Middle India

In this collection of seventeen short stories, Bhisham Sahni examines middle India-the lower middle class-not rich or famous or educated in convent schools, not cosmopolitan but urban or semi-urban. In these tightly told tales, he explores with precision of thought and expression the humanity of individuals and their places in society. The collection includes some of Sahni s best known stories: Dinner for the Boss , a tragi-comic tale of a man trying to please his employer and a mother s attempt to please her son; Paali , the drama of a young boy shared between a Muslim and a Hindu family during Partition; and Sparrow , a story of love and loss in a marriage. Among the other stories in this anthology are popular favourites like Veero , The Witch , Before Dying , Radha-Anuradha and Salma Aapa .