Two and a Half Words and Other Stories

A collection of short stories by Pakistani-born writer Abbas Zaidi. Some may wonder whether or not it is possible for Pakistani writers writing in English to escape the very stereotypes that mobilize the modern perceptions of Pakistan. The world of these stories, whether Pakistan, Borneo, or Singapore may be modern, but it bubbles like a stewpot of the primitive, sometimes the downright atavistic. The crocodiles lie in wait for the Pakistani professionals lured to the river’s edge by Filipino pondans who may or may not be real women. The characters may be frequently absurd, but they are never just that, and we experience them as both ridiculous, deeply pathetic, and sometimes frightening.