Listening to Pakistan: A Woman's Voice in a Veiled Land Paperback – April 16, 2013

In her book, Listening to Pakistan: A Woman's Voice in a Veiled Land, Denise B. Dailey writes about her month long trip in 2006 on the Karakoram Highway from the border of China into Pakistan along with her husband, the tour guide and three others. This true tale offers a clear and compelling journey through Pakistan's ancient history, its vast and wondrous terrain, and its current and complicated culture. This is an important odyssey in a world that's very much connected to our own political balance, but which many of us in the West know so little about. And what we do know is often distorted and inaccurate.As many have already said in these reviews, Dailey writes in a voice that is both clear and lyrical. My favorite sections are when through patience and interest she manages to connect with the people of these regions. One early morning while the party is in Skardu, Dailey observes a man struggling to drag away one of the young willows that had half-fallen in the river overnight. She stands at a distance for a long time observing the ingenuity and concentrated effort as, trip after trip with only a small hatchet, this man finally managed to turn this whole tree, this treasure, into fodder for his goats and wood for his fire.I have traveled very little outside of the U.S., so I was in particular awe of these six people being driven by van over roads that were prone to erosions and avalanche. Sometimes when their vehicle must squeeze over to allow room for a passing truck, they are only a few feet away from a plunge over the edge into the raging Indus river hundreds of feet below.

What a journey for a reader. To suggest this is marvelous travelogue is to miss the point because the book expands beyond genre. The author is blessed with an eye for the particular and use of language, which is poetic. Her writing activates all ones senses, sight, smell, touch, sounds, …especially the emotional. She has the unusual ability to dispel prejudices. I have a new view of Pakistan and a renewed hopefulness about humanity. Ms. Dailey’s faith in the goodness of people sings throughout her book, but never reaches the area of polemics.And politics? She extinguishes complacency and dispels the idea that one person can't make a difference. Ms. Dailey creates a compelling case that we must be more than vigilant of the needs of powered politics and bureaucracies and does it through feeling the soul and geography of the people, rather than a hint of polemics.Visiting Pakistan is a memorable read, and a memorable journey.

"LISTENING TO PAKISTAN: A Woman's Voice in a Veiled Land" is a beautiful book, with compelling sketches of life in a land that remains unfamiliar to most of us, in spite of the focus of news reports from this area of the world. Denise Dailey's writing is clear, vivid, and elegant...in short, brilliant. I am savoring every word. One beautiful sentence after another pulls the reader into the towns and villages of Pakistan. Her compassion toward many of the subcultures she encounters is extraordinary. She seems to bring the skills of an anthropologist, naturalist, geologist, biologist, gourmet chef, birder, gardener, linguist, educator, and humanitarian to bear on her experiences in Pakistan, and I feel the richer for her keen participant/observer insights. This book will undoubtedly appeal to a wide audience, especially to people interested in the welfare of children and women worldwide. Here's to more books by Denise Dailey!

the world.C L Flynn MDClass mate of Dr Daileyand his fellow surgeon wordIn Viet Nam 1967-8

Dailey provides a rich description of the people, places, and customs she encountered in her travels through Pakistan. A seasoned traveler, she does not shy away from the chasm of differences in culture from west to east. Where I found myself cringing at her descriptions of accomodations, hygeine, and food, she embraced them non-judgementally. Her descriptions of the rugged scenery are breathtaking. Accounts of diverse personalities and her encounters with women, children and, especially men, are intriguing, leaving the reader wondering if the exchange will be positive or stifled by Muslim gender customs. Dailey is fearless, willing to take a chance on engaging the Pakistani people to hear their hearts, their dreams, and their needs. I would love to see color photos of the places she describes and hear the story of each souvenir she brought home. Having said that, however, the story is the prize.

I was listening, seeing, tasting and feeling frustrated throughout this wonderful book! Denise Dailey's words put me there! Her story is so vivid and compelling that I am now saved the difficult journey of firsthand discovery. Her ability to make me feel that I was part of her travel companions is unmatchable! I could not have learned what I now know (because of her),because my level of frustration at not being allowed to truly get into deep and meaningful discussions with the women of these areas would have blinded me to acceptance of the culture's demands on them. Denise was able to convey so much in such beautiful language that my desire to know more of that part of the world is fulfilled. Kudos!Alice Rose, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands

Denise Dailey has given us an unforgettable view of Northern Pakistan, a fascinating part of the world that, for geopolitical reasons, is becoming increasingly remote to Western tourists. In the lyrical, timeless prose of the best travel writers, she conveys the sounds, shapes, smells and textures of this world, its beauty, its poverty, its friendliness, its hostility. It took an adventurous spirit for Ms. Dailey and her companions to make this journey, one that many would not attempt under the best of circumstances. Thanks to Ms. Dailey's rich background in art, history, travel, nature, language and cuisine, among her other wisdoms, and to her amazing attention to detail, we feel as if we've made the trip ourselves.