The Writing on My Forehead: A Novel (P.S.) [Paperback]

Nafisa Haji (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2, 2010 | Series: P.S.

A free-spirited and rebellious Muslim-American of Indo-Pakistani descent, willful, intelligent Saira Qader rejected the constricting notions of family, duty, obligation, and fate, choosing instead to become a journalist, making the world her home. But when tragedy strikes, throwing Saira's life into turmoil, the woman who circled the globe to uncover the details of other lives must confront the truths of her own. In need of understanding, she looks to the stories of those who came before—her grandparents, a beloved aunt, her mother and father. As Saira discovers the hope, pain, joy, and passion that defined their lives, she begins to face what she never wanted to admit: that choice is not always our own, and that faith is not merely an intellectual preference.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Haji traces in her impressive debut the fortunes of a family divided by secrets and lies as much as by the 1947 partition of the Indian subcontinent. Saira Qader, an American teenager of Indo-Pakistani descent, lives a sheltered life in California with her older sister, Ameena, and their overprotective and fiercely traditional parents. Saira's view of her family changes dramatically when she attends a wedding in Karachi and learns that her mother had lied to her about Saira's grandfather: he is not dead but living in London with a second family. As she learns more about her grandfather's work with Gandhi and the independence movement, Saira dreams of going to college instead of marrying early like her sister, and later carves out a life as a war journalist. But an unforeseen tragedy makes her choose between her peripatetic existence and the more traditional (and perhaps more desirable) setup awaiting her at home. Haji achieves an effortless commingling of family and social history in this intricate story that connects a young woman and her family over continents and through generations. (Mar.)
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Review

“The struggles of second-generation immigrants are well presented, calling to mind novels like Monica Ali’s Brick Lane. In addition, the climax is powerful and satisfying, as Saira belatedly comes to recognize the inescapable tug of family. Recommended for all libraries.” (Library Journal )

“A moving meditation on the meaning of family, tradition, and the ties that bind. Lyrical and touching. A story of mother and daughters, and of a young Muslim woman at crossroads, shaped by the forces of her past, her religion, her roots, her culture, and her own determined will.” (Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns )

“THE WRITING ON MY FOREHEAD is not only a family history but also a social history with an ambitious arc. Haji deftly illustrates how the Qaders’ lives intersect with defining world events. (Haji is a) talented new writer of sense and a distinct sensibility.” (San Francisco Chronicle )

“Grab a cup of chai (tea), and curl up in a big chair to read; time will fly and you’ll want to refill your cup before you even think about putting this book down. (The story) will stay with you for a long while.” (Wichita Falls, TX, Times Record News )

“This impressive debut follows the life of Saira Qader, a Muslim American of Indo-Pakistani descent who rejects the cultural traditions of family and duty to become a world-roving journalist.” (Sacramento Bee )

“Just as Saira’s mother tenderly traced the words of protective prayers on her daughters’ foreheads each night, so too does this book leave a stamp on us. As we open ourselves to this culture, it becomes inscribed within us, as if its rich history was written onto our foreheads.” (Chattanooga Times Free Press )

“THE WRITING ON MY FOREHEAD by Nafisa Haji explores how a family’s history––one spanning continents, love affairs, and political revolutions––can both haunt and heal.” (Parade (Parade Pick) )

““An elegantly written look at family dynamics and how cultural traditions shape lives. Poses questions and doesn’t give all the answers, allowing the reader to draw his or her own conclusions and continue the dialogue long after finishing the book.” (Deseret News )

“(An) impressive debut. Haji achieves an effortless commingling of family and social history in this intricate story that connects a young woman and her family over continents and through generations.” (Publishers Weekly )

“(A) deeply moving and beautifully written novel about different generations of an Indo-Pakistani family takes the reader on an emotional journey into how family and traditions define us and our choices in life. It’s a fast read, but its deeper meaning resonates long after the last page.” (Associated Press )

“A brainy, beautiful braid of stories about three generations of a Muslim family. This book, if widely read, will go a long way toward deconstructing stereotypes about American Muslims, and that, on top of its value as a work of fiction, makes it a treasure.” (Minneapolis Star Tribune )

“A masterful first novel.” (Booklist )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; 1 edition (March 2, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061493864
• ISBN-13: 978-0061493867
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,285,253 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Nafisa Haji was born and mostly raised in Los Angeles--mostly, because there were years also spent in Chicago, Karachi, Manila, and London. Her family migrated from Bombay to Karachi in 1947 during Partition, when the Indian Subcontinent was divided into two states. In the late 1960s, Nafisa's parents came to the United States, shortly before she was born, in order for her father to study engineering at Stanford. When she was six years old, they stuck with their original plan of "going back home" and moved to Karachi. In less than a year, they knew that they had become more American than they realized and came back to Los Angeles.

Nafisa studied American history at the University of California at Berkeley, taught elementary school in downtown Los Angeles for seven years in a bilingual Spanish program (she speaks Spanish fluently), and earned a doctorate in education from the University of California at Los Angeles. With an unfinished novel left long behind, she seized upon the birth of her son--when she decided to stay home fulltime--as an excuse to go back to writing, learning to use nap times and weekends very efficiently. She started writing short stories at first, which then developed into an idea for a novel, the highly acclaimed and internationally bestseling "The Writing on My Forehead", which was published in 2009. Her second novel, "The Sweetness of Tears" is expected in May 2011. Nafisa now lives in northern California with her husband and son. Nafisa maintains close ties in Pakistan, traveling there regularly to visit family.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful, Masterful Storytelling, May 16, 2009

By 

E. M. Griffith "auntleesie" (Central Coast of California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Writing on My Forehead: A Novel (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

A brilliant first novel by Ms. Haji, and from the first chapters is much more than a story about mother-daughter relationships (although that theme, too, weaves through the book). It's a masterful tale of culture--a family's history as it unfolds parallel to modern history--and how individual choices affect so many.

"The Writing on My Forehead" is filled with colorful, believable characters who, combined, provide the reader with a compelling look into the lives of those we might not have understood before. Each character (as seen through the eyes of delightful Saira) is like a puzzle piece in a much larger picture of her life. Through her family members, we come to understand her own unfolding story... why she makes some of the choices (and mistakes) along the way. Not unlike every family, everywhere. Many family members in the book, especially Big Nanima, were people I would have loved to share a cup of tea with. It's a book I couldn't put down until reaching the final page, and is a novel I'll remember for many years.

"The Writing on My Forehead" is not light reading. There are terms and Urdu words which may be unfamiliar to the reader (as they were to me), and as I read, I found myself wishing there'd been a glossary added. That is the only criticism I have of the book, and only because it took several chapters to keep unfamiliar terms and words straight.

In summary, and without giving away any of the story, this reader is grateful to Ms. Haji for such a vibrant, compelling visit into a culture and people I hadn't known... and yet are so familiar in many ways. The author has reinforced my belief that regardless of where we come from, we're more alike than we are different. There are universal truths in the human experience--joys and sorrows, arguments and laughter, births and deaths, complicated relationships, and yes... family secrets. I highly recommend reading this wonderful novel. In fact, I've asked each of my sons to read it and the 16 year old is already enjoying it!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A complicated society, a complicated life, May 12, 2009

By 

nekko1 "nekko1" (San Francisco Bay Area) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Writing on My Forehead: A Novel (Hardcover)

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A fascinating glimpse into an Indo Pakistani world where family and culture are embedded into the main character's life, no matter how she tries to distance herself.

The Indo Pakistani family relationship rules shape the lives and decisions of all the characters, even those who think they are rebelling. Family love is paradoxical - all encompassing, all inclusive while at the same time extremely smothering, a la "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan. And yet many readers will also recognize that the love of the extended family is something that brings great joy and comfort in a society like the US which values the individual so highly.


The writing starts off choppy for the first few chapters but bear with the writer, she finds her voice and her flow after a bit. And what really makes this book is that there are several twists that are completely surprising and unexpected that will drive you to finish it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Writing on My Forehead, May 21, 2009

By 

Reverie (Memphis, TN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Writing on My Forehead: A Novel (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

I was initially drawn to this book because I enjoy reading and exploring cultures different from my own. I could absolutely relate to the clash between the social traditions of 2 different cultures. This is a novel about an Indian family from the perspective of Saira who is considered the young rebel. She was raised in the United States along with her sister, Ameena. While Saira resists her family's social traditions, Ameena remains a contrasting figure in that she does everything that is expected of her. Turmoil in the family leads Saira to contemplate a role that is traditional of her Indian culture. Through old letters and stories in flashback form, Saira gains a greater understanding of her family (who she has mostly failed to appreciate up to this point). These family members are colorful characters leading what they consider ordinary lives at critical moments in history. The author does a great job in detailing their lives to add an entirely different dimension to the novel. I got used to this pace where I was learning about the family in the same way Saira was. This is why I was a little surprised that the end of the novel felt somewhat rushed. However, I am pleased that the author was able to maintain multiple storylines within the same book. It's been a good nighttime read for me.