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285 Book Reviews
stagnation, drawing attention to „curriculum inertia‟ and a „fossilized world‟.
Still today, he argues, we are challenged by the apathy, ignorance, arrogance or
neglect symptomatic of previous decades. Immersing ourselves in Cole‟s life
story, we are reminded, with urgency, of education‟s vital role in enabling us to
overcome challenge and move forward. We are also privileged to better
understand the life of a single individual, dignified by those qualities - much
cherished by Sikhs - of contemplation, industriousness and magnanimity, of
dedication to family, work and society, and of faith and grit against the odds. As
we finish and close the book, it is this rich and resilient character which is,
ultimately, the „Sahib‟ behind Cole.
Gopinder Kaur Sagoo
University of Birmingham
Aatish Taseer, Stranger to History: A Son’s Journey through Islamic Lands,
(Edinburgh: Canongate Books, 2009) 323 pp. £14.99 (hb) ISBN 978–1–
847676–071–7.
Aatish Taseer‟s Stranger to History comes highly recommended: V. S. Naipaul‟s
praise - “A subtle and poignant work by a young writer to watch” - is printed on
the front cover and Antonia Fraser‟s comments - “… an amazing narrative: a
kind of Muslim Odyssey which unfolds before the reader‟s eyes, bringing
revelations, sometimes painful perhaps, but always intensely compelling” -
endorse the work on the back cover. Indeed, the author takes the reader on a
journey - both in the concrete and figurative sense of the word; it is a personal
journey which Taseer embarked on to explore and understand his cultural and
religious genealogy. The physical journey took him, in gradual stages, from West
to East, beginning in Venice and ending in Delhi. However, the book only covers
part of this geographical expedition, charting the author‟s experiences in
Istanbul, Mecca, Iran, and Pakistan, leaving out other parts which covered
Jordan, Yemen, and Oman. In all these countries, Taseer traces his routes
through the intermediary of contacts, acquaintances, friends, and family, who
help him navigate the vagaries of local life and lessen the difficulties of being a
stranger in a strange land. They also answer questions and interpret Islamic
thought and practice, while also acting as guides and interpreters. While in most
cases they assist the author‟s progress and facilitate access to particular places
and personalities, there are also occasions, especially in Iran, where Taseer finds
it hard to judge whether someone can be trusted, given the harshness of Iran‟s
Islamic regime which uses the full force of its powers for those who do not
observe its rules. The author himself comes to feel some of the weight of official
suspicion when his application for a visa extension runs into difficulties, leading
to a somewhat hasty exit, after interrogation and unsuccessful intervention by
Iranian friends. It is this episode in particular which shows the hazards of the