Suman Shah

His first novel, Khadki, was published in 1987, followed by Bajbaji (1989). Salam Amarica Urfe Mari Vidyayatra (1996), a travelogue, is an account of his travel across the United States.[3]

His short stories dealt with the complexity of human lives, especially the kind that exists between a married couple, as evident in his collection Jenti - Hansa Symphony (1992). Avarshunkelub (1976), his first collection of short stories, reflected his modernist tendencies. The stories are experimental in nature with phenomenological and absurdist backdrops, although some of the stories, such as "Kakajini Bodhkatha", are notable for their mixture of experimentalism and traditional storytelling. His second collection of short stories, Jenti Hansa Symphony (1992), is a work which is considered a breakthrough in Shah's literary career. From modernist tendencies he went to adapt postmodern sensibilities with regard to world view and style. Shah noted that he became most concerned about narration and narratology. Fatfatiyun, published in 2006, further enhanced the reputation of Shah as a chief short story writer of his era. The stories stand up for the variety of themes and lighthearted treatment while dealing with social issues like an earthquake ("Cement"), rape ("Khanjar") and riots ("E.E.W"). Stories like "Two Twenty Thousand Lagi" and "Lemon Tea ane Biscuit" revolve around urban life. Kagarol Unlimited (2010), his fourth collection, is a work which marks a major departure in Shah's literary world. For the first time he gets socially concerned, breaking his own world of urban characters, mainly an upper-middle class married couple. As in the title story, he mixes fantasy with narrative to depict the harsh reality of the villagers in contemporary India and how they are impacted by political goons. Some of the stories in this collection contain his earlier characters Jenti and Hansa. In these, Shah explores the theme of writerly crisis, mainly whether to write about others' pain, as there is a lot of suffering in this world, or to write about one self, as true writing can never be done without looking into one's own self. His other collections of short stories are No Idea, Get Idea (2013) and DhisoomDhisoom (2014), which contain various themed stories like "Kanchan Thodo Giligili Chhe" (urban bisexuality), "Ae ane Territorial Birds" (suffering of migrants) and "Wolkswagon Chhokro ane Renault Duster Chhokri" (impact of market on urban sexual fantasy).[3]

Shah has worked both in theoretical and applied criticism.

He is noted in Gujarati literature for his works of theoretical criticism Sartra No Sahityavichar (1980), Sahityama Adhunikta (1988) and Anu-adhunikta Ane Apane (2008). His other works of theoretical criticism include Vivechan: Char Mudda (1975), "Navya Vivechan" Pachhi (1977), Sahityik Sanshodhan Vishe (1980), Khevna (1984), Saranchana Ne Saranchan (1986), Adhunik Gujarati Kavita Ane Sarjakchetna (1988), Sangyan (1991), Sahityik Artha No Koyado (2000), Katha-Siddhanta (2002) and Siddhante Kim? (2008). His works of applied criticism include Chandrakant Bakshi Thi Fero (1973), Suresh Joshi Thi Suresh Joshi (1978, PhD thesis), Niranjan Bhagat (1981), Umashankar: Samagra Kavitana Kavi: Ek Profile (1982), Kavi-Vivechak Eliot (1987), Kathapad (1989), Kavyapad (2002), Vishwanavalkatha (2007), Nisbatpurvak (2011), Khevnapurvak (2011) and Bhakta-Kavi Dayaramni Kavyasrushti (2012)[3]

Wait a beat, his first collection of essays, was published in 1987, followed by Byline (1990), Media-Message (1993), Vastusanchar (2005) and Sahitya Sahitya (2015).[3]

He has translated several works from English into Gujarati: Chekhov's Three Sisters as Tran Baheno (1965), Dostoyevsky's The Meek One as Vinita (1985), Beckett's Waiting for Godot as Godoni Raahma (1990), M.k Naik's History of Indian English Literature as Bharatiy Angreji Sahitya No Itihaas (1999) and Harold Pinter's A Slight Ache as Bhamri (2007). He has also translated Nisarg, a novel by Kannad writer Mirgy Anna Ray from Hindi.[3][5]

He has introduced some literary forms by editing seven books: Atmakatha (autobiography), Jivankatha (biography), Navalkatha (novel), Tunki Varta (short story), Sonnet (sonnet), Lalit Nibandh (essay) and Khandakavya (narrative poetry) published during 1983 to 1987. He edited some short story collections including Suresh Joshi Thi Satyajit Sharma (1975), Ketlik Vartao (1992), Ketlik Gujarati Tunki Vartao (1993; in collaboration with Gulabdas Broker), 1995:Ketlik Vartao (1995), Ujhani (2004; collection of stories of writers from Suresh Joshi Sahitya Forum) and Varta Re Varta (2015; Collection of 47 short stories with editorial note). His other significant works of editing include Aathma Daykani Kavita (1982), Aatmanepadi (1987; collection of interviews of Suresh Joshi) and Vansaladi (1990; collection of articles written on Dayaram's poetry).[3]