Today’s story, the 4th of January 2017 that is, was “Jelly” by Manto. No short story challenge or reading project will be complete without Manto and that’s the truth. Every short story of Manto makes you see a new facet of his personality and how his stories defined an entire generation and continue to do so. His stories perhaps will always be relevant, given the times we live in.
“Jelly” is about an ice-cream man and what happens to him when he is attacked and what happens after. It is a very short story but very fulfilling and vintage Manto is there on every word and sentence. I think the sense of loss and yet told with such candour is what makes his stories so different and readable. Read Manto now if you’ve never read him.
Of Books and Reading 