In a post-9/11 world, one young woman sought to understand what remained of her homeland beyond headlines and stereotypes

As a graduate student of international affairs in Boston, Maliha Masood was deeply conflicted when it came to Pakistan. It was her birthplace where she spent an idyllic childhood riding camels on the beach, reciting English poetry and dancing to Abba. Class lectures depicted a failed state that enslaved its women. Media reports painted dire scenarios of blood baths and terror cells, crime mobs and Kalashnikovs. Determined to reconcile the past with the present, Maliha went back to Pakistan in 2003, after an absence of two decades, and stumbled upon the adventure of a lifetime.

'Dizzy in Karachi: A Journey to Pakistan' is an intimate account of her experience living, working and traveling within a country teeming with contradictions. From the drug soaked parties of the pampered elite to the tranquil beauty of remote mountain villages, from smuggler bazaars on the Khyber Pass to culinary feasts in Lahore, readers will be immersed in a gripping narrative, rich in details and colorful characters.

Filled with insights on society, politics and history, Maliha's story provides a broader understanding that challenges our assumptions—not only about Pakistan—but about belonging and cultural identity and the meaning of home. Her duality as a Pakistani and an American offers a unique perspective that enlightens as well as entertains.