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A view from the curry mile
29/ 6/2006
BUSINESSMAN and poet Zahid Hussain hopes to do for Manchester's
Curry Mile what Monica Ali did for Brick Lane.
The Bolton-born writer's prize winning novel about the street at
the heart of east London's Banglatown attracted praise and some
sharp criticism for its warts-and-all portrayal of life in the UK's
biggest Bangladeshi community.
But Blackburn born and raised Zahid says he has excluded darker and
more scandalous tales about the growth of the north west's greatest
concentration of Asian restaurants and food shops that stretch
along the A34 Wilmslow road south of the city centre.
"In researching for the book I heard of some very hair raising
things but have had to leave them out for fear of legal action,"
said 34-year IT graduate Zahid.
As it is his novel, called The Curry Mile, has a controversial
theme.
Said Zahid: "It revolves around two main characters. A father who
is a traditional patriarch and his spirited daughter who wants an
independent life of her own.
"The father wants his sons to continue in his successful restaurant
business and his eldest son does join him but he lack what his
father says is a killer instinct.
"Really the daughter would be most suited to take over but after
the father travels to London, where she had moved to get away from
the family, and discovers she is living with her boyfriend, the two
fall out though she does return to Manchester."
The book takes up recognisable Curry Mile themes - the narrative
features fierce rivalry brought about by the annual national curry
competition.
Publishing a novel is a long cherished ambition of Zahid who works
in community development from an office in Cheetham Hill,
Manchester.
His father is of Kashmiri origin and used to run the ice cream
stall in Heaton Park, Manchester.
"When I was young I told him I wanted to write but like a lot of
dads he urged me to go into business.I studied for a degree in IT
and business and Sheffield Hallam University and Bordeaux and
qualified but the desire to write never left me.
"Some people may not like what I write but it is not a matter to me
agreeing or disagreeing with the issues in the novel. They are part
of life and as a writer I have to reflect this."
The book will be published by Suitcase in November and the
publishers are organising a launch on the Curry Mile itself.
Readers who want to order an advance copy should contact the
Shorlines agency on 0161 224 3101 or e-mail
admin@shorelines.org.uk
Author Zahid Hussain stand in his muse - Manchester's Curry
Mile
Most recent 2 of 2 user comments
31/07/2006 at 15:03
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