Exiled by well-known Malaysia writer Khadijah Hashim, is set in the corporate world with its proxy games, high-finance juggling and frenetic globe-trotting. In this novel, Khadijah combines a suspenseful story with fascinating insights into the human mind. Most striking is her non-judgemental portrayal of a brilliant finance man who lets himself be dragged ever deeper into a corporate morass until he is forced to flee to a foreign land to retain his freedom. Her portrayal of his existence, his yearning for family and home, his tribulations and temptations, his search for his true self and for peace with his Maker, makes riveting reading. The same mixture of objectivity and compassion pervades Khadijahís portraits of the exileís wife, the roving girl-artist he meets on his travels, the Pakistani couple with the charming daughter, even the man who makes millions by proxy and buys his way out of trouble. Story and character are enhanced by contrasting natural and cultural background ñ tropical and temperate, East and West, traditional and modern ñ presented with an eye for the telling detail. This book is compelling not only for its literary worth but also its relevance to the concerns of the day. -Adibah Amin