MULTI award-winning author, Mohsin Hamid, will speak at the University of Stirling on 8 October as part of the Booker Prize Foundation’s Universities Initiative.
Hamid, whose bestselling novel The Reluctant Fundamentalist was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2007, will read excerpts, answer questions from the audience and sign copies of his book afterwards.
Stirling is one of only a small number of universities in the UK to take part in the Initiative, whereby every first-year student, regardless of course of study, is given a Man Booker Prize shortlisted title at the start of the autumn semester. In addition, students are invited to attend a free special reading event with the author and participate in a lively question and answer session.
Stirling’s first-year students begin receiving their copies of Mohsin Hamid’s novel this week and will be encouraged to read it in preparation for the author’s talk on campus next month.
Professor Gerry McCormac, Principal and Vice Chancellor, says: “I am delighted Stirling is participating in the Booker Prize Foundation’s Universities Initiative. Created to introduce students to high quality, contemporary fiction, and to promote the art of literature, the prestigious scheme allows students across all disciplines to share a common experience.”
He added: “We look forward to welcoming Mohsin Hamid to campus next month; his reading session for students, staff and members of the community will allow everyone to engage in stimulating debate and discussion.”
Published in 2007, The Reluctant Fundamentalist presents the figure of a Pakistani Muslim recounting his experience of living in post-9/11 New York. With a film adaptation starring Kate Hudson and Kiefer Sutherland opening the Venice International Film Festival last month, the book has achieved enormous success and received wide critical acclaim.
The Mohsin Hamid event will take place on Monday 8 October at 6.30pm in macrobert, as part of THAT Festival. Staff and students are invited to attend the session for free – upon collecting a ticket from macrobert on the day – but the event is also open to members of the public, who can buy tickets from the box office.
Tickets and booking enquiries: macrobert box office – www.macrobert.org or telephone 01786 466 666.
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Media enquiries to Patricia Hess at pr@stir.ac.uk or on 01786 466 687
Notes to editors
The Booker Prize Foundation’s Universities Initiative was launched in 2008. The scheme is jointly funded by the Booker Prize Foundation and the individual universities involved.
The Booker Prize Foundation is a registered charity (no 1090049) whose purpose is to promote the art of literature for the public benefit. Since 2002, it has been responsible for the award of the Man Booker Prize and has also established the biennial Man Booker International Prize, which will next be awarded in 2013.
In addition to being shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, The Reluctant Fundamentalist won a host of awards, including the Ambassador Book Award, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, the Asian American Literary Award and the South Bank Show Award for Literature. Regarded as a noughties classic, the Guardian described it as one of the books that “defined the decade”.
The Reluctant Fundamentalist, a film directed by Mira Nair, is based on the novel of the same name by Mohsin Hamid. A Cine Mosaic and Mirabai Films Production, the film stars Kate Hudson, Kiefer Sutherland, Liev Schreiber, Riz Ahmed, Om Puri and Shabana Azmi. Produced by Lydia Dean Pilcher, the film is set to be released in early 2013.
THAT Festival is macrobert’s weekend long multi-arts festival specifically designed for ages 26 and under. It features four days of performance, film, gigs, interactive exhibitions, readings, interventions and parties. Full programme here.
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Contact: Patricia Hess
Phone: 01786466687
Email: pr@stir.ac.uk
Website: http://www.stir.ac.uk
