On the eve of Independence in 1947, Pakistan inherited the common and shared tradition of Urdu literature that belonged to the literary culture of the Indian sub-continent. Literature was expected to have a new direction, though it was rather early to relate literature to any undefined expectation. Saadat Hassan Manto (1912-1955) turned the painful, partition-related events into great literature. The fiction and poetry of the period that followed was largely progressive in its tone and spirit. It has not only evolved its own identity, but has also become the socio-cultural document of an era of hope and hardships.  Read on ...

 
V S Naipaul

 
Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul was awarded the 2001 Nobel Prize for Literature last month. The announcement of the award in October was received with mixed reactions – bordering almost on an East-West divide. The accolades have almost invariably come from the West, while the East has been more critical of his writing. Naipaul is one of the controversial writers of our times. His critics allege that his books on India and the Islamic World reflect insufficient understanding of the region, its people, and its spirit. He has been accused of cultural insensitivity. To others, his perceptions and what he observes seem objective, relevant and astute.