Huma Qureshi’s Things We Do Not Tell the People We Love is a poignant exploration of love, grief, and identity

💡 What becomes of the feelings we let fester? In Things We Do Not Tell the People We Love, the debut collection by Pakistani-British author and journalist Huma Qureshi, that is the question answered.

Across 10 short stories, each averaging around 20 pages, Qureshi — through varying protagonists — dissects our innermost thoughts, most intimate relationships, and our most dangerous secrets: ones that, were they to be told, would mean a reckoning with oneself and loved ones. Drawing from her own experience as a daughter of Pakistani immigrants, Qureshi tackles cultural taboos, religion, immigration, and more. One story follows a forbidden love affair lost to the years, another of a woman weighed down by her overbearing mother. Which is to say: expect a punch to the gut with each one.

What we liked: The collection — just under 200 pages — is one that can be read in a single sitting — a feat we accomplished over two flat whites at Maadi’s KMT house. It’s a beautifully written book, and one the pages of which we couldn’t stop ourselves from turning. The author’s cultural background — and the resulting topics dissected — felt familiar, relevant, and close to heart.

It’s a read that will particularly resonate with those among us caught between East and West, cleverly weaving together what it means to find yourself presented with the world, only to be held back by aeons of tradition that are becoming increasingly difficult to justify in the eyes of the protagonists.

What we didn’t particularly enjoy: Our only gripe with the book is that we felt certain stories deserved to be expanded upon, with others needing a little more brevity. That said, no story proved subpar, though certain characters often had us fuming. If you’re picking up Qureshi’s debut, prepare to find yourself confronting your own secrets.

WHERE TO FIND IT- You can find the paperback version at Diwan. You can also find the Kindle version on Amazon.