Meet father and daughter Aqueel “Al” Athar, former Benedictine University faculty member, and Tanya Athar-Jogee, co-authors of a debut Amazon best seller, TINY GLIMMERS OF LIGHT.

Pakistan, 2014: How far would you go for your family? When a knock comes in the half-light before dawn, the lives of 19-year-old Goha and his family are about to change forever.

Lured by a tantalizing opportunity to work for a secret organization that will release his family from poverty, Goha leaves his Karachi slum behind for the tribal areas of the North. But as he learns about the organization’s core beliefs and activities, his excitement starts to fade. His courage is tested when he is coerced into a physical relationship with his superior and faces agonizing moral dilemmas and violence—all while falling in love with the local imam’s stunning ex-wife.

Rife with suspense and memorable characters, Tiny Glimmers of Light explores themes of identity, sexuality, religious nuance, education, class hierarchies, extremism, and institutional corruption. It will keep readers on the edge of their seats as they seek to find out if Goha can overcome the seemingly insurmountable challenges that threaten his survival and his family’s prosperous new future.

Hundreds of Urdu words in Tiny Glimmers of Light bring the sights, sounds, and scents of a tumultuous Pakistan alive on the pages and immerse readers fully into the country’s diverse geography, languages, and gender roles. The story will especially appeal to South Asian readers and anyone craving a deeper understanding of Pakistani culture and the temptations faced by a hard-working, lower-class family to improve the circumstances of their lives.

Discussion and Q&A starting at 11:30am