Product Description

Pakistan, Summer 1998: hot, with a late monsoon and the occasional nuclear test. In Lahore, Daru Shezad loses his job. While the jet set parties behind high walls, the economy crumbles and Daru's electricity is cut off. Soon he has fallen for his best friend's wife, started mixing heroin with his hash and joined forces with a criminal rickshaw driver. Moth Smoke is the story of Daru's spectacular downfall: a bittersweet tale of politics and corruption, of friendship and betrayal.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #70859 in Books
• Published on: 2001-03-15
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

About the Author
Mohsin Hamid grew up in Lahore, Pakistan. He studied at Princeton under Toni Morrison and Harvard Law, and currently lives in New York City.

Customer Reviews

Accurate, brilliant and unputdownable!
Moth Smoke is by far the most accurate and honest account of life in Pakistan that has ever been put into print. There are none of the usual exotic 'hooks' used by authors from the sub-continent to pull in the Western audience. The characters are very well-developed, with each of the main characters getting a chance to present the side of the story, and one actually misses them once the book is over. The world Hamid creates is tangible and accessible to people from Lahore, who will no doubt recognize it, and to people who have never heard of Lahore. In other words you do not have to be Pakistani to understand and greatly enjoy this novel. Moth Smoke raises important questions about wealth, poverty, crime and gender and allows the reader to evaluate them by including him/her in the final judgement. Read no more of this...read Moth Smoke.

Brilliant - I can't wait for Hamid's next book
This book is brilliant. The flashback style of writing is certainly unique, and really gets one engaged. Hamid's grasp of the english language is exemplary. My only complaint is that the book was too short. But the storyline, the emotions and the characters - all excellently captured in his debut book. I think the fac that this book is semi-autobiographical also helps the reader relate to the story. An excellent read

A very good work by a rising star.
Sure, Moth Smoke may have its ups and downs, but it's an amazing first attempt. Over and above the beautifully timed love story, Hamid manages to capture the hypocrisy of the elite of Pakistan, and combines this with his penetrating insights into the genesis of some of the violent crime in the country. His narrative is good - at times world class - but it does lack some maturity. There are elements of his narrative (and indeed character development) that could have been better. However, for a first attempt, it reveals the awesome potential Hamid has. This book is an easy read, so do buy it, and then you'll be able to tell the world that you had noticed Mohsin Hamid rise from his first novel into literary stardom.