The Curry Mile
Encyclopedia
The Curry Mile is a 2006 novel written by the Pakistani Manchester-based novelist, Zahid Hussain
. The debut novel
was also the first book published by Suitcase Press. The book is set on Wilmslow Road, also known as the Curry Mile
, in the Rusholme
area of Manchester. The novel is a piece of urban realism written in dual narrative. It charts the life of a Pakistan
i family in the restaurant trade.
newspaper wrote, "Sparky characters
, exuberant idiom
and rich detail combine to make this an enjoyable slice of Desi life, Manchester
style".
Ziauddin Sardar
named The Curry Mile one of the books of the year in New Statesman Magazine and wrote, "The Curry Mile by Zahid Hussain tells the story of a young, rebellious Muslim
woman who is forced to rescue her father's restaurant
business in Manchester
's Asian
area. Squabbling families with overbearing fathers, neighbourhood business feuds, charlatan mystics, music and mayhem - all human life is there".
Zahid Hussain
Zahid Hussain, a close aide of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, was the father of Supreme Court of Pakistan justice Nasir Aslam Zahid. Zahid remained vice-chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University, he became Pakistan's first high commissioner in India, the founder and first governor of the State...
. The debut novel
Debut novel
A debut novel is the first novel an author publishes. Debut novels are the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to publish in the future...
was also the first book published by Suitcase Press. The book is set on Wilmslow Road, also known as the Curry Mile
Curry Mile
The Curry Mile is a nickname for the part of Wilmslow Road running through the centre of Rusholme in south Manchester, England. The name is earned from the large number of restaurants, take-aways and kebab houses specialising in the cuisines of South Asia and the Middle East, thought to be the...
, in the Rusholme
Rusholme
-Etymology:Rusholme, unlike other areas of Manchester which have '-holme' in the place name is not a true '-holme'. Its name came from ryscum, which is the dative plural of Old English rysc "rush": "[at the] rushes"...
area of Manchester. The novel is a piece of urban realism written in dual narrative. It charts the life of a Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i family in the restaurant trade.
Reception
Rachel Hore from The GuardianThe Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
newspaper wrote, "Sparky characters
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, exuberant idiom
Idiom
Idiom is an expression, word, or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is comprehended in regard to a common use of that expression that is separate from the literal meaning or definition of the words of which it is made...
and rich detail combine to make this an enjoyable slice of Desi life, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
style".
Ziauddin Sardar
Ziauddin Sardar
Ziauddin Sardar is a London-based scholar, writer and cultural-critic who specialises in Muslim thought, the future of Islam, futures studies and science and cultural relations...
named The Curry Mile one of the books of the year in New Statesman Magazine and wrote, "The Curry Mile by Zahid Hussain tells the story of a young, rebellious Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
woman who is forced to rescue her father's restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
business in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
's Asian
Asian people
Asian people or Asiatic people is a term with multiple meanings that refers to people who descend from a portion of Asia's population.- Central Asia :...
area. Squabbling families with overbearing fathers, neighbourhood business feuds, charlatan mystics, music and mayhem - all human life is there".