My Top Ten Novels by Desi Writers

ShoreSaheb:

Yes, spoken Hindi and Urdu are the same languages with different scripts, the language of Munshi Prem Chand or of Bollywood.

Naqsh sahib,

(a fictionalised account of the writing of the Kamasutra )

I think the work you are referring to is the Mrichhakatika or the Little Clay Cart but I am not sure that is a novel. It is a Sanskrit Drama.

Regards

dash dot

my criteria was twofold (1) novels whose stories I enjoyed (2) PROSE style. i.e. novels WRITTEN beautifully. I am an aesthete and so beautiful language and prose is vitally important. That is also why Nadeem Aslam tops the list...

While y'all are talking about what should have been included or what should not have been left out, please to remember that this is Asif's list. Not a bad one.

I need to reread GOST. I can't remember the brother being gay. I remember molestation and incest (m'aafi for the spoilers) but. . .

Chaltahai, you liked Red Earth and Pouring Rain?

ana:

I won't read GOST a second tim. I am perhaps too conservative to enjoy a sympathetic description of incest.

it's true many desi writers have won prizes but very few have made it to the best sellers list. khalid husseini is probaly an exception.

vikram seth made it onto the bestsellers list, as has mohsin hamid and monica ali and gautam malkani etc. but bestseller doesn't always equal good novel...

husseini is an afghan...?

Naqshbandi #: "husseini is an afghan...?"

...yes he is an afghan migrant to usa, who lives in Silicon Valley - the largest afghan neighborhood in usa.......he has authored the kite runner (now a major motion picture) and a thousand splendid suns.....

kite runner is very well written and a must read......i haven't start the second one yet......he definitely has a lot of talent......i assume the best afghan writer in the english language.......

if i were to list the best writer/book from author's of south asian heritage, from each country:

- pakistan - (maps for lost lovers - nadeem aslam; head and shoulders above all pakistani writers)

- india - (an equal music - vikram seth)

- sri lanka (english patient - michael O)

- afghanistan (kite runner - khalid husseini; perhaps the only major afghani writing in english, hence head and shoulders, as well)

bulleya

i agree broadly with your list...

anyone else read kamila shamsie? she's also quite good in parts...and rather cute too :-)

Anita Desai and Jhabvala rock my world as far as Indian writers in English is concened.

Very confusing title and even more confusing list...
The category - "Novels written by desi writers" include a lot more than just the Hindi-Urdu literature. In fact - literature written in other "desi" languages is by far much more impactful (by a couple of orders of magniture at the very least) if measured by sheer numbers of readership and - obviously arguably - has accomplished much more finnesse. Take the bong or the malayali literature - and each one of them would probably have a treasure trove just as worthy as the list you have provided. Hence, the effect is something like the author promising a travel guide of Asia and then delivering a travel guide of his hotel room.

If you are interested in exploring the Desi literature - I'd suggest going for Hindi/Gujrati/Marathi (whatever your native language is) translation of them rather than the English one (yes - they are there even though a little more difficult to find). Because the languages are linked more closely than English is with any of them This works for me for all source languages except Kannada/Tamil/Telegu/Malayalam.

Best of luch on your exploration of Desi literature!