Hanif Kureishi: Classic or Dud?

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i have never read any of his books? should i?

― gareth, Friday, 22 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

who is he ?

― anthony, Friday, 22 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

yeah i liked all the ones i read. apart from Buddha of Suburbia I can't remember what they were tho.

― duane, Saturday, 23 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Have you never seen "My Beautiful Laundrette" anthony? I believe Hanif K wrote that. He was on Radio 3 thee other week, and opicked some good trax, incl Xcellent John Cage piece for prep. piano. Classic, based on this & "MBL" which I think is an excellent film.

― Norman Phay, Saturday, 23 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

oh , i loved the films deeply ( Both Buddha and Launfrette). This is good and such.

― anthony, Sunday, 24 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

so, anyway, his books?

― gareth, Monday, 25 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Okay, the book of Buddha of Suburbia (1989) is a total total classic. It manages to use pop cult reference points better than, say, The Rotter's Club but this is because he's writing about the late 70s and was on the fringes of the punk thing having grown up with most of the Bromley Contingent. It's also a pretty good precursor, in terms of dealing with London, to White Teeth. Where it joins up with historical reference seems natural and unforced. I'm not having much time for the others but in view of the rise of rad Islam in the news might have to go back and read The Black Album. The ones like Intimacy seem a bit misogynist. Gabriel's Gift is the sequel to Buddha in a way, and I enjoyed that. Does that help, G?

― suzy, Monday, 25 February 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

two weeks pass...

intimacy. so far? self indulgent twaddle, the usual 'fear of commitment' type rubbish. yawn. 'a refreshingly honest and candid insight into the male psyche, right?' yeah, whatever...

― gareth, Friday, 15 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

seven years pass...

saw the play of the black album last night. fucking dud. all the subtleties of the book were removed and it was just played for easy east is east type laughs. everyone was like a fucking caricature. i knows hes prob/obv? got some issues about his background but even so, there was no real engaging with issues of identity (apart from on a v surface level) or even much with the politics of the period apart from random bits of speechifying.

― titchy (titchyschneiderMk2), Saturday, 18 July 2009 08:58 (sixteen years ago)

three years pass...

The Bowiesongs blog gets to The Buddha of Suburbia soundtrack:

http://bowiesongs.wordpress.com/2012/11/27/the-buddha-of-suburbia/

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 18:29 (thirteen years ago)

five years pass...

I wonder if anyone has ever done a dual study of My Beautiful Laundrette and Do the Right thing's portrayals of urban racism. I rewatched MBL today, and had forgotten that there's a trashcan through the window at the climax, as there later was in DtRT, though not a fire.

― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Monday, 13 August 2018 02:54 (seven years ago)

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