How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia: A Novel
"Mr. Hamid reaffirms his place as one of his generation's most inventive and gifted writers." -Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times "A globalized version of The Great Gatsby . . . [Hamid's] book is nearly that good." -Alan Cheuse, NPR "Marvelous and moving." -TIME Magazine From the internationally bestselling author of The Reluctant Fundamentalist and Exit West, the boldly imagined tale of a poor boy's quest for wealth and love
His first two novels established Mohsin Hamid as a radically inventive storyteller with his finger on the world's pulse. How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia meets that reputation--and exceeds it. The astonishing and riveting tale of a man's journey from impoverished rural boy to corporate tycoon, it steals its shape from the business self-help books devoured by ambitious youths all over "rising Asia." It follows its nameless hero to the sprawling metropolis where he begins to amass an empire built on that most fluid, and increasingly scarce, of goods: water. Yet his heart remains set on something else, on the pretty girl whose star rises along with his, their paths crossing and recrossing, a lifelong affair sparked and snuffed and sparked again by the forces that careen their fates along. How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia is a striking slice of contemporary life at a time of crushing upheaval. Romantic without being sentimental, political without being didactic, and spiritual without being religious, it brings an unflinching gaze to the violence and hope it depicts. And it creates two unforgettable characters who find moments of transcendent intimacy in the midst of shattering change.
His first two novels established Mohsin Hamid as a radically inventive storyteller with his finger on the world's pulse. How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia meets that reputation--and exceeds it. The astonishing and riveting tale of a man's journey from impoverished rural boy to corporate tycoon, it steals its shape from the business self-help books devoured by ambitious youths all over "rising Asia." It follows its nameless hero to the sprawling metropolis where he begins to amass an empire built on that most fluid, and increasingly scarce, of goods: water. Yet his heart remains set on something else, on the pretty girl whose star rises along with his, their paths crossing and recrossing, a lifelong affair sparked and snuffed and sparked again by the forces that careen their fates along. How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia is a striking slice of contemporary life at a time of crushing upheaval. Romantic without being sentimental, political without being didactic, and spiritual without being religious, it brings an unflinching gaze to the violence and hope it depicts. And it creates two unforgettable characters who find moments of transcendent intimacy in the midst of shattering change.
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How To Get Filthy Rich In Rising Asia by Moshin Hamid
228 pages
What’s it about?
This book follows an impoverished young boy as he moves from the countryside to the city and becomes a corporate tycoon in "rising Asia". Think you have read this before? You are so wrong! It is delivered in the guise of a self help book, but underneath it all it is a love story. The structure of the book is off-putting at first, but over the course of the novel you begin to discover what a master Mr. Hamid is. He manages to disarm your defenses with the self help aspect of the book. You don't see the depth of what he is writing about. Not until it is too late and you are deeply moved by his story.
What did it make me think about?
This novel made me think about how difficult life in Pakistan must be. By the end of the book you are brought back to the understanding that we all share the same human emotions no matter what our circumstances. Really incredible and inventive writing!
Should I read it?
I really enjoyed "The Reluctant Fundamentalist", and so I was excited to read Mr. Hamid's latest book. I liked this book even better than his previous book. I highly recommend this novel.
Quote-
"You feel a love you know you will never be able to adequately explain or express to him, a love that flows one way, down the generations, not in reverse, and is understood and reciprocated only when time has made of a younger generation an older one."
Question-
Did you like the format of this novel?
If you liked this try-
And the Mountains Echoed by Khalid Hosseini
9 1/2 stars
How To Get Filthy Rich In Rising Asia by Moshin Hamid
228 pages
What’s it about?
This book follows an impoverished young boy as he moves from the countryside to the city and becomes a corporate tycoon in "rising Asia". Think you have read this before? You are so wrong! It is delivered in the guise of a self help book, but underneath it all it is a love story. The structure of the book is off-putting at first, but over the course of the novel you begin to discover what a master Mr. Hamid is. He manages to disarm your defenses with the self help aspect of the book. You don't see the depth of what he is writing about. Not until it is too late and you are deeply moved by his story.
What did it make me think about?
This novel made me think about how difficult life in Pakistan must be. By the end of the book you are brought back to the understanding that we all share the same human emotions no matter what our circumstances. Really incredible and inventive writing!
Should I read it?
I really enjoyed "The Reluctant Fundamentalist", and so I was excited to read Mr. Hamid's latest book. I liked this book even better than his previous book. I highly recommend this novel.
Quote-
"You feel a love you know you will never be able to adequately explain or express to him, a love that flows one way, down the generations, not in reverse, and is understood and reciprocated only when time has made of a younger generation an older one."
Question-
Did you like the format of this novel?
If you liked this try-
And the Mountains Echoed by Khalid Hosseini
9 1/2 stars
As I read the final pages of this book I found myself openly weeping, without fully realizing what had come over me. It was one of the most visceral reactions I’ve had to a novel in years, and I wasn’t fully prepared for it. Tears of love, sadness, appreciation for the gravity and expanse of human experience and emotion. Hamid masterfully captures the beauty and agony of being mortal, and I know I won’t stop thinking about this book for a long time.
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