The Postmaster

by Saad Ashraf

Battling tremendous odds, financial and social, Rasool Ghulam gets himself a proper English education thanks to the sure guideing hand of his mother and a series of fortuitious breaks, after the passing away of his father at the age of eight. Over the next thirty years, his devotion to his career in the postal departmentsees him scale the heights of success as his job takes him through a kaleidoscope of experiences in the cities of Lahore, Rawalpindi, Amritsar and Simla.

339 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Zeenat · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author is actually Bapsi Sidwa's brother (cool factoid!) The book is a classic South Asian piece, a real page turner. Since I'm a bit of an South Asian history buff, and the story is set in North India during the time of the Raj, and held my interest very well.

Why did I only give it 3 stars? Well, the story was a little weak. I mean it was a good story, but even though it was set in the time of the Raj, I gained little historical information. The characters are reasonably well developed, and are memorable. Overall a solid book.

[Zunaira Ghaffar · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is an interesting narrative of a man who lived through the British Raj all the way to the birth of Pakistan. The diligence and discipline with which the British ran the Indian government services was nowhere to be found in the newly born Pakistan. Indeed, we started failing as a nation and the care-keeper of this country the moment it was handed to us.

One phrase that stuck to my mind regarding all these events: "The people of this sub-continent have changed. Just like its geography."

Highly recommended.

[Reena · Rating 2 out of 5]

Portrait of a civil servant who serves the British well - with integrity, devotion and diligence - and then finds himself lost and displaced after their departure in the newly minted Pakistan. While the story of his life, from childhood to youth, as a son and householder and eventually a retired man unfolds fast and makes for a quick read most of the book held very little excitement or suspense. All seems to go well for him without too much trouble. Mostly one keeps waiting for something to happen. One puzzling interlude he's involved in is an affair he has later in life, which fails miserably but he never really seems to have the courage to make it work either. The main conflict arises in the last few pages when he finds himself lost in a new life, new status in a new country separated from many of those he loves who remain in India. But even this conflict arises too little too late to make the book worth recommending. Disappointing!

[Farheen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first book I've read which dealt with partition on such a micro-level, i.e. at the individual level, and depicted quite tragically what India & Pakistan lost as a result of partition. It should make us wonder how we were one of the best people to work with under the British Raj and where we stand without the British now. Calls for self-reflection as a nation.

[Danyal Effendi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its a nice story with very closely depicting scenarios and environments of pre & post partitioned sub-continent. However, the story telling style was quite childish in many parts but I like the starting and ending of the book.

[Shantanu · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing book starting in the waning years of the Victorian era and the creation of Pakistan.