The Reluctant Fundamentalist
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
9 journalers for this copy...
Dear Reader
Welcome to BookCrossing and thanks for being a part of World Book Night 2011, the largest book giveaway in history. 1,000,000 specially printed copies of 25 different books changed hands on March 5th 2011 and began their journey from reader to reader. This book is one of them. World Book Night has joined with BookCrossing to help track these books as they travel. You can be a part of that journey by making a comment in the book's journal here on BookCrossing. Your journal entry can say how you got the book, what you thought of it, your plans for it or whatever else you might like to add.
On BookCrossing you may choose to remain anonymous or join (it's free). If you join, you’ll be alerted by e-mail each time someone makes another journal entry for this specific copy of this book (other copies of the book are travelling with their own ID number. Every copy of every book has a unique ID). It’s all confidential (you’re known only by your screen name and no one is ever given your e-mail address) and spam-free.
Thanks in advance for being part of World Book Night and BookCrossing. And happy reading and sharing.
Welcome to BookCrossing and thanks for being a part of World Book Night 2011, the largest book giveaway in history. 1,000,000 specially printed copies of 25 different books changed hands on March 5th 2011 and began their journey from reader to reader. This book is one of them. World Book Night has joined with BookCrossing to help track these books as they travel. You can be a part of that journey by making a comment in the book's journal here on BookCrossing. Your journal entry can say how you got the book, what you thought of it, your plans for it or whatever else you might like to add.
On BookCrossing you may choose to remain anonymous or join (it's free). If you join, you’ll be alerted by e-mail each time someone makes another journal entry for this specific copy of this book (other copies of the book are travelling with their own ID number. Every copy of every book has a unique ID). It’s all confidential (you’re known only by your screen name and no one is ever given your e-mail address) and spam-free.
Thanks in advance for being part of World Book Night and BookCrossing. And happy reading and sharing.
Journal Entry 2 by worldbooknight at -- Somewhere in London 🤷♀️ , Greater London United Kingdom on Friday, February 25, 2011
Released 13 yrs ago (2/25/2011 UTC) at -- Somewhere in London 🤷♀️ , Greater London United Kingdom
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
This book is being released via BookCrossing on 5 March 2011 as part of the inaugural World Book Night. With the full support of the Publishers Association, the Booksellers Association, the Independent Publishers Guild, the Reading Agency with libraries, World Book Day and the BBC, one million books will be given away by an army of passionate readers to members of the public across the UK and Ireland.
Read and release!
Read and release!
This is a very well written, entertaining and thought provoking book which I read back in 2008. It made such an impression it was my selection in the World Book Night giveaway. This is one of 48 copies I have been entrusted to give away. I hope future readers will record their view of the book and what they do with it as it continues on its travels.
I am posting this copy to the Netherlands to a BookCrosser using the name chamonix44 who has shown an interest in World Book Night and has helped many other people with bookcrossing and books.
Monday 14th March 2011. Bright-ish weather, although a bit rainy, and the day started off ok. I had to go to the hospital for an eye examination this morning, (of course I took the opportunity to release a book in the eye clinic). The optometrist put the dreaded atropine drops into my eyes, in order to enlarge the pupils, so that he could see into the backs of my eyes. So of course, after that, my eyes were all yellowish looking and my vision was blurred. Luckily my husband was with me, as walking outside the hospital they have slanted footpaths of all things, so what with that and blurred vision I must have been walking like a drunk! God only knows how people in wheelchairs manage on those slanted footpaths. They travel on them at their own risk with one side nearer to the ground than the other and a danger of toppling over! Anyway, we arrived home, and my husband had to go to work.I have managed to get an Ernest Hemmingway book for my postman, and I had only just labelled it up yesterday. So today was going to be the day of the big presentation to the postman. (He mentioned to me last year that he likes Ernest Hemmingway books, and that he can also read them in English). So I kept looking out of the window for the postman to come. He usually rests his bike against our fence. I waited and looked, and looked and waited and so on. Drank cup after cup of tea, but still no postman!
I just had to pop upstairs to put some newly dried washing away, when I heard the front gate open. Aaarrrggghh ....I had to be quick or he would be gone. So.....with the washing still in my arms I sort of ran down the stairs towards the front door, but just as I was about to land on the last step I saw a black furry thing there....our cat! I couldn't stop as gravity had taken over, and so I missed the last step, landed awkwardly, slipped on the floor, grabbed hold of coats on the rack to try and stop myself from falling, but everything fell on the floor, just in front of the door.... me, the coats, the washing, and a terrified cat with her fur standing on end. Just as my foot hit the bottom of the front door, the letterbox opened and a package came through and fell on the said foot! Needless to say I couldn't get up and open the door. I didn't even know how to get up! Once I got feeling back into my feet and legs, I turned on to my knees using the pile of washing and coats to cushion my knee caps! The postman of course was long gone, and completely unaware of the drama that had occurred behind the door.
Put the kettle on again, made another pot of tea and opened the package. Wow! What a lovely surprise and well worth falling for! Thank you Ardachy for sending me one of the books that you were assigned to give out for WBN. I really had no idea that I was getting this title from you, as you had not mentioned this book to me in your last message! I had entered a draw for this same title a while ago in the rabck forum, but wasn't sure if I would be one of the recipients from the other bookcrosser. Anyway I was! So now I have two copies of this book, but please don't be disappointed, as I can now have one as an upstairs copy and one as a downstairs copy. This way the book will be read quickly, and it will be passed on to other readers eventually. I am now off to finish the two books that I have been reading in order to start on this one. So watch this space!
Tuesday 15th March 2011. It is 6.15 am! Yes, I am up early this morning. I woke up an hour ago and I came downstairs for a drink. Then other things distracted me like feeding the cat, putting the dishwasher on, and now I have just put the washing machine on too! So I thought I might as well come online and pop in here to say that I am going to start reading this book today. My husband has booked a day off work so that he can fill out his tax forms. They have to be in by 1st April, so he will be needing some peace and quiet to get those done. The perfect excuse for me to start reading this book!
"...She listened to me speak with a series of smiles, as though she were sipping at my descriptions and finding them to her taste....."
Now I understand what others have meant when they describe this as a thought provoking tale. Although I cannot be sure if my own interpretation of this story provoked in me the same thoughts that it provoked in others, but here is my review for what it's worth.
I did enjoy reading the story of Changez, a Pakistani who tells of his life in the United States before and after the attack on 11th September.
His sympathies seemed to lie with the attackers, and his thoughts about America changed after the attack and he started to think of America as a country that interfered and bullied other countries.
I felt compassion for both him and Erica. I'm not sure why Erica was in this story at all, unless she was there to portray the small part of America that he liked and had sympathy with.
As the story went on his feelings became more and more confused, and so did I, in parts. You could say that the book leaves you guessing as to the ending. I am really glad that I had a chance to read this.
"....I found reassurance in my father's views, and I dressed myself in them as though they were my own......"
Now I understand what others have meant when they describe this as a thought provoking tale. Although I cannot be sure if my own interpretation of this story provoked in me the same thoughts that it provoked in others, but here is my review for what it's worth.
I did enjoy reading the story of Changez, a Pakistani who tells of his life in the United States before and after the attack on 11th September.
His sympathies seemed to lie with the attackers, and his thoughts about America changed after the attack and he started to think of America as a country that interfered and bullied other countries.
I felt compassion for both him and Erica. I'm not sure why Erica was in this story at all, unless she was there to portray the small part of America that he liked and had sympathy with.
As the story went on his feelings became more and more confused, and so did I, in parts. You could say that the book leaves you guessing as to the ending. I am really glad that I had a chance to read this.
"....I found reassurance in my father's views, and I dressed myself in them as though they were my own......"
This book has been offered as a Bookring and will start its journey soon. Details will follow.
Bookring(info as taken from site FAQ's) - Person #1 has a book to share and posts notice of a bookring in the Bookring and Ray forum. Interested parties will PM her, and a bookring begins.
The book is mailed to Person #2 along with a list of everyone in the ring--without including anyone’s mailing address (for privacy reasons).
When Person 2 receives the book, he PM’s Person 3 for his/her address, reads the book as quickly as possible, and mails it off.
Two to four weeks has become the standard for keeping a book.
My personal suggestion is that if you need it longer than that, you a)let the founder of the ring know, and/or b) send it to the next person, unread, and request that your name be added to the end of the list when you may have more time.
Person #3 repeats the cycle. Eventually, the book returns to the original owner.
ORDER of BOOKRING, so far, (still open):
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8) Then back to me in The Netherlands, (EU), unless anyone else joins in meanwhile.
This little book is starting its journey today, to LittleDachshund in Bulgaria.I hope it arrives safely and that you will enjoy it.
Received the book today. I'll start reading it asap.
Posted to KaKo27. Enjoy it!
The book is a quick read and indeed is much thought-provoking. I am aware of US foreign policy and its negatives, but the author managed to summarize it very well from a personal perspective. I liked the idea that the clever youths of the developing countries "lured" to study and then work in USA are kind of janissaries.
I received the book in the post last week. Thank you, I will read it as soon as I have finished the book I am at right now.
The thought, how many young westernized and educated muslims, working or studying in the western world, particularily in America, must have become disturbed or even radicalised through the American reaction to 9/11 is quite frightening. This is really the main "achievement" of the terrorists.
Changez, the narrator of this story, belongs the the ones, who have it all, meaning a good job, money which goes with it, friends, but the are being alienated in the aftermath.
The story he tells to the foreigner is getting from a quite light hearted chat to a to some degree menacing end, without that anything is happening.
This book leaves you with a bitter feeling, and you can't even tell who for.
Changez, the narrator of this story, belongs the the ones, who have it all, meaning a good job, money which goes with it, friends, but the are being alienated in the aftermath.
The story he tells to the foreigner is getting from a quite light hearted chat to a to some degree menacing end, without that anything is happening.
This book leaves you with a bitter feeling, and you can't even tell who for.
Hello - The Reluctant Fundamentalist arrived at my house this morning - thank you very much. I'm looking forward to starting it tonight.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it be very thought provoking, although I thought the title to be a little misleading after having read it. Inspite of the serious subject matter I never felt weighed down by the content. It clearly demonstrated how the West can be viewed by the East and the bad feeling that our actions cause. I felt that the Westerner to whom Changez was recounting his story served more as a distraction to the story than of any benefit and did find myself at times wondering about him & his intentions. Overall a good read with an interesting ending.
Released 12 yrs ago (6/21/2011 UTC) at Llantwit Major, Wales United Kingdom
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
And on it's way to Icila.
Hope you enjoy!
Hope you enjoy!
Safe at home by me. Thank you . :)
Journal Entry 20 by 
Icila
at Saint-Brevin-les-Pins, Pays de la Loire France on Friday, July 15, 2011
Icila at Saint-Brevin-les-Pins, Pays de la Loire France on Friday, July 15, 2011
I liked the tale but I have mixed feelings about Changez's views on the western way of life.
Mailed yesterday in Treillieres.
Arrived today
Thank you
Thank you
I wasn't expecting that, not this kind of fundamentals. I'm not sure I understood why the author chose to speak to this man who, I suppose, represents any American man. Maybe a pleading for his country ? The end is unclear and why so many details about his relationship with this woman ? There's a great difference between how America treated one Pakistani man and the Pakistani people. It makes this man's feelings more complicated and ambigous. He's both bitter and not totally innocent.
The book is leaving for ruzena tomorrow.
The book is leaving for ruzena tomorrow.
Journal Entry 24 by 
ruzena
at Hämeenlinna, Kanta-Häme / Egentliga Tavastland Finland on Thursday, September 1, 2011
ruzena at Hämeenlinna, Kanta-Häme / Egentliga Tavastland Finland on Thursday, September 1, 2011
Arrived. Thank you laure69!
Journal Entry 25 by ruzena at Hämeenlinna, Kanta-Häme / Egentliga Tavastland Finland on Saturday, September 10, 2011
ruzena at Hämeenlinna, Kanta-Häme / Egentliga Tavastland Finland on Saturday, September 10, 2011
This copy is categorized here as ”Biographies and Memoirs”. Could be, but in fact it is Literature and Fiction, a belles-lettres novel. And an excellent one.The theme 9/11 is topical (again), and this story is another comment on it. The protagonist is a young Pakistani that immigrated to US and got educated and gained professional success but lost something there and returned to Lahore. The book is his monologue - or indirectly some dialogue too – where he tells his story to an American visitor.
The book has its individual and general levels skilfully intertwined. It is a love story (but don’t read it for the romance). It is a story about identity crisis and about paranoid, both psychological and political. It is well written, and the scheme keeps you in suspense to the end.
-ruzena
Thanks a lot to you all for sharing. Where would the Fundamentalist travel next? (I recommended it to Finnish readers - albeit the book has been published in Finnish too.)
Journal Entry 26 by ruzena at Hämeenlinna, Kanta-Häme / Egentliga Tavastland Finland on Wednesday, September 14, 2011
ruzena at Hämeenlinna, Kanta-Häme / Egentliga Tavastland Finland on Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Released 12 yrs ago (9/14/2011 UTC) at Hämeenlinna, Kanta-Häme / Egentliga Tavastland Finland
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Travelling back to chamonix44, as no more readers have appeared.
This book is back with me now. Thank you for returning it to me ruzena. Thanks also for the nice postcard and the bookmark. (I'm assuming you put in the bookmark too). I'm amazed that the book is still in pristine condition after so many journeys and so many readers. Thank you everyone for looking after it, and thank you for all your journal entries, and one big thank you to ardachy for sending me the book in the first place!
It is a pity that no more readers came forward for this ring. I did try to find more in both the Bookring forum and the Dutch forum, but no one else came forward!
It is a pity that no more readers came forward for this ring. I did try to find more in both the Bookring forum and the Dutch forum, but no one else came forward!
Journal Entry 28 by chamonix44 at - Ergens in Hengelo in Hengelo, Overijssel Netherlands on Saturday, September 19, 2020
Released 3 yrs ago (9/19/2020 UTC) at - Ergens in Hengelo in Hengelo, Overijssel Netherlands
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
Time to move this lovely book on.
