Of Women, Outcastes, Peasants, and Rebels: A Selection of Bengali Short Stories

Rating:
Summary: A well-edited, truly moving book
Review: Bardhan has put together an amazing collection of short stories. The writers belong to different generations and different periods in modern South Asian history, but the selection has so clear an aim that each story belongs as much in the book as the others. The translations are excellent, too. There is none of the awkwardness that one often encounters when a culture is interpreted to the world. As for the stories themselves, they describe the terrible, often chilling, near-helplessness of women and outcastes in Bengal. And yet, even in the most wretched lives, they portray hope and grim triumph. They are remarkably devoid of maudlin compassion.

Rating:
Summary: Waste
Review: I read parts of this book for a course on world literature. I foud it absolutuely impossible to read and fell asleep every time I actually tried to read it. Dhowli was the only story that I actually enjoyed.

Rating:
Summary: Short stories providing a view of the poorest in Bengal.
Review: This is an absolutely wonderful anthology of short stories; one of the best I've ever read. All are quite well written. Most of the stories are about the poorest of the poor in this area of India. While many of the stories are heart-breaking, it is not a depressing read. The title gives an accurate description of the book's focus. Some of the stories were written at the turn of the century & some more recently. Anyone who is interested in India, peasants, poor people or feminism will love this book.