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Novelist Hamid was born in #Pakistan and has subsequently lived less than half his life there, intermittently. His unique perspective infuses these essays about his life, writing, and the current realities of life in his home country. It‘s really interesting and makes me both think and be uncomfortable about some of the decisions my country has made.

#ReadingAsia2021

Solid collection, many of the essays hold up even though this collection is about 5 years old. Set up in 3 sections--life, art, and politics. They're all very short essays, and the politics section talks a lot about Muslim identity and Pakistan. I do hope he publishes another essay collection, I'd pick it up on a timely basis and not wait so long! His prose is enjoyable to read regardless of if he's writing fiction or nonfiction I have found.

Got a free ticket to see Jennifer Egan next week and couldn't help treating myself to a few good deals when I was preordering Manhattan Beach 😁
#bookmail #bookhaul #somanybooks

Globalization is a brutal phenomenon. It brings us mass displacement, wars, terrorism, unchecked financial capitalism, inequality, xenophobia, climate change.

"We are all migrants through time." One of my favorite quotes from his excellent novel, Exit West, apparently had its origin in this collection of essays and musings. Read by the author, and written over the course of more than a decade, starting to 2000, this book is so timely and important; even more so after the horrific attack in Manchester.

Perfect timing for this prompt-I just downloaded this audiobook, read by the author. #blackandwhitecovers #maybookflowers @RealLifeReading

2016, Book 1

"The main steps Pakistan needs to take in order to improve its situation seems clear: it should strive for lasting peace with both India and Afghanistan; confront the extremist groups who kill foreigners and Pakistanis at home and bring about a shift in spending from defence to investment in economically productive areas such as education and Infrastructure (including water and electricity, which are both severely inadequate)."

Essays and meditations from the past fifteen years on life, art, and politics, but particularly concerned with living between worlds, dual identity, and Pakistan's place in the world. Full review: https://goo.gl/mXmNCS

Understanding why.

From the essay "Where is the Great American Novel by a Woman?"