Mohammed Hanif’s new novel ‘Red Birds’ to be out next year

Noted Pakistani novelist Mohammed Hanif is coming out with a new novel titled Red Birds. It is scheduled to hit stands in September 2018.

Red Birds comes five years after his last book "The Baloch Who Is Not Missing And Others Who Are (2013)". It will tell “deep and important truths about our crazy contemporary world” in a “dark comic absurdity of tone”, said a statement from the publisher Bloomsbury.

Offering a sneak peek into the book, Bloomsbury revealed the plot outline: “An American pilot crash lands in the desert, unprepared for any situation that can’t be resolved with the ‘After Eight’ mints in his survival kit. Hallucinating palm trees and dehydrating isn’t Major Ellie’s idea of a good time, but he figures it’s less of a hassle than another marital spat back home.”

“In a neighbouring refugee camp, Momo has his own problems; his money-making schemes aren’t working out as planned, his dog has ideas above his station and an academic researcher has shown up to study him for her thesis on the Teenage Muslim Mind. And then there’s the matter of his missing brother...”

Faiza Khan and Alexandra Pringle, editorial director of Bloomsbury India, and group editor-in-chief at Bloomsbury, respectively, bought the UK and Commonweath rights for the book from Clare Alexander of Aitken Alexander Associates.

“Representing Hanif’s writing has always been a joy and a privilege. I’m delighted that Faiza, Alexandra and everyone at Bloomsbury will now be helping to advocate this uniquely talented writer,” Alexander said.

“I’ve been a devoted admirer of Mohammed Hanif’s unique combination of wit, compassion and truth-telling since he first burst onto the literary scene in a landmark moment for South Asian fiction and I am very proud to be working with this immense talent,” said Faiza Khan, editorial director of Bloomsbury India.

Hanif’s debut novel A Case of Exploding Mangoes (2008) was longlisted for the Booker prize, and the Commonwealth literary prize. It won the Shakti Bhatt first book award. His book Our Lady of Alice Bhatti (2011) was shortlisted for the Wellcome Book Prize.