Kamila Shamsie
Encyclopedia
Kamila Shamsie is a Pakistani novelist who writes in the English language
. She was brought up in Karachi
and attended Karachi Grammar School
.
She has a BA in Creative Writing from Hamilton College, and an MFA from the MFA Program for Poets & Writers
at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where she was influenced by the Kashmiri
poet Agha Shahid Ali
. Kamila wrote her first novel, In The City By The Sea, while she was still at UMass, and it was published in 1998. It was shortlisted for the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize
in the UK, and she received the Prime Minister's Award for Literature in Pakistan in 1999. Her second novel, Salt and Saffron, followed in 2000, after which she was selected as one of Orange's 21 Writers of the 21st century. Her third novel, Kartography, received widespread critical acclaim and was shortlisted for the John Llewellyn Rhys award in the UK. Both "Kartography" and her next novel, Broken Verses have won the Patras Bukhari Award from the Academy of Letters in Pakistan. Her fifth novel "Burnt Shadows" has been shortlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction
. Her books have been translated in a number of languages.
She is also a reviewer and columnist - primarily for the Guardian- and has been a judge for several literary awards including The Orange Award for New Writing and The Guardian First Book Award.
She is the daughter of the famous literary journalist, compiler and editor Muneeza Shamsie
, niece of Attia Hosain
and granddaughter of the writer, Begum Jahanara Habibullah. Her sister is Saman Shamsie used to be a college counselor and teach O- level Physics and SAT writing and reading at Karachi Grammar School till last year.
In 2009, she donated the short story The Desert Torso to Oxfam's 'Ox-Tales
' project, four collections of UK stories written by 38 authors. Her story was published in the 'Air' collection.
She will also be partaking in the Bush Theatre
's 2011 project Sixty Six where she has written a piece based upon a chapter of the King James Bible
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. She was brought up in Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
and attended Karachi Grammar School
Karachi Grammar School
Karachi Grammar School is an independent, highly selective, coeducational, English-medium school in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.Established in 1847 by the Reverend Henry Brereton, the first chaplain of Karachi, as a school for "English and Anglo-Indo children", it is the oldest private school in...
.
She has a BA in Creative Writing from Hamilton College, and an MFA from the MFA Program for Poets & Writers
MFA Program for Poets & Writers
The MFA Program for Poets & Writers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is a graduate creative writing program.-History:The MFA Program for Poets & Writers was founded in the 1960s by poet Joseph Langland and is part of the English Department at the University of Massachusetts...
at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where she was influenced by the Kashmiri
Kashmiri people
The Kashmiri people are a Dardic linguistic group living in Kashmir Valley in Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir and parts of the Pakistani territory of Azad Kashmir who speak the Kashmiri language...
poet Agha Shahid Ali
Agha Shahid Ali
Agha Shahid Ali was a Kashmiri American poet...
. Kamila wrote her first novel, In The City By The Sea, while she was still at UMass, and it was published in 1998. It was shortlisted for the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize
John Llewellyn Rhys Prize
The John Llewellyn Rhys Prize is a literary prize awarded annually for the best work of literature by an author from the Commonwealth aged 35 or under, written in English and published in the United Kingdom...
in the UK, and she received the Prime Minister's Award for Literature in Pakistan in 1999. Her second novel, Salt and Saffron, followed in 2000, after which she was selected as one of Orange's 21 Writers of the 21st century. Her third novel, Kartography, received widespread critical acclaim and was shortlisted for the John Llewellyn Rhys award in the UK. Both "Kartography" and her next novel, Broken Verses have won the Patras Bukhari Award from the Academy of Letters in Pakistan. Her fifth novel "Burnt Shadows" has been shortlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction
Orange Prize for Fiction
The Orange Prize for Fiction is one of the United Kingdom's most prestigious literary prizes, annually awarded to a female author of any nationality for the best original full-length novel written in English, and published in the United Kingdom in the preceding year...
. Her books have been translated in a number of languages.
She is also a reviewer and columnist - primarily for the Guardian- and has been a judge for several literary awards including The Orange Award for New Writing and The Guardian First Book Award.
She is the daughter of the famous literary journalist, compiler and editor Muneeza Shamsie
Muneeza Shamsie
Muneeza Shamsie is a Pakistani writer, critic, bibliographer and freelance journalist. She was born in Lahore, Pakistan into a literary-minded family, and was educated in England. She is daughter of the writer Jahanara Habibullah...
, niece of Attia Hosain
Attia Hosain
Attia Hosain is a writer, feminist and broadcaster. She was born in 1913 in Lucknow in a taluqdar background. She moved to Britain in 1947.-Biography:Attia was born in Lucknow and went to the local La Martiniere Girls' College...
and granddaughter of the writer, Begum Jahanara Habibullah. Her sister is Saman Shamsie used to be a college counselor and teach O- level Physics and SAT writing and reading at Karachi Grammar School till last year.
In 2009, she donated the short story The Desert Torso to Oxfam's 'Ox-Tales
Ox-Tales
Ox-Tales refers to four anthologies of short stories written by 38 of the UK's best known authors. All the authors donated their stories to Oxfam...
' project, four collections of UK stories written by 38 authors. Her story was published in the 'Air' collection.
She will also be partaking in the Bush Theatre
Bush Theatre
The Bush Theatre is based in Shepherd's Bush, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. It was established in 1972 above The Bush public house by Brian McDermott, and has since become one of the most celebrated new writing theatres in the world. An intimate venue renowned for its close-up...
's 2011 project Sixty Six where she has written a piece based upon a chapter of the King James Bible
Books
- In the City by the Sea (1998) ISBN 0-14-028181-9
- Salt and Saffron (2000) ISBN 1-58234-261-X
- Kartography (2002) ISBN 0-15-602973-1
- Broken Verses (2005) ISBN 0-15-603053-5
- Burnt Shadows (2009) ISBN 0-312-55187-8
External links
- Kamila Shamsie talks about Burnt Shadows on the BBC's World Book ClubWorld Book ClubWorld Book Club is a radio programme on the BBC World Service. Each edition of the programme, which is broadcast on the first Saturday of the month with repeats into the following Monday, features a famous author discussing one of his or her books, often the most well-known one, with the public...
- Kamila Shamsie at Bloomsbury Publishing
- Article in the Guardian on Kamila Shamsie