Sairish Hussain is an author who was born and brought up in Bradford. Her debut novel The Family Tree follows the stories of Amjaad and his children Saahil and Zahra, after his wife, their mother, dies shortly after Zahra is born.

Described as “the moving story of a British Muslim family – full of love, laughter and resilience, as well as the faults, mistakes and stubborn loyalties which make us human”, Sairish’s book explores social and political as well as domestic themes.

In conversation with Festival Director, Syima Aslam, Sairish will talk about the plot and themes of The Family Tree, her sources of inspiration and her own journey as a writer.

Buy the Book

  Click here to visit Waterstones.co.uk

About The Author

Sairish Hussain

Sairish Hussain was born and brought up in Bradford. She studied English at the University of Huddersfield and progressed onto an MA in Creative Writing where she began working on her first novel. Sairish is currently pursuing a PhD and her novel, The Family Tree, was published by HarperCollins in 2020.

About The Host

Syima Aslam

Syima Aslam is the founder and Director of Bradford Literature Festival, which she established in 2014. In just five years the festival has grown to a 10 day literary and cultural celebration, welcoming 70,000 visitors to Bradford annually.

Under Syima’s directorship, BLF has made a significant impact on the country’s literary landscape, hailed as ‘one of the most innovative and inspirational festivals in the UK’, bringing together literature from all genres, promoting intercultural fluency, providing a platform for marginalised voices, and reflecting the changing face of contemporary Britain through a programme which celebrates diversity, empathy and artistic excellence.