Moth Smoke (Mohsin Hamid)

A quick read, and a good one. Hamid tells the story of the downward spiral of an educated Pakistani who gets fired from his job, falls in love with his best friend's wife, and turns to a life of drugs and crime to pay the bills and support some semblance of an elite life. Among the very interesting observations in this book, is one about the social importance of air conditioning. In Pakistan, claims Julius Superb, one of the books narrating characters, society can be broken down into two distinct groups: the sweaty masses who live their lives at the temparature dictated by nature, and the artificially chilled elite, who have the means to create their own climate. The social tension between rich and poor is constantly apparent in this book, as is the folly of self destructive behaviors. The title "Moth Smoke" refers to the destructive love that a moth feels for a candle - a love that draws the creature closer and closer until it ignites and becomes nothing but a cloud of dust. Thi... Read more