Hey, I can post photos again... for now...

Here are some shots of the lovely and talented Uzma Aslam Khan receiving her award at the Karachi Literary Festival last month. The French embassy awarded her a prize, decided upon by a panel of Pakistani judges (yeah, I don't really get it either) for her very awesome book Thinner Than Skin.

Not sure what she's saying here, but she's certainly making an important point...

And here she is at the moment of receiving the award. Nice shoes, Uzee! The old guys sitting in their easy chairs in the background seem mighty pleased with themselves too.

Another "action shot." Love the huge screens in the background with the faces looming down...

And finally, Uzma gets her own looming face in the background (partially obscured, alas) as she makes a few closing remarks. Wish I could have been there, but alas, I was recuperating on the couch and watching the snow pile up outside the window. Happily, these pictures make me feel (almost) like I was (almost) there. Many thanks to Bina Shah, who took the last 3 and shared them with us, and also to Jamal Ashiqain, who took the snazzy black and white one for the Dawn newspaper.

And if I haven't made it clear already, Thinner Than Skin is a mighty fine book and well worth checking out.