The Oxford India Anthology of Modern Urdu Literature comprehensively and creatively surveys the field from the mid-nineteenth to late twentieth centuries. Covering 100 years of literary production, including about 90 authors and over 130 selections, and many new translations, the twin volumes cover major genres like poetry, drama, and fiction, as well as essays, autobiography, and letters.
This volume includes both short stories and extracts from novels and novellas. Beginning with Muhammad Hadi Rusva (1857-1931), it moves on to Premchand, Ghulam Abbas, Krishan Chander, Rajinder Singh Bedi, Intizar Husain, Qurratulain Hyder, Abdullah Hussein, and Naiyer Masud among others, and finally, Syed Muhammad Ashraf (b. 1957). The Introduction, giving an overview of the development of Urdu literature and placing the writings in their proper historical context, is accompanied by a chronological listing of authors, biographical head-notes of the writings, glossary, and bibliography to help readers understand and savour the rich diversity of Urdu literature.