Weary Generations by Abdullah Hussein
Published ahead of Paul Scott's Raj Quartet and long before Midnight's Children, Abdullah Hussein's ambitious saga of social struggle The Weary Generations was a bestseller in Urdu. Published in 1963 and now beyond its 40th edition, it has never been out of print. A vivid depiction of the widespread disillusionment and seismic upheavals of the Partition era that lead to the creation of Pakistan and Bangladesh, there has never been a more opportune time to discover one of the most important writings about the post-colonial trauma in the region. Naim, son of a peasant, marries Azra, the daughter of a rich landowner. Fighting for the British during World War I he loses an arm. Invalided home, he becomes angered at the subjugation of his countrymen under the Raj and aligns himself with the opposition. His ideals are swept away after Independence in 1947 when he realizes that, as Muslims, his family is no longer safe in their Indian home and that they must migrate to the newly created Pakistan. Regarded as one of the half-dozen most influential novels dealing with Partition or post-colonial malaise, this is an immensely powerful novel in its own right and is essential reading for English language readers seeking to comprehend the historical origins of the tensions in the Indian subcontinent.
Abdullah Hussein (1931-2015) was born Mohammad Khan in rural Punjab, Pakistan. Hussein wrote under a borrowed nom-de-plume to avoid confusion with his namesake, the celebrated humorist Colonel Muhammad Khan. In 1964, and after five years of composition, during which time he worked at a chemical factory, Hussein shot to fame with the publication of Udaas Naslain, a rare Urdu masterpiece. The novel became a classic of Partition literature, and won the prestigious Adamjee Award in 1963 - then Pakistan's highest literary award. He died in 2015.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780720611878 |
| ISBN 10 | 0720611873 |
| Title | Weary Generations |
| Author | Abdullah Hussein |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Peter Owen Publishers |
| Year published | 2003-06-01 |
| Number of pages | 334 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |