A Life in Urdu

This book brings together writings by Ralph Russell, the eminent twentieth-century Urdu scholar, which illuminates his life-long engagement with Urdu speakers and their literature. Written in his lively, accessible style, it provides a unique introduction for those new to Urdu literature, and unusual insights for those familiar with it. Part 1 is autobiographical, describing how he first came in contact with Urdu speakers when conscripted into the Indian Army during World War II; and later encounters, which portray his warm character and his interest in people. Part 2 comprises essays on key figures in Urdu literature, reflecting his personal interests. Poets of the eighteenth and nineteenth-centuries, early novelists, popular literature, and memoirs by remarkable women. Russell is best known as an authority on Ghalib, and one essay describes his approach to translating Ghalib's ghazals. Part 3 has essays on language and literary history, characterized by his combination of meticulous scholarship with a broad understanding of social and political contexts. The Foreword by Marion Molteno, his student and editor, and now his literary executor, introduces readers to his life and work. The Afterword brings together appreciations by some of the hundreds of people who were influenced by him.