Scottish-Pakistani Author in D.C. to Improve Our Pathetic, Insular Culture

As you may have heard, some smart guy who helps give out the Nobel Prize in literature recently said that Americans are simply too “insular” and possessed of a restricting “ignorance” to produce great writing. So we have much to learn from the arrival of Suhayl Saadi, who’s here for a month of readings and lectures at George Washington University. Saadi, who according to a press release is “known throughout the UK as the preeminent Scottish-Pakistani writer,” has received much acclaim for his 2004 debut novel, Psychoraag, which he’ll be reading from tonight. The book doesn’t have a U.S. publisher—we’re insular and ignorant, remember—but copies will be available for purchase at his D.C. readings and at the campus bookstore. Or you can just legally read the whole thing for free. Americans like free stuff.

Tonight’s reading from Psychoraag is at 8 p.m. in the City View Room, seventh floor of 1957 E St. NW. A second event, during while he’ll discuss “the role that memory, time, place, and multiple voices play in ‘destabilizing’ literature,” takes place Monday, Oct. 13, 8:15 p.m. in room B07 of the Media and Public Affairs Building at George Washington University.

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