Book excerpt: The classic, heart-touching story of unrequited love of a man's fall from grace and his tragic end offers an insightful and compassionate portral of men and women in love. Devdas, written in early decades of the twentieth century, still captivates readers, and has been filmed several times - a testament to endurance and class. One of Sarat Chandra Chatterjee's finest novels, it reveals the best there is in Indian romantic literature. The abridged translation of Devdas, Srikanta and six of Sarat Chandra's short stories brings to English readers a careful selection of writer's best.