Summary

The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid is a suspense-filled tale of one man's life as the culture of his homeland collides with that of his adopted country.

As the story begins, Changez, the narrator, approaches a stranger and directs him to an outdoor cafe for tea. He identifies the man as an American, pointing out his skin tone, his clothes, his physique and especially his bearing. Joining the American stranger, the narrator begins a very one-sided conversation, as the text only reveals the narrator's voice. Any thoughts, movements or words spoken by the American are delivered from the narrator's perspective.

Changez begins by telling the American a bit of his personal background and education. He lived and worked in New York City for four and a half years, and studied at Princeton University, one of only two Pakistani students enrolled that year. He...