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tjwallace04's review
dark
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I had never heard of Saadat Hasan Manto until he was mentioned in one of my favorite books of 2023, "Hijab Butch Blues." He had an interesting life - born in British India in 1912, but he had to move to Pakistan after Partition. He died young, at 42, from alcohol poisoning. He is particularly known for his short stories about Partition, which he opposed, and for his progressive themes. He was tried for obscenity multiple times in both India and Pakistan.
This collection of short stories, like most, was a mixed bag. The stories range from comedic and absurd to devastatingly realistic and heavy. There were a few that really stood out to me like "The Last Salute" and the title story "The Dog of Tithwal," both poignant explorations of the battle for Kashmir, neighbors fighting neighbors; "The Monkey Revolt," a satiric look at what really makes humans superior to monkeys; "The Assignment," in which a Muslim family is betrayed by Sikh family friends during the violence of Partition, and "A Woman's Life," a moving story of a prostitute's experiences.
However, a lot of the stories have started to blur together in my mind. Quite a few of them are about prostitutes and pimps, which was one of the reasons that Manto was tried for obscenity so often. Several others feature Manto himself as a character, interacting with his playboy actor and writer friends, drinking too much and visiting prostitutes.
The writing is sharp, and the stories are well-shaped and entertaining, for the most part, but this collection felt kind of repetitive. The stories about Partition were definitely my favorites.
This collection of short stories, like most, was a mixed bag. The stories range from comedic and absurd to devastatingly realistic and heavy. There were a few that really stood out to me like "The Last Salute" and the title story "The Dog of Tithwal," both poignant explorations of the battle for Kashmir, neighbors fighting neighbors; "The Monkey Revolt," a satiric look at what really makes humans superior to monkeys; "The Assignment," in which a Muslim family is betrayed by Sikh family friends during the violence of Partition, and "A Woman's Life," a moving story of a prostitute's experiences.
However, a lot of the stories have started to blur together in my mind. Quite a few of them are about prostitutes and pimps, which was one of the reasons that Manto was tried for obscenity so often. Several others feature Manto himself as a character, interacting with his playboy actor and writer friends, drinking too much and visiting prostitutes.
The writing is sharp, and the stories are well-shaped and entertaining, for the most part, but this collection felt kind of repetitive. The stories about Partition were definitely my favorites.
prebeartobemoosified's review
it’s hard to read short stories in two weeks and i didnt want to keep borrowing it. I loved the ones i read, i’ll keep my eye out for more works by him in bookstores
motifenjoyer's review
3.0
I received a complimentary ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
The Dog of Tithwal is a collection of short stories by the Urdu-language writer Saadat Hasan Manto, which were translated by Khalid Hasan and Muhammed Umar Memon. Born in Punjab, Manto eventually migrated to Pakistan in the aftermath of the partition between India and Pakistan and died in Lahore. Many of the stories in the collection deal with Partition itself or broader conflict between Hindus and Muslims in India and Pakistan. In one of Manto's best-known stories, "Toba Tek Singh," a Sikh patient in an asylum in Lahore struggles to find out whether his hometown is now part of India or Pakistan.
While I enjoyed learning more about South Asia (as part of my ongoing quest to read more literature from the region), most of the stories included in The Dog of Tithwal were just okay to me. Many of them are on the shorter side for short stories, so I didn't always feel invested in the characters, and the frequently abrupt endings generally didn't work for me. I didn't think any of the stories were outright bad, but only a few of the many included really stood out to me. Manto's prose also seemed plain to me, which might be an effect of the translation. That being said, I do recommend The Dog of Tithwal for readers particularly interested in short stories and/or South Asian literature, especially in translation (which is often difficult to find in the US, I've learned!)
The Dog of Tithwal is a collection of short stories by the Urdu-language writer Saadat Hasan Manto, which were translated by Khalid Hasan and Muhammed Umar Memon. Born in Punjab, Manto eventually migrated to Pakistan in the aftermath of the partition between India and Pakistan and died in Lahore. Many of the stories in the collection deal with Partition itself or broader conflict between Hindus and Muslims in India and Pakistan. In one of Manto's best-known stories, "Toba Tek Singh," a Sikh patient in an asylum in Lahore struggles to find out whether his hometown is now part of India or Pakistan.
While I enjoyed learning more about South Asia (as part of my ongoing quest to read more literature from the region), most of the stories included in The Dog of Tithwal were just okay to me. Many of them are on the shorter side for short stories, so I didn't always feel invested in the characters, and the frequently abrupt endings generally didn't work for me. I didn't think any of the stories were outright bad, but only a few of the many included really stood out to me. Manto's prose also seemed plain to me, which might be an effect of the translation. That being said, I do recommend The Dog of Tithwal for readers particularly interested in short stories and/or South Asian literature, especially in translation (which is often difficult to find in the US, I've learned!)
zohachishti's review
3.0
the final scene, when the dog is being shot at from both sides, will live in head forever.
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