Wake Up Ali... Wake Up Now
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| Author | Sumit Sharma Sameer |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Fiction |
| Published | 2022 |
| Publisher | Vitasta Publishing Private Limited |
Publication date | 2022 |
| Publication place | Nepal |
| Awards | Best Debut Novel at the 2022 Kalinga Literary Festival |
| ISBN | 9789390961061 |
Wake Up Ali...Wake Up Now is a novel by Nepalese writer and social analyst Sumit Sharma Sameer, published in 2022.[1][2]
It is the English translation of the Nepali novel Prabas (translated as Migration), and explores themes of identity, migration, cultural displacement, and self-realization through the experiences of a South Asian migrant worker.[3][4][5][2]
Background
[edit]The novel consists of 136 pages and is divided into five chapters: Search, Experience, Love, Separation, and Emergence. The narrative follows Ali, a middle-aged Pakistani engineer from a lower-middle-class family, as he reflects on his experiences as a migrant in Canada.[6] The story traces his physical and emotional journey across Pakistan, Canada, the United States, and eventually back to his hometown of Lahore. Originally written in Nepali as Prabas, the book was later translated into English by the author.[7]
Plot
[edit]The story centers on Ali, who migrates from Pakistan to Canada in search of better opportunities.[8] Although Ali finds success in his job, he feels lonely and out of place in a foreign country. Feeling unhappy and disconnected, he decides to return to Lahore. There, he looks back on his past and begins a personal journey to understand himself better. The novel shows how migration can affect a person emotionally and how people search for their true identity in a changing world.[9][10]
Reception
[edit]Wake Up Ali… Wake Up Now received critical acclaim for its introspective narrative and philosophical depth. Nepalese actress Manisha Koirala praised the novel as a "philosophical inquiry into the modern world." Professor David Lewis of the London School of Economics described it as “urgent and compelling.” Nepali Congress General Secretary Gagan Thapa said “This is about social structure, human relationships and individual relationships to society."[4] The book was awarded the Best Debut Novel at the 2022 Kalinga Literary Festival.[11]
References
[edit]- ^ "Book Review: 'Wake Up Ali…Wake Up Now'". Outlook India. 2023-01-09. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
- ^ a b Mary, S. B. Vijaya (2023-05-18). "Wake Up Ali... Wake Up Now is Nepali author Sumit Sharma Sameer's book on South Asian diaspora". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
- ^ "Storytelling in the age of digital noise". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
- ^ a b "Wake Up Ali: New novel claims to honestly tell stories of South Asian migrants - OnlineKhabar English News". 2022-08-14. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
- ^ "Sumit Sameer's "Wake Up Ali…Wake Up now" launched". Khabarhub. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
- ^ Thakur, Ashutosh Kumar (2022-12-26). "Wake Up Ali…Wake Up Now". The Daily Guardian. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
- ^ "Sumit Sharma Sameer's novel "Wake Up Ali…Wake Up Now" launched". The Annapurna Express (in Nepali). Retrieved 2025-05-09.
- ^ "New Novel 'Wake Up Ali…Wake Up Now' by Sumit Sharma Sameer launched". myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com. 2024-08-08. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
- ^ Carvalho, Stanley (2023-01-04). "BOOK REVIEW: Wake Up Ali, Wake Up Now by Sumit Sharma Sameer". Medium. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
- ^ us, Sabitri Dhakal :: Wake Up Ali… Wake Up Now: A. story of all of. "Wake Up Ali… Wake Up Now: A story of all of us". Wake Up Ali… Wake Up Now: A story of all of us. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
- ^ "Sumit Sharma Sameer's Wake Up Ali… Wake Up Now announced best debut novel at Kalinga Literary Festival 2022. In London, songwriter Aruna set to release her second single". The Indian Express. 2023-02-23. Retrieved 2025-05-09.