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A Dutiful Boy
- A Memoir of a Gay Muslim’s Journey to Acceptance
- Narrated by: Mohsin Zaidi
- Length: 8 hrs and 12 mins
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A Dutiful Boy
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Summary
Brought to you by Penguin.
Winner of the Polari First Book Prize, 2021
A coming-of-age memoir about growing up queer in a strict Muslim household. Like Educated with a modern British context.
Mohsin grew up in a deprived pocket of East London; his family was close-knit but very religiously conservative. From a young age Mohsin felt different, but in a home where being gay was inconceivable, he also felt very alone. Outside of home Mohsin went to a failing inner city school where gang violence was a fact of life.
As he grew up, life didn’t seem to offer teenage Mohsin any choices: he was disenfranchised as a poor brown boy, and he was isolated from his family as a closet gay Muslim.
However, Mohsin had incredible drive, and he used education as a way out of his home life and as a means to throw himself into a new kind of life. He became the first person from his school to go to Oxford University, and there he found the freedom to come out to his friends.
But Oxford was a whole different world with its own huge challenges, and Mohsin found himself increasingly conflicted. It came to a head when Mohsin went back to visit his parents only to be confronted by his father and a witchdoctor he'd invited to 'cure' Mohsin.
Although Mohsin's story takes harrowing turns, it is full of life and humour and ends inspiringly. Through his irrepressible spirit Mohsin breaks through emotional and social barriers, and in the end he even finds acceptance from his family.
Now Mohsin is a top criminal barrister who fights large-scale cases on a daily basis. Having faced battles growing up, he truly understands the importance of justice as a way of life.
Critic reviews
"The moving personal story of a gay Muslim's tribulations and triumphs at the interface of family, faith and freedom, told with great candour and eloquence." (Peter Tatchell)
"An incredibly hopeful, urgent and well told coming of age story about religion, class, and LGBTQ+ acceptance - no doubt reading it will save someone’s life." (Amelia Abraham)
"A beautifully written, heartrending story of a young gay man’s journey, liberation and love. A real page turner that sparks with humanity and hope." (Lord Michael Cashman)
What listeners say about A Dutiful Boy
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Hodo
- 08-09-21
Wonderful
Heart warming, heart breaking, funny. I loved it. The story of connection to self and others. Incredibly powerful.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- hannah w.
- 08-10-20
read this book!
I feel very lucky to have been allowed a window into your life, Mohsin.
You made me laugh, cry and cheer!
Thank you for being so honest.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- J R Francis
- 01-09-20
This is really special
In every way it is perfect. Visualized it like a movie I can't wait to see one day
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Chrissie
- 07-04-22
Brilliant Book
This story is hopeful for any one who is struggling to be their true self !
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mel
- 29-08-21
An inspiring story
A really important and interesting memoir on so many levels. Well worth a read to understand Pakistani Muslim culture in Britain, to understand the experience of having brown skin and being Muslim and have a working class background whilst studying at Oxbridge, what it's like to come out to a Muslim family as a gay man, and what it's like to be a part of the queer community when you have brown skin.
I'm sure this will be a great inspiration to other gay Muslims. In fact, his coming out story will resonate with anyone wrestling with their own coming out due to religious or cultural reasons. Mohsin's personal journey is painful but fortunately has a happy ending.
The only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is due to the slightly jarring narration and the way the story sometimes seemed to jump around. This would certainly have been 5 stars with a better narrator.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- "scarlioni"
- 25-09-20
Essential
An utterly compelling tale. I found the insights into the British Pakistani experience illuminating and the perception and candour of the author's battles with his sexuality disarmingly truthful. This is, at heart, a book about love, what it means, and what it requires. It will stay with me for a long, long time.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 27-11-20
Impactful and inspiring
A book I think everyone should read. I am so grateful to the author for writing this memoir.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 16-04-21
Vital storytelling for our times
This book has offered me so much insight into how it feels to be at the intersection of homosexuality and Islam. Thank you Mohsin for telling your story, I am sure it will make a difference to so many young lives!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Ahmed
- 14-12-21
so much to relate to.
beautiful story. couldn't stop crying. felt, for the first time, someone has been through what I'm going through.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Melvin
- 10-12-20
A Dutiful Boy
A very truthful self examination of a boy to adulthood discovering his identity in conflicting culture, beliefs, values and aspiration. A real revelation of an identity not how the world sees but how an individual human needs arises.
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