Manto: Selected Stories Penguin Premium Classic Edition

by Sadat Hasan Manto

Saadat Hasan Manto's first collection of stories was published in the 1940s, but his stories have an enduring relevance. Now read by more people than ever before, the simple clarity of his stories about arginalized people, his astute understanding of the complexity of human nature and the poignancy of his stories on Partition transcend spatial and temporal boundaries many of his characters are legendary and his taut narratives are a great source of insight into the human condition. Widely regarded as one of the greatest short-story writers of the Subcontinent, Manto is now, a hundred years after his birth, also acknowledged as one of the most powerful voices of his time. An enigma in his lifetime, and plagued by financial troubles, alcoholism and legal persecution in the last years of his life, he draws a posthumous wave of near-universal admiration. Aatish Taseer's sensitive translation captures the lyricism and power of Manto's voice. Manto, Selected Stories, with two new stories, is a collection to be savoured by new readers and old fans of Manto alike.

309 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 20, 2023

Reviews

[Esha Choudhury · Rating 5 out of 5]

I still vividly remember my introduction to Manto, Ismat Chughtai, and their work - it was through a Motley play at Prithvi Theatre, starring Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah. I’m glad I finally sat down to read Manto’s stories, though it was in English. Written in the 1940s, Manto’s simple yet thought-provoking tales about the Partition, sex, prostitution, and communal riots question the very ideas of country, borders, and morality. Persecuted for the supposed ‘lewdness’ in his writing, Manto remained unafraid, lending a voice to the marginalized and unrepresented. This shines through in 'Toba Tek Singh' (where an inmate of a Lahore asylum is forcibly sent to India because his native town is now part of India), 'The Dog of Titwal' (where a dog befriends both enemy camps across the Indo-Pakistani border), and 'Siraj' (where a woman sets out to exact revenge after being abandoned).

I hope I can get my hands on a Hindi translation soon.

[Orlando Luna · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Mozel”
“Carne fría”
“El salwār negro”
“La ofensa”
“La nueva Constitución”

[Prince Vij · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many great stories by legendary Manto, but I think Toba Tek Singh and A Wet Afternoon are my top 2 favourite.