Love Sonnets of Ghalib

Rating:
Summary: love sonnetts of ghalib
Review: A real gem of gift by Mr. Niyazi to the literary lovers who can know what a master-piece of work Ghalib left behind. Commendable job by the author translating the deewan..I recommend not to rush and read like a novel but a verse a day will be a pleasure..just experience.. it

shahab

Rating:
Summary: God must have lived through Ghalib
Review: Genius incarnate, I do not have words nor thoughts to describe your poetry!!

Rating:
Summary: God lived through Ghalib
Review: Genius incarnate, I have no words, no thoughts to describe you and your poetry.

Rating:
Summary: An Boon for Ghazal lovers
Review: I highly recommend this book for all lovers of urduu poetry. It is particularly useful for serious students of the Ghazal form for whom interpreting Ghalib has always been an "issue". Not only does Dr. Niazi dwell at length on the imageries used by Ghalib, but in many cases also gives contextual references to incidents in Ghalib's life to help interpret a couplet better. Again, some couplets are understood only within a historical/social context - and Dr. Niazi provides the same in such cases. Note that each couplet is followed by a LITERAL (not idiomatic) translation and then by an elaborate explication. The explication also addresses multiple inherent interpretations if they exist. Dr. Niazi also points out, in many cases, erroneous interpretations that are in vogue.

Budding/Fledgeling poets may use this work to enhance their own understanding of symbols and idioms as used in urduu poetry (in addition to making sense out of the obscurity that is Ghalib). For established scholars this book can serve as a ready reference (or sanity check!).

Note: While the couplets are presented first in the original persian script, they are also transliterated using the roman script for the benefit of those that do not read the original.

Rating:
Summary: Great
Review: I just receieved this Book today and it looks like a life-long thing to have. All the Ghazals have been provided in Urdu for Urdu readers, in Hindi Transliterated in english with the complete english meaning. Though One I found "Hazaron khwahishen aisi" that's missing atleast 2 of the original Shers so I'm not sure if other ghazals have been abridged too?

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Compilation.
Review: I received this book today and I am immediately in love with it. This is the most comprehensive book (in English) about Ghalib's poetry that I have come across thus far.

I love the fact that every verse is provided in Urdu script, Transliterated English, and in Translated English. Then, the author delves into the metaphor and imagery at play within the verse with a healthy sprinkling of historical references. This leaves the reader with as good a grasp that one could hope to have without being a native Urdu speaker.

Since, I can read and write Urdu, this book is even more enjoyable. Ghalib's Urdu vocabulary had such a heavy Persian influence which left even his colleagues at a loss. In this book every Persian word is explained making it easy to grasp. Also, the lexicon provided within the book is simply excellent!

The only aspect of this book that leaves something to be desired is the quality of paper used. I wish that the paper was a bit heavier.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the work of this prolific and masterful poet.

I am adding the following at a later date:

Two days after I received the book, the spine broke and now the back cover is not attached to the book. I did expect this to happen because the binding of the book was not commensurate with the weight of the pages. So, before you purchase this book, bear in mind that the hardcover version can easily fall apart. Even so, I would recommend this book. It is simply wonderful.

Rating:
Summary: absolutely fantastic
Review: If you are like me-passionate about urdu poetry and shairy, but cant read urdu-this book is for you.
Ghalib, undoubtedely, is one of world's best writers ever. But everybody knows that, so lets just talk about this book.
This is indeed a labour of love. Just flipping through the pages, one can see how much hard word has gone into it. But more than that, you will realize how passionate the writer is about Ghalib and about urdu poetry. To translate and explain thousands of couplets is no mean feat. And I salute the auther for this wonderful work.
Each and every shair-couplet- of Ghalib has been given in urdu, also in roman script so that if you can speak hindi/urdu/hindustani, but cant read urdu, you can recite the couplets in original. Then he has translated it literally, in two sentences. Which is really wonderful work, and those who dont understand urdu can appreciate the beauty of ghalib's work.
But it doesn't end here, then the author goes on to explain what Ghalib meant by that couplet. Ghalib's poetry is not always forthcoming and easy to understand. It has many facets to it. A deep hidden meaning, philosophical overtures, social and political satires, historical and religious references-and most times-Ghalib's irreverence to them. And one can interpret it in many ways. The author explains in detail, going on to pages sometimes to explain one couplet. This is where the depth of author's hard work shows. I didn't always agree with him on the real or hidden meaning of some couplets-but then, that's Ghalib for you. You can take it the way you want, and the way one would interpret it would depend on that person himself.
The artwork was a bit disappointing but having said that, this book is worth its weight in gold.
I hope author is going to continue his work and give us Mir, Iqbal, Faiz-------. I for one would keep my ears close to ground and wait eagerly.

Rating:
Summary: Love Poems from East
Review: Love and poems of love are universal; how an Eastern mind presents its dilemmas of love are remarkably rendered by the most famous poet of the East--Mirza Ghalib. Beautiful Urdu calligraphy with ample English explication makes reading this poetry from a distant culture a true delight.

Rating:
Summary: Remarkable!
Review: This book is worthwhile having and probably one of the best books I have.
It is in Urdu, Roman script, English translation and there is an interpretation.
Ghalib himself writes: "For how long shall I write about the anguish of the heart? Instead, I should go and show her my wounded fingers and the blood-dripping pen."

I think this poem says it all :o)