Our Story

Discover the journey behind our mission to inspire a lifelong love for reading

How it all started?

Books with Banter is co-founded by three siblings; Gohar, Farrukh and Saba. Our lives have been vastly enriched by the love of reading, and our parents played a huge role in developing that love. Fortnightly visits to the local British council library are amongst the most vivid memories all of us share.

As parents ourselves now, and in a world seemingly full of distractions, we find the importance of raising a reader more relevant than ever.

Books with Banter is our initiative to help parents of today bring the love of reading to the lives of their children and themselves. Not intended to be presented as a tuition or coaching class,

our mantra is more along the lines:

Meet The Founders!

Gohar

An English Literature & Language expert who is dedicated to inspiring future leaders through literature and education.

One quote that resonates with Gohar:

“I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library”
-Jorge Luis Borges

Gohar

Gohar teaches English Literature and Language to GCSE students in Oxfordshire and is also a Cambridge examiner for the English language GCSE examinations. She is passionate about the ways in which literature helps us to perceive the world and the people in it.

She is also a Director of Ethos at an outstanding Trust in Oxfordshire, where she can get creative about nurturing 'change makers' of the future and has the responsibility for cultivating an ethos of ambition, resilience and leadership for the 2500 young people across six schools in the Trust. The ethos provision includes student leadership, enrichment, opportunities for personal and academic growth, co-curricular provisions and well-being, to name a few important areas.

Gohar’s book, Empowering Young Leaders; How your Culture and Ethos can enhance Student Leadership was published by Routledge in 2024 and is available on Amazon.

Saba

A Storyteller & Creative Force who combines her love for storytelling with her roles as an author, filmmaker, and educator.

One quote that resonates with Saba:

“Reading should not be presented to children as a chore, a duty. It should be offered as a gift”
- Kate DiCamillo

Saba

Saba is an author, filmmaker, podcast host & educator at NYU Abu Dhabi with bylines in The Guardian, The Independent, Khaleej Times, Huff Post, DAWN etc. Her novel, Skyfall was published by Bloomsbury, and she is also a contributor to the anthology, “Ways of Being: Creative Non-fiction by Pakistani Women”.

She has done her MPhil in Social Anthropology from the University of Oxford and a recipient of the LUMS' Vice-Chancellor's Alumni Achievement Award. In a previous life, she was Head of Marketing and Public Affairs at Citibank. Storytelling in all its shapes and textures, is where she feels most at home, especially when filming documentaries.

Farrukh

A Financial Consultant & portfolio manager. His passion for reading and lifelong learning has helped him concretely in improving business outcomes for his clients.

One quote that resonates with Farrukh:

“In my whole life, I have known no wise people (over a broad subject matter area) who didn't read all the time—none. Zero”
-Charlie Munger

Farrukh

Farrukh is a partner at a financial advisory firm. He is a student of financial markets and has been in key research roles for global investment banks such as Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Credit Suisse.

His role models are Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger; practical embodiments of how a love for reading can lead to richer, wiser, and happier lives. Farrukh is CFA charterholder and has an undergraduate degree in Economics. He lives with his wife and two children in Karachi, Pakistan.

Join us on this journey & become a part of our story today!

Our Story

Discover the journey behind our mission to inspire a lifelong love for reading

How it all started?

our mantra is more along the lines:

Meet The Founders!

Gohar

Gohar

An English Literature & Language expert who is dedicated to inspiring future leaders through literature and education.

“I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library” ​ -Jorge Luis Borges

Gohar

Saba

Saba

A Storyteller & Creative Force who combines her love for storytelling with her roles as an author, filmmaker, and educator.

“Reading should not be presented to children as a chore, a duty. It should be offered as a gift” - Kate DiCamillo

Saba

Farrukh

Farrukh

A Financial Consultant & portfolio manager. His passion for reading and lifelong learning has helped him concretely in improving business outcomes for his clients.

“In my whole life, I have known no wise people (over a broad subject matter area) who didn't read all the time—none. Zero” -Charlie Munger

Farrukh

Join us on this journey & become a part of our story today!

“I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library”
-Jorge Luis Borges

“Reading should not be presented to children as a chore, a duty. It should be offered as a gift”
- Kate DiCamillo

“In my whole life, I have known no wise people (over a broad subject matter area) who didn't read all the time—none. Zero”
-Charlie Munger