'Shame was my first experience of fostering a deep connection with a book': Ahlam Bolooki

The director of Emirates Airline Festival of Literature talks about her favourite books

What are you reading now?
I have just finished Vox by Christina Dalcher and will be reading Jokha al-Harthi's Celestial Bodies next. Then, How to Argue with a Racist by Adam Rutherford.
A book that changed your life and shaped your outlook?
Reading Shame by Jasvinder Sanghera was my first experience of fostering a deep connection with a book, and the first time I felt so invested in the fate of a character. It made me love reading. Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari, and every other book of his, has shaped my perspective of the big picture, having influenced my outlook on life, humanity and how we have evolved.
Who would you consider a memorable literary character?
Chika, the orphaned Haitian girl with an innocent soul, whom Mitch Albom and his wife cared for between the ages of five and seven, before an aggressive brain tumor took her life. Finding Chika portrayed a situation where you initially view the adopting parents as the givers, when actually it was Chika who brought so much love and meaning to their lives.
A book that you believe is underrated?
Let Her Fly by Ziauddin Yousafzai caught me by surprise. This beautifully written memoir takes you through the life of Yousafzai and the events which led to the circumstances in which Malala was raised. So much of the focus is on Malala and her story when, actually, it goes further back to before she was born. A lot of credit is due to her father, the man who fought for women's rights and equality before having Malala.
Your favourite book quote.
In American Marriage by Tayari Jones, Georgia's husband Ray is wrongfully incarcerated at an early stage in their marriage. He receives letters from her and, in one, he responds back, "When they cut the lights off, I run my fingers over your letters and try to read them like Braille."
- As told to Maheshpreet Kaur Narula