Salt & sawdust: stories and table talk

A haunting new collection of short stories from one of India’s most acclaimed writers Shashi Deshpande, in her new collection of short stories, explores a world darkened by the despair and unhappiness of women trying to break out of pre-defined roles. There is the newly married protagonist of the title story, whose self-respect and sense of self are violated by her crass and insensitive husband; the wife who finds herself involved in an affair because of her husband’s indifference; the mother who tries to forge a relationship with a hostile daughter. These and other stories in this collection serve to reaffirm Shashi Deshpande in her reputation as a writer of acuity and compassion.