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Mason Carter

Mason Carter – grey hair & French beard era

Mason Carter

Poet • Lecturer • Foodie • Dad to Elsa • Professional Style Shapeshifter

Hi, I’m an educator and author who explores social justice, autonomy, and the quiet ways communities hold each other up. I teach English Literature at Shah Abdul Latif University, write books that refuse to behave, and somehow still find time for barbecue nights and study circles.

A Request Leave your trace in this little archive of my life and work. Look for Join the Conversation section at the bottom of this page! Leave a comment or a memory there!
📍 Ubauro → Ghotki 🎓 BS + MS English Literature 👶 Elsa’s personal makeup artist 🔥 BBQ nights are sacred

The Human Behind the Books

What I actually do when I’m not grading papers

  • Watch series & movies like it’s research (it is)
  • Play endless games with my daughter Elsa – she’s my world
  • Spend quiet evenings with my wife and family
  • Run late-night study circles with friends who still argue about Bakunin
  • Cook (especially anything that involves fire and meat)
  • Change my hair color/beard style every few months because life is short and mirrors are free

Official Disclaimer

I was born 21 April 1994. Yes, the grey hair arrived early. No, I do not take fashion advice from strangers. Yes, the French beard is currently winning.

“I keep changing looks because every new style is a new chapter… and I refuse to read the same page twice.”

Class with Mason – Free School of Literary Studies

During the pandemic I started sharing notes with my students. It grew into a free online space for poetry, novels, drama, critical theory, and anyone who still believes literature can change how we see the world.

Come learn, argue, and leave better notes than I do.

Enter the Classroom Write a Guest Post for Us

Gallery – Evidence of a Life Lived in Classrooms & Kitchens

Mason Carter current look Current look baby me Baby Me Teaching Dad, Brother, Me Teaching When I was Kid Teaching Taking class 2015 student days With cousins in Ubauro 2015 student days With Adil Shah, one of my oldest friends 2015 student days 2015 student days With students IBA Farewell at IBA 2017 Faculty IBA Faculty friends 2017 Rainy day friends Rainy day 2014 Friends 2014 University friends More 2014 More 2014 chaos Freire discussion Pedagogy of the Oppressed Tea with students Tea & goodbyes More tea More tea, more stories White beard White-beard phase White beard 2 Still the same me Interviews Conducting interviews Visiting school School visit With founder With the founder With founder 2 Conducting Interviews Farewell colleague Farewell with colleague Farewell students With the final batch Cooking Foodie mode activated With Dr Bhutto Sports Week with Dr. Bhutto Holi Holi with students With book The Craft of Writing

Videos – Clips from Classrooms, Kitchens & Life

Video thumbnail ▶ Video 1

What Readers Say

Goodreads reviews live below (and in "Join the Conversation" section below). If you’ve read one of my books, leave your thoughts – I read every single one.

Gothic Poems to Love & Liberty

A collection that refuses to be only dark or only romantic. Myths, broken hearts, and the stubborn hope of liberty.

See reviews on Goodreads →

Bards, Beards & Bad Decisions

Book 1 of The Absurd History of English Literature. Classical era, told with the respect it deserves and the humour it needs.

See reviews on Goodreads →

A Philosophy of Scars

“A story of broken hearts and overthinking minds.” For anyone who has ever sat on a park bench and tried to make sense of the mess.

See reviews on Goodreads →

Interviews & Features

“Writing began as a way to explore questions I couldn’t answer anywhere else. I was drawn to poetry and fiction early on, and through them I found a voice for my thoughts on love, freedom, justice, and the complexities of human life.” — From my interview at Insane Owl
“Mason Carter’s novella A Philosophy of Scars is explored through the lens of psychoanalysis, revealing themes of identity, trauma, and symbolic scars that run deep in the human psyche.” — Research paper: Split Selves and Symbolic Scars

Want to feature me on your blog, podcast, or publication? Drop a line at [email protected]. I’m always up for conversations about literature, writing, and the ideas that keep us awake at night.

Thanks for stopping by. Leave a comment below – I actually read them.

Widget made with too much coffee and zero corporate seriousness.

10 comments

  1. Anonymous
    Sir it was an honour being your student. We discuss critical thinking logic in class. I still remember those days.
    1. Mason Carter
      Mason Carter
      Thanks dear! That really means a lot! <3
  2. Syed Ali Hyder Shah Jillani
    Syed Ali Hyder Shah Jillani
    Sir, this is truly a wonderful opportunity, although I honestly do not feel worthy of writing something about you. Putting my feelings into words has always been difficult for me, but I will make a humble attempt.

    You are one of the few people who discovered something in me before I discovered it myself. When you first reached out to me, I was still trying to understand who I was and where I belonged. I had already secured admission in BBA and was among the Top 15 students at the main campus, yet I trusted your judgement and chose the path you suggested. Today, as I am about to complete my M.Phil. in English Literature from GCU Lahore, I am genuinely grateful that I did.

    You were never just a teacher to me. As I once told Sir KD, you are my **life teacher**. Your teachings, your kindness, your openness with students, and even the smallest things you taught me have stayed with me in ways you probably never realised.

    I still remember your bicycle, which inspired me to buy one myself. I still have it. I remember the very first lesson of our BS class, *“Carpe Diem, seize the day.”* I remember the books you introduced me to, especially *Metamorphosis* and *Sophie's World*, and how deeply they affected the way I looked at life and the world around me.

    When you left to pursue your M.Phil., those years became surprisingly difficult for me. So much of my connection with the campus was connected to you. Yet the memories we created before and after that period remain among the most beautiful parts of my university life.

    As John Keats wrote, *“A thing of beauty is a joy forever.”* The moments, lessons, conversations, and memories I have with you truly are that for me.

    Perhaps what I admire most is that, despite everything you have achieved, you never forget your own teachers or the little things they taught you. That quality has always made you even more special to me.

    Sir, I carry immense love, respect, and gratitude for you. And if I ever had to write a book about the people who shaped my life, I could genuinely write an entire book about you.
    1. Mason Carter
      Mason Carter
      Dear Ali Hyder,
      Thank you for writing this. I read every word carefully, and I am genuinely moved ... and a little overwhelmed.

      You give me far more credit than I deserve. The path you chose, the hard work you put in, and the person you have become are all your own doing. I may have pointed in a direction once, but you walked every step of it yourself, and that is something I respect deeply. You will always be a younger brother to me <3

      Being both your cousin and your teacher has been one of the quiet privileges of my life. The bicycle, the first “Carpe Diem” class, the books we talked about — those memories are as precious to me as they are to you. I’m glad they stayed with you.

      You have always had a thoughtful and sincere heart. Watching you grow into the scholar and the person you are now has been a quiet joy. Keep going. The best chapters are still ahead of you.
      With love, respect, and gratitude,

      Mason
  3. Parvez Ahmed
    Parvez Ahmed
    It is really interesting to read your life's journey badshah. I have witnessed all the things mentioned in the story and have found you inclined to what you say and do. Apart from this, a great body of academic we discussed was truly worth learning from you, and your company enriched with critical lens is truly amazing. I also enjoy the study cricle at your place because it is full of scholarly debates and fun. Thank you for rhetime and talk you shared with me. I also wish you to go great, badshah
    1. Mason Carter
      Mason Carter
      Thank you so much for your kind and generous words, my friend. Having someone who has witnessed this journey closely makes your reflections all the more meaningful to me. Whatever I have learned, I have learned through conversations, debates, friendships, and the many people who have challenged my ways of thinking. Our discussions and the study circle have been equally enriching for me, and I have learned much from your perspectives as well. I am grateful for the time, conversations, and intellectual companionship we have shared. Let us keep learning, questioning, debating, and having fun along the way. Thank you once again, and I sincerely wish you all the very best too, badshah.
  4. Naveed Muntazir
    Naveed Muntazir
    Dear Mason, your are an organic intellectual, an existentialist, and echo sensible person. When we discuss ideas with you we feel comfortable, relax and satisfied. Along with this, you are a good friend. We love you.
    1. Mason Carter
      Mason Carter
      Thank you so much for these incredibly kind words, badshah. I feel humbled by the way you see me and by the affection behind your words. Whatever intellectual journey I have taken has been shaped largely by the people with whom I have had the privilege of discussing, questioning, and sometimes disagreeing over ideas. I have always believed that conversations should make us feel free to think, question, and express ourselves comfortably, and I am glad that our discussions have felt that way to you. More than any intellectual label, I value friendship, companionship, and the shared pursuit of understanding. I love and deeply value you too, and since true learning is a cooperative and mutual process, I am grateful for all things I learned from you and other friends too, and for the conversations, laughter, and memories we share.
  5. Rashid Jillani
    Rashid Jillani
    I am always amazed by your incredible talent. Writing a book is hard enough, but writing it so beautifully in English is a completely different level of genius. The way you build your stories and express emotions through your words is truly inspiring. I am so lucky to have such a talented writer as my friend. Keep shining and keep sharing your wonderful stories with the world.
    1. Mason Carter
      Mason Carter
      Thank you so much for such beautiful and generous words, my dear friend. I am truly humbled by your appreciation. Writing is a long journey of learning, struggling, and constantly trying to express what the heart and mind carry within them. If my words can inspire someone or bring even a little meaning to their life, I consider that a blessing. I am equally grateful for your friendship, kindness, and encouragement. Your words mean more to me than I can adequately express. Thank you for always believing in me and my work.
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