Under the Banyan Tree and Other Stories

by R.K. Narayan

An enchanting collection from India's foremost storyteller, rich in wry, warmly observed characters from every walk of Indian life - merchants, beggars, herdsmen, rogues - all of whose lives are microcosms of the human experience Like Nambi in the title story, Narayan has the mesmeric ability to spellbind his audience. This he achieves with a masterful combination of economy and rhythm, creating haunting images and a variety of settings to evoke a...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0141186216
• ISBN13: 9780141186214
• Release Date: January 2007
• Publisher: Penguin Books, Limited (UK)
• Length: 193 Pages
• Weight: 0.38 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.1" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

Try a Narayan Short Story for Yourself

'Under the Banyan Tree', a collection of 28 short stories published late in R.J. Narayan's career in 1985, demonstrates the warmth, humor, and simplicity that made him so beloved. The tales are set in and around fictional Malgudi and include a number of stories featuring the Talkative Man. Narayan's works are sometimes criticized by the literati - but see also a 2001 New York Review of Books essay titled 'The Great Narayan' by Pankaj Mishra. Pick up 'Under the Banyan Tree', read a short story, and make up your own mind. I think you'll be warmly rewarded.

great yet simple

Narayan was a great writer. I like best ths story titled "anamalai", "Breath of Lucifer" and of course "Under the banyan tree" itself. Some of those short stories are so easy to understand, some are so deep, so i have to read it carefully to get the skillfully written rethorics. It's a classics, worth buying and kept for lifetime.

Enchanting like "Malgudi Days"

This book is in the same mold as "Malgudi Days". Some stories ,like the title story & "Dodu" are pure gems. I read and re-read this book and still found them as fresh.The characters ,the situations are so real that one wonders whether the author picked them out of his own experiences.