Ainee Apa to her friends and admirers, Padma Bhushan Qurratulin Hyder is one of the most outstanding name in Urdu literary circles. Though she is best known for her novel Aag ka Darya (River of Fire) she is a fantastic short story writer. Starting at the age of 11, Ainee Apa has written 12 novels and novellas and 4 short story collections. Her first short story Bi-Chuhiya (Little Miss Mouse) was published in children’s magazine and she wrote her first novel “Mayray Bhee Sanam khanay” at the age of 19. While describing her writing style, Amitav Ghosh writes that “hers is one of the most important Indian voices of the twentieth century.”

In 1989 her novel Aakhir-e-Shab ke Hamsafar (Travelers Unto the Night) brought her the honor of Jnanpith Award while in 2005, she was conferred Padma Bhushan for her contribution to Urdu literature and education. The book I am referring to is a story collection which spans from realism to the fabular, and from history to time-travel. Street Singers of Lucknow and Other Stories is a collection of stories which revolves around mercurial, identity-changing adventures. Blurb of the book says “This versatile writer takes imaginative native flight in unusual stories spanning decades, or even centuries. Her arsenal of techniques – pastiche, satire, collage – takes us to the place most important to her, the human heart in all its varied seasons”. I am looking forward to read this eminent story writer from Lucknow

Buy your copy of Street Singers of Lucknow and Other Stories from following links

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Paperback: 228 pages
Publisher: Women Unlimited (1 January 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 8188965537
ISBN-13: 978-8188965533

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