The Hump and Other Selected Stories is the first collection of Abdus Samad s short fiction to be published in English. The fourteen stories, selected by the author himself, move across a wide range of voices and situations, as varied as the people they portray.

Most of the stories follow male protagonists men caught in moments of doubt, restlessness, and quiet conflict. Some grapple with anxiety, a sense of inadequacy, or self-deception; others observe the subtle ways in which people behave under pressure within families, relationships, and society. There are no dramatic turns here, only slow, often unsettling realisations.

Written with a deceptive simplicity, Samad s stories pay close attention to the inner workings of the mind as well as the social worlds his characters inhabit. They capture the unease of living up to expectations, the strain of holding things together, and the small, private struggles that rarely find expression.

This is a resonant collection that illuminates the fragile spaces between hope and loss, offering readers a quietly profound encounter with Samad s art of restraint.

About the Author: Abdus Samad stands as one of the most widely read and translated Urdu authors of his generation. His debut novel, Do Gaz Zameen (1988), is a modern classic, translated into 24 Indian languages. His other novels have garnered acclaim, with English translations including Dawn of Dreams (2001) and Lustre (2021). A retired professor of Political Science, he has earned India s highest literary honours.

About the Translator: Sanobar Hussaini is an Associate Professor of English at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. Her bibliography ranges from mechanics of language in Business Communication and Communication Skills to literary scholarship in Marsiya: Elegy to Epic. Fluent in Urdu and Persian, she brings linguistic expertise and cultural sensitivity to translating Urdu literature for English-speaking readers.