Hanif Kureishi

And it's an absurdity because they're the one group in society in which you're entirely dependent and without whom your society would go down into darkness.

And it's an absurdity because they're the one group in society in which you're entirely dependent and without whom your society would go down into darkness.

And it's an absurdity because they're the one group in society in which you're entirely dependent and without whom your society would go down into darkness.

My dad came from Bombay in India. He came from a Muslim family, but they were a secular family then. They were an upper middle class, wealthy intellectual family. And my dad came to England to study law. So many members of the wealthy middle class from India, like Gandhi and Jinnah and so on, great figures from India, they all came to the West to study. to be educated.

My dad came from Bombay in India. He came from a Muslim family, but they were a secular family then. They were an upper middle class, wealthy intellectual family. And my dad came to England to study law. So many members of the wealthy middle class from India, like Gandhi and Jinnah and so on, great figures from India, they all came to the West to study. to be educated.

My dad came from Bombay in India. He came from a Muslim family, but they were a secular family then. They were an upper middle class, wealthy intellectual family. And my dad came to England to study law. So many members of the wealthy middle class from India, like Gandhi and Jinnah and so on, great figures from India, they all came to the West to study. to be educated.

And then normally they would return to India to, you know, to run the country. But my dad met my mom. He got married and he stayed in the UK and wanted to be British. He wanted to be an Englishman, in fact, and he liked England. He loved England and he always wanted to stay here.

And then normally they would return to India to, you know, to run the country. But my dad met my mom. He got married and he stayed in the UK and wanted to be British. He wanted to be an Englishman, in fact, and he liked England. He loved England and he always wanted to stay here.

And then normally they would return to India to, you know, to run the country. But my dad met my mom. He got married and he stayed in the UK and wanted to be British. He wanted to be an Englishman, in fact, and he liked England. He loved England and he always wanted to stay here.

My family moved to Pakistan after partition. All my many uncles and aunts and cousins and so on, they moved from India to Pakistan to be safe in Pakistan, which is a Muslim state.

My family moved to Pakistan after partition. All my many uncles and aunts and cousins and so on, they moved from India to Pakistan to be safe in Pakistan, which is a Muslim state.

My family moved to Pakistan after partition. All my many uncles and aunts and cousins and so on, they moved from India to Pakistan to be safe in Pakistan, which is a Muslim state.

Yep, that's the story. My dad came to the UK around that time, so he didn't go to Pakistan. He stayed in Britain, but he worked in the Pakistan embassy and so became Pakistani even though he hadn't actually been to Pakistan. It sounds like an odd thing, but it's the case.

Yep, that's the story. My dad came to the UK around that time, so he didn't go to Pakistan. He stayed in Britain, but he worked in the Pakistan embassy and so became Pakistani even though he hadn't actually been to Pakistan. It sounds like an odd thing, but it's the case.

Yep, that's the story. My dad came to the UK around that time, so he didn't go to Pakistan. He stayed in Britain, but he worked in the Pakistan embassy and so became Pakistani even though he hadn't actually been to Pakistan. It sounds like an odd thing, but it's the case.

England was largely white, but I think the immigrant ethic... It's probably like the immigrant ethic in the United States, you know? You were coming to a new country and it would be a new start for you. It was a clean slate. You would get educated, you could bring up your kids. You know, Britain was a really civilised, well-organised, law-abiding country.

England was largely white, but I think the immigrant ethic... It's probably like the immigrant ethic in the United States, you know? You were coming to a new country and it would be a new start for you. It was a clean slate. You would get educated, you could bring up your kids. You know, Britain was a really civilised, well-organised, law-abiding country.

England was largely white, but I think the immigrant ethic... It's probably like the immigrant ethic in the United States, you know? You were coming to a new country and it would be a new start for you. It was a clean slate. You would get educated, you could bring up your kids. You know, Britain was a really civilised, well-organised, law-abiding country.

And he just left the chaos of India, you remember, after partition... And my dad thought it was fantastic. You'd get a free education. You could go to the doctor, the dentist. We had the welfare state. There was a rising standard of living in the 1960s. There was the Beatles. There was pop. My dad saw it as a great opportunity for us, his kids, to do really well.

And he just left the chaos of India, you remember, after partition... And my dad thought it was fantastic. You'd get a free education. You could go to the doctor, the dentist. We had the welfare state. There was a rising standard of living in the 1960s. There was the Beatles. There was pop. My dad saw it as a great opportunity for us, his kids, to do really well.