A review by shirleytupperfreeman
How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia by Mohsin Hamid

Somewhere (maybe The Economist?) I read that one could learn about globalization by reading two books - Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Kathleen Boo (which I had read and thought excellent) and How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia by Mohsin Hamid. Boo's book is about real people and events. Hamid's book is a clever and interesting, if somewhat cynical, novel. It's also excellent.It is written as a 'How to' manual being read by the main character of the novel. So the chapters are titled: "Move to the City," "Get an Education," "Do not Fall in Love," etc. Following the 'advice' is a description of the protagonist and his family as they move to the city, do or do not get an education, fall in love etc. Certainly the seamier side of globalization is well-documented here but some of the gifts of globalization are also well explored. Highly readable.