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I Left You Behind
Spanning several decades and three countries, these enchanting short stories dwell unsentimentally on shifting homes and lost ancestral homelands, distant memories and fragmented family ties. Largely inspired by the author’s own life experiences, they depict close parental bonds, poignant encounters, tragedies and personal triumphs.
Injustice, the importance of education and a love of literature are recurring themes in the more autobiographical stories. At the age of thirteen in Pakistan “the girl” is forced to learn to read the Quran, without understanding its verses until adulthood. During a school year spent in Texas, she witnesses the ugly realities of American racism and segregation. At university in Pakistan, she visits a teenaged royal bride who is forced to observe purdah, to whom she later sends samples of classical English fiction, in the hope of inspiring her, and being a comfort and an inspiration. Years later, she visits her former philosophy professor at Oxford, with whom she shares her decision to become a writer.
These are stories of dislocation, relocation, and longing, evoking the physical and mental isolation made so tangible during the Covid pandemic. Rich in dialogue and description, the seventeen stories are Persian carpets, interwoven with numerous threads to produce a vivid tapestry of lives lived.
“[A] deep dive into what divides us, what unites us.”
—Margaret Atwood, via X/Twitter
“ I Left You Behind offers a profound exploration of what it means to exist, to be alive, and, ultimately, to move on.”
—Dawn-Images
“These are stories of lives lived to the fullest by women who share Nazneen Sheikh’s considerable passion and intelligence. I Left You Behind is a glorious literary feast.”
—Linda Leith, author of The Girl from Dream City
Praise for Tea and Pomegranates:
“In Tea and Pomegranates, Nazneen Sheikh weaves past and present into a fascinating memoir. Her loom is the history of Kashmiri Mughal cuisine, her silks are the exotic, mouth-watering dishes of a privileged childhood. I wanted to run to the kitchen to try her recipes, but I couldn’t put the book down.”
—James Chatto, author of The Greek for Love
“Nazneen Sheikh is a most sophisticated and enchanting storyteller. In Tea and Pomegranates, she gives readers a privileged seat at the continuous feast of a loving family in a lost corner of the old world.”
—Byron Ayanoglu, author of Crete on the Half Shell
“[G]reat storytelling, with a finely drawn cast of characters worthy of anyone’s attention.”
—Brian Fawcett, Books in Canada
Injustice, the importance of education and a love of literature are recurring themes in the more autobiographical stories. At the age of thirteen in Pakistan “the girl” is forced to learn to read the Quran, without understanding its verses until adulthood. During a school year spent in Texas, she witnesses the ugly realities of American racism and segregation. At university in Pakistan, she visits a teenaged royal bride who is forced to observe purdah, to whom she later sends samples of classical English fiction, in the hope of inspiring her, and being a comfort and an inspiration. Years later, she visits her former philosophy professor at Oxford, with whom she shares her decision to become a writer.
These are stories of dislocation, relocation, and longing, evoking the physical and mental isolation made so tangible during the Covid pandemic. Rich in dialogue and description, the seventeen stories are Persian carpets, interwoven with numerous threads to produce a vivid tapestry of lives lived.
“[A] deep dive into what divides us, what unites us.”
—Margaret Atwood, via X/Twitter
“ I Left You Behind offers a profound exploration of what it means to exist, to be alive, and, ultimately, to move on.”
—Dawn-Images
“These are stories of lives lived to the fullest by women who share Nazneen Sheikh’s considerable passion and intelligence. I Left You Behind is a glorious literary feast.”
—Linda Leith, author of The Girl from Dream City
Praise for Tea and Pomegranates:
“In Tea and Pomegranates, Nazneen Sheikh weaves past and present into a fascinating memoir. Her loom is the history of Kashmiri Mughal cuisine, her silks are the exotic, mouth-watering dishes of a privileged childhood. I wanted to run to the kitchen to try her recipes, but I couldn’t put the book down.”
—James Chatto, author of The Greek for Love
“Nazneen Sheikh is a most sophisticated and enchanting storyteller. In Tea and Pomegranates, she gives readers a privileged seat at the continuous feast of a loving family in a lost corner of the old world.”
—Byron Ayanoglu, author of Crete on the Half Shell
“[G]reat storytelling, with a finely drawn cast of characters worthy of anyone’s attention.”
—Brian Fawcett, Books in Canada
- GenresShort Stories
264 pages, Paperback
Published October 3, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 29, 2024
I really enjoyed this book of short stories. Most of the stories take place in Pakistan and/or Canada. The stories themselves are very diverse, none too alike, and without many character names. Some very notable ones are about two people, partnered to others, who have feelings for each other, and a story that is partly from the point of view of a carpet. I would absolutely love to read more from this author!
January 4, 2026
I Left You Behind is an intimate and interesting collection of short stories by Nazneen Sheikh. The stories are told from the perspective of characters who originate from the region of Kashmir, which was divided between India and Pakistan in 1947 at Indian independence. The first half or so of the book is a series of linked stories featuring a protagonist who remains nameless for most of the stories but eventually is named only as “Miss Anwar.” Miss Anwar’s family is displaced by the partition of India and she eventually visits the US as a foreign student and then emigrates to Canada. But this is not a typical immigrant story. There is no longing for home, no double life, no questions of identity, no struggle. Miss Anwar is a highly intelligent woman and she lives a life of privilege, both before and after immigration. She is spoiled by her parents and then her spouse, given an excellent education, surrounded by luxury items and designer clothing, travels the world, and is respected by those she interacts with.
Pricks of grief intrude from time to time, but they stem from family concerns - the loss of one child to illness and one to estrangement. The stories tackle racism - but never towards Miss Anwar. In Texas, she witnesses racism towards Black people and in rural Ontario, she witnesses the struggles of Indigenous people. She is raised Muslim, but not especially religious - as a young girl, her parents bring in a tutor to teach her to read the Qu’ran, which has little spiritual impact upon her, and she spends the lessons in a battle of wills with the tutor. Later, we see her consuming alcohol and wearing western dress. The perspective of privileged immigrants who become highly integrated into their new society is underrepresented in literature, and it is fascinating to read about. The women in this book who come from Muslim societies are empowered and educated.
The rest of the book consists of stories from a variety of perspectives, including a luxury Iranian carpet, a male character returning to his homeland after decades of absence, a woman struggling with the COVID lockdown, and a woman fascinated by a portrait of her great-grandmother. These round out and complement the experiences of Miss Anwar.
I found these stories delightful; concisely written yet sparing nothing, sure of themselves and suffused with meaning.
Pricks of grief intrude from time to time, but they stem from family concerns - the loss of one child to illness and one to estrangement. The stories tackle racism - but never towards Miss Anwar. In Texas, she witnesses racism towards Black people and in rural Ontario, she witnesses the struggles of Indigenous people. She is raised Muslim, but not especially religious - as a young girl, her parents bring in a tutor to teach her to read the Qu’ran, which has little spiritual impact upon her, and she spends the lessons in a battle of wills with the tutor. Later, we see her consuming alcohol and wearing western dress. The perspective of privileged immigrants who become highly integrated into their new society is underrepresented in literature, and it is fascinating to read about. The women in this book who come from Muslim societies are empowered and educated.
The rest of the book consists of stories from a variety of perspectives, including a luxury Iranian carpet, a male character returning to his homeland after decades of absence, a woman struggling with the COVID lockdown, and a woman fascinated by a portrait of her great-grandmother. These round out and complement the experiences of Miss Anwar.
I found these stories delightful; concisely written yet sparing nothing, sure of themselves and suffused with meaning.
December 12, 2025
A gem of a book delivers on all the promise of Nazneen Sheikh's award-winning culinary memoir Tea and Pomegranates.
While the seventeen stories are not linked thematically, the stories span five decades and three continents, each offering unique glimpses into the dislocation that the inexorable movement of life can leave in its wake.
The first story in the collection is a tiny masterpiece of phrasing and rhythm, and it sets the tone for the stories that follow. In The Girl on the Rock Sheikh offers up the complex thoughts of a young girl in Muree, Pakistan who is grappling with the notion that the large boulder at the end of her driveway will soon be absent from her life. Sheikh’s perfectly crafted sentences and elegantly controlled pacing make for a wonderful read ensuring that a seemingly straightforward narrative resonates with significance and depth far beyond its page count.
Other favourites include Sheik’s story about a Persian rug spanning decades and multiple owners, each with a story of their own to share and The Eyes of Texas, a refreshingly delivered primer on racism in the Southern US in the early 1960s.
The last story in this collection may be Sheikh’s most well-known work. An irresistible short story about a small black and white portrait found under a dead man’s pillow, The Photograph (1889) was submitted by Margaret Atwood, one of Sheikh’s most ardent supporters, to The Walrus magazine where its success led to this collection being published.
In her story The Actress Sheikh writes “the artist had caught what is hidden”, and she has done just that here. Each of the book's narratives showcase Sheikh’s purity of phrase and ability to convey subtle nuance in a compelling fashion.
I Left You Behind is a mosaic of perfect threads that creates a literary tapestry rich in both depth and beauty. Each thread in this collection is worth savouring and admiring for both their craftsmanship and beauty!
While the seventeen stories are not linked thematically, the stories span five decades and three continents, each offering unique glimpses into the dislocation that the inexorable movement of life can leave in its wake.
The first story in the collection is a tiny masterpiece of phrasing and rhythm, and it sets the tone for the stories that follow. In The Girl on the Rock Sheikh offers up the complex thoughts of a young girl in Muree, Pakistan who is grappling with the notion that the large boulder at the end of her driveway will soon be absent from her life. Sheikh’s perfectly crafted sentences and elegantly controlled pacing make for a wonderful read ensuring that a seemingly straightforward narrative resonates with significance and depth far beyond its page count.
Other favourites include Sheik’s story about a Persian rug spanning decades and multiple owners, each with a story of their own to share and The Eyes of Texas, a refreshingly delivered primer on racism in the Southern US in the early 1960s.
The last story in this collection may be Sheikh’s most well-known work. An irresistible short story about a small black and white portrait found under a dead man’s pillow, The Photograph (1889) was submitted by Margaret Atwood, one of Sheikh’s most ardent supporters, to The Walrus magazine where its success led to this collection being published.
In her story The Actress Sheikh writes “the artist had caught what is hidden”, and she has done just that here. Each of the book's narratives showcase Sheikh’s purity of phrase and ability to convey subtle nuance in a compelling fashion.
I Left You Behind is a mosaic of perfect threads that creates a literary tapestry rich in both depth and beauty. Each thread in this collection is worth savouring and admiring for both their craftsmanship and beauty!
October 18, 2024
I Left You Behind identifies as short stories but there is a very real thread that joins them all together in such a way that you can’t wait to read the next story to continue on that glorious thread. As a fan of Sheikh this book does not disappoint. 5 stars…again!
January 14, 2025
Each story has great depth of feeling. Worth exploring.
January 17, 2025
Another one where I want to shout out that this is why we read!
Beautifully written.
Not a debut… but indicative of a writer who has matured and perfected her craft.
Stories that are brilliantly crafted, perfect little packages… most are intertwined… making this something more like a novel(la) in stories... Culturally specific yet simultaneously universal.
Highly recommended.
Beautifully written.
Not a debut… but indicative of a writer who has matured and perfected her craft.
Stories that are brilliantly crafted, perfect little packages… most are intertwined… making this something more like a novel(la) in stories... Culturally specific yet simultaneously universal.
Highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews