What do you think?
Rate this book
Left from the Nameless Shop
A boy communes with the gods by talking to a pillar. The hibiscus girl has her head in the clouds and feet gently planted in her husband s home. Two women, married to the same man, find a strange camaraderie binding them together. The whole town gathers to save the friendly neighbourhood shopkeeper s ice cream from spoiling in the heat. Short-tempered Seshadri hides a terrible shame in his outbursts. A grandfather passes on the magic of self-belief to his grandson. Reminiscent of Malgudi Days, Adithi Rao s debut Left from the Nameless Shop is a charming collection of interconnected stories set in the 1980s featuring the residents of Rudrapura, a small, fictitious town in Karnataka. This is a place bubbling with energy and the sense of community one you probably lived in and loved while growing up. These are stories of the life you have left behind. One that you hope to return to.
328 pages, Paperback
Published January 10, 2019
2 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 3, 2020
Reading "Left From the Nameless Shop" is like entering a friend's house and being introduced to a few acquaintances. You stay there for a while, and very soon the acquaintances turn into friends with whom you can crack an inside joke or have comfortable conversations about anything. Finally, when you leave it's like you have gained a family.
Adithi Rao's prose hugs you in that familiar way when she explores love in all its forms. There is the love for one's art (Devendrappa), friendship (all the people who help out Narayanamma during a difficult situation), a mother's love (Narayanamma and Srikanth), grandfatherly love (Dr Bhaskara and his granddaughter), spiritual love (Raghuvir and Goddess Parvati), and poignantly unfulfilled romantic love (Tessie's story).
Through all these interconnected stories, there is a strong sense of community. As with a small town, everyone knows everyone and everything. But the lack of privacy here is heartwarming. There's respect, honesty, and a deep acceptance of people the way they are. There's a strong bonding because of that where each one is confident of having support during times of crisis.
No, not everything is saccharine sweet. Rao infuses different shades into most of her characters making them more human. They are flawed, they have failings and that makes them more interesting. There is domestic politics, family secrets, and other small things that balance out the otherwise feel-good atmosphere.
The only problem I have with the book is the heavy handed use of Kannada dialogues, entire sentences, without translation. It wasn't a problem for me as I can follow the language perfectly well. But due to the language barrier, the majority of the readers might struggle to get into the skin of the novel entirely.
Barring this, "Left From the Nameless Shop" is a delightful, nostalgia-fuelled read.
Adithi Rao's prose hugs you in that familiar way when she explores love in all its forms. There is the love for one's art (Devendrappa), friendship (all the people who help out Narayanamma during a difficult situation), a mother's love (Narayanamma and Srikanth), grandfatherly love (Dr Bhaskara and his granddaughter), spiritual love (Raghuvir and Goddess Parvati), and poignantly unfulfilled romantic love (Tessie's story).
Through all these interconnected stories, there is a strong sense of community. As with a small town, everyone knows everyone and everything. But the lack of privacy here is heartwarming. There's respect, honesty, and a deep acceptance of people the way they are. There's a strong bonding because of that where each one is confident of having support during times of crisis.
No, not everything is saccharine sweet. Rao infuses different shades into most of her characters making them more human. They are flawed, they have failings and that makes them more interesting. There is domestic politics, family secrets, and other small things that balance out the otherwise feel-good atmosphere.
The only problem I have with the book is the heavy handed use of Kannada dialogues, entire sentences, without translation. It wasn't a problem for me as I can follow the language perfectly well. But due to the language barrier, the majority of the readers might struggle to get into the skin of the novel entirely.
Barring this, "Left From the Nameless Shop" is a delightful, nostalgia-fuelled read.
February 16, 2019
The town of Rudrapura is full of interesting events and people who have big hearts. ‘Left from the Nameless Shop’ is a series of interconnected short stories based on the people living in this town. These people are always available for each other at a moments notice.
The stories are about small events, like saving an ice cream shop or finding one’s life partner, or a haircut etc. Each story gives us a set of characters, diverse and flawed, genuine and real. The small town atmosphere prevails throughout the book.
The writing, however, is a different sort of an issue. It is extremely difficult to get into the book initially. But once we know what we can expect it geta a tad bit easy. A lot of words are irrelevant and don’t help the stories in any way. But these stories are for entertainment purposes and one shouldn’t expect any sort of moral or poetic ending.
Another feature of this book that I found extremely strange is the use of fluent Kannada language without any English subtitles. It might be easy for someone who knows the language to navigate through the stories, but for someone who knows nothing of these languages, the dialogues feel like a burden.
‘Left from the Nameless Shop’ takes us to a small town full of stories and gossip, and a lot of love and support among its residents. An entertaining read which could have been refined a bit more.
The stories are about small events, like saving an ice cream shop or finding one’s life partner, or a haircut etc. Each story gives us a set of characters, diverse and flawed, genuine and real. The small town atmosphere prevails throughout the book.
The writing, however, is a different sort of an issue. It is extremely difficult to get into the book initially. But once we know what we can expect it geta a tad bit easy. A lot of words are irrelevant and don’t help the stories in any way. But these stories are for entertainment purposes and one shouldn’t expect any sort of moral or poetic ending.
Another feature of this book that I found extremely strange is the use of fluent Kannada language without any English subtitles. It might be easy for someone who knows the language to navigate through the stories, but for someone who knows nothing of these languages, the dialogues feel like a burden.
‘Left from the Nameless Shop’ takes us to a small town full of stories and gossip, and a lot of love and support among its residents. An entertaining read which could have been refined a bit more.
January 14, 2020
A talented poster painter, Devendrappa, who breathes life into inanimate objects through his brush. The whole town gathers to save the friendly neighborhood shopkeeper's ice cream from spoiling in the heat. The 'hibiscus girl' has her head in the clouds and feet gently planted in her husband's home. A boy communes with the gods by talking to a pillar. Anthony finds happiness while being the barber of the same family for three generations. Short-tempered Seshadri hides a terrible shame in his outbursts. Two women, married to the same man, find a strange camaraderie binding them together. A grandfather passes on the magic of self-belief to his grandson. ❤️
Adithi Rao's debut 'Left from the Nameless Shop' is a beautiful collection of 13 interconnected stories set in 1980 featuring the residents of Rudrapura, a small, fictitious town in Karnataka. This is a place bubbling with energy and the sense of community - one you probably lived in and loved while growing up. These are stories of the life you have left behind. One that you hope to return to.
In a world overdosing on speed and size, Adithi draws us into the endearing lives of simple folk with human-sized goals in a community-sized world. These stories are emotionally gripping, beautifully written and smartly intertwined with one another. The characters are realistic, flawed, struggling against their own odds and yet discovering the taste of life in the spurts of little joys. They subtly deliver crucial lessons of life. The smell, taste and vibrant colors of their lives are incredibly depicted throughout the book.
When you start reading this book, you just want to devour it quickly but at the same time you want to stay in that world as long as possible. If you're looking for the nostalgia of Malgudi Days, then definitely pick this up ASAP and you won't regret it for a moment. These are the stories that will touch you deep. It's a book like no other and I'm not kidding. I highly recommend it to everyone.
Adithi Rao's debut 'Left from the Nameless Shop' is a beautiful collection of 13 interconnected stories set in 1980 featuring the residents of Rudrapura, a small, fictitious town in Karnataka. This is a place bubbling with energy and the sense of community - one you probably lived in and loved while growing up. These are stories of the life you have left behind. One that you hope to return to.
In a world overdosing on speed and size, Adithi draws us into the endearing lives of simple folk with human-sized goals in a community-sized world. These stories are emotionally gripping, beautifully written and smartly intertwined with one another. The characters are realistic, flawed, struggling against their own odds and yet discovering the taste of life in the spurts of little joys. They subtly deliver crucial lessons of life. The smell, taste and vibrant colors of their lives are incredibly depicted throughout the book.
When you start reading this book, you just want to devour it quickly but at the same time you want to stay in that world as long as possible. If you're looking for the nostalgia of Malgudi Days, then definitely pick this up ASAP and you won't regret it for a moment. These are the stories that will touch you deep. It's a book like no other and I'm not kidding. I highly recommend it to everyone.
February 19, 2019
The town of Rudrapura is full of interesting events and people who have big hearts. ‘Left from the Nameless Shop’ is a series of interconnected short stories based on the people living in this town. These people are always available for each other at a moments notice.
The stories are about small events, like saving an ice cream shop or finding one’s life partner, or a haircut etc. Each story gives us a set of characters, diverse and flawed, genuine and real. The small town atmosphere prevails throughout the book.
The writing, however, is a different sort of an issue. It is extremely difficult to get into the book initially. But once we know what we can expect it geta a tad bit easy. A lot of words are irrelevant and don’t help the stories in any way. But these stories are for entertainment purposes and one shouldn’t expect any sort of moral or poetic ending.
Another feature of this book that I found extremely strange is the use of fluent Kannada language without any English subtitles. It might be easy for someone who knows the language to navigate through the stories, but for someone who knows nothing of these languages, the dialogues feel like a burden.
‘Left from the Nameless Shop’ takes us to a small town full of stories and gossip, and a lot of love and support among its residents. An entertaining read which could have been refined a bit more.
The stories are about small events, like saving an ice cream shop or finding one’s life partner, or a haircut etc. Each story gives us a set of characters, diverse and flawed, genuine and real. The small town atmosphere prevails throughout the book.
The writing, however, is a different sort of an issue. It is extremely difficult to get into the book initially. But once we know what we can expect it geta a tad bit easy. A lot of words are irrelevant and don’t help the stories in any way. But these stories are for entertainment purposes and one shouldn’t expect any sort of moral or poetic ending.
Another feature of this book that I found extremely strange is the use of fluent Kannada language without any English subtitles. It might be easy for someone who knows the language to navigate through the stories, but for someone who knows nothing of these languages, the dialogues feel like a burden.
‘Left from the Nameless Shop’ takes us to a small town full of stories and gossip, and a lot of love and support among its residents. An entertaining read which could have been refined a bit more.
February 22, 2019
Adithi Rao’s book Left from the Nameless Shop is infused with the fragrance of Small-Town of the 1980s. This is a Collection of interconnected short stories set in Rudrapura, the fictitious small town of Karnataka.
Review
The cover of her book of short stories is garnished with the very color of the era, that was more humane. The Town people were not just individual, they were a community. Their lives were more connected and interdepended on each other than in today’s virtual world of WhatsApp and Facebook.
“These are stories of the life you have left behind. One that you hope to return to.”
The stories speak of the life, love, pain, struggles, and death of each eclectic character. You take your own time reading them, savoring each tale slowly, because you don’t want to rush and ruin the charm it holds over you.
The tales of the life of the fictitious town of Rudrapura is heartwarming. Moves you to the core of your heart. Eliciting emotions deep within you.
Language & Narration
Language is key here. Adithi is a minimalist, chiseling her prose into its essence. Adithi’s narrative is compelling, poetic yet simple – at once intimate and beautiful. It is as though I was there with the characters, living every minute of their life. The mix of emotions in Adithi’s writing is extraordinary.
The stories in the book reminisce you of Malgudi Days, that is because the Author Adithi was inspired by Shankar Nag’s beautiful televised rendition of Malgudi Days. Readers can see the very essence Adithi’s growing up years with her very large joint family to the 1980s Bangalore in this collection of short stories.
I loved each and every story of the book ‘Left from the Nameless Shop’, from the first story about Devendrappa to the last story of water harvesting. It teaches you a lesson in humility. This book has earned more than 5 stars and a place on the Re-read section of Bookshelf.
My Rating: 5/5 stars
Review
The cover of her book of short stories is garnished with the very color of the era, that was more humane. The Town people were not just individual, they were a community. Their lives were more connected and interdepended on each other than in today’s virtual world of WhatsApp and Facebook.
“These are stories of the life you have left behind. One that you hope to return to.”
The stories speak of the life, love, pain, struggles, and death of each eclectic character. You take your own time reading them, savoring each tale slowly, because you don’t want to rush and ruin the charm it holds over you.
The tales of the life of the fictitious town of Rudrapura is heartwarming. Moves you to the core of your heart. Eliciting emotions deep within you.
Language & Narration
Language is key here. Adithi is a minimalist, chiseling her prose into its essence. Adithi’s narrative is compelling, poetic yet simple – at once intimate and beautiful. It is as though I was there with the characters, living every minute of their life. The mix of emotions in Adithi’s writing is extraordinary.
The stories in the book reminisce you of Malgudi Days, that is because the Author Adithi was inspired by Shankar Nag’s beautiful televised rendition of Malgudi Days. Readers can see the very essence Adithi’s growing up years with her very large joint family to the 1980s Bangalore in this collection of short stories.
I loved each and every story of the book ‘Left from the Nameless Shop’, from the first story about Devendrappa to the last story of water harvesting. It teaches you a lesson in humility. This book has earned more than 5 stars and a place on the Re-read section of Bookshelf.
My Rating: 5/5 stars
March 14, 2019
A heartwarming collection of short stories about the residents of small town Rudrapura of Karnataka. The innovative enterprising Narayani ,the handsome learned priest Raghuvir,magical Dr.Bhaskara who has a way with all living things,talented Devendrappa who breathes life into inanimate objects through his brush, the experienced retired mechanic and many others form the large family of the quiet town where everyone knows everyone else and helps pours in from unexpected quarters too during crisis. A string of connectivity runs through all the independent tales.The town stirs into action after the germ of an revolutionary idea infect the minds of enthusiastic children who in turn acts as a great vector.
Narrated in a simple language peppered with bits of colloquial language,the initial tale starts with little hiccups which later on turns charms the reader with their naturalness and grounded characters. The characters skillfully carved are realistic,flawed struggling against their own odds and yet discovering the taste of life in the spurts of little joys.What makes the stories stand out is the way, most characters with their own dose of quirkiness infuses the plot with optimism, friendship, love, aspirations, mutual respect, neighborliness and inspiring acts of selfless deeds.They subtly delivers crucial lessons of life.
I would recommend the book to all the lovers of Malgudi Days.
Narrated in a simple language peppered with bits of colloquial language,the initial tale starts with little hiccups which later on turns charms the reader with their naturalness and grounded characters. The characters skillfully carved are realistic,flawed struggling against their own odds and yet discovering the taste of life in the spurts of little joys.What makes the stories stand out is the way, most characters with their own dose of quirkiness infuses the plot with optimism, friendship, love, aspirations, mutual respect, neighborliness and inspiring acts of selfless deeds.They subtly delivers crucial lessons of life.
I would recommend the book to all the lovers of Malgudi Days.
January 14, 2019
Among all I loved the story of Devendrappa the most. It was really heart touching when the technology takes away the jobs of daily labour workers.
And also of Narayanamma because it definitely takes courage to start new business and learn something and I loved her spirit.
➡️It’s basically a book containing few interrelated yet independent stories.
➡️ I loved the stories because I grew up
listening to those stories from my parents and grandparents.
➡️ Few stories are really heart touching.
➡️ This book gives literally taste of every emotions.
➡️ My most favourite stories are of Devendrappa and Narayanamma.
➡️ Well written.
➡️ Good use of vocabulary and language.
➡️ Very interesting stories that makes you want to read more and more of it.
➡️ I would definitely love to read more from the author.
➡️ Definitely recommended.
Click the link below to read detailed reviews
https://drruchipatel.wordpress.com/20...
And also of Narayanamma because it definitely takes courage to start new business and learn something and I loved her spirit.
➡️It’s basically a book containing few interrelated yet independent stories.
➡️ I loved the stories because I grew up
listening to those stories from my parents and grandparents.
➡️ Few stories are really heart touching.
➡️ This book gives literally taste of every emotions.
➡️ My most favourite stories are of Devendrappa and Narayanamma.
➡️ Well written.
➡️ Good use of vocabulary and language.
➡️ Very interesting stories that makes you want to read more and more of it.
➡️ I would definitely love to read more from the author.
➡️ Definitely recommended.
Click the link below to read detailed reviews
https://drruchipatel.wordpress.com/20...
July 14, 2019
A beautiful collection of short stories about simple, kind people in a little, forgotten town. Each story is heartwarming and of that kind that restores ones faith in humanity. A delightful book. Highly recommend.
January 14, 2019
Among all I loved the story of Devendrappa the most. It was really heart touching when the technology takes away the jobs of daily labour workers.
And also of Narayanamma because it definitely takes courage to start new business and learn something and I loved her spirit.
➡️It’s basically a book containing few interrelated yet independent stories.
➡️ I loved the stories because I grew up
listening to those stories from my parents and grandparents.
➡️ Few stories are really heart touching.
➡️ This book gives literally taste of every emotions.
➡️ My most favourite stories are of Devendrappa and Narayanamma.
➡️ Well written.
➡️ Good use of vocabulary and language.
➡️ Very interesting stories that makes you want to read more and more of it.
➡️ I would definitely love to read more from the author.
➡️ Definitely recommended.
Click the link below to read detailed reviews
https://drruchipatel.wordpress.com/20...
And also of Narayanamma because it definitely takes courage to start new business and learn something and I loved her spirit.
➡️It’s basically a book containing few interrelated yet independent stories.
➡️ I loved the stories because I grew up
listening to those stories from my parents and grandparents.
➡️ Few stories are really heart touching.
➡️ This book gives literally taste of every emotions.
➡️ My most favourite stories are of Devendrappa and Narayanamma.
➡️ Well written.
➡️ Good use of vocabulary and language.
➡️ Very interesting stories that makes you want to read more and more of it.
➡️ I would definitely love to read more from the author.
➡️ Definitely recommended.
Click the link below to read detailed reviews
https://drruchipatel.wordpress.com/20...
January 15, 2019
Left from the Nameless shop by Adithi Rao speaks about the characters and their stories in a fictitious town called Rudrapura in Karnataka. It tells a reader about the devotion of devendrappa towards his painting. It makes a reader go through the hardships of narayanamma from being a widower to becoming a successful ice-cream seller and owning the most famous Nameless shop. It teaches the real meaning of Friendship as it goes through the story of Basavraj and the famous hockey player Robert. It let's a reader praise the true love towards God of Raghuvir and his hibiscus girl. An the innocence in the happiness of Tony while being the barber of the same family for generations. The book also speaks about the impeccable bond of lakshmi and mithalli who married the ex husband of Lakshmi, who helps her in gaining the love of her husband. And in the end how the unity of people in Rudrapura helps in water saving since the rains those year were bad.
The story depicts innocence, honesty, respect for one another, love, support, care and most importantly it depicts belief in each other.
Left from the Nameless shop will lure you into the world of an unknown town in the corner of the world where it has people who care and who brought miracles because they cared.
The story depicts innocence, honesty, respect for one another, love, support, care and most importantly it depicts belief in each other.
Left from the Nameless shop will lure you into the world of an unknown town in the corner of the world where it has people who care and who brought miracles because they cared.
June 30, 2019
The book is a treasure trove of delightful stories that one must read in not one gulp but a measured pace, just as the stories are. Each story has to be savoured, read slowly and steadily and reflected upon and each character that has been created with so much detail must be absorbed as one goes. I took my time with this book, as I did not want it to end. This is the kind of book which makes you wonder what happened once the last page is turned and once the book is shut to be stored in your library.
The writing style is intimate, the stories are the type that can fit easily into an audio book, making them even more delightful, this is the kind of book that can be read and narrated.
A special word on the cover- not many covers elicit the kind of ripples in one's heart which this one does. It reminds one of bygone era, the detailing is simple yet powerful, the colours sepia toned almost, at least it elicits that kind of feeling when one tries to recall the cover and the simplicity of the poster totally defines the movie posters we used to see in theatres in our days.
The back cover is equally interesting with a slightly busy small town street, a small shop and temple in the backdrop, truly representing the small town of Rudrapura.
The writing style is intimate, the stories are the type that can fit easily into an audio book, making them even more delightful, this is the kind of book that can be read and narrated.
A special word on the cover- not many covers elicit the kind of ripples in one's heart which this one does. It reminds one of bygone era, the detailing is simple yet powerful, the colours sepia toned almost, at least it elicits that kind of feeling when one tries to recall the cover and the simplicity of the poster totally defines the movie posters we used to see in theatres in our days.
The back cover is equally interesting with a slightly busy small town street, a small shop and temple in the backdrop, truly representing the small town of Rudrapura.
August 3, 2019
By turns whimsical and poignant, these stories cover a cross section of life in a small town in karnataka in the 1980s. While most of the book is delightful and moving, after a point there's perhaps too much time spent with the more middle class families, when the real heart of the book and the town is the motley group that gathers around the Nameless Shop. The final sequence, a kind of wish fulfillment fantasy about the whole town uniting to initiate a homegrown rainwater harvesting scheme, offers snapshots of the characters from the previous stories, but loses the intimacy of the best stories in the collection. Still, a beguiling work of surprising emotional complexity under its idyllic surface.
December 30, 2019
‘Left From The Nameless Shop’ by Adithi Rao is a collection of 13 short interconnected stories set in a small town of Karnataka. The book highlights the lives of the people of Rudrapura – simple minded people leading simple lives, totally unknown from the strange World. The first story narrates the life of Devendrappa, a poster-painter by profession who lost his job after his boss started using digital posters. The next story is about Narayanamma, the owner of the ‘Nameless shop’, a widow, who later becomes the only ice cream seller in the whole town of Rudrapura.
Each of these stories are interconnected yet interdependent. Emotional and gripping, these stories are beautifully written and smartly intertwined with one another. Each of the characters are well carved and strong as protagonists of their story. They were leading an ordinary life until a man comes into their life and gives them a purpose to work together for a common goal. All the characters are brought together in the last story, and it surely will bring a smile to your face. Once you pick up this book, you cannot put it down. The author takes us back in time when life was not this complicated and machinery. If you have read Malgudi days and loved it, you are definitely going to love this one too. The language is lucid, wonderfully narrated and stories that will touch you deep. I would recommend this book to everyone irrespective of their age.
Each of these stories are interconnected yet interdependent. Emotional and gripping, these stories are beautifully written and smartly intertwined with one another. Each of the characters are well carved and strong as protagonists of their story. They were leading an ordinary life until a man comes into their life and gives them a purpose to work together for a common goal. All the characters are brought together in the last story, and it surely will bring a smile to your face. Once you pick up this book, you cannot put it down. The author takes us back in time when life was not this complicated and machinery. If you have read Malgudi days and loved it, you are definitely going to love this one too. The language is lucid, wonderfully narrated and stories that will touch you deep. I would recommend this book to everyone irrespective of their age.
November 10, 2024
Wonderful portraying of a small town and its residents woes and happy moments..good read for a sultry afternoon as it has a protagonist selling flavours of ice creams and people using car batteries to supply power to ice box..also many such interconnected stories..If you liked Malgudi Days,you'll like this too..
January 16, 2019
This book has a typical Indian style to it and heavily reminded me of the Malgudi Days by R.K. Narayan, which was the inspiration for the book. I think the most interesting part of the book was the writing. It was simple yet vivid, I could almost see the whole scenes happening before my eyes. The smell, taste and colours were vibrant throughout the book and as a reader, it made me visualize the story line more clearly.
The first story of the book was really sad and interesting. It spoke a lot about love and courage and the characters in it made me fall in love with it.
When you start reading this book, its like you cannot stop. I fell into one of my reading slumps in December so could not complete it. But in January, I did finish it in 2 days!
So, if you are searching for some nostalgic old Malgudi - type stories then definitely pick this book up and you wont regret it!
The first story of the book was really sad and interesting. It spoke a lot about love and courage and the characters in it made me fall in love with it.
When you start reading this book, its like you cannot stop. I fell into one of my reading slumps in December so could not complete it. But in January, I did finish it in 2 days!
So, if you are searching for some nostalgic old Malgudi - type stories then definitely pick this book up and you wont regret it!
June 2, 2022
What happened to raghuanna at the end ?
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews