[3] It details the protagonist's beginnings as a poor boy, and quest for wealth and love as he moves to the city and enters the bottled water business.

[4] How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia was generally well-received, including a starred review from Kirkus Reviews, who called it "[a]nother great success ... and another illustration of how richly the colonial margins are feeding the core of literature in English.

"[6] Nick DiMartino, writing for Shelf Awareness, applauded how Hamid "combines extremely lean prose and a wry sense of irony to create a dramatic monologue with a wickedly satirical vision of modern times.

"[7] Publishers Weekly noted that "though readers may find it frustrating that [story arcs for the protagonist and love interest] never overlap for long, the intermittent intersections provide them an anchor to the lives they left in desperation."

They continued, stating, "The book takes its formal cues from the self-help genre, but the adopting of that form’s unceasing optimism also nullifies any sense of depth or struggle.