Skip to content

The Wandering Falcon
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

The Wandering Falcon Hardcover - 2011

by Jamil Ahmad


Summary

A haunting literary debut set in the forbidding remote tribal areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Traditions that have lasted for centuries, both brutal and beautiful, create a rigid structure for life in the wild, astonishing place where Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan meet-the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). It is a formidable world, and the people who live there are constantly subjected to extremes-of place and of culture.

The Wandering Falcon begins with a young couple, refugees from their tribe, who have traveled to the middle of nowhere to escape the cruel punishments meted out upon those who transgress the boundaries of marriage and family. Their son, Tor Baz, descended from both chiefs and outlaws, becomes "The Wandering Falcon," a character who travels among the tribes, over the mountains and the plains, into the towns and the tents that constitute the homes of the tribal people. The media today speak about this unimaginably remote region, a geopolitical hotbed of conspiracies, drone attacks, and conflict, but in the rich, dramatic tones of a master storyteller, this stunning, honor-bound culture is revealed from the inside.

Jamil Ahmad has written an unforgettable portrait of a world of custom and compassion, of love and cruelty, of hardship and survival, a place fragile, unknown, and unforgiving.

From the publisher

A haunting literary debut set in the forbidding remote tribal areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Traditions that have lasted for centuries, both brutal and beautiful, create a rigid structure for life in the wild, astonishing place where Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan meet-the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). It is a formidable world, and the people who live there are constantly subjected to extremes-of place and of culture.

"The Wandering Falcon" begins with a young couple, refugees from their tribe, who have traveled to the middle of nowhere to escape the cruel punishments meted out upon those who transgress the boundaries of marriage and family. Their son, Tor Baz, descended from both chiefs and outlaws, becomes "The Wandering Falcon," a character who travels among the tribes, over the mountains and the plains, into the towns and the tents that constitute the homes of the tribal people. The media today speak about this unimaginably remote region, a geopolitical hotbed of conspiracies, drone attacks, and conflict, but in the rich, dramatic tones of a master storyteller, this stunning, honor-bound culture is revealed from the inside.

Jamil Ahmad has written an unforgettable portrait of a world of custom and compassion, of love and cruelty, of hardship and survival, a place fragile, unknown, and unforgiving.

Details

  • Title The Wandering Falcon
  • Author Jamil Ahmad
  • Binding Hardcover
  • Edition 1st
  • Pages 243
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Riverhead Books, U.S.A.
  • Date 2011-10-13
  • ISBN 9781594488276 / 1594488274
  • Weight 0.66 lbs (0.30 kg)
  • Dimensions 7.29 x 5.29 x 0.92 in (18.52 x 13.44 x 2.34 cm)
  • Ages 18 to UP years
  • Grade levels 13 - UP
  • Library of Congress subjects Afghanistan, Pakistan
  • Library of Congress Catalog Number 2011030060
  • Dewey Decimal Code FIC

Media reviews

"Superb. The work of a gifted story teller who has lived in the world of his fiction, and who offers his readers rare insight, wisdom and-above all- pleasure." – Mohsin Hamid, author of Moth Smoke and The Reluctant Fundamentalist

"I’ve been talking about this book to anyone who will listen. From page one, I was transported to a land of nomadic tribes who live and die by ancestral codes. But The Wandering Falcon is not only about tribes. It is about honor, love, loyalty, and grace. And it is about borders--geographical, political, and personal. The terrain where Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan meet may be cruel and unforgiving, but every page of this book is filled with beauty and humanity. By the final pages, I found myself transformed." – Nami Mun, author of Miles from Nowhere

"I've been talking about this book to anyone who will listen. From page one, I was transported to a land of nomadic tribes who live and die by ancestral codes. But The Wandering Falcon is not only about tribes. It is about honor, love, loyalty, and grace. And it is about borders--geographical, political, and personal. The terrain where Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan meet may be cruel and unforgiving, but every page of this book is filled with beauty and humanity. By the final pages, I found myself transformed." – The New York Times

"[Y]ou instantly care so much about that boy and his fate that you can hardly stand to stop reading. The early chapters are reminiscent of masterpieces like Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian, which also features a boy alone in a gorgeous but harsh and often terrifying desert landscape.... [T]he characters, the tales, and the landscape are rendered with clarity, sympathy, and insight. The author makes us travel with him.... The book offers a rich picture of the "mountainous, lawless tribal areas" we have previously known mainly for bullets and bombs." – Steve Inskeep, NPR

"A striking debut...The power and beauty of these stories are unparalleled in most fiction to come out of south Asia." – The Guardian

"[W]ritten with such a terrible beauty...With this novel Ahmad has followed Mark Twain's advice to write what he knows. And what he know is all the more fiction-worthy for his lived experience among these hardy people, much feared and little known...Highly accomplished first novel...Elegiac voice...They are neither romanticized nor vilified but shown in all their terrible, resilient beauty." – The Independent (UK)

"Tautly written... Fantastic... Drawn with tenderness but without sentimentality... Ahmad is a deft storyteller and his slim volume possesses a strong allure." – Financial Times

"Outstanding...The novel is more than a beautifully written piece of fiction; it is a socio-anthropological account of a tribal landscape that is changing rapidly. Executed brilliantly...This is a book worth more than its weight in gold." – Business World India
 

About the author

Jamil Ahmad was born in 1930. He joined the Civil Service of Pakistan in 1954 and served mainly in the Frontier Province and Baluchistan. He was also development commissioner for the Frontier and chairman of the Tribal Development Corporation, and was posted as minister in Pakistan's embassy in Kabul at a critical time, before and during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. He lives in Islamabad with his wife, Helga Ahmad, a nationally recognized environmentalist and social worker. This is his first book.
Back to Top

More Copies for Sale

The Wandering Falcon

The Wandering Falcon

by Ahmad, Jamil

  • Used
  • very good
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Very Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 13
9781594488276
ISBN 10
1594488274
Quantity Available
1
Seller
GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, United Kingdom
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 2 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$2.75
$10.80 shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Paperback. Very Good.
Item Price
$2.75
$10.80 shipping to USA
The Wandering Falcon

The Wandering Falcon

by Ahmad, Jamil

  • Used
  • good
  • Paperback
Condition
Used - Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 13
9781594488276
ISBN 10
1594488274
Quantity Available
1
Seller
GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, United Kingdom
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 2 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$2.75
$10.80 shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Paperback. Good.
Item Price
$2.75
$10.80 shipping to USA
The Wandering Falcon
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

The Wandering Falcon

by Ahmad, Jamil

  • Used
Condition
Used - Very Good
ISBN 13
9781594488276
ISBN 10
1594488274
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Frederick, Maryland, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$4.99
$3.99 shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Riverhead. Used - Very Good. Very Good condition. Like New dust jacket. A copy that may have a few cosmetic defects. May also contain light spine creasing or a few markings such as an owner’s name, short gifter’s inscription or light stamp. Bundled media such as CDs, DVDs, floppy disks or access codes may not be included.
Item Price
$4.99
$3.99 shipping to USA
The Wandering Falcon
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

The Wandering Falcon

by Ahmad, Jamil

  • Used
Condition
Used - Good
ISBN 13
9781594488276
ISBN 10
1594488274
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Reno, Nevada, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$5.00
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Penguin Publishing Group. Used - Good. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages.
Item Price
$5.00
FREE shipping to USA
The Wandering Falcon
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

The Wandering Falcon

by Ahmad, Jamil

  • Used
Condition
Used - Good
ISBN 13
9781594488276
ISBN 10
1594488274
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Mishawaka, Indiana, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$5.00
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Penguin Publishing Group. Used - Good. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages.
Item Price
$5.00
FREE shipping to USA
The Wandering Falcon
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

The Wandering Falcon

by Ahmad, Jamil

  • Used
Condition
Used - Very Good
ISBN 13
9781594488276
ISBN 10
1594488274
Quantity Available
2
Seller
Reno, Nevada, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$6.88
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Penguin Publishing Group. Used - Very Good. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in excellent condition. May show signs of wear or have minor defects.
Item Price
$6.88
FREE shipping to USA
The Wandering Falcon
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

The Wandering Falcon

by Jamil Ahmad

  • Used
  • very good
  • Hardcover
  • first
Condition
Used - Very Good
Edition
First Printing
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 13
9781594488276
ISBN 10
1594488274
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Springfield, Massachusetts, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$7.00
$4.75 shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Riverhead, 2011. Book. Very Good. Hardcover. First Printing. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. normal wear clean copy------------------------a young couple fleeing from cruesl punishments with their son. the son becomes the wandering falcon.
Item Price
$7.00
$4.75 shipping to USA
The Wandering Falcon

The Wandering Falcon

by Ahmad, Jamil

  • Used
  • good
  • Hardcover
Condition
Used - Good
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 13
9781594488276
ISBN 10
1594488274
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Seattle, Washington, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$7.68
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Riverhead, 2011. Hardcover. Good. Disclaimer:A copy that has been read, but remains in clean condition. All pages are intact, and the cover is intact. The spine may show signs of wear. Pages can include limited notes and highlighting, and the copy can include previous owner inscriptions. At ThriftBooks, our motto is: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Item Price
$7.68
FREE shipping to USA
The Wandering Falcon

The Wandering Falcon

by Ahmad, Jamil

  • Used
  • very good
  • Hardcover
Condition
Used - Very Good
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 13
9781594488276
ISBN 10
1594488274
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Seattle, Washington, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$7.68
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Riverhead, 2011. Hardcover. Very Good. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Item Price
$7.68
FREE shipping to USA
The Wandering Falcon

The Wandering Falcon

by Ahmad, Jamil

  • Used
  • as new
  • Hardcover
Condition
As New
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 13
9781594488276
ISBN 10
1594488274
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Seattle, Washington, United States
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
$7.68
FREE shipping to USA

Show Details

Description:
Riverhead, 2011. Hardcover. As New. Disclaimer:An apparently unread copy in perfect condition. Dust cover is intact; pages are clean and are not marred by notes or folds of any kind. At ThriftBooks, our motto is: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Item Price
$7.68
FREE shipping to USA