Hidden in the Lute: An Anthology of Two Centuries of Urdu Literature

Urdu is one of the major languages of the South Asian subcontinent. According to the author, it developed from tenth-century Muslim invaders of India who needed to communicate with their Indian subjects. Its basic structures, and much of its everyday vocabulary, are almost identical to those of Hindi. This translated anthology features Urdu writing: stories, sketches, literature, love poetry and the novel. It draws on the early 18th to the middle 20th century, beginning with 20th-century stories and sketches, work accessible to English readers since modern Urdu writers are influenced by western literature. The second section, on popular literature includes anonymous writings composed entirely outside of western influence. For Urdu speakers, poetry is important; much of this volume is devoted to it and the ghazal tradition. It ends with the novel, which came of age in the 19th century.