Many Summers Apart: Gems from Contemporary Urdu Literature
Book – Many Summers Apart: Gems from Contemporary Urdu Literature
Publisher – Hay House
Genre – Prose and Poetry (Translated)
Rating – 4/5
About the book and review –
The original version of this book, Urdu Mein Taraqqui Pasand Adabi Tehreek, written by Dr Khalil Ur Rahman Azmi—one of the most prominent figures in the modern literary critique of Urdu writings—was first published in 1972.
This trans creation makes the story of this vibrant period of Urdu accessible to all. It features the most influential progressive Urdu writers from different genres like prose, short story, novel, poetry, humour, satire as well as literary critique and includes works by eminent literary stalwarts of the time including Sajjad Zaheer, Munshi Premchand, Ismat Chughtai, Saadat Hasan Manto, Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Kaifi Azmi, Sahir Ludhianvi, Sardar Jafri to name just a few.
The volume consists of the most lustrous gems from the canon of Urdu literature.
The book vibrates with classic and fresh feelings talking about the growth of Urdu Literature and how the mass movement impacted the Urdu Literature. The research is done vigorously to pen down this masterpiece and to introduce to some rare work of art. It paved the way for a brand new progressive worldview and received widespread acclaim and appreciation. It is still relevant and scholars and those interested in progressive writings and literature continue to consult it.
About The Author –
Khalil Ur Rahman Azmi (1927–1978) was an Urdu poet and a prominent literary critic. After gaining his doctorate in philosophy from Aligarh Muslim University, he joined there as a professor of Urdu and also tutored the British scholar, Ralph Russell. A prolific writer, his contributions, besides the analysis of the life and works of Haidar Ali Aatish and Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar, include four volumes of poetry and a volume each of prose and critical analysis. Huma Khalil is the daughter of Urdu poet and critic, Khalil Ur Rahman Azmi.
Born and brought up in Aligarh, she studied English literature at Aligarh Muslim University. Huma has translated short stories from Urdu to English, which have been published in several books. This trans creation of her father’s seminal work is her major work. She is presently doing a historical project on Aligarh Muslim University.
Huma, who lives in New Delhi, runs an NGO ‘Kilkaari’ for educating underprivileged children.
– Kinjal Parekh
