| R K NARAYAN - ONE OF INDIA'S FINEST The Guide R. K. Narayan has the gift of story telling. This is perhaps his best book. Everything is there: adventure, exotism, even touches of erotism (but you have to read between the lines) and it is funny and touching. After reading this book, I bought a few more by him. I enjoyed 'A Tiger For Malgudi'. Narayan is a great writer. No wonder Graham Greene held him in such high esteem. A Town Called Malgudi In a writing career spanning seven decades, R.K. Narayan enthralled and entertained generations of readers with his deftly etched characters, his uniquely stylized language and his wry sense of humour. A storyteller par excellence, Narayan’s greatest achievement perhaps lies in creating and peopling the imagined landscapes of a town called Malgudi, located somewhere in South India, which has come alive in story after story in such a way that it has now become a part of modern Indian folklore. This collection brings between two covers some of the most memorable fiction that has emerged from R.K. Narayan’s pen. It contains The Man-eater of Malgudi, which tells the story of Nataraj, owner of a small printing press, and his houseguest Vasu, a taxidermist, who moves into Nataraj’s attic with a menagerie of dead animals. There is also Talkative Man, a novella that starts off with the arrival on the Delhi train of a stranger in a blue suit who takes up residence in the station waiting room and refuses to budge. Also included here are some of the most popular and striking short stories Narayan has written: from the celebrated ‘A Horse and Two Goats’ and ‘Salt and Sawdust’ to gems like ‘An Astrologer’s Day’, ‘The Shelter’ and ‘Under the Banyan Tree’. Encapsulating the very best of R.K. Narayan’s remarkable output, this is a fitting tribute to one of the greatest modern writers in the English language. The Painter of Signs One of Narayan's most imaginative works; it speaks of human agency and feminism. Its aimless male protagonist becomes infatuated with a visionary career woman; she alone infuses meaning into his tepid life. The novel is short and easy to read by design (perhaps)- it leaves its reader unsatisfied and begging for more. My favorite Narayan novel so far The Financial Expert If you haven't yet discovered the pleasures of R.K. Narayan, I highly recommend The Financial Expert. It is nothing less than a classic. Superbly written, with humorously human characters and a well observed story. We follow the successes and of Margayya, the "financial expert" who lives in Narayan's fictional Malgudi. His story is amusing and entertaining. Narayan is a wonderful writer. Enjoy. In The Financial Expert, R. K. Narayan once again transports readers to the southern Indian town of Malgudi. This story centers around the life and pursuits of Margayya, a man of many hopes but few resources, who spends his time under the banyan tree offering expert financial advice to those willing to pay for his knowledge. Margayya's rags-to-riches story brings forth the rich imagery of Indian life with the absorbing details and vivid storytelling that are Narayan's trademarks. The Dark Room I was so overcome by this book. This is the first works I have read by Narayan and I was thoroughly pleased. What makes it so well written is the reality with which Narayan captures the culture of India and defines the roles that governed marriages in the 1930's. I must admit he is not too far off base in depicting marriage arrangements and the struggles of women in the 21st century. At times I was disappointed with its realism, the speech, the actions of the characters. It was all too familiar. A powerful and honest portrayal of how husbands and wives act in marriage. Swami and Friends An excellent presentation of child hood. The fictional autobiography of swamy, the little lovable mischievous boy from a small south indian villege is a true depiction of every Indian boy of his times. I was born after more than 30 years since it was written still my child hood has resemblences in lot of places whether it be trying to escape from teachers in last benches or playing cricket or loosing friends like rajam. Presented in a lucid and lyrical fashion, this book can be finished nonstop. This is a book of children for the elders. Not many great works of this kind could be referred by me so far. Tomswayer of Mark Twain in English, Seryosha of Vera Panova in Russian and Budugu of Mullapudi Venkata Ramana in Telugu(a shouth indian language) are few of similar brilliant works I read so far. HOME NEXT PREVIOUS saslekh@yahoo.com |
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