People Want to Live

Farah Ali

Nov 2021 · Tantor Media Inc · Narrated by Siiri Scott

About this audiobook

Set primarily in Pakistan, these award-winning stories follow people living on the brink of abandonment-in their personal relationships and their place in the world. A mother, coping with the sudden death of her son, uncovers long buried secrets in his absence. An anguished girl grabs a chance for a life beyond the orphanage walls where she lives and discovers the price of freedom. A young couple tries to keep their fraught relationship steady as a heat wave engulfs their city. A son returns to visit his ageing parents while beset with memories of a troubled childhood. And two thieves find themselves in a situation more precarious by the minute, and more dangerous than their original mission. Farah Ali's debut collection of thirteen stories, People Want to Live, features stories of togetherness and reckless faith in the face of a world that's built to break us. Her characters mount battle with loneliness and in their fight reveal surprising vulnerabilities and an astonishing measure of hope.

About the author

Farah Ali grew up in Karachi, Pakistan, and currently lives in London. Her work has been anthologized in the 2020 Pushcart Prize and received special mention in the 2018 Pushcart anthology. Her debut story collection People Want to Live includes stories previously published in VQR, Shenandoah, Copper Nickel, and others.

Siiri Scott is the head of acting and directing at the University of Notre Dame. She received her MFA in acting from The Theatre School at DePaul University. An actor/director/educator, Siiri is an artistic associate with the Irish Theatre of Chicago and a Theatre Nohgaku company member.