Readings

Below are the reading assignments, listed by session. See the Calendar page for more details on topics discussed in class.

SES # TOPICS READINGS
2 Partition

Manto, Saadat H. Selected Stories. Translated by Khalid Hasan. Penguin Global, 2008, pp. 474–86 and 517–24. ISBN: 9780143102182.

Pritam, A. The Skeleton. Translated by Khushwant Singh. Oriental University Press, 1987, pp. 1–50. ISBN: 9780746500798.
3 Sexuality and Gender

Chughtai, I. The Quilt and Other Stories. Translated by Tahiri Naqvi and Syeda Hameed. The Sheep Meadow Press, 1994, pp. 5–13. ISBN: 9781878818348.

Kesavan, M. Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4 in The Ugliness of the Indian Male and Other Propositions. Permanent Black, 2008. ISBN: 9788178242064.
4 Modernity Chattopadhyay, S. Devdas and Other Stories. Translated and edited by V. S. Naravane. Lotus Collection, 1996, pp. 31–78. ISBN: 9788174360304.
5 From Courtesans to Bar Girls Narayan, R., and M. Gorra. The Guide: A Novel. Penguin Classics, 2006. ISBN: 9780143039648.
7 History and Memory

Thapar, R. "In Defence of History." Lecture delivered at Thiruvananthapuram, 2002.

Ramanujan, A. "Three Hundred Ramayanas: Five Examples and Three Thoughts on Translation." Chapter 2 in Many Ramayanas: The Diversity of a Narrative Tradition in South Asia. Edited by P. Richman. University of California Press, 1991. ISBN: 9780520075894.
8 Lost in Translation Bhagat, C. 2 States: The Story of My Marriage. Rupa & Co., 2009. ISBN: 9788129115300.
10 Stories from India, A Traveler's Literary Companion: North India

Choudhury, C. India: A Traveler's Literary Companion. Whereabouts Press, 2010. ISBN: 9781883513245.

  • Rushdie, S. "The Prophet's Hair."
  • Hyder, Q. "The Sound of Falling Leaves."
  • Basu, K. "The Accountant."
11 Stories (cont.): Rural India

Choudhury, C. India: A Traveler's Literary Companion. Whereabouts Press, 2010. ISBN: 9781883513245.

  • Dai, M. "The Scent of Orange Blossom."
  • Renu, P. "Panchlight."
  • Senapati, F. "Asura Pond."
  • Mansuri, N. "The Whale."

Deb, Siddhartha. The Beautiful and the Damned: A Portrait of the New India. Faber & Faber, 2011, pp. 207–49. ISBN: 9780865478626.
12 Stories (cont.): Urban India

Choudhury, C. India: A Traveler's Literary Companion. Whereabouts Press, 2010. ISBN: 9781883513245.

  • Bandhopadhyay, B. "Canvasser Krishnanlal."
  • Chandra, V. "Ganesh Gaitonde Sells His Gold."
  • Hasan, A. "Eye in the Sky."
13 Stories (cont.): South India

Choudhury, C. India: A Traveler's Literary Companion. Whereabouts Press, 2010. ISBN: 9781883513245.

  • Kaikini, J. "Dots and Lines."
  • Antherjanam, L. "In the Moonlight."
  • Hariharan, G. "Halfway Animals."