Journal Entry 1 by AyeshaRaees from Lahore, Punjab Pakistan on Sunday, August 14, 2011

Short stories from Pakistan. Translated from Urdu script to English. A bunch of really interesting read by really famous Urdu writers that anyone will enjoy.

This is for the bookring I am organizing to everyone to read and enjoy the Pakistani literature and culture. :)

~

RELEASE NOTES
BOOK RING
People in the book ring :

AyeshaRaees [DONE]
Ruzena [DONE]
VictoriaWagtail [DONE]
Carlienka [RECEIVED]
souram
Colombina
babelfisk
Finnchen
okyrhoe
elstaplador
mafarrimond
Simson-Shilitoe
Bibliovore
kally93
 

Journal Entry 2 by ruzena at Vantaa, Uusimaa Finland on Tuesday, October 25, 2011

The book arrived today. Thank you, AyeshaRaees!  

Journal Entry 3 by ruzena at Vantaa, Uusimaa Finland on Friday, November 25, 2011

I take short stories as slow food. I don't read them non-stop, and I often re-read a good one. So this little book has dwelt by me a whole month now.

The introduction of the anthology interestingly illuminates the post colonial literature and the challenges in translating and localizing its soul for foreign readers.
The stories make a collection of literature as good as any. These authors write well. Many of the themes are universal while the stories give interesting moments in the local atmosphere in Pakistan.

There are funny stories like Beating the Donkey (Bina Shah) in a crazy traffic jam. There are touching stories like From Brooklyn to Karachi via Amsterdam (S. Afzal Haider) where a funeral trip also is a trip to the protagonist’s thoughts, as always. There is love and betrayal in the Steppenwolf story To Be or Not To Be (Zaheda Hina). Several stories reflect consciousness of social injustice or women's situation, like Pirani (a short sad story by Jamal Abro). The Dead Traveller, by Mirza Hamid Baig, in its laconic and tragic course, is a little gem, as well as Trolley Man by M. Athar Tahir. A speciality indeed is Toba Tek Singh by Sa'adat Hassan Manto, no doubt a true story, the absurd in real life – I could never imagine India and Pakistan exchanged lunatics!
In Bitter Gourd and Mirage, I liked the personal style of the writer Talat Abbasi. Air-Conditioning by Mohsin Hamid had its message excellently formulated. - Hamid was the only author here that I already knew (The Reluctant Fundamentalist recommended!)

Thanks a lot, Ayesha! Take pride in such writing compatriots of yours. Thorough notes above are made for future need :) 

Journal Entry 4 by ruzena at By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Friday, November 25, 2011

Released 6 mos ago (11/25/2011 UTC) at By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

To VictoriaWagtail. Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 5 by VictoriaWagtail at Bagarmossen, Stockholm Sweden on Monday, December 05, 2011

The book arrived today, I'm really looking forward to read it! Thank you AyeshaRaees for organizing this ring and thanks Ruzena for sending it on to me. I also got a christmas stocking (Marimekko!) from Ruzena, THANK YOU! :D

The book also came with a brilliant bookmark of Pakistani stamps. Did you make that one Ruzena? 

Journal Entry 6 by VictoriaWagtail at Bagarmossen, Stockholm Sweden on Sunday, January 22, 2012

Some stories were good and very interesting and some not as good but as a whole I liked the book. Thanks for sharing it AyeshaRaees :)

I've got Carlienka's address allready and the book will soon continiue to travel 

Journal Entry 7 by VictoriaWagtail at Bagarmossen, Stockholm Sweden on Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Released 3 mos ago (1/31/2012 UTC) at Bagarmossen, Stockholm Sweden

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Posting today and the book will be on its way to Carlienka in Germany :) 

Journal Entry 8 by Carlienka at Manila, Rizal Philippines on Saturday, February 18, 2012

Received from Victoria Wagtail today (via Germany to the Philippines where I am currently).
Thank you! And thank you for the chocolate and the beautiful Stockholm postcard - I visited there as a child, special memory!
I will get started on this collection soon.