Another life: Thirteen stories and a play

Mohan Rakesh was a towering figure in Hindi fiction and drama. More than a decade in the making, and put together in collaboration with the author, this volume makes a broad range of his work available to English readers.

The stories here range from humorous, satirical studies of human foibles, to profound, painful commentaries on the complexities of the human condition. A translation of Adhe Adhure, the play that thrust Indian drama into modernity and one of the finest ever written in Hindi, is included as well.

Rounding out the book, as part of the 'P. S.

Section', are a self-portrait and interview - rare, first-person statements by the author, and among the most important critical sources for his work. This is an essential volume for anyone interested in the changing landscape of post-Independence Hindi literature.

Mohan Rakesh (1925-1972) was one of the pioneers of the Nai Kahani literary movement of Hindi literature in the 1950s. He wrote the first modern Hindi play, Ashadh Ka Ek Din (1958), and made significant contribution to the forms of the novel, short story, travelogue, criticism, memoirs and drama. Carlo Coppola was the Editor Emeritus, Journal of South Asian Literature, 1963-2002. He has taught South Asian and Middle Eastern studies, literature and linguistics for decades.