of exploding mangoes were seized from his publishers office by some people claiming to. Shame, salman rushdies novel of a land that is and is not. How did vincent smith fall overboard from a container ship near the coast of mauritania, fathoms away from her former life as jonathan alkaitis pretend trophy wife. A case of exploding mangoes there is much about american policy in south asia that is mysterious and mystifying but hillary clinton s offer to help pakistan sell its mangoes is about as mysterious as it gets. Occasionally a novel comes along that heralds a new chapter in the literary history of a nation. Notwithstanding pakistans democratic credentials, there still remain some curbs on free speech when it comes to publicly. Otherwise, a case of exploding mangoes the title comes from one of the theories of general zias plane crash which the book airs is pretty gentle going, and lacks the anger that drives great satire. It isnt often i read a book that picks up steam at the end instead of losing it.
The end of the book disappointed me little as i was expecting it to be a realistic end rather than a fiction. A case of exploding mangoes pdf wonderful australia. This summary of a case of exploding mangoes includes a complete plot. A humorous retelling of the suspicious death of pakistani dictator general zia ulhaq, the book starts and ends with general zia being blown to bits in a mysterious plane. Priyamvada gopal explores a case of exploding mangoes, an intriguing. A case of exploding mangoes 2008 is a comic novel by the pakistani writer mohammed hanif based on the plane crash that killed general muhammad zia ulhaq, former president of pakistan. When i asked whether i was under detention laughed and made a joke about the cell mattress having too many holes. In august 1988, zia gets into the presidential plane, pak one, which explodes midway.
Aug 11, 2008 a case of exploding mangoes was no exception to the entertaining but forgettable trend. A case of exploding mangoes is not a literary masterpiece but it would make for a good movie. Why did a hercules c, the worlds sturdiest aircraft, carrying pakistans military dictator general zia ul haq, go down on 17 a. May 22, 2008 a financiers ponzi scheme unravels to disastrous effect, revealing the unexpected connections among a cast of disparate characters.
Dictators have long exercised the literary imagination. A case of exploding mangoes by mohammed hanif is the story of one such plane. A case of exploding mangoes takes place during a period of time about which i have little knowledge. As it is mentioned in the book in a case of exploding mangoes, mohammed hanif has torn into the corruption of the army and general zias dictatorship.
The tension does not build up until the final chapters and is then released far too quickly. Junior officer ali shigri of the pakistan air force, the son of colonel quli shigri, who had been one of general mohammad ziaulhaqs righthand men prior to his suicide, struggles to unravel the secrets and motives that led to his fathers death. The fact that it has a basis in fact adds another element to the readers enjoyment. Excerpted with permission from a case of exploding mangoes, mohammed hanif. View 11 important quotes with page numbers from a case of exploding mangoes by mohammed hanif. A case of exploding mangoes by mohammed hanif goodreads. Pakistani author mohammed hanif used to quip that the reason why his countrys intelligence officials hadnt harassed him for lampooning a military dictator was because it could take them years to get the joke now that a case of exploding mangoes the awardwinning satirical novel he wrote more than a decade ago has been translated from english into urdu, things have. On the other end of the spectrum, we have a case of exploding mangoes.
The chapters narrated by ali shigri who while trying to avoid torturous interrogation and find his missing friend, is also seeking to. A case of exploding mangoes is set in the few months before the crash and adds to the mix of conspiracy theories with comical aplomb, mainly through the voice and story of ali shigri, a junior officer in the pakistani air force whose father was killed on the orders of the president. Pakistani author mohammed hanif says case of exploding. A case of exploding mangoes is a wonderful book and it will definitely keep you reading. Mohammad hanif for such kinda of stuff literary analysis themes plot setting critical summary and notes. Yes, the news that irrfan khan is actually going to star. Whro pakistani author comes under fire for satirical. Jun 15, 2008 a case of exploding mangoes is set in the months before and the days after the crash. The book won the best first book award in the year 2009 in the commonwealth book prize. A case of exploding mangoes, by mohammed hanif the independent.
This list reflects the top quotes from the books key chapters. A case of exploding mangoes, by mohammed hanif the. In the end, the who and why of the plane crash are less important than the authors. Actually, the extent to which its fiction can be debated. A case of exploding mangoes by mohammed hanif houston chronicle. Scholar, national university of modern languages, islamabad, pakistan abstract.
Short critical summary a case exploding mangoes by. A case of exploding mangoes paperback politics and. A case of exploding mangoes is set in the prior months and the days after the crash. A case of exploding mangoes 2008 is a comic novel by the pakistani writer mohammed hanif. A long way from coming to a conclusion about the cause of zias demise, hanif merrily thickens the stew of conspiracy speculations, introducing no less than six other conceivable suspects, including a visually impaired lady under sentence of death, a. The army generals growing old waiting for their promotions, the cia, the isi, raw, or ali shigri, a junior officer at the military academy whose father, a whiskyswilling jihadi colonel, was murdered by the army. Jun 25, 2016 rather than acquiring attention for its diverse literary expertise, it is noticed for various unfortunate events ranging from the hindrance of women rights and economic recession to political assassinations.
Pakistan air force pilot and silent drill commander of fury. A clever fictional answer to the unsolved mystery of how and why zias plane went down. Teasing, provocative, and very funny, mohammed hanifs debut novel takes one of the subcontinents enduring mysteries and out if it spins a tale as rich and colourful as a beggars dream. In the final months before his suspicious death by plane crash, pakistani dictator general zia ulhaq grows increasingly paranoid. A case of exploding mangoes by mohammed hanif librarything. Jun 04, 2009 buy a case of exploding mangoes by hanif, mohammed from amazons fiction books store. Vicky rancho palos verdes ca uneven i laughed at parts of this book but i also considered not finishing it. A case of exploding mangoes by mohammed hanifhanif has great fun setting ideals against reality and east alongside west, writes james stuart. The characters are true to life even the shadier ones, the prose is amazing and the story itself is fantastic. A case of exploding mangoes kindle edition by hanif. His first novel, a case of exploding mangoes, won the commonwealth writers prize for best first novel in 2008. A case of exploding mangoes belongs in a tradition that includes catch22, but it also calls to mind the biting comedy of philip roth, the magical realism of salman rushdie and the feverish nightmares of kafka. Introduction a case of exploding mangoes is set in the prior months and the days after the crash. There is a saying that when lovers fall out, a plane goes down.
A case of exploding mangoes book charlotte mecklenburg. A case of exploding mangoes is set in the months before and the days after the crash. Mohammed hanif s comic novel a case of exploding mangoes 2008 is based on the true events of the 1988 plane crash that killed the former president of pakistan, general muhammad zia ulhaq. Dec, 2017 mohammad hanifs a case of exploding mangoes is a comical caricature of the possibilities that could have led to the assassination of pakistans most despotic and despised ruler in the countrys history. All about a case of exploding mangoes by mohammed hanif. A case of exploding mangoes and nerve gas that brought down zias plane mehmal sarfraz lahore, february 23, 2020 22. A comparative analysis of the geometry of god and a case of. Pakistani author mohammed hanif says copies of the urdu translation of his irreverent novel, a case of exploding mangoes, were seized from his publishers office this week.
More than a hundred thousand soviet soldiers are preparing to retreat from afghanistan after being reduced to eating toast smeared with militaryissue boot polish, and these men we see in the tv clip are the undisputed victors. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. A case of exploding mangoes was no exception to the entertaining but forgettable trend. A case of exploding mangoes and nerve gas that brought. Top 11 quotes from a case of exploding mangoes free book notes. Rather than acquiring attention for its diverse literary expertise, it is noticed for various unfortunate events ranging from the hindrance of women rights and economic recession to political assassinations. Mohammad hanifs a case of exploding mangoes is a comical caricature of the possibilities that could have led to the assassination of pakistans most despotic and despised ruler in the countrys history. Aug 26, 2008 otherwise, a case of exploding mangoes the title comes from one of the theories of general zias plane crash which the book airs is pretty gentle going, and lacks the anger that drives great satire.
Jan 07, 2020 a case of exploding mangoes has been in publication for 11 years now. Far from coming to a conclusion about the cause of zias death, hanif gleefully thickens the stew of. Why did a hercules c, the worlds sturdiest plane, carrying pakistans military dictator general zia ul haq, go down on 17 august, 1988. Although framed as a mystery and ending with rational explanations for obaids disappearance and zias plane crash, a case of exploding mangoes is less le carr who praises the authors lovely. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading a case of exploding mangoes. Feb 12, 2012 one imagines its quite all right for the writer to be bored, as long as the readers are not, which indeed seems to be the case with hanifs exploding mangoes. A case of the exploding mangoes imagines several converging conspiracies and coincidences leading up to the mysterious 1988 plane crash that.
Top 11 quotes from a case of exploding mangoes free book. But trying to compare his work to his predecessors is like trying to compare apples to, well, mangoes, because hanif has his own story. A case of exploding mangoes gets translated into urdu. He has written plays for the stage and bbc radio, and his film the long night has been shown at film festivals around the world. Towards the end, the novel seems rushed and is occasionally overwritten, but mohammed hanif expresses his anger at his countrys lack of democracy and shady dealings with the us in a witty and effective manner.
A case of exploding mangoes download ebook pdf, epub. A case of exploding mangoes, discusses the highly bitter facts of pakistans history and dictatorship era in a very light and fun way, but touching all the sensitivity of the topic without a fear. Essay about a case of exploding mangoes 1066 words. A case of exploding mangoes synopsis there is an ancient saying that when lovers fall out, a plane goes down. Mohammed hanif runs the urdu service of the bbcs world service. As one may often note, good fiction is often just a tool to shed light on the truth, and this book, in.
They are preparing for peace and, being the cautious men. A case of exploding mangoes quotes showing 115 of 15 the generals who had called zia a mullah behind his back felt ashamed at having underestimated him. Mohammed hanifs debut novel a case of exploding mangoes does that for his native country, pakistan. God and a case of exploding mangoes in the framework of postmodernism fahmida manzoor phd. The writer no doubt knows the thirst of reader for exploring the truth dumped underneath the heavy boots steps of military dictatorship and dirty games of bureaucrats. A case of exploding mangoes has been in publication for 11 years now. Interesting story, subtle humor he is greeted by the local cia chief, and is quite at ease with senior pakistani and american diplomats and army officers, much as he was in real life in the eighties.
A case of exploding mangoes quotes by mohammed hanif. I am sitting here, wondering when will they come for us. A case of exploding mangoes takes the reader to that part of the world we just cant keep from watching with shivers of dread and fascination, and allows humor to provide the glimmer of a hope that maybe its all just an absurd joke. The great thing about mohammed hanifs dark satire a case of exploding mangoes is that, going in, the reader knows how it is going to end. Jul, 2008 occasionally a novel comes along that heralds a new chapter in the literary history of a nation. Buy a case of exploding mangoes by hanif, mohammed from amazons fiction books store. A case of exploding mangoes by mohammed hanif the guardian. A case of exploding mangoes by mohammed hanif, book. A financiers ponzi scheme unravels to disastrous effect, revealing the unexpected connections among a cast of disparate characters. The other main character in the novel is the general zia.
A case of exploding mangoes by mohammed hanif books. This summary of a case of exploding mangoes includes a complete plot overview spoilers included. A savage satire, it skewers general zia and the coterie of officers and sycophants who ruled pakistan from 1977 until 1988 when a mysterious plane crash rid the country of this dictator. A case of exploding mangoes is the story of one such plane. One of the funniest passages in mohammed hanifs acidly satirical novel, a case of exploding mangoes, is the official statement of a pakistani cadet facing interrogation by his superiors. A case of exploding mangoes is enjoyably satirical about pakistans military and political elite the author was a pilot in the air force at the time of zias death.
A case of exploding mangoes 2008 a first novel of the first orderprovocative, exuberant, wickedly cleverthat reimagines the conspiracies and coincidences leading to the mysterious 1988 plane crash that killed pakistans dictator general zia ulhaq. Irrfan khan to star in bollywood film based on pakistani bestseller. Although framed as a mystery and ending with rational explanations for obaids disappearance and zias plane crash, a case of exploding mangoes is less. I did enjoy it at the end although i did find it confusing at times possibly because i wasnt paying as much attention in. All of our paper waste is recycled within the uk and turned into corrugated cardboard.
There is an ancient saying that when lovers fall out, a plane goes down. Home books fiction international fiction case of exploding mangos. The present study aims to draw a comparative analysis of the geometry of god and a case of exploding mangoes as postmodern fictional texts. Author says pakistan satire confiscated as dictators. Im hoping that as i enter the last half of the books, things will pick up and ill find some books that are not only entertaining but that have the capacity to remain in my mind. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. Leftist intellectuals will toast the end of a cruel dictatorship and evoke historic dialectics in such matters.