--- product_id: 3872285 title: "The Buddha of Suburbia" price: "€ 28.40" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.pt/products/3872285-the-buddha-of-suburbia store_origin: PT region: Portugal --- # The Buddha of Suburbia **Price:** € 28.40 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Buddha of Suburbia - **How much does it cost?** € 28.40 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.pt](https://www.desertcart.pt/products/3872285-the-buddha-of-suburbia) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description “A wickedly funny novel” ( The New York Times ) from the author of SHATTERED “There was one copy going round our school like contraband. I read it in one sitting...I'd never read a book about anyone remotely like me before.”—Zadie Smith My name is Karim Amir, and I am an Englishman born and bred, almost... The hero of Hanif Kureishi's debut novel is dreamy teenager Karim, desperate to escape suburban South London and experience the forbidden fruits which the 1970s seem to offer. When the unlikely opportunity of a life in the theatre announces itself, Karim starts to win the sort of attention he has been craving—albeit with some rude and raucous results. With the publication of The Buddha of Suburbia , Hanif Kureishi landed into the literary landscape as a distinct new voice and a fearless taboo-breaking writer. The novel inspired a ground-breaking BBC series featuring a soundtrack by David Bowie. Winner of the Whitbread Prize for Best First Novel Review: Hanif Kureishi is an Amazing Writer! - Having recently come across the 1990's film, "My Beautiful Laundrette" streaming on a subscription channel a few weeks ago, I was inspired to delve back into other writing's by the movie's screenwriter, Hanif Kureishi. That connected me with another of his excellent works, the novel "The Buddha of Suburbia" which I had originally read not long after it was first published in 1990. I ordered the book, reread it, and was perhaps more impressed this time than I was with the first reading all those years ago. The central character of his novel is Karim Amir, a young man who is just finishing his public schooling and whose parents hope that he is headed toward enrolling in a university. Karim is an English youth living in the suburbs of London with his English mother, "Mum," a plump, unassuming woman who manages the house and takes care of the needs of Karim and his younger brother, Ali, and their father, Haroon. Mum also works part-time at a shoe store to help supplement the family income. Karim and Ali have never been to India, the birthplace of their father, but they have dark skin and Indian features and are home in the British Indian community. Haroon, Karim's father, is the title character of the novel. He was born in Bombay as one of the younger children of a wealthy doctor, and emigrated to Britain on his own as a teen. Haroon, who grew up privileged with a full assortment of servants, found work in England as a paper-pusher in a government office, but when he is home he is content to relax and let Mum wait on him hand-and foot. As the story opens, Haroon has been studying the teachings of the Buddha and has been attending upscale parties hosted by his new friend, Eva. Haroon sits on the floor at these parties and, in the character of the Buddha, begins imparting Indian and Buddhist pholosophies on the entranced guests. Karim, who has a habit of falling enthusiastically in love with women or men, as long as they are interesting and attractive, is in love with his old schoolmate, Charlie, who is Eva's son. Charlie is a singer with his own band - and he has dreams of becoming a rock star on the order of David Bowie. One evening after Karim and Charlie have had a close, but not quite overtly sexual, encounter in Charlie's room in his mother's attic, and while Haroon has been doing his Buddha thing for Eva's guests downstairs, Karim goes outside for a solitary walk in Eva's garden. It is there that he see's Haroon and Eva having sex on a garden bench, and it is there that Karim realizes that his life will soon change forever. "The Buddha of Suburbia" is a beautifully written story that explores life and love in Great Britain as the country is slipping from it Victorian grandeur into the graffiti-sprayed world of modern times. It explores the suburban existence, immigrant communities, life in London and New York, the theatre scene, rock culture, communal living, the drug culture, and life in "squats." But perhaps more than anything else, "The Buddha of Suburbia" is a treatise on race and culture written at a time when walls appeared to be crumbling. Hanif Kureishi is an amazing writer. You will not be disappointed in any of his works. Review: Decent purchasing experience. This novel is one of the top ten contemporary pieces of all time. - My purchase was good. It was used, and I may have purposely bought it like that, even though I only try to purchase books that are "like new" or "new." It was sent on time and I have no issues, besides the quality of the outside of the book. Okay, this book is probably one of the greatest pieces of contemporary literature that is available today. It follows Karim, born in England as a second generation Indian to parents, both with ties back to that country. The mother wants to remain tied, but the father loves the idea of this new, first-world ideals and freedom. Karim goes through life now knowing where he belongs, because of his obvious skin tone and his surroundings. It takes place over many years and you see various things happen to Karim. This book has drug use, sexuality, sensuality, and more, but it is just one of those coming-of-age novels that is BRILLIANT. It is a must-read for those who like to read, have an identity crisis, or anything. It's that good and it is something that should be read by most adults. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #340,947 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #1,047 in Multigenerational Fiction (Books) #3,851 in Coming of Age Fiction (Books) #4,555 in Family Saga Fiction | | Customer Reviews | 4.1 out of 5 stars 1,919 Reviews | ## Images ![The Buddha of Suburbia - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61qnGGSZTlL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Hanif Kureishi is an Amazing Writer! *by R***Y on November 8, 2020* Having recently come across the 1990's film, "My Beautiful Laundrette" streaming on a subscription channel a few weeks ago, I was inspired to delve back into other writing's by the movie's screenwriter, Hanif Kureishi. That connected me with another of his excellent works, the novel "The Buddha of Suburbia" which I had originally read not long after it was first published in 1990. I ordered the book, reread it, and was perhaps more impressed this time than I was with the first reading all those years ago. The central character of his novel is Karim Amir, a young man who is just finishing his public schooling and whose parents hope that he is headed toward enrolling in a university. Karim is an English youth living in the suburbs of London with his English mother, "Mum," a plump, unassuming woman who manages the house and takes care of the needs of Karim and his younger brother, Ali, and their father, Haroon. Mum also works part-time at a shoe store to help supplement the family income. Karim and Ali have never been to India, the birthplace of their father, but they have dark skin and Indian features and are home in the British Indian community. Haroon, Karim's father, is the title character of the novel. He was born in Bombay as one of the younger children of a wealthy doctor, and emigrated to Britain on his own as a teen. Haroon, who grew up privileged with a full assortment of servants, found work in England as a paper-pusher in a government office, but when he is home he is content to relax and let Mum wait on him hand-and foot. As the story opens, Haroon has been studying the teachings of the Buddha and has been attending upscale parties hosted by his new friend, Eva. Haroon sits on the floor at these parties and, in the character of the Buddha, begins imparting Indian and Buddhist pholosophies on the entranced guests. Karim, who has a habit of falling enthusiastically in love with women or men, as long as they are interesting and attractive, is in love with his old schoolmate, Charlie, who is Eva's son. Charlie is a singer with his own band - and he has dreams of becoming a rock star on the order of David Bowie. One evening after Karim and Charlie have had a close, but not quite overtly sexual, encounter in Charlie's room in his mother's attic, and while Haroon has been doing his Buddha thing for Eva's guests downstairs, Karim goes outside for a solitary walk in Eva's garden. It is there that he see's Haroon and Eva having sex on a garden bench, and it is there that Karim realizes that his life will soon change forever. "The Buddha of Suburbia" is a beautifully written story that explores life and love in Great Britain as the country is slipping from it Victorian grandeur into the graffiti-sprayed world of modern times. It explores the suburban existence, immigrant communities, life in London and New York, the theatre scene, rock culture, communal living, the drug culture, and life in "squats." But perhaps more than anything else, "The Buddha of Suburbia" is a treatise on race and culture written at a time when walls appeared to be crumbling. Hanif Kureishi is an amazing writer. You will not be disappointed in any of his works. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Decent purchasing experience. This novel is one of the top ten contemporary pieces of all time. *by J***S on February 15, 2017* My purchase was good. It was used, and I may have purposely bought it like that, even though I only try to purchase books that are "like new" or "new." It was sent on time and I have no issues, besides the quality of the outside of the book. Okay, this book is probably one of the greatest pieces of contemporary literature that is available today. It follows Karim, born in England as a second generation Indian to parents, both with ties back to that country. The mother wants to remain tied, but the father loves the idea of this new, first-world ideals and freedom. Karim goes through life now knowing where he belongs, because of his obvious skin tone and his surroundings. It takes place over many years and you see various things happen to Karim. This book has drug use, sexuality, sensuality, and more, but it is just one of those coming-of-age novels that is BRILLIANT. It is a must-read for those who like to read, have an identity crisis, or anything. It's that good and it is something that should be read by most adults. ### ⭐⭐⭐ A bit of a heavy read *by E***. on July 13, 2021* Took me quite a while to read and had a hard time focusing on the books. Bought for a college Enlglish class ## Frequently Bought Together - The Buddha of Suburbia - The Remains of the Day: Winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature - Nights at the Circus --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.pt/products/3872285-the-buddha-of-suburbia](https://www.desertcart.pt/products/3872285-the-buddha-of-suburbia) --- *Product available on Desertcart Portugal* *Store origin: PT* *Last updated: 2026-09-12*