Community Room

[Jessica]

Welcome to the Community Room, a catch-all thread for any side conversations that might distract from the ongoing discussion of The Reluctant Fundamentalist. Get to know each other here, and share common interests. Have fun!

Reply to this message to start the conversation.

[ziki]

Did anyone here read Mohsin's first book? If so what did you think?
ziki
curious

[bentley]

Sydney Morning Herald Review of The Reluctant Fundamentalist (better interview)

http://www.smh.com.au/news/books/the-heart-of-islam/2007/03/29/1174761654730.html

[bentley]

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ziki wrote:
Did anyone here read Mohsin's first book? If so what did you think?
ziki
curious

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Picking up Moth Smoke from the library later today (being held for me)..will let you know.

Message Edited by bentley on 05-03-200701:29 PM

[bentley]

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bentley wrote:

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ziki wrote:
Did anyone here read Mohsin's first book? If so what did you think?
ziki
curious

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Picking up Moth Smoke from the library later today (being held for me)..will let you know.

Message Edited by bentley on 05-03-200701:29 PM

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bentley wrote:

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ziki wrote:
Did anyone here read Mohsin's first book? If so what did you think?
ziki
curious

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Picking up Moth Smoke from the library later today (being held for me)..will let you know.

Message Edited by bentley on 05-03-200701:29 PM

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Have the book in hand..one of the quotes struck me as I read the back cover. One of the characters in Moth Smoke says, "People don't believe in consequences anymore." You know that really is true. Changez's actions had consequences.

I think people in general are always trying to beat the system and end up beating themselves. It looks like one of the themes of Moth Smoke deals with personal and public themes of these consequences. (Nadine Gordimer)

Another reviewer stated that it was a portrait of contemporary young people in Pakistan (mixture of decadence and fundamentalism). (Joyce Carol Oates).

The next one seems to focus on some of the dichotomies discussed in The Reluctant Fundamentalist. This reviewer says that the book gives us a glimse of Pakistan rarely seen (furious-paced, drug-hazy, drunk with nuclear power). Relationship between riches and corruption, lust and love, innocence and guilt. (Chitra Divakaruni).

Seems to be a book about contemporary Pakistan. Will start reading it soon.

Oddly enough the protagonist Darashikoh Shezad gets himself fired too; but in Lahore not NYC. Conflicted individuals.

Later..

Bentley

[bentley]

Good Review of Moth Smoke:

http://www.chowk.com/show_picks_book.cgi?pbookid=1

[bentley]

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bentley wrote:
Good Review of Moth Smoke:

http://www.chowk.com/show_picks_book.cgi?pbookid=1

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Completed Moth Smoke and felt it was quite a different novel from TRF. Anybody else out there finished Moth Smoke?. I too would be interested to hear your views on the novel. I would recommend it for someone looking for something else interesting to read which also gives you a feel for the undercurrent in Pakistani life (another view); one which I was surprised at frankly. It is not a large book so it doesn't take a long time to read.

Listening to The Historian which is quite a thriller right now...and I wrapped up my time with Mr. McCarthy until he writes a sequel to The Road..maybe he will call it On the Road again..or Further Travels with Eli.

What I have found with the discussions here is that once you have read the book and posted, you then move on and find something else to read and discuss. Hard to linger if you are done with the book. Hard to go back and rediscuss what you have posted when another new poster tried to retrace old ground which has obviously been discussed before. But they are looking at for the first time and not rereading the posts which were already posted. You do not want to burst their balloon and it is great when you are discovering a novel for the first time but if their are no responses you move on. I think that is where the moderators and editors come in..they can keep the discussion always fresh for these new readers.

[ziki]

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bentley wrote:

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ziki wroteicking up Moth Smoke from the library later today (being held for me)..will let you know.

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thanks
ziki

[ziki]

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bentley wrote:

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bentley wrote:
Good Review of Moth Smoke:

http://www.chowk.com/show_picks_book.cgi?pbookid=1

---

Completed Moth Smoke and felt it was quite a different novel from TRF. Anybody else out there finished Moth Smoke?. I too would be interested to hear your views on the novel. I would recommend it for someone looking for something else interesting to read which also gives you a feel for the undercurrent in Pakistani life (another view); one which I was surprised at frankly. It is not a large book so it doesn't take a long time to read.

Listening to The Historian which is quite a thriller right now...and I wrapped up my time with Mr. McCarthy until he writes a sequel to The Road..maybe he will call it On the Road again..or Further Travels with Eli.

What I have found with the discussions here is that once you have read the book and posted, you then move on and find something else to read and discuss. Hard to linger if you are done with the book. Hard to go back and rediscuss what you have posted when another new poster tried to retrace old ground which has obviously been discussed before. But they are looking at for the first time and not rereading the posts which were already posted. You do not want to burst their balloon and it is great when you are discovering a novel for the first time but if their are no responses you move on. I think that is where the moderators and editors come in..they can keep the discussion always fresh for these new readers.

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Thanks Bentley, you make good points.

ziki

[ziki]

from BN interview with Mohsin:
"My wife was born four houses from the house in which I had been born in Lahore, Pakistan. But we met for the first time by chance in a bar in London, thirty-two years later. It's a small world."

Sometimes I just shake myhead and smile....uncanny.

ziki

[bentley]

An Interesting interview:

http://www.dawn.com/weekly/books/books3.htm

And another with a link to interview with Terry Gross - NPR

http://www.sepiamutiny.com/sepia/archives/004315.html

An article by Hamid:

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/03/27/opinion/edhamid.php?page=1


Felt both books were interesting reads and wish the author the best. So few books present the opposing viewpoint. Not a love song..but different.

[ziki]

from one of the interviews:
Next, Hamid dealt with the question of how politicians or even journalists invariably simplify complex issues. For example, labels like “Axis of evil” or “Islamo-fascism” are not only reductive, but they are absurd. The conflict between the East and the West, he said, was the result of mutual ignorance and suspicion. The crucial issue was “an empathy deficit” between the two sides.

That EXACTLY was my impression after reading the book.

ziki

[ziki]

Lahore:

http://www.time.com/time/asia/2003/journey/pakistan_lahore.html

[ziki]

http://bookcriticscircle.blogspot.com/2007/04/critical-outakes-mohsin-hamid-on.html

[bentley]

Interview in India:

Some things never change

http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?fodname=20070514&fname=ADen+Questions&sid=1

[ziki]

Former terrorist laughing, I must say I do like the meaning of that picture.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Northern_Ireland/Story/0,,2075344,00.html

[bentley]

I thought this was another interesting article which gives a little more insight into the issues.

http://southasianmedia.net/articles/articles_detail.cfm?aid=1117&;country=Bangladesh&category=Culture

BTW: Mohsin has a very interesting site which has many interesting articles and the one above is also there.

If you are unable to access the article in the southasianmedia site look for it on mohsinhamid.com.

There are a variety of articles there as well which I have been reading and they have given me some insight to the themes of The Reluctant Fundamentalist. Mohsin referred to this website in the responses he was giving to readers' questions.

Message Edited by bentley on 05-10-200703:27 PM

[bentley]

Any ideas on this one?

I have no idea about this new twist on the Changez name..frankly I see absolutely no connection at all..I think like the other names it was supposed to mean changes and the changes he went through..But I have attached some sort of a write up on this historic warrior which is supposed to have some connection. I don't see it.

Background:

A reader wrote to Mohsin in the question thread and Mohsin responded. See the question and the answer.

I think that if this had been the case that Changez would have had to change his own name when he returned home just to fit in.

I do not know that he would have survived if anybody thought that this was the lineage of his name. The response to the question did not fit in my estimation. Any other thoughts. I do not think that Ghenghis Khan and the urdu version of the name came into play but what do I know about these things?



http://www.afghanland.com/history/changez.html

Message Edited by bentley on 05-10-200705:09 PM

[ziki]

The response to this was already posted elsewhere on this forum. I just want to add that I can see the possible 'thought-connections' and why the name was used for the character in the book.
Just reading through the link that you (bentley) posted here some key words can be excavated easily (i.e. war, destruction, empire, pride etc.) and it also brings out the opposites. Changez of the book might not be that daring, ruthless. I wonder what kind of war did he lead, both in US and possibly back in Lahore.

For me personally the suspicion, the not knowing, the possible hovering near death of some kind (physical or psychological) are themes that are most prevalent.

ziki

Message Edited by ziki on 05-11-200706:47 AM

[ziki]

In some post there was a mention of a definition of terrorism.

Here is US take on it:

http://www.terrorism-research.com/