Nona Balakian Citation for Excellence in Reviewing
1 appearances
-
Edition 30 (2020) Nominee
Rumaan Alam
ルーマーン・アラム
Rumaan Alam
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1977-08-09 （Suburb of Washington, D.C., United States）
- Nationality
- American
- Languages
- English
Career
- Occupations
- Writer
- Active Years
- 2016-
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oberlin College | — | Writing (creative) | — | — | United States |
Oberlin College
Writing (creative)
Country:
United States
Studied writing as an undergraduate.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | National Book Award | Leave the World Behind | — | National Book Foundation | ノミネート |
National Book Award
2020
Work:
Leave the World Behind
Organization:
National Book Foundation
Result:
ノミネート
Awards & Nominations
Gotham Book Prize
2 appearances
-
Edition 43 (2025) Nominee
Works
Major Works
Rich and Pretty
2016 Literary fictionA novel about the friendship and self-discovery of young, affluent women.
friendshipclassidentity
That Kind of Mother
2018 Literary fictionA story exploring complex relationships around motherhood, race, and class.
motherhoodracesocial class
Leave the World Behind
2020 Thriller / Literary fictionA suspenseful novel in which a family vacation is upended by mysterious blackouts and unexpected visitors, exploring social tension and modern fragility.
fragility of civilizationrace and classfear and uncertainty
Adaptations
- [Film] Leave the World Behind (film) / Sam Esmail (2023)
Getaway
2022 Literary fictionA work dealing with escape and personal change (detailed information limited).
escapepersonal transformation
Entitlement
2024 Literary fictionA novel examining how money and a sense of entitlement affect relationships and psyche.
corrupting influence of moneysocial comparisondomestic tension
Bibliography
- Rich and Pretty (2016)
- That Kind of Mother (2018)
- Leave the World Behind (2020)
- Getaway (2022)
- Entitlement (2024)
Adaptations
- Leave the World Behind (film, 2023)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- tense, suspenseful proseliterary depiction that weaves in social themes
- Recurring Motifs
- class disparity and economic anxietybreakdown of family and intimate relationsimmigrant / liminal perspectives
Legacy
Rumaan Alam has drawn critical attention for his socially minded, tension-driven narratives; particularly Leave the World Behind garnered major acclaim and reached a wide audience through a film adaptation. He is increasingly recognized for portraying the fragility of contemporary society and class issues.
In Popular Culture
- Film adaptation of Leave the World Behind on Netflix (2023) increased public attention
Trivia
- His parents emigrated from Bangladesh to the United States in the early 1970s.
- His husband is photographer David Land; they met on a blind date in 2003.
- He and his husband have adopted two sons.
- Leave the World Behind was nominated for the National Book Award in 2020.
- Leave the World Behind was adapted into a Netflix film in 2023.
- He has hosted two podcasts for Slate.