A hot September Saturday. An entire month of brutally hot days. Hard to believe that these are the dying days of summer. Had a terrific swim at the pool to start the day. Strange to say, we aren't frantically running around trying to get things done. I had time to read the paper. I know what's happening in the world - superficially, of course. G20 summit in Pittsburg, Obama and Brown blathering on about Iran, Ralph Nader has a great, fat book out, Michael Moore's new movie is about to descend, and the Republicans are still crazy. Oh yes, and Edwards fathered a child - OMFL!
Met with my new book club this week. Great group of ladies. Our book THE RELUCTANT FUNDAMENTALIST lent itself quite well to deconstructing. Everybody thought the book was good overall. It's the story of a man named Changez who grew up in Pakistan, then moved to the US where he graduated from Princeton and then went on to work for a successful company. Changez embraces America and a western lifestyle. He falls in love with a woman -Erica - who remains fixated on her dead boyfriend. September 11 happens and the books characters are so profoundly affected that their lives get turned around. Erica's mental state goes on a decline. Changez re-examines his identity and loyalties and finally makes the decision to return to Pakistan.
I expressed a dislike for the format of the story, where the narrator tells his experiences to an American traveler, whose voice we do not hear in the book. Linda, who hosted the meeting, agreed with me. She said she found it irritating. But most of the others weren't bothered by this style and actually enjoyed it. Somebody pointed out the significance of the choice of names - Erica, meaning America - and therefore the character representing America. Changez, representing change - brought on by 9/11. So, of course, the unfulfilled, frustrating romance between Erica and Changez was a metaphor for the relationship between the US and Pakistan (?) or could it be the muslim world?
We mused about Changez' persistance in pursuing the elusive, unavailable Erica. Was it because he was used to succeeding in everything he set out to get, and couldn't concede failure? Or was it simply a plot device for the metaphor to be effective?
Then there was the business of the ending. Who killed whom? Why was this left unclear?
Well, a good book all in all. The style of telling the story didn't work for me. I found it dry. boring. But the theme of wrestling with identity is one I enjoy. Great insights and well framed thoughts on this in the book.
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