Synopsis An active member of the progressive writers movement, Ahmad Nadeem Qasimi is probably one of the most admired Pakistani writers. A poet, journalist, literary critic and short story writer, he is a major figure in contemporary Urdu literature. The Resthouse is a collection of Urdu short stories depicting Qasimi’s deep roots in his culture and locale. The stories portray common men and women with their disappointments and gullibility, joys and sorrows, and bring them across as strong characters. Rendered in a naturalistic vein, the stories reveal themselves to be the work of a writer who has observed the lives of his people with the practised eye of a shrewd observer and found them worth celebrating. A volume worth collecting, for those interested in true to life fiction.