The Very Best of R. K. Narayan Timless Malgudi

by R.K. Narayan

Over a career spanning seven decades, R.K. Narayan, easily one of the most influential and important writers of India, populated the fictional town of Malgudi with a host of unforgettable Swami and his gang of friends, the Talkative Man, Raju the guide and Sampath the printer, among many others. These characters have carved out a place for themselves in popular imagination and live on, still fresh and endlessly entertaining, many decades after they first appeared.
Timeless Malgudi brings together a selection of the best and the most enduring of R.K. Narayan’s fiction and non-fiction. The Guide examines, with wit and irony, how a man becomes a godman. The story ‘A Horse and Two Goats’ describes an attempt at cross-cultural communication which goes haywire, with hilarious consequences. The excerpt from My Days, Narayan’s autobiography, paints a poignant picture of the author’s childhood while the ‘Misguided “Guide”’ is a cynical, sharply written chronicle of the making of the film Guide, based on his novel. Also included in this volume are excerpts from the travelogue My Dateless Diary and a brilliant retelling of the Tamil epic Silappadikaram.
Catering both to Narayan aficionados and to readers who have not yet been introduced to his work, Timeless Malgudi is as much a showcase of Narayan’s writing as it is a celebration of Malgudi, the town which time does not touch.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Literature, India, Classics

400 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2014

About the author

R. K. Narayan is among the best known and most widely read Indian novelists who wrote in English.

R.K. Narayan was born in Madras, South India, in 1906, and educated there and at Maharaja's College in Mysore. His first novel, Swami and Friends and its successor, The Bachelor of Arts, are both set in the enchanting fictional territory of Malgudi and are only two out of the twelve novels he based there. In 1958 Narayan's work The Guide won him the National Prize of the Indian Literary Academy, his country's highest literary honor.

In addition to his novels, Narayan has authored five collections of short stories, including A Horse and Two Goats, Malguidi Days, and Under the Banyan Tree, two travel books, two volumes of essays, a volume of memoirs, and the re-told legends Gods, Demons and Others, The Ramayana, and the Mahabharata. In 1980 he was awarded the A.C. Benson Medal by the Royal Society of Literature and in 1982 he was made an Honorary Member of the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters.

Most of Narayan's work, starting with his first novel Swami and Friends (1935), captures many Indian traits while retaining a unique identity of its own. He was sometimes compared to the American writer William Faulkner, whose novels were also grounded in a compassionate humanism and celebrated the humour and energy of ordinary life.

Narayan who lived till age of ninety-four, died in 2001. He wrote for more than fifty years, and published until he was eighty seven. He wrote fourteen novels, five volumes of short stories, a number of travelogues and collections of non-fiction, condensed versions of Indian epics in English, and the memoir My Days.

-Wikipedia & Amazon.co.uk

Reviews

[Vikas Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read for all enthusiasts of R K Narayan. This omnibus holds some of his best writings that feature the fictional town of Malgudi. You get a sense of the entire breadth of his writings. The book is a great window to understand the nuances of a small Indian town in early 40s and 50s

[S.Ach · Rating 4 out of 5]

It would be a rarity that you would read a story, a novella, an essay or a novel by R K Narayan, and would have anything other than admiration for this master story teller.

I said 'rarity', not 'impossibility', cause there have been many stern critics of his writings over the years. Shashi Tharoor for example who pointed out in one of his articles "the banality of Narayan's concerns, the narrowness of his vision, the predictability of his prose, and the shallowness of the pool of experience and vocabulary from which he drew"

I am fortunate, that when I started reading Narayan's writings or watch the televised adaptations of his stories in the series "Malgudi Days", more than two decades ago, I had not developed the critic's mindset to compare writings of different authors. For me , Narayan's stories presented my everyday world with simplicity and elegance and most often with a humourous twist in the end. I never expected anything more. Probably, that made me love Narayan, than analyze the literary merit or philosophical significance of his writings.

That love continued, as I read more of his writings over the years. The landscape of Malgudi with Swami playing cricket bunking classes remain forever fresh in reader's mind. The pathos and ethos of the Indian spirit are reflected in every character of Narayan's stories.

This compendium of Narayan's works claim to contain "The very best of R.K.Narayan". What is the best of a celebrated author's oeuvre, is always debatable and should be left to personal choice. For example, I consider "Talkative Man" is least of Narayan's works, which finds a place in this compilation. The other notable selected works include - "The Guide" (that would definitely find itself in the list of best novels in English by an Indian writer), "A Horse and Two Goats" and "An Astrologer's Day" ( these two stories present Narayan at his humorous best).


When you eat a delectable appetizer, your hunger gets multifold, isn't it? After reading this, now I have a strong craving for re-reading the stories of Malgudi Days.

[Dhruv Bhandula · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful collection of works of one of India's greatest novelist. Although the non-fiction part was much more enjoyable.

[Aravind · Rating 4 out of 5]

Timeless Malgudi is the perfect introduction for any reader who wishes to get acquainted with the brilliance of R. K. Narayan. This delectable collection comprises of samples of his fiction - both short and longer ones - and non-fiction that transport the reader to a different realm altogether. The highlights of this book are the lovely novel, "Guide", and the piece, "The Misguided Guide", about the author's experience of seeing the this simple tale getting morphed into a potboiler. Overall, I hugely enjoyed the master at work, creating memorable stories out of everyday life and the thoughts and actions of ordinary human beings.

[Anjali · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good collection of R K Narayan's stories. I particularly enjoyed Talkative Man, An Astrologer's Day and The Guide. I had read 'An Astrologer's Day' as a part of my English lesson at school and I still remember the thrill the story left in me at its final twist. These stories are attractive due to the interesting characters in them (esp. TM and Raju), immediately unreal yet not far from reality, and the smooth flow of narration. I appreciate the author's intention of keeping the stories short when the characters have nothing more to say rather than inflating them to fill pages.

[Abhishek · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have consumed a lot of R.K. Narayan over the last couple of months in various forms. This book with an apt title is a great way to appreciate him and his works, be it for somebody encountering his work for the first time or for somebody who has delighted in his works before. The book consists of a few short stories, two novels - Talkative Man and The Guide and a few essays and excerpts from his non-fiction. Overall, there is more than enough to give a good insight into the man and his writing. One of the short stories - a horse and two goats - is absolutely brilliant and The Guide, also made into a "classic" Hindi movie, is one of his most well-known works. An opinion into what makes his writing so endearing is given in an introductory essay. His works have universal appeal and I'm guessing there would be a good overlap between the opinions of various readers as to what it is that makes him tick. He is a supremely gifted storyteller. His command over the language enables him to bring alive the scene in front of your eyes. It is not that he is describing esoteric settings like a post-apocalyptic deserted wasteland, but something that's simpler and closer to the hearts of people(for an Indian, at least) - a village street, a teeming market or a river bank. He captures all the little and big things, making timeless observations about them. And he does it in a way that makes you smile. Cynicism is one word that's apparently not present in his verbal repository. He can deal with dark themes as well but does it in a way that's not too critical. In a short story(not in this collection) dealing with communal violence, he does it in a way without pulling a lot of punches, rather focussing on humanity and other universal themes like tragic irony. The Guide is another instance where he deals with socially relevant themes like patriarchy, the shackling of women and the associated lack of freedom. That might be one of my grouses against him - he should have tried to critique more societal ills. The era he wrote about (1850- 1950s) was rife with all sorts of inhuman ideas and practices.
An essay on his disappointment with the making of the film Guide, titled 'The Misguided Guide' is supremely enjoyable. He is extremely let down and exasperated with the American director, Dev Anand(the producer and the lead actor), among others. Yet he expresses his disappointment with such class, dignity, and warm humour, much like his fiction.

A truly great writer whose genial works and his beloved Malgudi will live on forever.

[$amruddhi$hruti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Riveting to know that when asked about their age, people of the mid 1930’s referred to how tall they were at the onset of a particular invasion or famine or bridge building for estimation.

My rating and thoughts on each work in the SELECTED FICTION:
An excerpt from Swami and Friends - ⅕
Talkative Man - ⅖
An Astrologer’s day - ⅘ - Quick thinking critical skill for escaping sticky situations unscathed (and sometimes maybe with even profit like here)
A horse and 2 goats - ⅗ - Whimsical misunderstanding between strangers who don’t understand each other’s languages (Connecticut Man and a tamilian native) to get what they want from each other.
Under the banyan tree - ⅘ (It is possible that the author is highlighting just how difficult the art of storytelling really is and how frustrated a story-teller may get when they lose the ability to tell a story. Also story suggests that villagers of Somal were so perpetually enchanted with Nambi the storyteller that it was easier for them to listen to Nambi telling his stories than to face the realities of living in Somal. Bizaare how Nambi still depends on villagers for food even when he had no stories to contribute further suggesting a relationship of gratitude and reverence between him and the villagers)
The guide - ⅘. Entertaining story. Can’t wait to watch and judge the film based on the book :P
The Mispaired anklet - ⅕

My rating and thoughts for each work in the SELECTED NON-FICTION:
My Days (an excerpt): an account of the writer’s childhood. - ⅗
Misguided ‘Guide’: Writers amusing experience of dealing with the filmmakers who wanted to adapt his 80k word novel into a movie - ⅘
The problem of the Indian writer: ⅗
Dateless Diary Excerpts: Writer’s travels in USA. - ⅗

[Remya Ramdas · Rating 5 out of 5]

RK Narayan is one of the greatest writers of his time.Many an afternoon has faded into evenings ,and evenings morphed into nights savouring the magic of Malgudi .The smell of grandma's ancient silks in the trunk,Swami's peccadilloes, Temple festivals,Memphi ,left an indelible impression on my memory,as if it's a life I have lived and breathed.As if I didn't just read of Malgudi .. Even now, when someone speaks of his works, I am overcome by an emotion that's reserved only for the fondest people and places,the ones who feature in your happiest memories.A 10 year old me had also looked up Malgudi on the map and was heartbroken to discover that it was not real.One of the most phenomenal English writers and undoubtedly one of the greatest of his time.Very recently an editorial on Narayan's "English Teacher" drew my attention to the absence of Malgudi on my Bookstagram..And thus this post..This book is a collection of a few short stories,2 novels and some non fiction..A gifted storyteller,Narayan captures the minutiae of the everyday life of ordinary Indians in simple ,lucid way ..Language is flowing and the prose is a delight..The stories tell of life in the 40's and 50's of an India under the British crown and a society mired in many evils..Narayan makes remarkable observations of life just like a storyteller ..An endearing collection of works which leaves you coming back for more and more.The magic of Malgudi is truly timeless.Highly , highly recommend..Not reading Narayan is missing out on a great reading treat

[Archana Devdas · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the title suggests, this book is an eclectic mix of some of the author’s finest works of fiction and non-fiction. Not all of them are full stories, for example ‘Swami and friends’, which has only an excerpt included in this book, is enjoyable in itself. It makes one want to read the full story.
‘Horse and two goats’ is a light but impactful read describing an interaction between two people from different cultures with hilarious dialogues.
‘The Guide’ is a masterpiece, describing a man’s journey through life and the repercussions of his actions. Lots of lessons to be learnt here. Set in Malgudi, the people and places described are perfectly relatable to a small town in South India, even to this day.
Later on in the same book, one comes across the non-fictional ‘Misguided Guide’ which is actually the author’s description of the process through which the same story was made into a movie. As is most often seen in movie adaptations of famous novels, here one gets to understand how movie makers audaciously change some of the most important aspects of the original story to conveniently suit their requirements, disregarding the fact that it sometimes makes the story lose its essence. In the case of ‘The Guide’, Malgudi itself became non-existent, its characters uprooted and transplanted to different places as per the movie makers wishes. It is no less than an insult to the author’s hardwork.
Overall, this collection of stories is a great read.

[Sakshi Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Very Best of R. K. Narayan: Timeless Malgudi is a rich collection that captures the charm, wit, and quiet depth of life in the fictional South Indian town of Malgudi. With his trademark simplicity and subtle humor, Narayan presents everyday characters in extraordinary ways. The collection features gems like The Guide, a novel about Raju, a tourist guide whose life takes a turn toward unexpected spiritual redemption. Another standout is A Horse and Two Goats, a short story that humorously yet insightfully explores cross-cultural miscommunication between an elderly Indian villager and an American tourist. Each story reflects human nature, irony, and small-town India with grace and affection. Narayan’s writing is timeless—gentle yet thought-provoking, making this collection a must-read for lovers of Indian literature.

[Rekulwar Shubham · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first read of RK Narayan's work. It is a collection of set of works by Narayan, including 'The Guide' (made into a film starring Dev Anand), 'Talkative man' and some of his non-fiction works.

What makes a writer the best? I think it is the ability to create a fictional world, yet it should look real to the readers. I think Malgudi is such a creation. Much more amazing is his narration style which is simple, detailed, realistic and funny that takes the reader into his world and makes events flow in front of reader's eyes. It is like we know the characters and are interacting with them.

Non-fiction part was equally interesting and funny too. The episodic events of his experiences he narrated bring smile and are enjoyable to reader even today.

[Srinivas Nidugondi · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a light read, I must confess I took much longer to complete this book. Probably I went to the end of the book because I took a pledge that I will not leave a book incomplete.

Probably because of the understanding that all stories would be on Swamy and when I realised there was only one story of Swamy and the rest were different may have added to my disappointment.
Further, I could not place R K Narayan bringing in sensual aspects into his stories - talkative man was too long and was extremely painful; similarly, the guide - for all the fame because of the movie - I was disappointed. A bit of contrived humour did not help either.

Having said that “an astrologer’s day” and “a horse and two goats” were beautiful reads apart from the story of our very own Swamy...

[Shireesh Pareek · Rating 4 out of 5]

For all the fans of Mr. R. K. Narayan, this is one book where you will find a collection of his many works including the much acclaimed Guide.
For me it was the first time that I read the distinguished author and totally loved his writing,the way he explains characters, language, simplicity of his writing and last but not the least I loved Malgudi town.
This anthology is a collection of his fiction and selected non-fiction, so people who are want to read him can start with this book.
This book made my year end on a high note.
.
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Happy reading and Happy holidays.

[Neha · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an Indian we neither read nor value as many Indian authors as we should be doing. And I say this from my own initial experience of reading.. I had not read any Indian author apart from Ruskin bond.. As a part of correcting this mistake, I finally read this one after having it on my list for years. M so glad I finally did it.. The stories are so simple yet so detailed and create a vivid image of South India.

[Trisha Ghosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enraptured in R.K Narayan's writing! I have always been a big admirer of his stories, especially the imaginary township of Malgudi where most of his characters are from.
This book is a fabulous collection of both his fiction and non-fiction works. It's an amazing read and a thoroughly enjoyable one!

[Atul Jain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sir Narayan and his imaginary town Malgudi paint a great picture about everything. The way all the stories and novels moves around Malgudi one way or another is exceptional. Not even a single story from either fictional or non fictional group should be skipped from the book. Although all stories are mindful I loved an astrologist day, a horse and two goats, the guide And the misfired anklet.

[Gopal Pathak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though 'Guide' was the mainstay of the book, but it was quite interesting to read the true story of its making to a movie. I loved reading his Dateless Diary too. A personal side of R.K.Narayan.
A must read for those who like his style of story buildup and abrupt endings (at least thats how I feel).

[Mani · Rating 5 out of 5]

His masterful writing transports you in the imagination to the land of Malgudi, where you remain stuck for as long as you linger over the pages. The best part of this book is how long it is - so you get to enjoy the magical world of these characters for so much more time.

[Vysakh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains the author's best collection except for Malgudi days, the Guide being the best and other short stories, a wonderful read remembering my childhood at always reading R. K Narayan stories in our English textbooks

[Santrupth Kumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Malgudi feels like home away from home. It gets closer to your heart after every page especially if you belong to the southern part of my country. This book is breezy and light on your mind yet gives you wonderful satisfaction to turn over the pages.

[Mr.Bhattad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mundane everyday written at its best

The beauty of reading RK is his touch of mundane everyday that is so well written that you feel part of the story. No unnecessary glorification. It is as it is.

[chinmay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book. Wish I had come across this earlier. After 2 decades, I'm a R.K. Narayan fan again :)

[Kinshuk Awasthi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good writing as expected but way too stretchy for my liking.

[Vineeth Kartha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Narayan's writting is nothing less than pure magic. Every time I read any of his writtings, I am transported to Malgudi, through the streets and the vendors on those streets.

[Swapnil Dalvi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once you start reading these stories you cannot keep the book down. You can imagine the scenes while reading . Really like " The Guide " story.

[Sudeep Pandey]

great..............

[Chandan Pathak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I am not qualified enough to give a review of such a great writer. It is a learning experience from reading his books.

[Saravanakumar Murugan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do not have words to describe this masterpiece. It's truly a masterpiece!

[Uday · Rating 4 out of 5]

a good collection of short stories and one of his best novel ' The Guide '