“For if there were a list of cosmic things that unite us, reader and writer, visible as it scrolled up into the distance, like the introduction to some epic science-fiction film, then shining brightly on that list would be the fact that we exist in a financial universe that is subject to massive gravitational pulls from states. States tug at us. States bend us. And, tirelessly, states seek to determine our orbits.”

British Pakistani novelist, writer and brand consultant

Mohsin Hamid is a British Pakistani novelist, writer, and brand consultant. He is known for fiction that has drawn wide attention, including novels published from 2000 to 2022. His books include Moth Smoke, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia, Exit West, and The Last White Man. His work is marked by sharp contemporary settings and a close look at identity, migration, ambition, and change.