Diwan e Ghalib

A brilliant biography of nineteenth century India s greatest poet Mirza Mohammad Asadullah Khan Ghalib began writing poetry in Persian at the age of nine and the pre-eminent poet of the time, Mir, predicted a great future for the precocious genius when he was shown his verse.

On the cover of Rachid Taha's 1998 album Diwan, the singer's caught in the throes of ecstasy, his head tossed back and his shaggy hair arching through the air. His eyes are closed and he's smiling. He's wearing a shimmering red shirt. He could be dancing on stage, or maybe even at a party. The cover of Taha's belated sequel Diwan 2 features the singer somber and unsmiling. He's wearing a rumpled suit. He's bearded, and a carefully wrapped turban covers his hair. His eyes are cold, hard, tired. He could be at a funeral.