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Bitter Fruit: The Very Best Of Saadat Hasan Manto (2009)

by Saadat Hasan Manto(Favorite Author)

4.48 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

0143102176 (ISBN13: 9780143102175)

languge

English

genre

Fiction

publisher

Penguin Global

review 1: Fantastic English translations of Manto's Urdu short stories, plays, letters, and essays. I will have to read the original Urdu versions, but if the English renditions are any indication, the stories bring out Manto's mastery of varied story-telling techniques that touch upon a range of taboo subjects in the Subcontinent that still resonate strongly today. What I love about Manto is his uncanny ability to inject a wry and irreverent sense of humor/dark comedy to otherwise grim and depressing subject matter(prostitution, rape, murder,fanaticism, lust etc.) and make it compelling, readable, and meaningful. Manto isn't overly sentimental or melancholy, which most writers indulge in when recounting the horrors of Partition or social injustices in India/Pakistan. Rather, Manto ... moreis a master of subtlety, often ending stories abruptly (e.g. just as a character exits), to leave the reader (sometimes uncomfortably) digesting and pondering what has just transpired. Other than his famous short-stories (Toba Tek Singh and Tanda Ghosht), particular favorites of mine were "A Tale of 1947" (a semi-autobiographical account of his reluctant departure from Bombay to Pakistan), "Bribing the Almighty" (humorous account of an honest man trying to overcome economic uncertainties), "The Last Salute" (heartfelt tale of cross border skirmishes between Indian and Pakistani soldiers recognizing each other from pre-Partition regiments), "The Dog of Titwal" (similar story of the senselessness of war), "By the Roadside" (poetic account of unrequited love and social stigma/tragic circumstances of out-of-wedlock childbirth), and "Wild Cactus" (this can almost be characterized as Manto venturing into the horror genre). Some of his stories can make one a bit uneasy, but perhaps that is a dose of medicine every society needs.There are collections of sketches (including the famous but brief "Garland" about the irony of mobs in Lahore trying to destroy a statue of the great philanthropist Sir Ganga Ram), essays (recounting Jinnah's demeanor and social life from peers) and letters (there are 9 letters from faithful nephew Manto to "Uncle Sam" taking sarcastic aim at targets from international and domestic politics and Bollywood in general). A large portion of the book is dedicated to Manto's time in Bombay's film industry.What truly opened my eyes was the very provocative and uncensored subject matter Manto writes about (sex, drugs, violence, etc.), no less in the Urdu language over 50 years ago. My enthusiasm in visiting public libraries in Pakistan was recently dashed when I realized the vast majority of Urdu books available were on pre-modern poetry, religion, history (a.k.a. religious apologetics), and the Urdu language itself. This probably has more to do with censorship (something Manto confronted throughout his life) than a lack of creative minds in the Subcontinent. There have been plenty of brave voices confronting social ills/taboo subject matter in the Subcontinent and Pakistan in particular, but art and literature can more deeply resonate at a personal level in confronting the status quo and pushing the envelope of freedom of speech. To that end, Manto should be required reading for lovers of the art of story-telling or those with an interest in modern South Asia in general.
review 2: The mastery of Hasan's writing is most evident in his ability to convey all the intricacies of human desire *without* actually saying anything overtly. He is deceptively simple and makes the reader work for the illumination. In a word: brilliant.You'll want to purchase your own copy of this collection because the short stories deserve multiple readings followed by lively discussions with friends who will most assuredly become a captive audience after you relay one of Manto's plots or gossip about one of his characters. Too, his essays are cunning, provocative, insightful and laced with his notoriously sharp wit. His "Letters to Uncle Sam" had me in stitches!If you want to gain a unique perspective about partitioned India and Pakistan, then this gritty, fleshy, comical and macabre collection is well worth your time, your money, and the extra weight in your bag (you won't want to put it down). Should you choose to read Manto, please don't hesitate to contact me here on Goodreads. I would absolutely love to dialogue with you about the stories, the play and the essays. less

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