The Guardian Weekend | 13 February 2021 9Front Q&A
Born in Kabul, Bhutto, 38 ,studied at Columbia University,
New York, and at S oas in London. Her books include Songs
O f Blood A nd Sword , an account of her family and Pakistani
politics , and the novels The Shadow O f T he Crescent Moon and
The Runaways. She lives in Karachi, Pakistan.
When were you happiest?
Today, waking up in the dark hours of the morning with a
litter of puppies snoozing on my bed.
Which person do you most admire, and why?
Aitzaz Hasan Bangash was a 15-year-old Pakistani
schoolboy who stopped a suicide bomber from entering
his school. He sacrifi ced himself and saved the lives of
2,000 students.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
I am very easily distracted.
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
I was raised by a single father. At no point in his short
life did he ever criticise my appearance. This was one of
the most incredible gifts he gave me. I’m quite small –
5ft 3in – but when I complained, he would tell me I was
incredibly tall for my age (I was 11). I was also incredibly
tall for my age at 12 and 13, and on and on. It’s a good
approach: not focusing on your appearance long enough to
have complaints.
If you could bring something extinct back to life, what would
you choose?
I miss travelling, seeing friends and not worrying about
airborne particles 24 hours a day.
Who would play you in the fi lm of your life?
Al Pacino circa The Godfather I and II.
What is your most unappealing habit?
I don’t believe that food expires and so never throw
anything away.
Fatima Bhutto, author
SOPHIA EVANSWhat is your favourite word?
Ya l l a , Arabic for, “Let’s go.” I say it all the time.
Which book changed your life?
James Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time electrifi ed me.
I walked around with that book for days, heart beating at
a gallop.
What is the worst thing anyone’s said to you?
The wonderful thing about the internet is that you don’t
actually have to look.
What is your favourite smell?
Magnolias, they remind me of my grandmother, Nusrat ;
the smell of the earth and air in Larkana, a warm, honeyed
smell.
What is your guiltiest pleasure?
Shoes. As Imelda Marcos said, “I did not have 3,000 pairs of
shoes. I had 1, 060.”
What is the closest you’ve ever come to death?
I don’t know. I prefer it that way.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Chekhov said, any idiot can weather a crisis, it’s the
day- to- day living that wears you out. I think the same
is true for great achievements. I t’s not a big thing, but
one ought to feel proud about the small moments in
which you might have helped, cared for, or done something
good for others.
What keeps you awake at night?
That to-do list I am supposed to get through but
can’t summon the energy for in these weird,
distracted times.
What song would you like played at your funeral?
We don’t play songs at funerals where I’m from, but if they
had to – Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean Rosanna GreenstreetA
Who would
play me in
the fi lm of my life?
Al Pacino,
circa
The Godfather
I and IIWh
pl
the fi l
AlThe
I