An interesting confluence of topics today: an interview on KUOW with political risk analyst Ian Bremmer and a review in Weekend FT on the political risk of writing in Pakistan. Of particular interest was Bremmer's take on the future of globalisation: it has peaked and will flatten out (there was also an interesting reminder, on a different program, of the economist Paul Samuelson's view that anyone who says that globalisation will not reduce wages globally, is either an ignoramus or a liar). Back to political writing risk in Pakistan: according to William Dalrymple, "Until two or three years ago, Pakistan seemed to be a literary desert in both Urdu and English. Now, quite suddenly, it has produced a cluster of remarkable bright young novelists able to match anything coming out India: in fiction, Nadeem Aslam, Mohsin Hamid, Mohammed Hanif and Kamila Shamsie; and in non-fiction, Ahmed Rashid and Ayesha Siddiqa." Dalrymple's review of In Other Rooms, Other Wonders
By Daniyal Mueenuddin makes for a compelling reason to add another book to my stack of to-reads.
