World Book Club
The world's great authors discuss their best-known novel.
Harriett talks with Daniyal Mueenddin about This Is Where the Serpent Lives.
Daniyal's debut novel is a rich and compelling portrait of contemporary Pakistan, following the intertwined lives of unforgettable characters whose fortunes are shaped by love, ambition, loyalty and betrayal. Set against the backdrop of a vast rural estate, the novel explores the lives of servants and landowners, dreamers and opportunists, as they navigate systems of class, power and privilege.
Recorded in front of live audience in Edinburgh, Daniyal will be answering questions about how he created such an intimate portrait of life in Pakistan, the challenges of writing an epic that spans decades, and if it's possible for people to break free of the role society deems they must fulfill.
On radio
Broadcasts
- Sat 5 Sep 2026 11:06GMTÄ¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
- Sun 6 Sep 2026 02:06GMTÄ¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ World Service
- Sun 6 Sep 2026 13:06GMTÄ¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
- Sun 6 Sep 2026 16:06GMTÄ¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ World Service News Internet
Podcast
-
World Book Club
The world's great authors discuss their best-known novel.