The stories are painful and often brutal, even as they recount tales of quiet heroism. They oblige readers to ask pertinent questions about their own history. How real were the differences between Bangla speakers and Urdu speakers? What were the emotions of a Pakistani soldier ordered to shoot unarmed women and children? Were all women helpless victims of atrocities committed on them? What was life like in the camps? Were all Bengalis brave? Were all Punjabis evil? These stories vividly portray the many aspects of 1971 and after. With an introduction by the co-editors, drawing upon their personal experiences of 1971 and suggesting the context of these writings, this anthology is essential reading for those interested in the history of this period as well as in riveting fiction.