Clever unforgettable post 9/11 tale, from the “other” side

With all that is going on in our world, and specifically in our country due to the orange baboon in charge, my friend and I decided we wanted to do something to educate ourselves, specifically regarding Muslim people.  Sort of a “fight the piles of ignorance with education” personal growth assignment.  I came across an article via lithub that gave 10 contemporary books to read, so we both took a look.  She narrowed down the list to a few, and then I made the final call.  And thus, we read The Reluctant Fundamentalist.

I am so very very glad I did.  I really don’t want to say too much, because this is a neat little book (little, as it comes in under 200 pages) and not knowing what I was getting into in this particular case made for an interesting reading experience.  What I will say is that I am passing my copy along to a friend, and I am suggesting it to just about anyone with eyeballs who comes at me for book recommendations.

I will also say that the book may at first seem a little gimmicky – Hamid has written it as if you are listening to one half of a conversation between two people.  When I realized this, I thought that eventually it would get on my nerves but it didn’t and in fact I can’t imagine the story being told any other way.  You may have to suspend disbelief just a touch, but if you stick with it you will be glad you did.