The Play of Dolls: Stories

Kunwar Narain's unusual short stories broke new ground and rejuvenated the genre when they appeared on the Indian literary landscape in 1971. Half a century later in vivid English translation for the first time they seem just as far-reaching: sometimes in the novelty of their insight sometimes in their transcendence sometimes in the world views they together uncover.By turns allegorical satirical poetic poignant playful and bizarre Narain's layered often deceptively simple tales unravel the existential and moral bewilderments of a society navigating the cold cruel worlds of its own creation while also allowing hope in the truly human. These bold sometimes comic often experimental and metaphysical stories weave love and otherness fantasy and history tenderness and silence leaving us both restive and redeemed at once. Review These stories are like no others written by any Hindi writer. As if conducting semi-scientific experiments Narain brings a sceptical scalpel to all kinds of characters to peel off their put-on humanesque skins and expose their beastly nature. -- The Indian ExpressRich with nuanced observations on modern life presented from multiple perspectives opening up engaging dialogues with the reader. -- The HinduThe Play of Dolls a translation of Hindi writer Kunwar Narain's short stories captures to a large extent the spare brilliance of the author's prose and his modern sensibility. -- The Wire'The Indian poet and writer Kunwar Narain described his short fiction as "a romance with reality" which perforce took many forms as any romantic enterprise invariably does when it brushes up against reality. The Play of Dolls expertly translated by John Vater and Apurva Narain is a master class in storytelling which offers readers a bewildering variety of ways to imagine anew their own romances with the world--refracted here through the lens of life in mid-century India a place of seemingly infinite possibilities and contradictions. When asked what the purpose of writing was Narain replied "Incessant discovery." The Play of Dolls teems with literary discoveries.' -- Christopher Merrill author of Self-portrait with Dogwood'Scores of enlightened readers writers and critics maintain that if at all a recent author deserved the Nobel Prize it was Kunwar Narain.' -- Vishnu Khare poet critic translator'I deliberately use the word "creations" for these stories . . . behind which Kunwar Narain's illustrious image as poet epicist critic and thinker is reflected . . . Most stories touch multiple levels of experience and feeling simultaneously . . . and conclude by gathering together or inaugurating multiple dimensions.' -- Shrilal Shukla author of Raag Darbari'. . . And his stories? He is a storywriter unique unto himself . . . these are stories abounding with deep experience and poetic wisdom . . . invaluable treasures of Hindi fiction largely overlooked so far. They deserve deep critical attention and acclaim . . . I too have imprints of his genius in my own writings like several others of my generation.' -- Uday Prakash short-story writer poet translator'For the first time Kunwar Narain's stories are accessible to a world readership with this skilful translation by John Vater and Apurva Narain. Writing in Hindi and in the pluralistic tradition of the Indian subcontinent Narain is truly a cosmopolitan writer. In the manner of some of the great writers of world literature such as Borges and Cavafy who he has translated himself he stands out as a singular and eclectic voice. By setting his language at different registers he questions its truth-value and his experimental aesthetics breaks literary frontiers. As the title of the final story in the collection "Near and Around Shapes" implies the boundaries between inner and outer worlds are constantly transformed.' -- Stephanos Stephanides author of Blue Moon in Rajasthan and