A late-night knock on the door in Rumaan Alam’s Leave the World Behind sets in motion a propulsive literary thriller that dissects race, class and modern anxieties in a world shifting on its axis.
For Alam himself, the novel – described as “the book of an era” by The Independent – was also a career shifter: bringing him millions of new readers, becoming a finalist for the National Book Award and with the Obamas adapting it for Netflix starring Julia Roberts.
On the publication of his new novel, Entitlement, in which Alam’s trademark taut, unsettling and incisive style is once again in full flight in its dissection of money, power and privilege in 21st century America, he joins Brannavan Gnanalingam to discuss his extraordinary writing journey to date, and what his compelling new book says about our times.
Also at Auckland Writers Festival
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