My Son the Fanatic (Hanif Kureishi)

Context: Western vs Eastern Culture

London is a nexus of culture and immigration. Like the United States, England is seen by many in Eastern
cultures as the ideal place to take your family because of the plentiful opportunities that Western culture
can offer. Freedom of religion and democratic norms are a draw to people from those cultures because of
the financial possibilities. For adults from Eastern cultures who make the conscious choice to emigrate
out of their culture to the cultures of the West, they do so knowing and often embracing the new norms
and rejecting the old.

Children of adults who have either emigrated very young or who were born into the new culture did not
have the choice that their parents had. The fact that their parents left their birth culture and heritage to
move to a new one sets up a clash between the two cultural ideals. Many young immigrants see the
change their parents made as a rejection of the Eastern culture and an embrace of the West. Many who are
born in this new environment or who emigrate/transfer at a very young age simply take the Western
culture as the norm and never really investigate where they or their parents come from.

Other children of immigrant parents become deeply invested in their heritage and often rebel against their
family for taking them away from where they belong. The stark difference between the Western and
Eastern ideals makes it very hard for young people wanting to live a hybrid life of two cultures to
reconcile the two world views. They feel that if they choose the way of the West, they are rejecting the
strict rules and beliefs of the East. Parvez's simple act of loving to eat a pork pie while knowing that the
practice of eating pork is strictly forbidden in Islam creates massive internal conflict.

Many immigrant children feel that their parents have already taken sides in this battle of cultures by
leaving their Eastern culture and moving to the West. The parents have elevated the West above the East
and drawn the line, essentially turning their backs on where they came from. Some children rarely see
their parents publicly display any hint that they are not "fully Westernized." They don't wear traditional
clothing or outwardly practice the customs. Many children see the immersion into Western culture as a
sign that they have fully rejected the Eastern culture that they came from.

Kureishi tells of this cultural struggle by showing the stark contrast between Ali and Parvez, Parvez being
a native-born Pakistani and Ali being his London born son. Parvez has fully immersed himself into
London culture. He loves London and loves the freedom of the West. Ali has gone in the opposite
direction. He has fully embraced the East by observing the strict rules and practices of Islam, even though
he was born in England and never experienced living in Eastern culture.

Stereotypes

Stereotypes are a fixed and overgeneralized belief about a particular class or group of people. An
individual person is not limited to fitting into a single stereotype group. Sometimes an individual can be
part of opposing stereotypical groups at the same time. Parvez could be viewed by some as a
stereotypical, Middle Eastern immigrant who drives a cab and has a strange name. At the same time, Ali
views him as a Westernized man who looks and acts nothing like his heritage would suggest.

Kureishi uses the foundation of stereotypes focused on culture, religion, and morality to help build his
characters and also to try to force the reader's mind and perception to go in a certain direction. The
characters in the story adhere to certain stereotypes, assume the stereotypes exist in others, and also break
those stereotypes at the same time. Parvez lives the stereotypical life as an immigrant cab driver, his son
Ali applies stereotypes to Bettina and her profession and Bettina breaks that stereotype by being a
compassionate and reasonable person.

Muslims often have their own stereotypes attached to them. Ever since the destruction of the Twin
Towers in New York City on 9/11 (September 11, 2001), the image that comes to mind when their
religion is mentioned in Western culture is that of the extremists and terrorists. A brown man with a long
beard wearing a turban and holding an automatic rifle is a common image of this stereotyping—an image
that often elicits fear. Kureishi uses this fear when Parvez first discovers that Ali has turned to Islam.
Parvez believes that the idea will elicit fear which to him is even worse than the fear of drugs.

Prostitution is said to be the world's oldest profession and with it comes one of the oldest stereotypes in
human culture. Throughout culture, literature, scripture, art, and even science, prostitution is treated as a
negative profession. Some cases have been linked to drug use, disease, and desperation. Some even
suggest that people who engage in this are seen as individuals with poor judgment and a lack of morals.
Kureishi chooses to buck that stereotype with Bettina. Unlike Parvez and Ali, she is the calming, rational
mind that stays centered and logical. She doesn't choose sides and she doesn't criticize. She is the rational
and understanding one in the trio. She is the one with the moral high ground.

Immigration

Although immigration is never directly mentioned, the story itself is built on its context. Immigration is
defined as the act of coming to live permanently in a new country. Families moving from one culture to
another face challenges that are rarely experienced by people who have never left their culture. The
choices they are faced with are difficult. Will their old ways be accepted from a cultural perspective? Will
the person or family be included or excluded? Do they fully immerse themselves in their new culture and
lose their identity? These questions and decisions shape their identities going forward in their new lives.

Parvez makes the choice to leave his homeland of Pakistan and emigrate to England. Based on the context
of the story, his reasons are to escape the war between India and Pakistan and to provide a better life for
himself. His son Ali was born in England, but that does not shield or hide him from the fact that he is not
English. Ali must navigate his world knowing that he is not a true cultural part of London and that he did
not have a choice in the matter.

The ideas of choice and immigration become a large piece to the story. Making the choice for himself,
Parvez is happy with living in Western culture, and he fully embraces it. It is much easier for him because
the choice is his to begin with. On the other hand, Ali does not have a say in the matter. He was born into
a culture that is not his own. Ali is not English and his peers know he is a different racial and cultural
mix. Parvez was born and raised in his own culture, and he chose to leave it. Ali in contrast doesn't know
anything other than London culture. Ali has no true identity because he doesn't feel part of London
culture. Ali has never been to Pakistan so he also feels no connection with Pakistani culture. This lack of
identity is part of what drives Ali to his family's Islamic roots.

Summary

The Suspicious Father

Parvez begins to suspect that something is wrong with Ali. Ali's interests have changed, his friends and
girlfriend have disappeared, and his precious belongings have been thrown or given away. Ail used to be
a typical, messy teenager, but now his room is neat and tidy, and the wall is devoid of the usual posters
that would indicate a typical young man would hang in this room.
Parvez wants to confront his son desperately, but he begins to fear him. Ali has developed a sharp tongue
and responds harshly to simple statements such as "You don't seem to play your guitar as much as you
used to." His reply is tight and mysterious. "There are more important things to do," Ali says. Parvez and
his family emigrated from India to London, and Parvez is acutely aware of the problems that youth in
London can get themselves into. Parvez is a cab driver and he often overhears the stories of problems that
befall the other cabbies. He's afraid that Ali is following a similar and dangerous path. Parvez often turns
to alcohol to help ease the tension and fear he feels about how his son's behavior has changed.

Soliciting Advice

Parvez knows that he needs help and advice from someone to guide him through this tangled mess. He is
afraid to bring up the issue with his fellow cabbies for fear that they might judge him an unfit father. The
fellow cabbies are mostly also Punjabis or people of the Punjab region of Pakistan or India. Parvez feels
ashamed to admit that his son might be walking down a dangerous path. This is compacted by the fact
that he has boasted for years about how great a young man Ali is and how Ali is working toward being an
accountant.

One evening Parvez cannot take the pressure any longer and he breaks down amongst his cabbie friends
and explains his son's errant behavior. Their reaction is one of understanding. They claim that Ali must be
dealing and taking drugs and that Parvez needs to confront Ali quickly before something terrible happens
to him. Their advice is to watch Ali like a hawk and check his room for signs of drug use.

When he leaves his shift for the night, Parvez finds a familiar client waiting in his cab. Bettina is a
prostitute that Parvez knows well because he has driven her to clients and back to her home at the end of
many nights. They have become close friends because Parvez saved Bettina from a dangerous encounter
with a client one night. Parvez feels he can confide in her and speak to her about things he cannot discuss
with his wife or his son.

Bettina suggests that Parvez carefully watch his son's behavior and look at his eyes. She tells him that the
signs are all in the eyes and that red and bloodshot eyes are a sure sign of trouble. She also tells him to
watch for tired behavior and dilated pupils and what types of things to look for in his bedroom, like pills,
powders, and crystals.

A Watchful Father

Parvez begins his detective work immediately. He takes long glances during dinners and touches Ali's
hands at other times to check for a temperature. He watches him eat to make sure that his appetite is
normal and sound. When Ali leaves for the day, Parvez checks his room thoroughly for pills, needles, and
powders. Each night he reports back to Bettina to explain what he has seen or found.

After several days he reports to Bettina that although Ali has quit sports, he seems healthy. There are no
signs in Ali's eyes and Parvez finds nothing in his room either. His only physical change has been the
growth of a beard. Parvez admits that he feels as though Ali is aware of his spying, making Parvez feel as
if he is the one in the wrong. He tells Bettina that he firmly believes that Ali is not doing or selling drugs.
Parvez believes that Ali does not use drugs because Ali has not sold any of his belongings. His son has
given his things away, donated them to charity, or simply tossed them into the trash.

The next morning Parvez listens for Ali's alarm and watches him through a crack in his door. He observes
Ali kneeling on a rug on the floor to pray. Over the next few days, Parvez notes that Ali prays five times a
day without fail. Parvez is fully aware of the practice of Islam because he abandoned the belief system as
a boy when he was mistreated during Quran lessons.

When Parvez informs his fellow cabbies, they all go silent, knowing that they shouldn't condemn
someone for their beliefs. After telling Bettina of what he knows, Parvez tells her he is going to take a
night off and take Ali out to dinner to talk it over.

A Father's Confrontation

Parvez follows through with his plan and tells the story to Bettina the next morning. Parvez takes Ali to a
cafe to have dinner and talk despite Ali's initial resistance to go. When they sit down, Parvez orders a
bourbon, and Ali has water. Ali immediately criticizes Parvez for his alcohol consumption, telling him it
is simply wrong to consume alcohol. Parvez holds his tongue and keeps his cool, but he feels his son's
disrespect is going too far. His unease and anger make him drink more, which causes Ali to give him
more disgusted looks. Parvez finally loses his temper and throws a plate on the floor, asking Ali to
explain why he believed his father to be guilty of doing bad things. Ali tells Parvez that not only did he do
wicked things, but that he isn't living a good life at all. Ali brings up such sins as eating pork pies,
drinking alcohol, and the card-playing Parvez does with his cabbie friends.

Parvez is shocked and claims that the reason he brought the family to England was to have the freedoms
that the country offered. Ali responds with a long and harsh denunciation of England, Western culture,
and Christianity. He even goes as far as to suggest that those not following the Law of Islam would burn
and that he would carry out this duty.

When they return home, Parvez slips, falls, and hurts his leg. Ali does nothing to help. Through all the
terrible things that Ali said, Parvez was most upset over the fact that Ali was giving up accounting, even
though Parvez had worked many long nights to send him to school for the trade.

The Final Fallout

Parvez wants to kick Ali out of his house, but Bettina persuades Parvez to give his son another chance.
She convinces him by explaining that Ali is young and young people can get sucked into cults and groups
and that they can get themselves out and change their views.

Parvez tries again to relate to Ali by explaining how life is for living and not judging others. He explains
that Ali should make the best of what he has and try to live life for living—to enjoy himself without
hurting others. Parvez hopes that his plea will stir something positive within Ali, but the opposite occurs.
Ali replies with examples of how their people and beliefs are being oppressed across the world and that
something has to be done about it.

One night Parvez is driving Bettina when they spot Ali walking down the street. Bettina wants Parvez to
stop so she can talk to Ali. Ali gets into the car and Bettina asks him some questions about where he has
been and how school is. Ali responds in anger as he can see who she is by how she is dressed. He berates
her for being a bad person and having no right to be around his father. Infuriated Ali asks Parvez to stop
the cab so he can get out, but Parvez refuses. In anger Bettina flings the door open and leaps from the
moving cab and runs away across the road. Parvez calls out after her, but she is nowhere in sight. Parvez
drives Ali home in silence, too angry even to scold him. When they arrive home, Ali proceeds directly to
his room.
Later that night after many drinks and pacing the hall, Parvez bursts into Ali's room while his son is
praying. Parvez kicks Ali then drags him up by the shirt and hits him in the face until he is bloody. Ali
doesn't cry out, cringe, or retaliate. He just looks up at Parvez and says, "So who's the fanatic now?"

Analysis

Hybridity

The term "hybridity" has been used for generations to describe the racial intermixing between European
white Caucasians and those of darker skin. The term was most widely used during colonial times,
especially during and after the American Civil War (1861–65) when the North was at war with the South,
largely over the ownership of black slaves. During that time the mixing of white and black people was
seen as a crime and a sin. This concept held fast through the 19th and into the 20th century and the
negative connotation continues to a degree even today.

Over the last several decades, the term has spread beyond the simple genetics of race. The term is still
being applied socially to include religion, culture, location, and sexuality. Immigrants face this hybridity
when they emigrate to a new culture and a new location. Immigrants have to find a balance in their lives
of who they are and where they come from. They also wrestle with how much to mix with the new culture
they have entered. While this can be a very difficult balancing act for the adults who have actively chosen
to make the change, the children involved have a much bigger burden put on them because they did not
choose to be uprooted.

Kureishi explores and highlights the concept of hybridity in the story by pitting father against son in a
battle of identity, beliefs and philosophy. Parvez emigrates to London before Ali is born, making the
choice to leave the Eastern culture he was born in and move to the West where he believes his family will
have more opportunities and be safer as well. He fully embraces Western culture and immerses himself in
his new culture. He and his fellow immigrant cabbies mock those who dress and behave the way they did
before they moved to London. The mixing of hybridity is not equal regardless of if it is based on race,
culture, or religion. Hybridity states that the individual is not purely part of one group, no matter how
much or how little of each part the immigrants embrace. Although Pakistani and dark-skinned, Parvez has
embraced and mixed much more of the white, Western culture of England than he has his culture of
origin. He is almost at a place where he hides his past, even demeaning it to a degree when he sees the
traits in others.

Ali takes the opposite approach to his hybridity. Not only does he take on the part of his heritage that he
never actually experienced, but he is also fully denouncing everything to do with his current location and
culture. He sees the Western culture as a foe and an adversary to the fundamental foundation which he
has found in Islam. The Islamic culture that Ali embraces views the Law of Islam and that the word of
Allah, the Arabic word for God, is sacred and must be followed. They have a very strict set of rules to
follow that prohibit activities like drinking alcohol and consuming pork. The more radical factions also
believe that the materialism of Western culture is a sin and seek to end their sinful ways.

The clash of an immigrant's view of hybridity and their own identity is at the root and the heart of the
story. Parvez and Ali have both chosen to take opposite views of their current hybridity and therefore are
in ideologically opposite places. Parvez fully embraces Western culture and Ali embraces Eastern culture.

Racial Ideology

Racial Ideology is a concept that many sociologists attribute to a predetermined idea of how a certain race
of people should act, what they should believe, and how they approach life in general. The term is close to
the idea of stereotypes, which are generalizations attributed to a certain group. There are differences that
set the two concepts apart. The main separation is the point of view that race is viewed from. Racial
stereotypes come from those who are of a different race and are applied outward to another racial group.

Ali sees his own Pakistani racial ideology as someone radical and devoted to the core teaching of Islam
and the Koran. He believes he and his "people" have been oppressed by the West and need liberation. He
sees the West as the enemy of his people, and he plans to fight for what he sees as the destruction of all he
believes is right. The issue at the core of his ideology is that he has not been a part of this oppression
personally. He has not been attacked, and since he was born in London, he has never experienced life as a
young Pakistani living in the East and experiencing what he so strongly advocates against firsthand. His
beliefs are based on an ideology that says that young Pakistani Muslims are supposed to be against the
ideals of Western culture and that the West is inherently trying to oppress and destroy all that they believe
is right.

Assimilation

Assimilation is the process by which a group or an individual becomes absorbed into the dominant culture
of where they have moved to or where they are. Assimilation happens most often when a person leaves
his or her culture and moves to a new one. They often feel a sense of isolation so they try to fit in with the
new culture by adapting to their new culture's traditions. Slowly their original culture gets watered down
and they become more like their new culture than their old. Examples of this assimilation can be found
across cultures, countries, regions, and religions. An example of assimilation would be if an Indian family
is born and raised Hindu then emigrates to England and starts participating in the tradition of Christmas.
They have changed their culture. They have adopted the traditions and beliefs of their new culture to
blend in.

Assimilation can happen slowly or quickly and to different degrees. Some immigrants like Parvez choose
to eliminate all of their past identity and fully become a part of their new culture. Others adopt some of
their traditions and beliefs but keep some of their own intact. Parvez feels he needs to assimilate because
it's how he can provide a better life for his family. Being newcomers to a country, Parvez feels pressure to
hide or eliminate who he was to fit in. He worries that not becoming a part of London culture might cause
his family to be shunned, ridiculed, or simply left out and isolated. Children of immigrant families who
have emigrated to new cultures often face a two-headed dilemma. Because Parvez has assimilated to
English culture, Ali has a choice to go along with how his parents acclimate or rebel against his new
culture. Young adults' desire to rebel against their parents crosses all cultures, but when that dynamic is
paired with assimilating into a new culture, it presents an internal conflict -rebelling against the culture or
rebelling against the parents.

Ali is facing that problem. His father almost fully assimilates into London's culture and the culture of the
West. He embraces it fully and loves it. Ali takes the opposite path. He is in full rebellion against his
family's adopted culture of the West and is in full embrace of the East. Ali is repulsed by all that he feels
his father believes in. Parvez's alcohol consumption, his love of pork pies, and his association with a
prostitute are all repulsive to Ali and go against what he believes is right based on the Koran. Ali chooses
to rebel against his parents and the culture they have chosen to assimilate, and he finds himself in a
difficult predicament.

Themes

Father and Son

A story theme as old as time plays a central role in this story. A father worries that his son is not
following the path he set out for him, seeks to discover the issue, and eventually confronts him. If the
surface plot of religious fanaticism, immigration, and duality is removed, the bones of this story are a
familiar theme in many stories.

The struggle of fathers and their relationships with their sons has covered every possible social situation,
but the basic construct stays fairly unchanged. It begins with the father and his expectations of his son and
how his son will turn out in life. Whether that path is the one he took or the opposite, the father has a
vision for what his son's path and life will be. The son usually has some sort of objection to this view.
Parvez has set Ali's path to include university and a career in accounting. He is initially proud of Ali for
starting the path and hopes that Ali follows through. Ali sees the path that has been set for him as a direct
affront to the traditional beliefs that he has started to adopt. Ali sees his father as the initiator of his path
and that path is seen as a sinful one to Ali.

Kureishi has chosen his side and bases "My Son the Fanatic" on experience or at least from the side in
which he generally falls. Others may identify with the opposite point of view that Kureishi has written the
story from. In My Son the Fanatic, Kureishi works hard at concealing his point of view. He doesn't offer
much in the way of taking sides. Like most stories involving the theme of father and son, the sympathies
may switch back and forth depending on the events of the plot. "My Son the Fanatic" begins with genuine
worry for the father, Parvez. His son's recent change in behavior has grabbed his attention and that worry
deepens when he believes that Ali may be selling or doing drugs. The sentiments about who is in the right
and who is in the wrong change a bit when Parvez discovers that Ali is not selling drugs but has turned to
religion. The sympathy switches to Ali. The pendulum swings back when Ali is revealed to be a Muslim
extremist and not just a newly devout Muslim. Regardless of how Ali is portrayed from that moment to
the end of the story, Parvez's actions toward his son at the very end of the story show that there are no
winners or losers in the battle between father and son.

Absent Wife and Mother Figure

The interconnectivity in this story is based largely on family dynamics and the interrelationships among
the core family members. While the story focuses solely on Parvez and Ali, the mother figure plays a
massive but invisible role. Although she is only mentioned once in passing, the fact that the mother does
not play a role in the story is a theme in itself.

Parvez does not confide in his wife about what he has been seeing. The reader does not know if the
mother is aware of the changes in her son's behavior. An even more telling sign is the fact that Parvez
confides in a prostitute whom he knows from his job as a cab driver. The narrator alludes to this
disconnect between Parvez and his wife by saying, "He could talk to her about things he'd never be able
to discuss with his own wife." The narrator never goes beyond that simple statement so the reader is left
to wonder why there is such a barrier between Parvez and his wife.

In the story Parvez has three major points of contention regarding his son. The first is the initial signs of
his changing behavior that the story opens up with. The second is the possibility that is presented by his
fellow cabbies and is supported by Bettina is that Ali may be dealing or taking drugs. The third is the
realization through observation and conversation that Ali has turned to a devoted and somewhat fanatical
Muslim. Throughout those three revelations, Parvez does not make a single attempt to communicate
anything to his wife. The only time his wife is mentioned is while Parvez is trying to discover the source
of Ali's behavior change: "Parvez hurried into his bedroom where his wife was still awake, sewing in bed.
He ordered her to sit down and keep quiet, though she had neither stood up nor said a word." Parvez does
not share his concern about their son's recent behavior. He does not communicate with his wife nor does
she return communication. She doesn't even wonder why her husband is acting the way he is toward their
only son.
Not only is there a disconnect between Parvez and his wife, but also between mother and son. Ali never
mentions his mother during his dinner discussion where he declares his own father a wicked person. It is
clear by his actions and lack of discussion of his mother that Ali has not confided in her about his beliefs.
This very fact says so much about Ali and how he approaches his own life. The very idea that he has
made a massive ideological change, but not confided in either of his parents, may show why he may be as
extreme in his beliefs as he is. It seems as if Ali lacks a true mother figure and that may have contributed
to his current system of beliefs.

Extremism

The concept of extremism is woven throughout the story. Extremism is the vocal or active opposition to
another group's central values. To the extent that a person or group's actions, thoughts, or beliefs are
considered extreme depends solely on whose point of view they are being viewed from. A key to
extremism is to understand that the term refers to the ideals and beliefs and not necessarily the actions.
Many extremist groups do not act on their beliefs outside of the simple act of voicing their ideology. The
term terrorism is more aptly applied when extremism is turned into actions against the opposing ideology.

Extremism does come into play during Parvez's dinner conversation with Ali. This is especially true at the
final climax of the story, where the ending shows the irony of extremism. During the dinner conversation,
Ali becomes vocal in his views that the West is oppressing his people and his beliefs that they must pay
for their actions. Ali states emphatically, "My people have taken enough. If the persecution doesn't stop
there will be jihad. I, and millions of others, will gladly give our lives for the cause." Ali's admission of
his extremist ways sends fear though readers that assume that he has already done some terrible things.

The irony of the Parvez reaction to his son's extreme rhetoric shows in the ending. While Parvez is fearful
of Ali and his extreme views, in the end it is Parvez who is the terrorist. At the end of the story, Ali
remains a young man with extremist views, but it is Parvez who commits the violent act against his son.
He becomes the very embodiment of what Ali fears—persecution for his beliefs. This persecution is not
coming from members of Western society. The persecution comes from his own father, who, ironically,
was born a Pakistani Muslim.

Hanif Kureishi | Biography

Early Years

Hanif Kureishi was born in Kent, an area south of London, England, in 1954. He was born of mixed race
and culture, with his mother being English born and his father coming from an immigrant family of
Pakistani descent. His father's family migrated to England to escape the conflict between India and
Pakistan. As a child and teenager in the 1950s and 1960s in England, he experienced the difficulty of
being a mix of two races with different skin colors and cultures. The mixture made him feel separated
from each race in some way. As a teenager he wrote several novels that were considered for publication.
His books were based on his early experiences as someone of mixed race and culture and his experiences
as a teenager in London. He entered King's College in the early 1970s and studied Philosophy.
Philosophy is the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge. During his college years, he supported
himself by writing pornographic material under the pseudonym, an alternate or pen name, Antonia
French. Along with his writing income, Kureishi also worked in the Royal Theater in London as an usher.
Although it was unskilled work, he soon found himself being asked to be the theater's writer in residence,
which is where he began to write his first play scripts.

Success Writing Scripts

Kureishi wrote a few plays in his early days as a writer in residence that were produced as plays, but his
breakthrough came when he wrote the play script named Borderline (1981). The story revolved around
immigrants living in the London area. The play was very well received and debuted at the Royal Court.
The success of Borderline led to another play on immigrants called Outskirts (1981) to be performed by
London's Royal Shakespeare Company. His success and positive reviews for his plays led to him
venturing into a wider audience by writing scripts for films. His first successful screenplay came in 1985
when we wrote the script for the movie My Beautiful Laundrette. The film was critically acclaimed both
in America and abroad, winning several awards including Best Screenplay from New York Film Critics
Circle. The story centered on a Pakistani immigrant living in London who opens a laundromat with his
gay lover. While the film was a critical success, it drew criticism from Pakistani groups and protesters
claiming that there are no homosexuals in Pakistan. This represented a common denial at the time of
homosexuality in Muslim cultures. His second screenplay Sammy and Rosie Get Laid (1987) was even
more controversial, although it received less acclaim. The movie explored an interracial couple living
during the race riots that hit London.

A Return to Books

Kureishi still wrote stories during scriptwriting. His first big literary hit came in 1990 with the publication
of the highly acclaimed book, The Buddha of Suburbia (1990). The book was in part an autobiography
focused on a mixed-race young man who was half white and half Pakistani as well as bisexual. The book
explored the street life and pop culture life of London from the eyes of someone living a life of duality, or
of two different cultures and races. The book was a massive success and earned the award of Whitbread
Book of the Year. In 1995 his second book The Black Album was released to acclaim. The book followed
similar themes to those of Kureishi's other works. It focuses on a Pakistani man who must choose
between his white partner and his friends, all of whom are Muslim and reject his relationship. Along with
his novels, he also published several short story collections.

Personal Life

Kureishi has a tenuous relationship with his own family, who feels that his literary works are thinly
disguised jabs at them. His sister has sharply criticized his work by claiming that the thinly veiled
descriptions of their family are inaccurate and disrespectful. In 1998 Kureishi had a nasty public fight
with his former partner and co-parent. Kureishi followed the battle by writing a novel entitled Intimacy
(1998) about a father and husband who leaves his wife and children for a younger woman. Kureishi
admitted that was exactly what he did.

Major Professional Accolades

Throughout Kureishi's professional career as a writer, playwright, and director, he has earned several
awards and honors for his work. In 1990 he won the Whitbread First Novel award for his first published
novel, The Buddha of Suburbia. The award is given once a year in Great Britain to new novelists who
make a serious impact on the literary world with their first book. In 2007 he won the BBC's National
Short Story Competition. This award is given to one author every year for a submitted short story and is
considered one of the most prestigious awards for shorts stories in literary circles. He also was awarded
the CBE Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 2008, which is a very high
honor given out only to individuals who have made a major contribution or prominent impact on British
society. It is one step down from being Knighted by the Queen of England. Along with his writing
awards, he won several awards in 1986 for his screenplay My Beautiful Launderette, including New York
Film Critics' Circle Best Screenplay award and National Society of Film Critics' Best Screenplay award.