The Crooked Line

November 15, 2006
A significant Urdu writer of the 20th century who was also active in politics, Chughtai was best known for her controversial short story, "The Quilt" (1942), and wrote plays and screenplays as well. Sparingly autobiographical, this work is set in her native British colonial India (called by the more common Urdu term, Hindustan) and follows the life of a middle-class Muslim girl named Shamman, from her earliest years through her mid-twenties. Told from Shamman's perspective, the narrative is at first impressionistic and slow-going. As Shamman grows up, attends college, and becomes a teacher, her inner conflicts regarding her sexuality as well as the societal struggles she becomes embroiled in draw readers into the world of Hindustan in the early years of World War II. The translation reads well, and the book includes a glossary of Urdu and Hindi terms used in the text. Recommended for public and academic collections with an interest or focus on South Asian or feminist literature.Martin R. Kalfatovic, Smithsonian Inst. Libs., Washington, DC

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