The Black Album

The Black Album is the second novel written by British author Hanif Kureishi. Published in 1995 by Faber and Faber, the novel was adapted for the stage in 2009 and explores Muslim fundamentalism, youth culture, sex, drugs, and alienation in a young British-Pakistani man's world that is being pulled in different directions by a modern lifestyle of London and traditional Muslim culture. Kureishi, a British-Pakistani novelist, playwright, screenwriter, and filmmaker, premiered the adaptation at the Royal National Theatre in July 2009 and was awarded the second Asia House Literature Award on the closing night of Asia House Festival of Asian Literature. Character List Shahid (Protagonist): The son of Pakistani immigrants, a British-Pakistani student from Kent, UK, whose father has recently died. Shahid moves to London for college, seeking to find a sense of independence in identity. Chili : Shahid's older brother Deedee : Shahid's lecturer professor/lover/mentor Riaz : Shahid's friend, and means of introduction into radical Islam