Today I’m joined joined by Saima Begum, a British-Bangladeshi writer whose voice is courageous, lyrical, and intent on bringing untold histories out of the silence. Saima Begum lives in London, and though The First Jasmines is her debut novel, she has already made her mark - she won the MFest Short Story Competition in 2021. Her novel The First Jasmines (published 31 July 2025 with Hajar Press) is set during the final stages of the Bangladesh Liberation War, in 1971, and follows two sis...
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Today I’m joined joined by Saima Begum, a British-Bangladeshi writer whose voice is courageous, lyrical, and intent on bringing untold histories out of the silence. Saima Begum lives in London, and though The First Jasmines is her debut novel, she has already made her mark - she won the MFest Short Story Competition in 2021. Her novel The First Jasmines (published 31 July 2025 with Hajar Press) is set during the final stages of the Bangladesh Liberation War, in 1971, and follows two sis...
Omar El Akkad on Gaza, genocide, privilege, and historical amnesia
The Diverse Bookshelf
1 hour 1 minute
8 months ago
Omar El Akkad on Gaza, genocide, privilege, and historical amnesia
Today, I’m thrilled to be joined by the award-winning writer and journalist, Omar El Akkad. Omar is a journalist and novelist whose work masterfully blurs the lines between fiction and reality, forcing us to confront the most urgent issues of our time. His debut novel, American War, was a haunting and unflinching look at climate change, war, and displacement. His second novel, What Strange Paradise, won the Giller Prize and offered a deeply human perspective on the refugee crisis. And now, wi...
The Diverse Bookshelf
Today I’m joined joined by Saima Begum, a British-Bangladeshi writer whose voice is courageous, lyrical, and intent on bringing untold histories out of the silence. Saima Begum lives in London, and though The First Jasmines is her debut novel, she has already made her mark - she won the MFest Short Story Competition in 2021. Her novel The First Jasmines (published 31 July 2025 with Hajar Press) is set during the final stages of the Bangladesh Liberation War, in 1971, and follows two sis...
