Malgudi Days
Author: R.K. Narayan
ISBN: 9780143039655
Publisher: Penguin Classics (UK) 2006
Introducing this collection of stories, R. K. Narayan describes how in India 'the writer has only to look out of the window to pick up a character and thereby a story'. Malgudi Days is the marvellous result. Here Narayan portrays an astrologer, a snake-charmer, a postman, a vendor of pies and chappatis - all kinds of people, drawn in full colour and endearing domestic detail. And under his magician's touch the whole imaginary city of Malgudi springs to life, revealing the essence of India and of human experience.
This book is ranked number 11 in the Global Reads list
Recommended by:
Jeffrey Archer
When I was in India on a book tour in 2008, the Indian Times correspondent told me not to bother with all the sacred cows of Indian literature, and we all know who she meant by those, but to read R K Narayan. He is a genius. I only discovered him that year, but now have probably read everything he has ever written. He is known over here only by the minority, but his simple, atmospheric tales of everyday Indian life and its people, are sheer magic. When people ask me to recommend a writer, I say look at their short stories, and then you can decide whether you like the author enough to read their novels.
