Noorilhuda's Blog - Posts Tagged "umera-ahmed"
The Great Pakistani Urdu Novel_
'Man-o-Salwa' من و سلویٰ (Manna and Quail) by Umera Ahmed, available in Urdu and English.
Thoughts: As opposed to the door-stopper-sized fiction of yore on partition, bureaucratic structure, moral or financial corruption, even violence and terrorism, or romantic ideals and unrequited love, this one feels like the Pakistan I know or believe to be so. Neither the story nor the character arcs are to be taken literally, the title itself is a misnomer (an arbitrary propulsion of morality on what is essentially human struggle for dignified success, honest relationships and authentic meaning in life - the pot of gold - whatever that means for anybody.) At the heart, it is a story of individuals who run after a mirage or charade (thinking it's their Man-o-Salwa), brimming with endless hope, either being exploited or making disastrous choices, navigating themes which are universal and timeless.
Alert: Nobody should take the garbage synopsis written on Amazon seriously - this book is NOT based on any religion, nor does it talk of any religion, and does not glorify any over the other!
Book in Urdu: http://www.urdunovels.pk/man-o-salwa-...
https://www.scribd.com/doc/248435156/...
Book in English-translation: Man-o-Salwa
TV series: HUM TV production, 2007, available online on various sites, free, without subtitles. Google it. Dynamite performances all around.
Author Link: https://www.facebook.com/umeraahmedof...
Thoughts: As opposed to the door-stopper-sized fiction of yore on partition, bureaucratic structure, moral or financial corruption, even violence and terrorism, or romantic ideals and unrequited love, this one feels like the Pakistan I know or believe to be so. Neither the story nor the character arcs are to be taken literally, the title itself is a misnomer (an arbitrary propulsion of morality on what is essentially human struggle for dignified success, honest relationships and authentic meaning in life - the pot of gold - whatever that means for anybody.) At the heart, it is a story of individuals who run after a mirage or charade (thinking it's their Man-o-Salwa), brimming with endless hope, either being exploited or making disastrous choices, navigating themes which are universal and timeless.
Alert: Nobody should take the garbage synopsis written on Amazon seriously - this book is NOT based on any religion, nor does it talk of any religion, and does not glorify any over the other!
Book in Urdu: http://www.urdunovels.pk/man-o-salwa-...
https://www.scribd.com/doc/248435156/...
Book in English-translation: Man-o-Salwa
TV series: HUM TV production, 2007, available online on various sites, free, without subtitles. Google it. Dynamite performances all around.
Author Link: https://www.facebook.com/umeraahmedof...
