The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid

Thanku for this lovely writeup.

Despite his good writing, what I find lacking in Mohsin Hamid`s writing is the viewpoint of middle class or the masses. Putting it other way his writings represents the certain upper class which was educated at these `elite` schools.

Good writeup though.

He will come by a couple of reviews by Joyce Carol Oats (the most boring story teller of current times) and sell his sophomoric bhang-bhosra like he sold his earlier one. But come on, this is fiction, and treat it as such (rather than view it through 9/11 paradigm). I would, however, read his novel, only because he is Desi. I enjoyed Moth Smoke, only because I am Desi. I could relate to magic realism of his work, but in terms of it’s literary merit, he is no way in the league of Rushdie, Sidwa, etc. He has miles to go. I hope he gets there some day.

Thanks for the review! Its on my list. The title. `Reluctant Fundamentalist.` made me think, Can a person be reluctant and be a fundamentalist? I thought fundamentalism is all about removing reluctance. Its about being sure. Maybe he has dealt with this idea in the novel.

Despite his good writing, what I find lacking in Mohsin Hamid`s writing is the viewpoint of middle class or the masses.

Isnt that a good thing?

Mohsin Hamid is a talented writer........unlike most Pakistani writers, writing in English, he can actually write.......One can clearly notice it in his first book........I would rank Nadeem Aslam as the outright best writer of Pakistani origin.......Head and Shoulders above the rest......He is in the potential Booker category with the likes of Rushdie, Seth, Arundhati etc.......

After Nadeem Aslam, there is a big gap, then comes Mohsin Hamid.........After him there is another big gap, then comes Kamila Shamsie.........After her, there is a gigantic gap, and then come the rest of the writers of Pakistani origin.........Haven`t read too much of Hanif Kureshi, so he might fit in with Mohsin Hamid and Kamila.........

Nearly every other writer of Pakistani origin`s biggest accomplishment is getting published (and being Pakistani and getting published)..........This include Bapsi Sidwa and the various others (most of whom happen to be females, for some reason)........

On the whole, Pakistani English fiction writing is quite mediocre.........Mohsin and Nadeem (and Kamila) being the exceptions........All three are very young (by writer standards).......So they have a bright future ahead of them.........Unfortunately, Nadeem Aslam has written two books............And took ten years to write his last one.........

Re: # 3 I read this book, just as I had the first one Moth smoke. My thunder has been stolen by Kulharee.
Nevertheless, I must say this - when I read moth smoke first time round it was good, I enjoyed it since it related to me like a desi would. The second time round, there was some good moth smoke floating around the book made even more sense then.

This new one is interesting...but I sense a certain formulaic nature to it...cannot really put my hands to it....

Kullhare has stolen by thoughts as well; you are not alone

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He has a good potential for ýsure, needs to polish up and join the league or become league of his own.ý

thanks for this. i saw it in a bookstore and picked it up and then put it down again after reading the first few pages. seemed interesting but too obvious. and hamid is a good writer but not a prose stylist.

i will probably read it at some point in the near future though...

i agree with the person who said nadeem aslam is the best pakistani writer at the moment--i would say best desi writer in english. full stop--a prose writer par excellence (until my novel is finished...!!!) but i would put suhayl saadi -- a scottish paki--right up there with him. his novel
psychoraag is brilliant.

hamid m and kamila shamsie are okay writers.

IT is a great read. The title is a play on words. The protaganist is an analyst that provides valuations for companies, his boss always tells him ``focus on the fundamentals``. Eventually he is reluctant to carry on with his gig of focusing on the fundamentals. Hence reluctant fundamentalist.

Once you get used to the ``half conversation style``, it is really good. It is indeed a love story. The protaganist is who he is, and is not totally justifying his reactions either. IT is not a US=bad type of deal. It is more complex and layered.

I really enjoyed the love story between Erica and Changez (or single sided love story), it is written very well, and expressed in subtleties.

One of the things that drives Changez to reexamine himself (other then his non-reciprocal love for Erica, 9/11, and him growing a beard) is when a guy`e company he is assessing says to him....

actually I shouldn`t write that part, it will be giving too much of the story away. Do read. Very interesting.

Correction: ``The Reluctant Fundamentalist`` is now No. 4 on the NYT List.

It is good storytelling. Has the MH trademark `futility` element as an undercurrent running throughout the tale. Despite the 3 hours of explanation, there is enough left unsaid so that intentions and reasons maintain sufficient ambiguity giving the conclusion a tragic flavor.

Both Barnes and Noble and Borders sent out an email intro to MH`s new initiative last month. That was interesting. I guess it will be a while for me to look into this one.

For another report on Mohsin Hamid`s visit (including pictures) please see

http://www.pakistanlink.com/Community/2007/April07/27/02.HTM


Ras

it is a great achievement to have one`s work published especially in english because there is so much competition, i`ve been told for every one that gets published at least 100 are turned down. there is at least a dozen south asian writers in uk, of the well known is hanif kureshi nearly all his novels have been made into films, buddha of surburbia, my son the fanatic,mother etc. then there is meera syal she`s an actress as well as novelist. monica ali a bengali her novel brick lane won critical acclaim. then there is ayub khan din an actor as well as a playwright his film east is east earned millions around the world.

Re: # 14
I do not find arjun and Indians commenting as novel has left indians writers as poor third rate writers.
If america does not behave properly with our country all pakistanis will become reluctant extremists. Time has come to tell america to solve Kashmir problem as Clinton had promised when India was saved by usa by forcing withdrawal from Kargil , tell america that we want to cash kashmir promise or expect no logistical support for war in A.Stan. America is making mistake by not standing to their own words. It appears new game plan is to install bb and president and make dependant both on usa and drive wedge between china and Pakistan. just all imoral american ways. There is moral to this novel so it has got prize from newyork times.

Re: # 15
madni sahab
i am of the view that oppresssion causes people to become fundamentalist, whether in kashmir or palestine.

regards