ABARCA'S SICK REVIEW

“Nawabdin Electrician”

Daniyal Mueenuddin manages a farm in Khanpur, Pakistan. Daniyal Mueenuddin formerly practiced as a lawyer in New York City.

The “Nawabdin Electrician” story published on the August 27, 2007 edition of The New Yorker is about an electrician named Nawbdin in the Pakastani desert. Nawabdin flourished materially because he was able to cheat the electric company by being able to slow down the revolution of the meters. After awhile he acquires a motorcycle and one day during the middle of the night he is mugged and robbed, but Nawabdin does not let himself get robbed so he gets shot while the burglar is physically damaged and after awhile dies because of the wounds.

Daniyal Mueenuddin’s writing makes Nawabdin be a likeable character who is inventive and also a good husband who lives with his wife and kids. Daniyal Mueenuddin makes a shift from writing Nawabdin life as simple then it turns to a materialistic life and the shift not only makes Nawabdin’s life different, but it also changes him into a not likeable character.

At the end of the story I thought that Nawabdin would be able to forgive the thief because Nawbdin payed close attention to the man’s features and realized the thief was no different than he was. Nawabdin could not show the compassion his master gave him to the thief because he did not want to give the thing that gave Nawabdin a second chance in life. Nawabdin realized that if the thief would have taken the motorcycle he would not be able to keep food on the table because it would be the end of his transportation.



“Maserati Years”

Maxim Biller was born in Prague. Biller was born into a Russian-Jewish and in the 1970’s he emigrated to Germany when he was 10 years old. Maxim Biller now lives in Berlin.

“Maserati Years” was published on the September 24, 2007 edition of The New Yorker. The “Maserati Years” is about a man who lives in Germany. The man’s job is being an actor and during one particular day he lies in bed because it is a cold day. The man felt sick because he received news about him going to be a father and he thought he would have to sell his Maserati to be able to support his family.

Maxim Biller’s style of writing makes the story have a sad and melancholy tone. Biller writes about darkness, which adds much sorrow to the story because throughout the whole story the protagonist is surrounded by darkness.

The merit Maxim Biller has received was after his success when he wrote the novel, Esra. The novel attracted many readers on the date of release in 2003.

At the end of “Maserati Years” I felt that the man took a shower to be able to relax after hearing that he was not going to be a father and was not going to sell his most prized possession, his Maserati.