Read This: Books under the Radar is a weekly post written by a guest author – often a friend of mine, someone I’ve met on my writerly travels, or an author I admire – who recommends three books they think deserve more recognition. If you’re interested in buying any of the books, please click on the covers and give these hidden gems some love. You can see the full list of books which have been selected, as well as the author’s latest book on Bookshop.org, where you can have a browse and buy any that take your fancy. Happy reading!
Read This: Huma Qureshi
I met Huma when she was the guest author on an Editing Fiction and Non-fiction course I taught for Arvon. Huma came on Wednesday evening and read from her books and told the students about her writing and how she edits. She seemed such a warm and friendly person and was incredibly generous with her time and in answering the students’ questions. Here’s what she has to say about herself:
Huma Qureshi is an award-winning writer and author of four books. Her memoir, How We Met: A Memoir of Love and Other Misadventures, was published in 2021 (Elliott & Thompson), and shortlisted for the Indie Book Awards. Her debut short-story collection, Things We Do Not Tell the People We Love, also published in 2021 (Sceptre), was longlisted for both The Jhalak Prize Book of The Year and The Edge Hill Prize for excellence in a single authored short story collection. In 2020, she won the coveted Harper’s Bazaar short story literary prize. Her first book, In Spite of Oceans, was published in 2014 (The History Press) and received the John C. Laurence award from The Authors ’Foundation. Her debut novel, Playing Games, a poignant story of art and sisterhood, family, marriage and betrayal, was published to critical acclaim in 2023 (Sceptre). Huma writes the popular newsletter Dear Huma and teaches a range of creative writing courses via her website, http://www.humaqureshi.co.uk.
On Instagram: @humaqureshiwriter