Nineteen seventy one and other stories
Subtitle: a collection of short stories
Publisher: Pathak Shamabesh
Published: 2012
Place of publication: Dhaka
Language: eng
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 97
Description: A collection of short stories set in post-independence Bangladesh--both in the bustling metropolis and the far-flung corners of the country. The stories are prized inclusion in what nowadays  is called 'Bangladeshi writing in English'. The stories have been written in Queen's English which the author has tried to creatively exploit with a view to enhancing their aesthetic.
Table of contents: title: Rashid Askari is one of the promising storytellers of our time and an emerging talent in Bangladeshi fiction in English. He is firmly committed to the spirit of our Liberation War of 1971 and the indomitable ‘Bengaliness’ of our people. His intriguingly-named collection of stories Nineteen seventy one and other stories is the quintessence of his deep rooted emotional attachment to the land and its culture and fine literary craftsmanship.; title: Askari’s stories possess the essential makings of good short fiction. He writes witty, racy stories with surprisingly serious undertones. Picking real-life events from the remote areas and the marginal people of the country and weaving them into various fictional forms are the hallmarks of his storytelling. The perplexing vagaries of the metropolitan life, however, do not escape his attention. His sure diction efficiently captures the subtle nuances of human behaviour. Though not new in a ground-breaking way, his stories are both intense and original. The overall tone of his language is gently sarcastic, although one feels a genuine compassion for the hapless men and women he describes.; title: Rashid Askari has already made a name for himself in our literary arena for his work in Bangla. This collection of gripping tales, I am sure, will add to his reputation and ensure his place in contemporary fiction written in English.; title: Reviewed by Prof. Syed Manzoorul Islam, Department of English, University of Dhaka.