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A Glasgow Girl

A memoir of growing up and finding your voice

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A Glasgow Girl

By: Aasmah Mir
Narrated by: Aasmah Mir
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About this listen

A fascinating and emotive narrative capturing the journey many second-generation Britons have travelled from the familial bonds of their parents' countries to establishing a life and identity for themselves in the United Kingdom.

A Pebble in the Throat is two stories told in unison. Aasmah Mir growing up in Glasgow - the place of her birth - and the upbringing of her mother in Pakistan a generation before. It is an emotional and thought-provoking narrative on what it is like to live in two very different cultures whilst all the time aware of racism, prejudice and stereotyping of gender from the 1960s onwards.

A Pebble in the Throat captures life from the lens of a little girl, teenage loner, and grown-up student leaving the safety of home - a witness, sitting on the edge of two cultures, describing what it means to be striving for acceptance in one whilst attempting to fulfil expectations in the other. It will capture the essence of life as a Pakistani in Glasgow and bring vividly to life the one character who shaped her childhood - her mother - who gave her the confidence to seize life and find her voice.

©2023 Aasmah Mir (P)2023 Headline Publishing Group Ltd Art & Literature Journalists, Editors & Publishers Relationships Inspiring Heartfelt Thought-Provoking

Critic reviews

Full of beauty, wit and inner strength, this unique dual voiced memoir moved me deeply. Aasmah Mir's childhood may have been bittersweet but her writing, like her broadcasting, is pure gold (Samira Ahmed)

I will be thinking of Aasmah's story for a very long time. She writes with such richness of her life, such detail of her time at school and the love for her young brother. This book will resonate with many people no matter that they be Christian or Muslim, British or Pakistani. A treasure of a book. (Fern Britton)

An exquisite memoir, revealing how the wheels of progress have turned across two generations - but how they have also got very stuck. It is at times heart-breaking and poignant but also so very funny and clever and full of small moments that you want to pause and reread. (Fi Glover)
All stars
Most relevant
An honest account about the struggles of a young Asian female growing up in this country in 1980’s and the awful prejudice, which she faced but learnt to deal with admirably in her own way, but not without turmoil at times. A truly inspirational story from a woman who has had gone from strength to strength.
Also a fascinating look into the culture of a Pakistani family.
Funny, colourful, sad, happy and very thought provoking.

The author as narrator was so compelling, and easy to listen to, I was hooked a few minutes into the book.

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I didn’t come to the book with any preconceived ideas, or particular expectations. But I was hugely surprised and excited to find out how the stories were constructed and interwoven - I’ve not come across a book quite like it.

So, above and beyond an interesting description of perspectives on life which were so different to my own upbringing, this is such a captivating book. Harsh, heartbreaking and harrowing, yet with a poetry written in.

A criticism? No not really, but I was left wanting more….in a very good way.

Cannot praise this highly enough. And it’s just a simple story of how the ugly duckling overcomes all to be the beautiful swan,

PS - I cried at the exam results. But don’t tell anyone!

Makes You Think

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Could not stop listening!! A captivating and evocative memoir - providing a carefully crafted window into two very different worlds and the lives of two inspirational woman. Beautifully read by the author. Highly recommend.

Utterly fabulous!!

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Be prepared to feel all the feels listening to this absolute belter of
a memoir. My only complaint is it’s over too soon. Brilliantly written and wonderfully moving. I loved every minute of it.

An absolute treat from start to finish

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Beautifully written and evocative. Aasmah reads her, and her mother's, story so well. Definitely recommend

Excellent

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