Sara Danial is a mother of two. A Pakistani writer/editor, born, raised and survived in Karachi, though to be precise, reared in the dunes of Dubai, she was corrupted by English and a voracious appetite for books. She’s certain to die in the present century as she was born in the last. Stained by a number of vices, like reading and writing and with a Master’s degree, she thought the world should be at her feet; but she was wrong. She took up her old vice to land up in the world of literature, through which she shares her love for all things sacred to English language. Her writing has been published in Dawn, The News on Sunday, South Asia and The Express Tribune. She can usually be found musing about over a cup of coffee, or occasionally ranting.
The Proust Questionnaire has its origins in a parlor game popularized (though not devised) by Marcel Proust, the French essayist and novelist, who believed that, in answering these questions, an individual reveals his or her true nature.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Gourmet dinner. Chardonnay. A ride home.
What is your greatest fear?
Disappointing myself.
Which living person do you most admire?
My mother.
What is your greatest extravagance?
Travel. Good coffee. I do not want to think how much I have spent on these.
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Balance. Perfectionism.
On what occasion do you lie?
It will be a dull world to live in without lying. There would be no fiction, no art. I usually lie to get by.
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
Wizened fingers.
Which living person do you most despise?
I despise those who make ungenerous assumptions about others’ motives
What is the quality you most like in a man?
Creativity.
What is the quality you most like in a woman?
The ability to hold real discussions about meaningful topics.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Essentially. At this point in time.
What or who is the greatest love of your life?
Books.
Which talent would you most like to have?
I wish I could play the piano.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I rush too much. Through everything.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Confident enough not to care when I am being judged for eating alone at a restaurant.
If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
A plant. I worry about their future.
Where would you most like to live?
Montenegro
What is your most treasured possession?
Books.
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Conceit.
What is your most marked characteristic?
Pessimism.
What do you most value in your friends?
Humour.
Who are your favorite writers?
Fredrik Backman, Matt Haig
Who is your hero of fiction?
Albus Dumbledore
Which historical figure do you most identify with?
William Shakespeare
Who are your heroes in real life?
Mother. Father.
What is your motto?
I have done it before and I can do it again.
