Aphorisms of Humayun Azad

Mohammad  Shafiqul Islam's book of translation, Aphorisms of Humayun Azad appears to be almost as pithy and barbed as the famous and sometimes controversial author's Prabachanguchchha. While most of these 200 maxims were penned exclusively as aphorisms, some have been collected from his other works by Azad himself for the Bengali work. He was, of course, fearless when it came to being vocal against patriarchal society, religious fundamentalism, political corruption, and hypocrisy. Certainly, these aphorisms are dazzling examples of this trait of his personality. Islam's sense-for-sense translation does not dull the brilliance of these aphorisms; rather, it gives them a distinct edge as well as readies them for an international audience. This handsome and compact navy edition will surely enrich the collection of any book aficionado.

TS Marin teaches English at Primeasia University, Dhaka.