The Freshman Reading Program steering committee has announced that the Class of 2014 will be reading and studying “The Reluctant Fundamentalist” by Mohsin Hamid.
Over the summer, incoming freshmen will receive copies of the book along with a reader’s guide and are expected to have completed the book before arriving on campus. During orientation, freshmen will participate in faculty-led discussions, and programs will be planned throughout the academic year based on the key topic or themes of the book.
Hamid’s second novel, “The Reluctant Fundamentalist,” is a novel set in the aftermath of September 11 and told from the perspective of Changez, a young Pakistani, who despite his love for America, sympathizes with the attackers.
“The steering group considered many books that had been recommended to us by students and faculty,” said Karen Coburn, senior consultant in residence and a member of the reading program’s steering committee. “Those of us who read ‘The Reluctant Fundamentalist’ found it engaging, accessible and provocative ⎯ a book that we thought would stimulate discussion among faculty and new students.”
Coburn joined Ian MacMullen, Ph.D., assistant professor of political science in Arts & Sciences, and a group of students for a discussion of the book in January.
“In addition to themes about the immigrant experience and what it means to be an American in a post-9/11 world, students talked about themes close to their own experience as freshmen ⎯ about coming to a new environment and deciding how you present yourself to others, what assumptions you make about others, what values you choose for yourself and whom you choose to trust,” Coburn said.
“When the discussion came to a close, I asked the students and Professor MacMullen what they thought of this book as a choice for the 2010 Freshman Reading Program, and their answer was an enthusiastic, unanimous endorsement,” Coburn said.
The Freshman Reading Program began in 2003 and aims to provide a common intellectual experience for incoming students, introduce them to a spirit of debate and inquiry and provide an opportunity for increased student-faculty interaction both in and out of the classroom.
Last year’s book was “When the Emperor Was Divine” by Julie Otsuka.
For more information about the Freshman Reading Program, visit frp.wustl.edu.