Saʻādat Ḥasan Manṭo

'The undisputed master of the Indian short story.' Salman Rushdie The gentle dhobi who transforms into a killer, a prostitute who is more child than woman,the cocky, young coachman who falls in love at first sight, a father convinced that his son will die before his fi rst birthday. Saadat Hasan Manto's stories are vivid, dangerous and troubling and they slice into the everyday world to reveal its sombre, dark heart. These stories were written from the mid 30s on, many under the shadow of Partition. No Indian writer since has quite managed to capture the underbelly of Indian life with as much sympathy and colour. In a new translation that for the first time captures the richness of Manto's prose and its combination of high emotion and taut narrative, this is a classic collection from the master of the Indian short story.

Selected Stories

Khalid Hasan

The most widely read and the most translated writer in Urdu, Saadat Hasan Manto constantly challenged the hypocrisy and sham morality of civilized society.

The Very Best of Saadat Hasan Manto

Bitter Fruit

Fifty Sketches and Stories of Partition

Mottled Dawn

One of the greatest raconteurs of 20th century, Saadat Hasan Manto declares that he was forcedto write when his wife routinely demandedthat he put bread on the table for the family. He doesn't attribute any genius to his skills as awriter and convinces his readers that the storiestossed a salad. Equally, Manto treats his trystwith Bollywood with disdain and unmasks thecardboard lives of tinsel town when a horse ispainted to double up for a zebra or multiple fansrotate to create a deluge. Two of Manto's favouriteand recurring themes - women and Partition-bizarre morality in the context of femininebeauty and the futile presence of religiosity inthe creation of a nation he was to adopt later ingreatest writer, translated by well known authorand journalist, Aakar Patel showcases SaadatHasan Manto's brilliance while dealing with life'smost mundane things -- graveyards, bummingfrom mythology - and a sharp dissection of whatails the subcontinent even after 6 decades-Hindior Urdu, vile politicians and the hopelessness ofliving under the shadow of fear.

Why I Write

Selected Short Stories : Including 'Toba Tek Singh' and 'The Dog of Tithwal'

Manto

Sa'adat Hasan Manto

Along with Manto s open letter to Nehru that reveals his state of mind after the Partition, this collection captures the best of Manto s literary powers. Part of the Pakistan Writers Series, which presents English translations of Urdu fiction from Pakistan, Black Margins encompasses the range of Manto s thematic and formalistic concerns.

Stories

Black Margins

Jai Ratan

A Collection of His Short Stories

The Best of Manto

Saādata Hasana Maṇṭo kī kahāniyām̐

Saadat Hasan Manto

Partition Stories By The Subcontinent S Finest Short-Story Writer Mottled Dawn Is A Collection Of Saadat Hasan Manto S Most Powerful Pieces On The Partition Of The Subcontinent Into India And Pakistan In 1947. The Book Includes Unforgettable Stories Like Toba Tek Singh , The Return , The Assignment , Colder Than Ice And Many More, Bringing Alive The Most Tragic Event In The History Of The Indian Subcontinent.

Meraṭha kī qaiñcī

Humāyūn̲ Ashraf

Hatak

Ātish pāre

Burqe

Short stories by a well known Urdu writer.

Ratti, Masha, Tolah

Maṇṭonāmā

Stories set in Bombay and other parts of India deal with prostitutes, pimps, street-traders, gangsters, and those caught up in the Partition of 1947

Kingdom's End and Other Stories

Ṭhanḍā gosht

Saadat H. Manto

A Collection of Short Stories

Black Milk

Unforgettable reminiscences about the eccentric, glamorous, yet angst-ridden Hindi film world of the 1940s. Saadat Hasan Manto, one of the greatest short story writers of the Urdu language, was also a film journalist and story-writer for the Hindi film industry in Bombay. As an insider he was privy to the most private moments of the men and women who have dazzled generations of audiences. In this series of sketches, Ashok Kumar, the screen idol of yore, emerges as a shy, yet brilliant actor, forever looking to flee the eager advances of his female fans; Nargis comes across as just another young girl looking for companionship among her peers before she steps on the ladder that will forever take her away from the comforts of an ordinary middle-class life; and Shyam-the dashing, handsome hero-is portrayed as a straightforward, flirtatious young man pining for the woman he loves. Manto also describes in detail the obsessions of Sitara Devi; the unfulfilled desires of Paro Devi; and the intriguing twists and turns which transform Neena Devi from an ordinary housewife into a pawn in the hands of film companies. He writes with relish about the bunglings of the comedian V.H. Desai and the incredible dedication of Nawab Kaashmiri to the art of acting. There are also stories about the rise of Nur Jehan as the greatest singer of her times; and the various peccadilloes of the musician, Rafiq Ghaznavi. With subjects ranging from film journalism to the sexual eccentricities of these stars, Manto brings to life a generation with his characteristic verve and honesty.

The Bombay Film World of the 1940s

Stars from Another Sky

Saʻādat Ḥasan Manṭo

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