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Join the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center and the American Pakistan Foundation on Monday, October 5 at 4 PM EST for a conversation with Pulitzer Prize winning author and playwright Ayad Akhtar and Atlantic Council Distinguished Fellow Shuja Nawaz on Akhtar’s new book, Homeland Elegies. Described by The Washington Post as “a phenomenal coalescence of memoir, fiction, history, and cultural analysis,” Akhtar’s latest novel discusses belonging and identity in a crumbling nation through the journey of an immigrant father and his son in a post-Trump America.

His work has been published and performed in over two dozen languages. Akhtar is the winner of numerous awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and an Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. 

In an ever-changing world, the concept of American identity is continuously in flux and with it, increasing tensions between different facets of American society. Join Nawaz in conversation with the novelist about how Akhtar weaves narratives of post-9/11 identity and Muslim-American life into his works, including his latest novel Homeland Elegies

This is the first in a series of book talks sponsored by the South Asia Center and the American Pakistan Foundation with distinguished, award-winning authors. Upcoming talks include new works by Owen Bennett-Jones and Declan Walsh.

Featuring

Ayad Akhtar
Author, Homeland Elegies
Pulitzer Prize Novelist & Playwright

In conversation with

Shuja Nawaz
Distinguished Fellow
Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center

Please note that this is a virtual event. Instructions for Zoom access will be emailed upon registration.

The South Asia Center is the hub for the Atlantic Council’s analysis of the political, social, geographical, and cultural diversity of the region. ​At the intersection of South Asia and its geopolitics, SAC cultivates dialogue to shape policy and forge ties between the region and the global community.

The American Pakistan Foundation (APF) empowers the Pakistani American community and builds bridges between the United States and Pakistan.

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