'This book is as much an autobiography as a biography of Aligarh, seen through the eyes of a local Muslim, born and raised there. No one else could have told us more effectively what it means to live in a ghetto--and even what a ghetto is--and to experience communal violence as a minority (not only at the time of physical encounters, but routinely and symbolically). While the style is most accessible, this is a social science book.' --Christophe Jaffrelot, political scientist and author of Modi's India

'A gripping and poignant memoir by an astonishing new talent, City on Fire transcends the boundaries of a single city, inviting readers to contemplate the broader implications of division. This is a courageous and beautifully written memoir that I'd urge everyone to read.' --Sonia Faleiro, author of The Good Girls

'A thoughtful and invigorating memoir, which functions as both a fascinating personal history and a window onto modern-day India.' --Isaac Chotiner, staff writer at The New Yorker

'City on Fire is a compelling commentary, on a locality, a city and ultimately the country.' --Rana Safvi, historian and author of The Forgotten Cities of Delhi

'A haunting coming-of-age memoir that is a seething indictment of what it means to be Muslim in India today, and a personal history of a community navigating questions of dignity, freedom, loss and systematic denial of justice.' --Suchitra Vijayan