The River, the Town

Farah Ali

Farah Ali is a Pakistani writer whose fiction explores everyday life, family relationships, social inequality, and the changing landscapes of contemporary Pakistan. Raised in Karachi, she draws on her observations of Pakistani society to portray people navigating poverty, displacement, and the emotional complexities of ordinary life. Her short fiction has appeared in literary publications including Virginia Quarterly Review, The Kenyon Review, The Southern Review, and Ecotone. Her stories have also been featured in the Pushcart Prize anthology and Best Small Fictions. Her debut short-story collection, People Want to Live, was published by McSweeney’s in 2021. Her debut novel, The River, the Town (2023), follows a family grappling with drought, economic hardship, and fractured relationships in rural Pakistan. Ali is also the co-founder of Lakeer, a digital platform dedicated to writing and art from Pakistan.

Published

2023

Author

Farah Ali