REED GRASS is an account of a young destitute boy, born in a small village in British India. In an engaging and powerful narration, the author walks you through bridle-paths of farmland, narrow lanes of villages, country markets of peasants and into the life of village folk ridden with deprivation, grief and joy. He leads you through towns and cities, casting a lingering spell, as the young boy grows into a man, braving the drudgeries of his life. He experiences the travails of independence, heat of the Partition of India, and grows old, pursuing his aspirations only to discover that the erosion of human values and decay in mutual relationships, over time, has gripped the nation. It touches a new low in his own family of four sons and two daughters. Reed Grass, a deeply moving saga of a Muslim family peopled with unforgettable characters, set in pre and post independent India will linger with you long after you have turned the last page. Haris Zaman Convener - INTACH