Buddy Read: Moth Smoke

[ColumbusReads]

Discussing chaps 10 & 11 starting today.... read and discuss chaps 12 & 13 (The Best Man and Seven) for Dec 26.

[ColumbusReads]

Are we ready to open the book up for full discussion or a couple of days is needed?

[George]

finished it earlier today.

[Joelle.P.S]

I've also finished it.

[ColumbusReads]

The book can be tackled in 2 or 3 reading sessions so It #hould be fairly easy to catch up. So, let’s open the entire book up for discussion.

[ColumbusReads]

Here’s an interview with the author talking about the book at the time of its release in ‘11 and the political situation in Pakistan at the time. It sounds like Terry Gross from NPR conducting but she doesn’t say.

https://youtu.be/YedLYxQ-PSY

[ColumbusReads]

Correction to the above comment: year is 2001 and not 2011. Which makes sense because in the interview they seemed to be alluding to the 9/11 attack.

[Beverly]

Columbus wrote: "Here’s an interview with the author talking about the book at the time of its release in ‘11 and the political situation in Pakistan at the time. It sounds like Terry Gross from NPR conducting but ..."

Thanks for sharing the video.

[Beverly]

I have finished Moth Smoke.

Still gathering my thoughts but this is a good debut novel but as I have read the author's other book I can say I can see how is storytelling and writing skills have progressed.

I would also say that Moth Smoke seems to be more specific in location and events than his future books.

[ColumbusReads]

Beverly wrote: "I have finished Moth Smoke.

Still gathering my thoughts but this is a good debut novel but as I have read the author's other book I can say I can see how is storytelling and writing skills have pr..."

So if comparing the writing/storyline would you say this one doesn't quite live up to the others?

[Beverly]

Columbus wrote: "Beverly wrote: "I have finished Moth Smoke.

Still gathering my thoughts but this is a good debut novel but as I have read the author's other book I can say I can see how is storytelling and writin..."

No I am not saying that this book does not live up to his other books.
I hope I can say my thoughts a little more clearly.

To me it seems Moth Smoke was more directed to Pakistan and those who live there and those that are part of the Diaspora. What direction is "our" country going to take? How are we going to treat one another and are we going to be open about the issues that we need to be addressing?

I felt that his other books had a more outward look - looking at issues on a more global basis so it became less important where the book was set and/or be steeped in a specific history but how we as global citizens need to be informed of these issues as we are all in this together.

I also think that Moth Smoke reflects where the author was in his life and the world as it was at the time.

I enjoy "finding" an author early in their writing/publishing career and read their future books and how often their writing often becomes more subtle and is presented in a more complexly thoughtful mode. I have found this in Mohsin's Hamid's writing.