The Last White Man by Mohsin Hamid

The Last White Man, first published in 2022, is Hamid’s 5th book. A speculative fiction novel
exploring the sudden transformation of a majority-white society, where its members inexplicably
develop brown skin. Set in a nameless English-speaking nation reminiscent of Scandinavian
countries or Middle America, the story follows Anders, a white man who wakes up one morning
with a dark complexion. As more individuals experience this change, conspiracy theories
abound, suggesting a plot to replace light-skinned people.

Amid rising violence and the emergence of militant groups targeting those who have changed,
Anders seeks refuge with his dying father as most businesses shut down for the winter. His
lover, Oona, cares for her conspiracy-minded mother during this turbulent time. By spring, the
majority of the population, including the racists, have changed color, allowing society to
cautiously return to normalcy. Oscillating between grief and hope, people begin to rebuild what
was lost. At Anders’s father’s open-casket funeral, he stands as the last pale face in a room
filled with “changed” individuals. The story concludes with Anders and Oona moving into his
childhood home, ready to raise their daughter there.

The novel delves into themes of mainly white privilege, racial prejudice, mortality, and the
absurdity of the social construction of race, capturing a society navigating paranoia and
upheaval toward enlightenment. Mohsin Hamid has noted that the inspiration for the book
stemmed from his experiences of losing his “partial” whiteness during the heightened racial
profiling after 9/11.

A group of ten of us gathered at Nazie’s home, with Nisha leading the discussion on behalf of
Deepika, who posed thought-provoking questions. We debated the novel’s setting, with many
favoring the idea of a small-town Middle America, while one member envisioned it as a stage
play. A particularly striking question arose: What if this transformation happened to Trump,
turning him ‘brown,’ while Kamala became ‘white’? This led us to reflect on how each of us
would cope if we faced such a radical change.

This novel is incredibly relevant to today’s world! An intense, thought-provoking, yet at times
exhausting read. Its unique style, with most paragraphs comprising single sentences, unfolds
the narrative in a way that each phrase tells its own story. Readers must remain engaged; even
a moment’s distraction could mean missing vital backstory or hints of what’s to come. It’s an
experience likened to breathing—immersive and essential.

After our engaging discussion, Nazie treated us to a delicious lunch, allowing everyone to finally
relax! Our next meeting is scheduled for October 25th, where we’ll read and discuss ‘Men
Without Women’ by Haruki Murakami.

Review thanks to Nisha Dobberstein