A new translation of stories by one of the best modern Hindi writers In this collection of seventeen short stories, Bhisham Sahni examines middle India--the lower middle class--not rich or famous or educated in convent schools, not cosmopolitan but urban or semi-urban. In these tightly told tales, he explores with precision of thought and expression the humanity of individuals and their places in society. The collection includes some of Sahni's best known stories: 'Dinner for the Boss', a tragi-comic tale of a man trying to please his employer and a mother's attempt to please her son, 'Paali', the drama of a young boy shared between a Muslim and a Hindu family during Partition, and 'Sparrow', a story of love and loss in a marriage. Among the other stories in this anthology are popular favourites like 'Veero', 'The Witch', 'Before Dying', 'Radha-Anuradha' and 'Salma Aapa'. The author, Bhisham Sahni, is a well known novelist and was recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award for his novel Tamas in 1976. He lives in New Delhi.