The Buddha of Suburbia

　　《郊區佛陀》是英國文學巨星哈尼夫‧庫雷西於一九九○年獲得該年度惠特布萊德獎最佳首部小說獎。該書並在一九九三年被英國廣播公司拍成四部曲的電視劇集。

　　哈尼夫‧庫雷西的絕大作品都是他在英國（尤其是倫敦）族群衝突的問題意識下，對種族及相關的階級、性別、身分認同議題的觀察與思考，透過一貫幽默反諷手法，呈現出後殖民英國現代樣貌。

　　《郊區佛陀》以倒敘的手法再現了兼第一人稱敘述者克立姆‧厄米爾於七○年代下半葉的倫敦成長歷程，時間是從克立姆十七歲時開始。這部小說不只是探討文化與身分認同的問題，還涉及了性別議題、世代差異和成長焦慮等。庫雷西不僅批判地再現了白人種族主義暴力，也針對亞裔族群（以及整體上的有色族群）的文化與政治認同作出反省。

　　(本書中文版由新雨出版)

　　The hero of Hanif Kureishi's debut novel is a dreamy teenager, desperate to escape suburban South London and experience the forbidden fruits that 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.

　　One of the best comic novels of growing up, and one of the sharpest satires on race relations in this country that I've ever read.' Independent on Sunday

　　This is exactly the novel one hoped Hanif Kureishi would write: utterly irreverent and wildly improper, but also genuinely touching and truthful. And very funny indeed.' Salman Rushdie