A Khushwant Singh short story is not flamboyant but modest, restrained, well-crafted?Perhaps his greatest gift as a writer is a wonderful particularity of description'?London Magazine Khushwant Singh first established his reputation as a writer through the short story. His stories?wry, poignant, erotic and, above all, human?bear testimony to Khushwant Singh's remarkable range and his ability to create an unforgettable world. Spanning over half a century, this volume contains all the short stories Khushwant Singh has ever written, including the delightfully tongue-in-cheek ?The Maharani of Chootiapuram', written in 2008. ?Khushwant's stories enthrall?[He has]an ability akin to that of Somerset Maugham?the ability to entertain intelligently'?India Today ?His stories are better than [those of] any Indian writing in English?Times of India ?The Collected Short Stories leaves the reader in a delightful, inebriated trance'?Sunday Chronicle ?He is not an ordinary short story writer?[Collected Stories] is delightful reading'?