The Reluctant Fundamentalist
17 journalers for this copy...
This is the third of the six booker short listed novels I have read, this year. I look forward to next weeks result with interest.
This is a beautifully written novel - rather short and a quick read - I read it over one evening. The style jarred for the first four of five pages, but then I quickly settled into what is a fascinating and gripping monologue. The narrator Changez is speaking to an American stranger whilst they sit together at a cafe table in Lahore. The American is of course, all Americans - or possibly all westerners. I have been trying to decide whether this is a controversial novel,I didn't find it so, but then maybe some readers will. Changez first reaction to the Sept 11 attacks is prehaps surprising - and yet I found myself unsurprised somehow - I won't say more... A very powerful novel.
ring starting soon - order subject to change
rivercassini UK (anywhere)
celticseahorse UK (?)
Brumbie UK (UK)
AliceF UK (UK)
RonOren UK (?)
Fushmush UK (UK)
Kazbag UK (UK)
marie-therese UK (UK)
yorkshire-lass - UK (anywhere)
sudokugirl - Bosnia and Herzegovina (anywhere)
cwoods - UK (anywhere)
Bright-spark - UK (UK)
Wyldetwo - UK (anywhere)
mrsJennings - uk (uk)
megmac - UK
caterinaAnna - UK
starflash UK (UK)
Lyzzybee - UK
Back to me Heaven-Ali
Journal Entry
2 by
Heaven-Ali at
A fellow bookcrosser in By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Thursday, October 18, 2007
Released 16 yrs ago (10/19/2007 UTC) at A fellow bookcrosser in By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
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will be off to Rivercassinni tomorrow
Thank you, Heavan-Ali, this book was waiting for me on my desk when I got to work this morning. Have been really looking forward to reading it ever since I heard the author being interviewed on the radio, so this is going straight to the top of the TBR pile (a position current occupied by Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns, which will just have to wait!). Will try to be quick as I know there are lots of others waiting for it.
There is nothing bloated or overdone about Mohsin Hamidâs The Reluctant Fundamentalist. Yet this sparse, finely cropped short novel tackles some of the challenging issues. Changez, a Pakistani Muslim from a once wealthy family in Lahore, experiences his own version of the American Dream when his talent and his Princeton scholarship lead him to a high-flying job in the world of New York finance and to relationship with a beautiful, enigmatic all-American girl who represents his passport into high society as well. But, over aromatic food and exotic drinks back in Lahore, Changez relates in a one-sided conservation with an American traveller how he never felt entirely at ease and how the attacks on the World Trade Centre and the subsequent repercussions â both political and personal ones â roused him from his American Dream: his reluctance to follow the advice of his mentor in business to focus on the fundamentals is replaced by an hankering to concentrate on fundamentals of a very different sort.
Yet at times the very sparsity which makes the novel so compelling leaves the reader in a void of ignorance. One is, for instance, driven to seek to understand Changezâs conversion but the text provides so little challenge to Changezâs narrative that it is left flimsy, incomplete and thus unresolved. This is perhaps Hamidâs intention â to set out clearly that there are no easy answers; that Westerners will always fail to understand the East. In that sense this is a deeply unsettling novel and leaves one wishing for just a little more, a little more insight, a little more depth. The sense of âunfinishnessedâ is only heightened by the ambiguous, unresolved but perfectly composed ending. Its short listing for the Booker Prize can be justified on the grounds of its fine prose, well-worked form and challenging topics alone but one can equally understand why it didnât win. It is perhaps in the end just a tad too ambiguous, too ethereal, to deliver the sort of challenge which would make it stand head and shoulders above the rest. All round an excellent read which will linger.
I have Celticseahorse's address already so will be passing this book on in the next few days. I hope everyone else enjoys it as much as I did, and thanks to Heaven-Ali for sharing.
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5 by
Rivercassini at
BookRing in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Thursday, November 1, 2007
Released 16 yrs ago (11/1/2007 UTC) at BookRing in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
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This arrived safely..and have already read it ..gathering my thoughts..quite a book. Couldn't put it down once I started it. Asking for next readers address and will comment then when I check in with posting date.
Can't wait to read this so shall move it up a space on my TBR. Thanks Celticseahorse.
Changez corners and holds on to the American after the fashion of the Ancient Mariner. This psychological cliffhanger is told in much the same episodic manner as Coleridge's poem. The American is transfixed by the story of Changez' move from his Pakistani family to America and the whole cliche of the American Dream, interrupted by September 11, and back again, much changed, to his roots. Although Changez keeps reassuring the American with drink and food and commentary about the nature of the cafe and the market in Lahore where they are sitting there is a constant air of fear. I found the American more frightening than Changez - perhaps because he is more frightened. It is no coincidence that Changez' love affair is with a girl who is both glamorous and frigid and who keeps disappearing in much the same, unresolved way, as his fantasy about the US. I think it is an unrequited love affair with a country which has simultaneously disappointed him and left him hoping for better things from himself. The reader is left not quite sure whether it has given him experience to change (Changez??) or whether it will destroy him. Is the American Dream too strong and too threatened to withstand the philosophy and ideals of an older culture? I loved this book and its metaphorical style. I agree with Ali that it is not so much controversial as thought provoking.
Released as part of Bookring to AliceF
Journal Entry
9 by
Brumbie at
To bookcrosser in Coventry, West Midlands United Kingdom on Friday, February 15, 2008
Released 16 yrs ago (2/15/2008 UTC) at To bookcrosser in Coventry, West Midlands United Kingdom
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Sent to AliceF
Gratefully received by post this morning from
Brumbie... looks fascinating (and fairly short!): thanks! I seem to be unable to read rings in order, so let's just call this one of the five rings that I'm currently reading :-)
About half way through this now... enjoying it, despite the monotonous tone. Not sure how to take the narrator, though: is he being subtly sarcastic, or should we take everything he says at face value... can anyone who's already read it shed light, while I carry on?
Interesting book, though I cannot honestly say I
enjoyed it... the structure/presentation of the story seemed too false and the narrative style tedious... I cannot believe that any person would spend a day telling his life-story (even that one) to an apparent stranger, and that the stranger would stick around (and not fall asleep!) for the whole thing.
I found the story he had to tell an interesting one, though; but I think it would have been more successful presented as a straightforward memoir.
(See the official
website for more information.)
On its way to
RonOren with another
book in the next day or so.
This arrived on Friday, together with a generous RABCK. Thanks for both books, AliceF! I'm still reading two books at the same time, though, so I probably won't start on this one for a couple of days.
I thought it was a very interesting and actually highly enjoyable book. It's very well written, so that, even though the subject matter is rather hard and gloomy, it reads very easily. I really appreciated the little interjections that drag the reader back to Lahore, to the situation of Changez and his unwilling (or is he?) listener; they formed some sort of reality check (albeit is some twisted way). Another thing that struck me is how this book (rather reminiscent of
We need to talk about Kevin, which I've read recently) manages to read like a conversation, even though we only hear Changez's voice.
For me, the book is not at all about 9/11, the title notwithstanding. It's about Changez finding out where he stands; not necessarily between his Pakistani roots and his American life (although it obviously plays a part), but also whether he fits in the hard-nosed corporate world. The events of 9/11 are a mere catalyst that forces him to confront his inner strife. Likewise, the relationship with Erica is completely oblivious to the fact that Changez is a foreigner (as it should be!); again, 9/11 is probably a catalyst (although even that's not sure), but not truly important. In fact, I felt that the end, where Changez's story does actually justify the title, was almost superfluous (although it does explain why his American listener has been so patient...).
All in all, a good read that I would recommend to anyone! Thanks for sharing this, Heaven-Ali! I'll contact Fushmush and get the book moving as soon as I can.
Sent to fushmush yesterday. Hope you'll enjoy it...
Received. I have 2 bookrings a head of it. Should get to it soon.
Written in the form of a monologue, a Pakistani man, Changez tells the story of his two great loves⌠America and Erica (hrm, just noticed the similarities there), to an American âtouristâ.
An interesting read but the ending really didnât do it for me. None of the plotlines are completed and the âStory of Changezâ is left unfinished. On completing this novel, I flipped the page looking for more. When finding nothing, I exclaimed âwell, that was crap!â.
One reviewer mentions that this ambiguity leaves âthe reader to challenge [their] own preconceptions and stereotypes - who do we see as the real enemy?ââŚ
I didnât find it controversial at all but I imagine that any non-American probably doesnât.
Will post next week.
Journal Entry
18 by
fushmush at
sent to the the next bookcrosser, Bookray -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Released 15 yrs ago (10/15/2008 UTC) at sent to the the next bookcrosser, Bookray -- Controlled Releases
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Sent to Kazbag.
A book of interesting and sometimes perturbing contrasts.
The book arrived safely this morning. I have one ring to read before I can get to this but I promise I won't keep it waiting too long.
What an interesting book,I did find the style of writing challenging for the first few pages but I soon warmed to it. I liked and sympathised with the main character Changes who came across as a decent person who had to make some difficult deisions.
Thanks Heaven-Ali for sharing!
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23 by
yorkshire-lass at
By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Monday, December 1, 2008
Released 15 yrs ago (12/1/2008 UTC) at By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
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This is now on its way to sudokugirl.
Arrived safely this morning. Looks good, I'm looking froward to reading it.
Excellent read, I'm very glad I joined this bookring. Thank you for sharing, Heaven-Ali. The book will be on its way to cwoods as soon as I have their address.
06/01/09 Haven't been able to track down cwoods. PMing starflash.
07/01/09 Starflash asked to be bumped down a few places. PMing Bright-spark.
13/01/09 No luck finding Bright-spark. PMing Wyldetwo.
Journal Entry
26 by
sudokugirl at
By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Thursday, January 15, 2009
Released 15 yrs ago (1/15/2009 UTC) at By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
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Sent to wyldetwo.
I wasn't at work on Friday but this arrived and so was waiting for me today.
Thanks sudokugirl!
I enjoyed this book and its structure of the telling of one story within an another, with the gradual building of menace and suspense. I'd not appreciated the similarity to the Ancient Mariner until I read Brumbie's review just now.
There are so many ways one could look at this story I'm sure it will be discussed for a long time. I was hoping to learn more about why people turn to Fundamentalism than I did however.
I have now got the next participant's address so will be getting this in the post soon - thanks for sharing Ali!
Thanks for sending the book out Heaven-Ali. Interesting book, I liked the style. I have megmac's address so will be sending it on this weekend.
Received today. Thank you :-)
A well-written and thought provoking novel but the style grated on me a little. I am definitely glad I read it though as it had some very good points to make about America's place in the world and how their actions breed fundamentalism. Thanks for sharing.
Have pmed caterinaAnna
Arrived safely in Coventry.
This was an interesting book that restored my faith in the ability of a monologue to work on the page as well as on the stage: even though I'm not sure I would have stayed listening to Changez in a cafe in Lahore for a whole day I did gobble up his words in print. His responses to his listener are superb in that they give a really clear picture of the un-named American and how he is feeling at various points in the conversation. I understood his nervousness and, although I sympathised with Changez, never quite trusted him - as a person rather than a narrator - so the ambiguous ending, although irritating in some respects, was the only one I felt was possible.
Unless there was a part of Changez' life back in Pakistan which he chose not to reveal, I felt that the title was somewhat sensationalist. Yes 9/11 was a catalyst for a re-evaluation, and that re-evaluation led to the decision that corporate life was not for him, but antipathy towards America did not seem to include or require that religion should be central in his life. His rejectionseemed to be due to a personal rather than external moral certitude and at no time did I feel that Changez had become the Muslim equivalent of a Bible-basher. However I suppose it added to the suspense while reading.
I found Changez' responses to 9/11 perfectly credible. Dare I say that I suspect there were not a few Europeans who had some of the same thoughts about hubris at the time? Even if they were almost immediately swamped by concern for the victims and a sense of being similarly under attack on on learning who the perpetrators were?
The Erica strand of his tale was sad but, like the title, seemed a little too much. The sheer number and intensity of unfulfilled relationships was overwhelming, and it is easy to see how it led to and supported his decision to leave America; but even a less crushing sadness would have been enough to set many wondering and the lighter touch might have made the story more credible.
Thank you for sharing Ali. I've PM'd starflash for an address.
Journal Entry
34 by
Caterinaanna at
Coventry, West Midlands United Kingdom on Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Released 14 yrs ago (8/18/2009 UTC) at Coventry, West Midlands United Kingdom
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On its way to starflash.
Thank you-collected when I returned to work this week
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36 by
starflash at
Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada on Sunday, October 25, 2009
Released 14 yrs ago (10/28/2009 UTC) at Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada
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I am so sorry to have held this book up, work has been taking over and I havent had time to read it, so I will send the book on its way next week. I hope it doesnt get held up in the postal strikes!
Arrived today - thank you. Wow - look at all the previous readers *waves*
I assume that as I'm last on the ring I can have a bit of time to get to this one?
A monologue narrated by Changez to a mysterious American in a Lahore cafe, this is an intriguing book that is difficult to put down. Changez takes his audience through his life from arrival in America for college aged 18, his relationships to Pakistan and America, his relationship with the American, Erica (see what they did there?) and his gradual disenchantment with his Westernised life. The part about his reaction to 9/11 is, I think, supposed to be shocking, and is indeed not presented in isolation, given a strong and complex context. I wasn't shocked, but then again I think I'd maybe be typical of the people that would pick up this book in the first place.
I hope I'm wrong there, as this book does a lot to "normalise" and contextualise the kind of person Changez appears to be, an immigrant trying to settle in a new country, sometimes becoming more American than the Americans, sometimes hopelessly out of his depth and out of place.
The atmosphere of the cafe, probably because I've sat in similar in Tunisia, was beautifully done, and the subtle build-up of menace as we realise that, let alone Changez, we really don't know who this American is, was really well done too.
A compulsive, interesting read.
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39 by
LyzzyBee at
Bennetts Hill - Bennetts bar in Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Sunday, November 15, 2009
Released 14 yrs ago (11/16/2009 UTC) at Bennetts Hill - Bennetts bar in Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom
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Returning to Ali at the BCBirmingham evening meetup tomorrow.
Back home with me, thank you everyone.
Journal Entry
41 by
Heaven-Ali at
3 Three's Coffee Lounge in Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Saturday, November 23, 2019
Released 4 yrs ago (11/23/2019 UTC) at 3 Three's Coffee Lounge in Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom
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If you have found this book, thank you for taking the time to look it up on the internet. Now please tell us what you thought of the book and what your plans for it are.
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42 by
AnonymousFinder at
Birmingham, West Midlands United Kingdom on Tuesday, September 1, 2020
I've just picked this book up from The Three 3's, it's going to be my cheat reading to boost my goodreads challenge score as it's quite short. May send it away on the adventures further away. Thanks!