THE LIFE AND WORKS OF SAADAT HASSAN MANTO by LESLIE FLEMMING

Publication Date: 1985

Extent: 306 pages

The Book:

This is the first full length study of the life and works of Manto to appear in the forty years since his death. Considering that he was amongst the foremost of the Urdu short story writers associated with the progressive writers movement as well as a powerful influence on the current generation of Urdu writers, it w4s time to remedy this literary vacuum.

The Author:

Leslie flemming’s critical appreciation of the subject matter and form of Manto’s short stories provides a most comprehensive picture of the man and his writings. Ms flemming details how Manto’s stories deal with large and varied issues and goes on to challenge the understanding prevalent among his critics and contemporaries of the purposes and achievements of his writings. She demonstrates how Manto sympathised with the principles of the progressive writers movement and how he accomplished the immensely difficult task of reflecting these principles while preserving the aesthetic integrity of the short story. In this Manto surpassed the literary achievements of many of his contemporaries more warmly accepted by the movement.

Tahira naqvi’s english translations are as faithful to the original as possible. She has selected those stories that are representative of Manto’s work as well being relevant to the English speaking reader of today.