Kia Abdullah
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Kia Abdullah | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born | 17 May 1982 (age 26) London, UK |
| Occupation | Novelist |
| Nationality | British |
Kia Abdullah (born:17 May 1982) is a Muslim British-Asian novelist and writer. She has written one novel, Life, Love and Assimilation, published in 2006.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
Kia Abdullah was born and raised in Tower Hamlets in East London. Having graduated with a BSc degree in Computer Science, Abdullah left her initial career in technology, opting to become a writer instead. [1]
Abdullah’s first novel, Life, Love and Assimilation, debuted amongst praise and controversy in equal measures. The Bangladeshi community, including members of Abdullah’s own family denounced the book due to its no-holds-barred description of the drugs problem in Tower Hamlets, along with the inclusion of several sexual scenes. [2]
Despite the controversy, Abdullah remains firm in her view that issues should be explored, saying: “I have a voice and I’ll say what I want with it. I am not backing down. I am not staging a retreat. Let people say what they want to say.” [3]
In addition to writing her second novel, Abdullah works as a Sub-Editor for international glossy magazine, Asian Woman, and writes a weekly column for The Docklands newspaper. She is regularly called upon to comment on issues affecting the Asian community, and has appeared on documentaries and news reports for the BBC [4] and Channel 4 [5].
[edit] Works
Abdullah’s debut novel, Life, Love and Assimilation, drew comparisons with Monica Ali's Brick Lane [6]. Despite feeling “honoured” by this comparison to Ali, Abdullah says, “I feel that we are being pigeonholed together simply because of the content of our novels.” [7]
Life, Love and Assimilation was inspired by Abdullah’s own life. She says, “I wanted to write a novel that did not sugarcoat what it's like to be last in the pecking order of society; a female member of a racial minority with a faith that is plundered and vilified all across the western world. I wanted to show what it's really like to be a modern Asian woman caught between two cultures, two minds and two hearts.” [8]
[edit] References
- ^ About. Kia Abdullah. Retrieved on November, 2007.
- ^ BBC Asian Network Audio Interview. Anita Rani Show. Retrieved on June 22, 2006.
- ^ Being Talked About. Kia Abdullah. Retrieved on July 26, 2006.
- ^ Behind the Bling. BBC Asian Network. Retrieved on July 23, 2007.
- ^ Beyond the Pale. Channel 4 News. Retrieved on August 2, 2007.
- ^ Making Her Mark. The Wharf. Retrieved on August 2, 2007.
- ^ The Real Thing. The Evening Standard. Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
- ^ About. Kia Abdullah. Retrieved on November, 2007.
