Tahmima Anam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tahmima Anam
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Anam in 2023
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| Native name |
তাহমিমা আনাম
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| Born | 8 October 1975 Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| Occupation | Writer, novelist, columnist |
| Language | English |
| Citizenship | British |
| Alma mater | Mount Holyoke College (BA) Harvard University (PhD) Royal Holloway, University of London (MA) |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Notable works | A Golden Age The Good Muslim The Bones of Grace |
| Spouse |
Roland O. Lamb
(m. 2010) |
| Relatives | Mahfuz Anam (father) Abul Mansur Ahmed (paternal grandfather) |
Tahmima Anam (born October 8, 1975) is a talented writer from Bangladesh who also has British citizenship. She writes novels and articles for newspapers. Her first book, A Golden Age, won a special award called the Commonwealth Writers' Prize for the best first book in 2008. Her next novel, The Good Muslim, was also recognized and nominated for the Man Asian Literary Prize in 2011. Tahmima Anam comes from a family of notable people; her grandfather was Abul Mansur Ahmed and her father is Mahfuz Anam.
Contents
Early Life and Family Background
Tahmima Anam was born in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on October 8, 1975. Her parents are Mahfuz Anam and Shaheen Anam. When she was two years old, her family moved to Paris. This was because her parents started working for UNESCO, an organization that promotes peace and education.
Growing Up in Different Countries
Tahmima spent her childhood in several different cities around the world. She lived in Paris, New York, and Bangkok. Living in these places helped her learn about different cultures. Her parents also shared stories with her about the Bangladesh Liberation War. This was an important event in her home country's history.
Education and Learning Journey
When Tahmima Anam was 17, she received a scholarship to attend Mount Holyoke College. She studied hard and graduated from there in 1997. She continued her studies at Harvard University. In 2005, she earned a PhD in anthropology. Anthropology is the study of human societies and cultures.
Advanced Studies in Writing
Her PhD research focused on how people remember and deal with war in Bangladesh after its independence. Later, she decided to study creative writing. She earned a Master of Arts degree in Creative Writing from Royal Holloway, University of London. This helped her develop her skills as a novelist.
Writing Career and Notable Books
Tahmima Anam's first novel, A Golden Age, was published in March 2007. Her parents' experiences during the Bangladesh Liberation War inspired this book. The story is about a woman named Rehana Haque during the 1971 war. The novel was recognized as a finalist for the Costa First Novel Award.
Researching for Her Novels
To write A Golden Age, Tahmima spent two years in Bangladesh. She interviewed many freedom fighters, also known as Mukti Bahini. These interviews helped her understand the war better. She also worked on the set of a film called Matir Moina (The Clay Bird). This film also showed what the war was like.
Sequels and Short Stories
Her second novel, The Good Muslim, came out in 2011. It is a continuation of A Golden Age and explores what happened after the war. This book was also nominated for the Man Asian Literary Prize. In 2013, a magazine called Granta named her one of the "Best of Young British Novelists."
Award-Winning Short Stories
In 2015, Tahmima Anam wrote a short story called "Garments." This story was inspired by the Rana Plaza building collapse in Bangladesh. "Garments" won the O. Henry Award and was also shortlisted for the BBC National Short Story Award. In the same year, she became a judge for the Man Booker International Prize.
Later Novels and Articles
Her novel The Bones of Grace was published in 2016. The next year, she became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. Tahmima Anam has also written articles for major newspapers like The New York Times and The Guardian. In these articles, she often writes about Bangladesh and its challenges.
Recent Works and Recognition
In 2021, her novel The Startup Wife was published. Many publications, including Observer and Cosmopolitan, chose it as a Best Book of 2021. It was also nominated for the Comedy Women in Print Prize in 2022. In 2022, Tahmima Anam gave a TEDx talk about making workplaces better for women. Her first novel, A Golden Age, was also chosen for the Queen’s Jubilee book list. This list featured 70 books from across the Commonwealth.
Personal Life
In 2010, Tahmima Anam married Roland O. Lamb. He is an American inventor whom she met while studying at Harvard University. They have a son named Rumi. Tahmima has written about Rumi's early years, as he was born early and had difficulty eating for five years. As of 2011, she lives in London.
See also
- British Bangladeshi
- List of British Bangladeshis
- List of Muslim writers and poets
