Author(s): Mohammed Hanif

Fiction

There is an ancient saying that when lovers fall out, a plane goes down. A Case of Exploding Mangoes is the story of one such plane. Why did a Hercules C130, the world's sturdiest plane, carrying Pakistan's military dictator General Zia ul Haq, go down on 17 August, 1988s Was it because of: 1.Mechanical failure 2.Human error 3.The CIAâÃÂÃÂs impatience 4.A blind womanâÃÂÃÂs curse 5.Generals not happy with their pension plans 6.The mango season. Or could it be your narrator, Ali Shigria Here are the facts: A military dictator reads the Quran every morning as if it was his daily horoscope. Under Officer Ali Shigri carries a deadly message on the tip of his sword. His friend Obaid answers all lifeâÃÂÃÂs questions with a splash of eau de cologne and a quote from Rilke. A crow has crossed the Pakistani border illegally. As young Shigri moves from a mosque hall to his military barracks before ending up in a Mughal dungeon, there are questions that haunt him: What does it mean to betray someone and still love them How many names does Allah really havee Who killed his father, Colonel Shigri Who will kill his killerse And where the hell has Obaid disappeared toeTeasing, provocative, and very funny, Mohammed Hanif's debut novel takes one of the subcontinent's enduring mysteries and out if it spins a tale as rich and colourful as a beggar's dream.