The Last White Man imagines a world shaken by a mysterious transformation. One morning, Anders wakes to find his skin has turned dark and his reflection feels like that of a stranger. Unsure how others will react, he confides only in Oona, an old friend turned new lover, as he struggles to understand who he is becoming.
As similar transformations begin occurring across the land, families, neighbours, and communities confront fear, anger, and grief alongside fierce, enduring love. For Anders’s father and Oona’s mother, a sense of loss collides with the possibility of acceptance, forcing them to reconsider everything they believed about identity and belonging.
Written in Mohsin Hamid’s lyrical, concise style, this short novel blends allegory and emotional realism to explore race, privilege, and the fragility of social order. Rather than offering easy answers, it invites readers to sit with discomfort and hope in equal measure.
Ideal for readers drawn to thought-provoking literary fiction, The Last White Man offers a powerful meditation on how empathy can transcend bigotry and fear, and how love can remake lives in times of profound change.