Snapshots

by Mehreen Ahmed

On a trail of relics and ruins, Snapshots is a book of travels delineating my journeys of four major continents. A travel through the ancient, the medieval, the renaissance and the modern, national heritage of each of these continents has been pivotal to this book, showing an evolution of history. Primarily, palaces, mosques, churches, temples and museums, renowned forests and sea beaches have also been depicted.
Musing on peoples' views and perceptions which they have shared with me, a stream of consciousness technique has been applied in presenting some segment in order to exhibit my internal monologue. With my rendering, these accounts have been compiled as chronicles of motley collection. On rare occasion, culinary descriptions have been noted.
Time is of essence. And on a timeline of this journey, specific dates have been drawn. As great distances have been covered, it has taken a long time for this book to be written. Snapshots started as a diary, but evolved over time into a book. Dynamic in its own right, at the end of each traverse, another begins anew and is recorded in the travelogue.
My journey begins in Europe, then to North America, Australia and ends in the sub-continent.

151 pages, Paperback

First published August 6, 2014

About the author

Mehreen Ahmed is an acclaimed voice in Australian literature.The Midwest Book Review hails her work for its "exceptional flair for narrative storytelling" and "compellingly memorable characters." With eleven books across various genres—ranging from novels to micro-fiction—her stories have been translated into multiple languages and featured on NationalFlashFictionDay(NZ), AntipodeSF Radio(AU) to name a few.She is Fiction Editor for the UK-based Panorama: Journal of Travel, Place, and Nature.

University Publications:Academic/Literary
Journal of Computer Assisted Language Learning, 15(4), 423–433. Routledge. Indexed in Language Teaching, 36(2), Cambridge University Press. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1017/S026144480322...,
University of Hawai Press,Michigan State University Press,University of Queensland:Call-ej,University of Saskachuwan:The Sheaf,University of Kent Press,Syracuse University Press:Perception,University of Wisconsin-Parkland:Straylight Lit Magazine,Florida University:The Talon Review,Dundee University: Metachrosis Lit Mag,YSJ:BitterleafBooks,Mcneese State University:Boudin,University of Virginia:Jimson Weed Lit Mag,University of Houston-Downtown:The Bayou ReviewAcademy of Creative Writing:,Literary Parthenon.

Literary Magazines
ChironReview,Bull,BendingGenre,FlashFrontier,Litro UK,miniMag:votedoneoftheBestOnlineLiterary Magazinesof2024,Popshot Quarterly,NationalFlashFictionDay,PanoramaTheJournalofTravelPlaceandNature,BlazeVox,CentaurLit,HootReview,CommuterLit,,SixSentences,LiteraryHeist,RogueAgent,VineLeafReview,InParenthesis,ConnotationPress,DoorIsAJar,ELJ
ScissorsandSpackle,VisualVerse,FlashBoulevard,
FlashFrontier,EllipsisZine,Ginosko#24#29#30,TheCabinetofHeed,HeroinChic,Setu,ImpspiredMagazine,TheBombayReview,FlashBackFiction,DarkWinter,BridgeHouse,CosmicTeapot and more.

Awards/Honours
Received formal Certificate of Recognition for the competitive selection of the bilingual flash fiction piece, 'The Stretch: Greek-Η Ανάβαση' from International Publication Selection, Creative Writing Academy of Greece,August 2026 for inaugural issue,Literary Parthenon.

Substack Featured Author: Selected for Ginosko Literary Journal’s digital spotlight showcase (Ylem), 2026.

Winner, Drunken Druid’s Editor’s Choice | The Pacifist (Cosmic Teapot Publishing 2017, Canada)

First Place, May Flowers Contest | Academy of the Heart and Mind (2022) The Phases of the Moon

Co-Winner, Waterloo Writing Competition | Waterloo Arts Festival (2020) Dolly

Winner, Stream-of-Consciousness Challenge | The Cabinet-of-Heed (2020) Black Mirror

Winner, Gaze Theme Contest | Ayaskala Literary Magazine (2023) Rain and Coffee

James Tait Black Prize for Fiction |Nomination 2021
Gatherings(Bridge House Publishing)

Pushcart Prize | Two Nominations: 2020, 2026
Ylem (Ginosko#24)
Paradox of Love (CentaurLit)

Best of the Net | Four Nominations: 2020–2025
Number Ninety-Four- (The Decolonial Passage)
Of the Blue Evening (The Gorko Gazette)
The Interlude (Literati Magazine)
Elysium (Flash Fiction North)

Best Small Fictions | 2025
The Stretch (Boudin)

Featured Author, Flash Fiction Friday Podcast | Immortal Works (2018)Selected from international submissions to have short story "The Portrait" adapted into an audio broadcast.

Top Fantasy Shortlist, Editor’s Choice Award: Exemplary Eclectic Fiction | Freedom Fiction Journal (2025)-"Around the Bend" and "Flamenco"

Finalist, Fourth Adelaide Literary Award Contest (2020) — Flower Girl

Honourable Mention, Weavers of Words Contest (2022) — Silent Bleat

Bestofs/Best10Read
Paint the City Red,AntipodeSF,2025
Cloud-fields,AntipodeSF,2025
Dear Father,Impspired Magazine,2025
The Other,Mad Swirl,3.21.26
The Lament,Mad Swirl,9.21.24

Translations
The Stretch:Greek-Η Ανάβαση (The Ascent)
Red Land:Spanish-Tierra Roja
Pink Toenails:Bengali-Golapi Angul
The Black Coat:Greek-Μαύρο Παλτό
Anomalous Duo:German-Das Anomale Duo

Reviews

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply breathtaking. Author Mehreen Ahmed takes us on an incredible journey to many of the world’s cities, rivers and untamed lands, filled with rich history, unique cuisines, ancient customs and cultures that respect the past while forging into the future with vigorous efforts. Through her story, Snapshots we are invited to come along and live the excitement of truly “seeing” different cultures.

Traveling by plane, car, boat, and human drawn carriages, walking for miles through the buildings and ruins of the past, Ms. Ahmed has detailed not only the present sights, but has enriched her travels with the history of each stop. Whether you are an armchair traveler or one that sees the sights through the lenses of a camera, this experience shared by Ms. Ahmed goes to the heart of civilization, its likenesses and its differences. It is one thing to say you have traveled the world, but another to say you have experienced the flavors of the world through your senses, living and feeling these travels and grown for the experience. Highly recommended reading, for those who will never see these lands to those who have seen them and those who would like to go. There is more to see than what meets the eye, more to experience than the travel guides show and a connection made to past and present that is both remarkable and memorable. For students, a fabulous way to peak their interest in world history while broadening their horizons.

I received this copy from Mehreen Ahmed in exchange for my honest review.

Publication Date: July 12, 2015
Publisher: Mehreen Ahmed
Genre: Travel and Leisure - YA
Print Length: 111 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Boyko Ovcharov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pieces of the World!

An impressive travelogue, combined with personal accounts, descriptions, occasional recipes and more. This read represents a life journey as well -- enlightening, analytical, enriching and pleasurable. Recommended to all explorers and adventurers of all ages and walks of life. You can actually sit on your couch and discover the world.

[Travis Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rich with History and Insight

Snapshots takes us across four continents with narrative rich in history. In some respects it was like a dairy, at other times it was like being on a field trip – enjoying the scenery while at the same time being educated. Whichever format the author followed at a given time, it was always interesting and enlightening. I also liked the contrast she offered between different cities, such as differences between Rome, Paris, and London. That worked well in helping visualizing the architecture, the history, and the people.

Mixed with the educational aspect were also personal antidotes, such as being ripped off in Florence, seeing an illegal immigrant deported before her very eyes, and having her passport being confiscated in France. The Asian experience was brought to life through the writing as I enjoyed learning about Malaysia and Singapore. It was interesting to find out more about how closely connected the two countries are and the author also lets it be known that she is not in total agreement with Singapore's harsh punishments for law-breakers. Little personal interjections like that made the book more personal which I enjoyed as opposed to a totally unbiased travel guide. It made the experiences more real.

Travel experiences in Canada and Australia were equally informative as the Europe and Asia diaries and completed the journeys making this a truly international book . Great book to get around the world in in 130 pages! Highly recommended.

[Paul Landes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Snapshots is a terrific read for the armchair traveler or the worldwide vagabond. I’ve read travel books of all kind simply because I enjoy traveling and Snapshots gave me an entirely different perspective on many of the places I have visited.

This isn’t a travel guide by any means, but it will provide the reader with the author’s unique insight and down to earth personal experiences. Ahmed has traveled to four continents and she did so with an eye toward the historical significance of the area and a desire to get a feel the local culture.

I have traveled to a number of the same locations as Ahmed, but her eye has been trained to spot things which I think most travelers, including myself, fail to see. In Geneva she points to a four-legged chair, with one leg broken in half, placed in front of the UN building. The chair symbolizes the broken limbs caused by landmine injuries. Pretty moving in my opinion and I wish I had seen that.

Ahmed has taken her travel journal and turned it into a collection of essays. It’s informative, inspiring, courageous and extremely well written. I would heavily recommend this book to anyone who loves learning about other cultures and traditions and may have just a bit of wanderlust waiting to burst.

[K.P. Ambroziak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mehreen Ahmed’s “Snapshots” is a humanistic stroll through cities and villages of both the past and present. As she travels from place to place, from one continent to the next, she draws on literary and artistic history to explore the surroundings that in turn inspire their artists. Written as more than a travelogue, these essayistic ramblings are filled with lush moments of human experience, struggles with language, lessons in history, and descriptions of the aesthetic backdrop in which we live. From ambitious taxi drivers to mothers with sleeping children to suspicious train attendants, Ahmed observes behavior through the lens of a wanderer and student of Humanism. But her finest moments are those most personal, such as the thrill she gets sitting across from Shakespeare’s cottage, or the pleasure she experiences inhaling the perfume of the gardens of generalife in Al-Hambra, or her dalliances with friends in Ottawa, or the nausea she endures while on a glass-bottom boat in Cairns. A personal travel diary of sorts, Ahmed’s work will not disappoint.

[James Barrington · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a collection of fascinating essays penned by the author in her travels around the major continents of the world. It is not a travel book in the normal sense of the expression, and if you're looking for a guide to the best value hotels or restaurants that serve the most authentic food, then this book is not for you. But if you want to get a real feel for a country, to vicariously experience what it is like to journey through or even live in a particular place, then this volume of essays should be on your shopping list. The author has a knack of getting under the skin of the places where she has spent time, and manages to convey the sounds and the smells and the sights in a compelling and entertaining manner, so that if you did subsequently visit one of her selected destinations, you would probably find it strangely familiar.

[Seumas Gallacher · Rating 4 out of 5]

...visual flavours, anyone?...

...an engaging travel journal, departing from the usual ‘saw this, did that, photographed these’, Mehreen Ahmed’s SNAPSHOTS captures visual flavours in the way an eclectic menu does with a discerning palate... the authoress’s trail through disparate continents and places provides a range of piquant memories to those readers who may already have been there... and offers glimpses of promise for those who have not visited the steps on her itinerary... verbal pictures dance through chapter after chapter... the inclusion of condensed snippets of history relating to each site magnifies the enjoyment... at first I felt there should have been actual photography in the book, but soon realised that Ms Ahmed’s written portrayals were more telling without the distraction of a camera lens... a fine collection of vignettes...

[Philip J McQuillan · Rating 4 out of 5]

To get the most enjoyment out of this book, it helps if you are somewhat well traveled and have a certain familiarity with classical literature. Be prepared to also learn as much as you ever learned in a world history class at school, although much more pleasurably. The cozy and descriptive writing style includes a judicious sprinkling of anecdotes to entertain as well as educate.

Mehreen hits all the high notes that can be reached both culturally and aesthetically in reference to the fabled cities of Rome, Florence and Venice. I enjoy the learning experience and savor the vivid portraits she draws every stop of the way. In Paris be prepared for some lessons in art and a few reminders of a historical nature, all of which fit in deliciously well with the narration. Skipping through the city of Geneva in Switzerland we are regaled with interesting bits of information about cuckoo clocks and Atmos clocks that run exclusively on differences in atmospheric temperature and pressure and never need winding. Nuggets of local lore and quick little tales of bygone grandeur mix well with sweeping references to historic milestones as we pass from page to page and city to city in this highly original travelogue.

In due time we proceed to visit Spain where the reader can luxuriate dreamily in the opulence of a bygone Islamic culture; all the while we delight in the deliciously perfumed phrases Mehreen has by now accustomed us to. Onward we go to Austria, home of the blue Danube, majestic mountains, claustrophobic caves and birthplace of the legendary giants of classical music composition. An overland route conjoins with Hungary where we learn how the ancient cities of Buda and Pest were united in more modern times to create a far better-known Budapest! All of the foregoing and much, much more are wrapped into an illustrious Chapter 1. Chapters 2 and 3 explore vast swathes of North America and Australia, conveniently leaving the United States for perhaps a second travelogue and - all very understandable because the author has the immensity of Asia on her plate next - the book closes with a journey of vast distance through a host of heretofore unknown (to me) cities and states; these passages bloom with a renewed vigor and mystique.

In summary, I urge you to read this fine book, a book that in the words of the author herself, "keeps the aura that fairy tales purport; captivating and vivid images have been portrayed. Readers have been taken through unfamiliar geographical terrain, with a touch of make belief, into a realm of the romantic past, and along the nuances of the present. Vast distances have been covered, although they might be presented in brief Snapshots."

[Tony Thorne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This remarkable book really opened up my eyes and brought back memories of places I had visited over the years. However, it was a revelation to me because the author of this fascinating study has not only been to more places around the world than I have, she has researched and observed them in fascinating detail. I soon realized that she had discovered more interesting facts about places that I had visited but had never fully appreciated before.

I was always too preoccupied with work activities on what were mostly business trips. Outside meetings I only had time to enjoy the restaurants, gaze at the scenery and watch the people passing by, from the inside of a taxi.

The author’s depth of understanding and sheer appreciation of places is remarkable. Her account of even a short visit to a particular city still brings out many fascinating details.

I spent a lot of time in Paris during my working years, and even visited the Louvre museum, but in this book I discovered so much more interesting detail that I’d missed when I was there. It was the same with many other places she describes and her account of them makes me want to pack my bags right away and go back there to see and appreciate what I missed before.

Reading this beautifully written book, for me, soon became a moving intellectual experience. It contains so much to absorb and enjoy. I was drawn at first to dip into it and read about the places I’d visited and thought I knew well. After that I had to read more… and more, over several evenings.. It became a fascinating experience and soon made me want to visit all the other places around the world that I had never seen. I probably will only manage just one or two of them, but will always be able to read about them all again in this excellent book, which I believe should be packed in with every traveller’s luggage.

Review by Tony Thorne MBE, Speculative Fiction Author, Vienna, Austria, 29 October, 2014.

[Weyman Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most travelled woman in the world may not be Hillary Clinton but Mehreen Ahmed. Somehow, she has managed to visit—and write lucidly about—four continents.

Think about that. Four continents—Africa, Asia, Europe, America and Australia. What’s even more remarkable is that she didn’t just jet in for a VIP conference, like Clinton, or for a guided tour, a passport stamp and a bazaar souvenir like, well, like most of us tourists do. Ahmed studied the history and the culture—even the languages—of her destinations. Then, she didn’t just arrive, she plunged.

When she visited the Roman Forum she already knew that the original paving stones were laid in the Bronze Age and that across the way, in the Coliseum, five thousand animals and untold numbers of men had bled their lives into that sand for entertainment. Outside, she bought a hotdog from an illegal Indian immigrant and found the irony of the moment in Shelley’s Ozymandias: "… nothing besides remain, round and decay of that colossal wreck."

She brought the same preparation and reacted as thoughtfully to other great European destinations—Florence, Venice, Paris, Geneva, London and Grenada—and then she crossed the Atlantic to Canada, where she roamed the major cities before she moved onto the frigid plains of Saskatchewan to sample and understand the efficiency of the Inuits’ low-tech igloos in that harsh environment.

After that, she struck out for the most foreign destinations of all: Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Bangladesh, where she visited the remains of the Arakan and then the Mughal empires, watched a boy feeding tortoises to cure an eye infection (really!) and then, stranded by a storm in a fishing village, shared a fish curry with a local family.

The title, Snapshots, suggests a collection of camera-eye’s impressions, but this is so much more. Open this book on almost any page to share an adventure, a discovery and a provocative reflection.

[Gayle Pace · Rating 4 out of 5]

REVIEW

This is a fascinating book of essays written by Mahreen Ahmed. It is about her travels over three major continents of the world. This is not a guide to good restaurants and hotels. If that is what you're looking for, this isn't the book for you. This book which is a volume of essays that tells what it's like to travel to a particular place and get the real feel for the country. I found the author had a way of letting the reader hear the sounds and smell the different smells of the places where she traveled. The book is very entertaining and you may even come across a place where you have been in your travels. The book is more a historical travel read. SNAPSHOTS is like a diary of the travels. These travels, I'm sure took a long while and yet there is a lot of information, facts, places, people, sceneries and some down to earth parts of her travels.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes historical travels. Being able to travel along with the author to places you've never been or may never go, is a wonderful journey. This is a book that might be well to keep on the shelf to keep to go traveling when you need to get away from it all.

I was give a complimentary copy of SNAPSHOTS from the author Mehreen Ahmed for my view of the book. No other r compensation took place.

[Charles Ray]

Snapshots by Mehreen Ahmed is an interesting book. Essentially a travel diary, it covers the author’s travels in Europe, North America, Australia, and parts of Asia. Though it would benefit from a better proofreading job (several typos and grammatical errors) it is nonetheless entertaining, as the reader is treated to the author’s impressions of places visited for the first time. Interwoven in these observations are snippets of the history of the locales, making the narrative come alive.
While most travelogues don’t need photos, I feel that a few well-chosen ‘snapshots’ of the places visited would have added immeasurably to the book’s charm. Having visited many of the places the author writes about, it was interesting to see another perspective on them, in particular the author’s impressions of Niagara Falls in Canada, a place whose natural beauty is somewhat marred by the over-development of tourist venues—mainly at the two main falls in the U.S., though, the author went to the Canadian falls, which have not been overcrowded with hotels and tour companies.
A nice little book that takes about an hour to read, it’s a good afternoon diversion, and is really well done for a first book. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review. I give it three and a half stars.

[David Tanager · Rating 5 out of 5]

Snapshots is truly splendid!

Author Mehreen Ahmed shares her personal travel experiences on four major continents, offering an intimate look and unique perspective into the life of a traveler.

Snapshots succeeds in offering the reader special insight, providing realistic experience combining history, religion, culinary delights while also noting entertaining encounters with fellow travelers along the way. This is the type of travel novel that makes one want to pack their bags and set of immediately for new experiences.

I particularly enjoyed the format, a blend between a diary and literary non-fiction, Snapshots offered a dynamic experience that put the reader right there with Ahmed (especially on a particular boat cruise), and also provided valuable scholarly insight into the history of what makes each stop contextually important.

Starting in familiar locales in Europe, the writing is vibrant and exciting, pulling the reader further in to prepare them to the incredibly exotic locations toward the conclusion. Filled with endearing thoughts and honest observations, it was a pleasure to travel with the author across the pages and continents, and hopefully in short duration there will be a sequel of further travels, which I, as a reader eagerly await.

[Melanie Adkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A journey to four continents. The days captured in diary-like fashion for us to enjoy. We see history come alive as we visit each place. Speaking to locals gives us an even bigger picture of what happened in each area. Though crowded with modern buildings, cars and fashions, the past peeks through and allows us a chance to once again see it as it once was. The air comes alive with past glories. Let's join the trip.

Ms Ahmed does a wonderful job of recounting history and the modern aspects of each area we visit. Well written, it puts you in the spot as if you were walking along side Ms Ahmed. There are even some excerpts concerning Islamic history. I could hear the music and see the fashions of each period as I read. I enjoyed being able to see these areas in history. The travel and food listed made me feel as though I'd been there myself. A perfect read whether you're traveling to these places or not.

I found no issues with this one.

I gave this one 5 cheers out of 5 because I was swept away in the romance and splendor of each area.
~Copy of book provided by author in exchange for a fair review~

[Pennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting guide through the authors eyes, this is Mehreen's personable view of traveling through three separate continents. Not to be thought of as a book about world travel, restaurants and such as the general term. A diary that I can identify with; some of the places I spent half of my life in and living amongst the European lifestyle (England specifically) I too journeyed to a couple of these countries she talks about in my more youthful back-packing years. I now live in Florida and I have always found culture fascinating and 'Snapshots' does a wonderful job at creating visualizing aspects of different parts of the world in great ornate detail through the authors own adventures. Well specified locations and a nicely written journalistic style makes you want to hop on a plane and venture overseas to places that are rich with other historical culture. A personal touch is given through her speaking with the locals of each continent. A wonderful book.

[Stacie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Snapshots is a creative travel story that takes readers on an informative journey to many beautiful cities, spanning four continents.

The author's adventure begins in Europe and readers are witness to the magic of cities like Florence, Paris, and London. Next she travels to North America before moving on to Australia and Asia. Countless cities are visited and the pilgrimage is extensively detailed. Nothing is overlooked as points of interest, history, and even culinary delights are illuminated. The book is reminiscent of a travel manifest and reads much like a diary. The events are chronological and told with such finesse that readers can get an actual feel for all this traveling author encounters in our picturesque world.

If you're looking to travel or just learn more about some fascinating locations around the world this book is a must. I recommend picking up a copy.

[Cameron Glenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a pleasure to travel with a narrator who possess such deep and rich passion, knowledge and curiosity over cultures in which she immerses herself in. I've become a fan of Mehreen Ahmed's clear and lyric writing style, which translates extremely well from her fiction to her travel writing. Her love of culture, places and people is infectious. I gained an education on history, literature, cities, cuisine, countries and people, while also being immensely entertained. The book also provided an illuminating insight into where she gets some of the diverse and cultural richness in her fiction from. Being a selfish American I sort of wanted to also read what such a vivacious mind thinks of my own country. Maybe that will come in some future book?

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read Mehreen Ahmed's book "Snapshots" I felt like I was inside an interactive map woven into a tapestry of delight, wonder, adventure, and intrigue. Ahmed tells very descriptively and intimately her experiences in places such as Rome, Florence, Budapest and Hungary it was an aesthetic journey of philosophies, world history as well as world literature at it's finest. She has a very astute and keen eye for fine detail. She reminds the reader how beautiful the world truly is and it's just waiting for us to explore it This book is a true expression of living life to the fullest and learning and enjoying all it has to offer.

[Kimberly Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never read a book about travel before. Snapshots did indeed feel like quick snapshots of the author's whirlwind travel over four continents. Ahmed's knowledge of the history of the places visited was a great pleasure to read. The writing felt almost poetic at times. The language and descriptions are beautiful and allowed me to picture her visits well, making me feel I had seen it with my own eyes. I would love to see the photo's put in the Kindle version. There are a few language hiccups, but I felt I understood what she was saying so it did not slow down my reading or comprehension. Overall very entertaining and informative.

[John Holland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed travelling through this book. It was kind of like travelling with a seasoned traveller who knew all the right places to go. I really enjoyed seeing some magical sites via the author's view point. For me, I think the descriptions of Rome are a highlight. Also as a writer myself I was quick to admire the author's turn of phrase and her skilled use of literary devices.

All in all I found it a delightful and satisfying read. I have no hesitation in recommending it to all readers.

John Holland
Author the Heartland series of novellas set in outback Australia.

[Michael Mardel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Snapshots by Ahmed is more than a snapshot of four continents. Having travelled through most of Europe and Canada, it was a welcome return as my travels were not as well delineated as hers. I was also a lot younger. There were places that I missed out on but then time and finances are of the essence. Is this a picture of a Portuguese tram? I travelled to a few places in Portugal but didn't take a picture of a tram. My interest is around a few ancestors who came to England. Very informative and worth a read to be educated about these countries.

[Joannes Rhino · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a travel journal. It's nothing like travel guide book where you can locate cheapest restaurants or fancy places to see. It's more personal. I can see that the author gives the best effort in describing her live journey across continents. I found some of her experiences are quite touchy and moving. I love the way the author gives perspectives in her own way. Personally for me, it motivates me to go back on the road again and "the world" from my eyes. This book changes my life.

[Hock Tjoa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This charming book leverages off the reader’s own fond memories and travels. “I can hardly wait to view the birth place of renaissance, Hungary of the Magyars’, and Andalusia of the Moors’. Europe never ceases to amaze me. Rich in heritage and artifacts, these closely knitted countries have a unique history. This was the time when ‘golden age’ was born here.” Such prose by itself does little to evoke the feelings. One is invited to wander among one’s own memories with a prompt such as “It is almost unbelievable that I breathe now the very air that the Centurial Caesars’ did once.” The author depends on the reader’s memories to resonate.

There are flashes of inspired writing, as this almost elegiac tribute to the “Palatine Hills, domicile of the Roman kings, now lies [lie, lying] in ruins of timeless mourning.” Mostly, however, the author writes in a down-to-earth manner. “Malaysian culture, predominantly is made up of many nations; colours of the rainbow as it were. Dutch, Malay, Tamil and Chinese, are the varied languages frequently spoken through the country.” This is unexceptional except that Dutch is not spoken in Malaysia, formerly a British Protectorate, and is almost all forgotten in Indonesia, formerly a Dutch colony. But then the author says brightly, “No sooner had I come out of the museum [of Islamic arts], I bump into a restaurant selling fried indigenous fish on fragrant rice. I am tempted to have my lunch here.”

In Dhaka in the land of the author’s birth, she manages an occasional sly observation, “While the Cox’s Bazaar by the Bay of Bengal has the longest beach in the world, the Sunderban forests are but the largest mangroves located south-west to the country.” Perhaps this is a new genre the author is working to develop. It is a demanding process. Dalrymple took six years to write his marvelous “City of Djinns.” One hopes that Ahmed perseveres.

[Charlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given a review copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Snapshots by Mehreen Ahmed is well titled as it is precisely that: a series of quick excursions through many of the world’s major cities and tourist attractions.
The writing through the book’s 150 plus pages veers between a quick description of where exactly the writer is at that moment, whether having a cup of coffee with a friend or taking a shower, or just waking up, and trying to describe some of the momentous sites his eyes find, such as the Alhambra Museum in Spain.
In addition the writer clearly has a great knowledge of history and supplies the reader with interesting bits of historical fact on many of the
places he visits.
Some language details need more attention, such as verb tenses.In addition the writer’s misuse of idioms such as using the word “cue” when what is meant is “queueing up in a line” detract from the reader’s experience.Some details of fact also need brushing up, for example naming one of the mountain ranges in France “the Rocky Mountains.” None of the several mountain ranges scattered throughout France are named that, but one major mountain range, extending through western Canada and the US is indeed called the Rocky Mountains.
Ahmed’s interest in fellow travelers is evident and helps put a human face on his travels. His sense of putting a modern spin on things comes through in his description of Paris where he continually refers to Gil from the Woody Allen movie “Midnight in Paris.”
He is obviously well traveled with the intentions to write entertainingly about his experience.

[Leland Lydecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enjoyable read and an excellent travel memoir, Snapshots includes both in-depth history of the many faraway places the author has visited and insightful anecdotes about everything from disorganized train stations to unusual modes of transportation to shady fines. A well-rounded look at the places visited, many entries include local cuisine, languages spoken, political history, and social issues along with the usual descriptions of scenery and historical locations –and the author’s vivid writing makes these far-away wonders truly come alive. I highly recommend Snapshots to anyone who wants to travel the world, explore faraway places, or just learn about history from the comfort of their armchair.