“Given enough time, polar bears might migrate off the Arctic ice, evolve darker coats, find a different diet, and thrive in a new, warmer climate. But if the ice on which they depend disappears in a few decades, they are likely to die.”

Pakistani novelist and essayist of the 2000s and beyond, Hamid blends fiction with social critique. His work explores globalization, class, and identity, often through layered narratives that reflect contemporary South Asian experiences. *The Reluctant Fundamentalist* and *Exit West* are among his most widely discussed novels.