A provocative thought experiment on race and prejudice
Mohsin Hamid’s 'The Last White Man' suggests that things that fall apart can be put back together
24 November 2022 - 05:00
The new book by Mohsin Hamid, The Last White Man, starts with a mind-blowing concept. The protagonist, Anders, wakes up one morning with the shocking realisation that he has changed from white to black.
There are immediate practicalities: faking illness to avoid going to work, steering clear of his more-off-than-on girlfriend, putting off visiting his father, staying at home with the curtains closed. These measures, Anders knows, can only be temporary. For the first few days his identity is out of whack. After a week or so, how will he cope? Will he go mad?..
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