The Changez of today sounds like a far different man to the one he describes as living in New York City for six months. He is far more self-assured and a little bit more mysterious. Why is he continually feel compelled to reassure his companion that he is not in any danger and take great pains to make his guest comfortable? He continually offers examples of the secular nature of Pakistan, pointing out women dressed in jeans, and talking about the women in his family working

If he also makes a few pointed remarks about his guest's cell phone ringing every hour on the hour, or about the bulge under his shoulder, well can you blame him for being cautious? These are troubled times we live in and you can never be too careful.

Mohsin Hamid has written a book that is deceptive in its simplicity and terseness. In taut and succinct language he shows us how we appear through the eyes of another culture. The image that mirror shows us isn't very pleasant and should serve as another piece of our education in how the rest of the world perceives us.

While it is true that perceptions can be coloured, when so many voices are saying the same basic message over and over again, voices which aren't preaching or advocating but simply reporting, don't you think we should be starting to pay attention?

Canadians who are interested in buying The Reluctant Fundamentalist can do so at Random House Canada or other reputable online retailers like Amazon.ca.