Mohan Rakesh was a towering figure in Hindi fiction and drama. More than a decade in the making, and put together in collaboration with the author, this volume makes a broad range of his work available to English listeners.

The stories here range from humorous, satirical studies of human foibles to profound, painful commentaries on the complexities of the human condition. A translation of Adhe Adhure, the play that thrust Indian drama into modernity and one of the finest ever written in Hindi, is included as well. Rounding out the book, as part of the P. S. Section, are a self-portrait and interview - rare, first-person statements by the author and among the most important critical sources for his work. This is an essential volume for anyone interested in the changing landscape of post-Independence Hindi literature.