Surmaee
Arif Bukhari

This collection of nearly 150 ghazals in Urdu, composed by an academic steeped in English Literature and born and raised in Kohat, is the result of a quarter of a century’s observations on life, humanity and the world around us. In his introduction to his work, the poet puts forward his opinion that surmaee — the colour grey — is not only the colour of the beginning and end of the universe, but also the colour of the soul of poetry.

Tanqeedi Girhein
Dr Arifa Subah Khan

Analysing the subject of critique, the author explores variances between Eastern and Western styles of critiquing literature. She investigates 100 years — 1912-2012 — of how Urdu adab has been evaluated in terms of meta-narrative, logocentrism, new colonialism and hyperrealism, among other elements, and how the style has evolved over time and posits her observations against those proffered by Western theorists about Western literature.

Published in Dawn, Books & Authors, April 14th, 2019