R. K. Narayan

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.” Composed of powerful, magical portraits of all kinds of people, and comprising stories written over almost forty years, Malgudi Days presents Narayan’s imaginary city in full color, revealing the essence of India and of human experience. This edition includes an introduction by Pulitzer Prize- winning author Jhumpa Lahiri.

Malgudi Days

Amanda

A venerable tiger, old and toothless now, looks back over his life from cubhood and early days roaming wild in the Indian jungle. Trapped into a miserable circus career as 'Raja the magnificent', he is then sold into films (co-starring with a beefy Tarzan in a leopard skin) until, finding the human world too brutish and bewildering, he makes a dramatic bid for freedom. R.K. Narayan's story combines Hindu mysticism with ripe Malgudi comedy, viewing human absurdities through the eyes of a wild animal and revealing how, quite unexpectedly, Raja finds sweet companionship and peace.

A Tiger for Malgudi

Deepika Ramesh

Just when I was whimpering about my inability to read more books this year, something pushed me to start reading 'A Tiger for Malgudi', which I bought in last year's annual book exhibition. After almost a year of hibernation in my wardrobe, the tiger Raja chose to befriend me. :)

I'm a big fan of R.K. Narayan and who wouldn't like the poignant stories of 'Malgudi Days'. 'A Tiger for Malgudi' is the second book that I read of R.K. Narayan and I must say that he didn't cheat me. He has now made me ask for more of him. The ecstasy and the big-sigh moment that I experienced while reading 'Malgudi Days', grew upon me when I read 'A Tiger for Malgudi' too. I love animals and philosophy and this book gave me the pleasure of learning more about both in around 170 pages. 

One might think that I have overrated this book. But I couldn't give anything less than five for this marvellous tale that was gripping and insightful at the same time. And you have to forgive me, because at the end of the day, I'm an animal lover. Any book that's got animal in it and if it's a touching and beautiful story, it will certainly be given high rating by me. It's a word of caution to you! 

Even if you aren't an animal lover, give it a shot for this has so much philosophy to offer. Lose yourself in the thought-provoking dialogues that are written in the simplest form, which, in my opinion, can only be penned by R.K. Narayan.

On a rainy day, I finished reading this book at work. And on the same day I realised that this book did some inexplicable magic to the soul and mind! It could have been the rain that played with the mind! But I think it was just the word of R.K.Narayan that piqued my emotions and made me feel better. 

And finally, I'm even more thankful to the book for I was suffering from readers' block for around six months and 'A Tiger for Malgudi' came as the best cure. I closed the book and I found it hard to realise that I don't live along with Raja and the Master in the woods. I have a life that I have to carry on and there is a wicked world that needs my existence. I refuse to claim a piece of my heart that I left with Raja and the Master! Sigh! If I couldn't forget Attila, the dog that appeared in 'Malgudi Days', I can't stop thinking of Raja, the tiger, the protagonist of 'A Tiger for Malgudi'. 

The book has myriad of brilliant dialogues. But I would love to quote this one, which represents my mindset too. "Man in his smugness never imagines for a moment that other creatures may also possess ego, values, outlook, and the ability to communicate, though they may be incapable of audibe speech. Man assumes he is all-important, that all else in creation exists only for his sport, amusement, comfort, or nourishment." 

'A Tiger for Malgudi' has it all to season your brain and soul!

Zee Abbas 

1. The Doctor's Word
2. Fellow-Feeling
3. Iswaran *
4. The Snake Song
5. Out of Business 
6. Lawley Road *
7. The Martyr's Corner 
8. A Shadow
9. Mother and Son *

Just a few constants

This was a lovely experience. These stories made me think and were so vivid in my mind. Every character was complex and complicated, I was unsure if I should love or dislike them. I loved how Narayan can create characters and an atmosphere with so few pages. My favorite stories were The Snake-Song, Forty-five a Month, The Axe, A Willing Slave, Leela's Friend, Naga, Cat Within, God and the Cobbler, and Hungry Child.

Ajit Panigrahi

Anirudh r

Ivy Vatsala

Gayathri Jinesh

Hrishikesh Bhaskaran

Aditi

Kinjalk Bajpai

Aditi Verma

Charlotte 

rida

Rishabh

Puneeth Uttla

Four gems, with new introductions, mark acclaimed Indian writer R. K. Narayan's centennial 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." Composed of powerful, magical portraits of all kinds of people, and comprising stories written over almost forty years, Malgudi Days presents Narayan's imaginary city in full color, revealing the essence of India and of human experience. This edition includes an introduction by Pulitzer Prize- winning author Jhumpa Lahiri. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Malgudi Days

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