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Wednesday, 11 February 2015

The Reluctant Fundamentalist - Mohsin Hamid

A short but very intense novel.  Well-crafted book built on a long monologue conversation in a market in Lahore between a Pakistani former New York financial analyst and what appears to be a CIA agent, though this is never made clear.

It explores issues that came up around the 9/11 event - the role of the US internationally and Corporate America's economic and social effect on countries around the world.  Through his time in Princeton and on Wall Street, he presents a social picture of the upper financial stratum of the US and both its privileged position and the privileges it takes for granted as its right.  This analysis is critical but subtle - worth reflecting on.  There is also an attempt to draw awareness to the kinds of stereotyped images in the US media of other countries around the world and what life is like there.

A subtle book - rare, so worth rereading.

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