Khushwant Singh byl předním indickým prozaikem a novinářem. Jeho týdenní sloupek „With Malice towards One and All“ patřil mezi nejčtenější v zemi. Jako důležitý postkoloniální prozaik píšící v angličtině je Singh známý svým pronikavým sekularismem, humorem a hlubokou láskou k poezii. Jeho srovnání sociálních a behaviorálních charakteristik Západu a Indů jsou protkána jízlivým vtipem.
Set against the backdrop of 90s London and 80s Punjab, the narrative unfolds the poignant love story of supermodel Shabnam Singh and her first love, Ajit, who is now struggling on the streets. As Shabnam discovers Ajit's traumatic past through his diary, the novel delves into themes of love, betrayal, and the harsh realities of drugs and extremism in India. It offers a compelling exploration of personal and historical turmoil, revealing how love can illuminate even the darkest corners of life.
Khushwant Singh, the country's foremost literary figure, serves up another volume of the finest fiction from across India.'A good read . . . engaging . . . The names live up to their reputation.' - India Today'Tremendous richness of characters on display.' - Deccan Herald'Offers much . . . to the discriminating reader.' - Deccan Chronicle'An eminently readable book . . . The range of geographical areas and social backgrounds that this selection represents are truly vast.' - The Tribune
I thought the nation was coming to an end;' wrote Khushwant Singh; looking back on the violence of Partition that he was witness to over half a century ago. He believed then; and for years afterwards; that he had seen the worst that India could do to herself. Over the last few years; however; he has had reason to feel that the worst; perhaps; is still to come. In this fierce; uncompromising book he shows us what few of us wish to see: why it is entirely likely that India will come undone in the foreseeable future. Analysing the communal violence in Gujarat in 2002; the anti-Sikh riots of 1984; the burning of Graham Staines and his children; the targeted killings by terrorists in Punjab and Kashmir; Khushwant Singh forces us to confront the absolute corruption of religion that has made us among the most brutal people on earth. He also points out that fundamentalism has less to do with religion than with politics. And communal politics; he reminds us; is only the most visible of the demons we have nurtured and let loose upon ourselves. Insurgencies in Kashmir and the North-East; caste wars in Bihar; scattered Naxalite movements; and the ghettoization of minorities are proof that our obsession with caste and regional and racial identity has also splintered the nation; perhaps beyond repair. A brave and passionate book; The End of India is a wake-up call for every citizen concerned about his or her own future; if not the nation's.
"I return to Delhi as I return to my mistress Bhagmati when I have had my fill of whoring in foreign lands."Thus begins Khushwant Singh's vast, erotic, irrelevant magnum opus on the city of Delhi. The principal narrator of the saga, which extends over six hundred years, is a bawdy, ageing reprobate who loves Delhi as much as he does the hijra whore Bhagmati - half man, half woman with sexual inventiveness and energy of both the sexes. Travelling through time, space and history to 'discover' his beloved city, the narrator meets a myriad of people-poets and princes, saints and sultans, temptresses and traitors, emperors and eunuchs - who have shaped and endowed Delhi with its very special mystique And as we accompany the narrator on his epic journey we find the city of emperors transformed and immortalized in our minds for ever.
The Indian short story is extraordinary in its ability to stick to the traditional rules of the craft and still demonstrate remarkable originality. It revolves around a limited number of characters, confines itself in time and space, and has a well-plotted narrative that drives its central theme. Within the traditional framework, however, creativity flowers and a fresh and imaginative story emerges. This volume is chock-full with such stories, written by authors well known in their regional languages as well as those who have made a name for themselves in English literary circles. Carefully selected by India's literary giant, the late Khushwant Singh, these pieces represent the best of Indian writing from around the country.
Meet the members of the Sunset Club: Pandit Preetam Sharma, Nawab Barkatullah Baig and Sardar Boota Singh. Friends for over forty years, they are now in their eighties. And every evening, at the sunset hour, they sit together on a bench in Lodhi Gardens to exchange news and views on the events of the day, talking about everything from love, lust, sex and scandal to religion and politics. As he follows a year in the lives of the three men from January 26 2009 to January 26 2010. Khushwant Singh brings his characters vibrantly to life, with his piquant portrayals of their fantasies and foibles, his unerring ear for dialogue and his genius for capturing the flavour and texture of everyday life in their households. Interwoven with this compelling human story is another chronicle of a year in the life of India, as the country goes through the cycle of seasons, the tumult of general elections, violence, natural disasters and corruption in high places. In turn ribald and lyrical, poignant and profound, The Sunset Club is a deeply moving exploration of friendship, sexuality, old age and infirmity; a joyous celebration of nature; an insightful portrait of India's paradoxes and complexities. A masterpiece from one of India's most-loved storytellers, The Sunset Club will have you in tears and laughter, and grip you from the first page to the last
I Shall Not Hear the Nightingale is a colorful and moving pageant of an ancient people about to throw off the yoke of foreign rule. Essentially, it is the story of Buta Singh, a shrewd and wily official working with the British, and of Sher Singh, his vain and ambitious son driven to rebellion against the foreign master. It is also the story of the women of the family—Champak, Sher’s beautiful wife, her wild passions bursting the bonds of century-old prohibitions, and Sabhrai, Sher’s mother, whose matriarchal strength sustains the family in its time of crisis. What happens to this family when a brutal and senseless murder sets father against son, wife against husband, is told against the background of an India torn by religious tension and fraternal strife.
This book is full of the honesty and sharp wit that is so characteristic of Khushwant Singh. It was published by Penguin India in the year 2014 and is available in hardcover and paperback.
