The object of this text is to trace the development of Urdu literature from the earliest time to the 21st century. It contains biographical sketches of writers and critical appreciations of their work. An effort has been made to illustrate the relationships between the writers and their different schools and movements. The book also pays attention to the historical contexts in which each writer lived and worked, as it places emphasis on the ideas and tendencies that dominated each age. The main aim of this work has been to supply a textbook on the modern principles, criticism and interpretation of Urdu literature to an English reading public.