Published to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Bangladeshs Independence, the twentyseven stories in this collection feature the finest short fiction from the nation—since before it achieved independence in 1971 to the present day. Here, readers will find all the greats of Bangladeshi literature: in Kazi Nazrul Islams timeless masterpiece, 'The Demoness, a womans fury is unleashed when she learns that her husband is getting married again; 'The Raincoat by Akhtaruzzaman Elias brings to life the traumatic effect of war on ordinary people; Shawkat Alis 'The Final Resting Place is concerned with love, grief, and the human capacity for recovery; in Hasan Azizul Huqs 'Nameless and Casteless, an unnamed protagonist accidentally witnesses the hidden horrors of war; and Anwara Syed Haqs 'Pagli is a sharp commentary on madness and trauma. Exceptional in subject, theme, and style, these and the other stories in The Demoness reveal an extraordinary picture of a land and its people.