Talkative Man

Last updated

Talkative Man
TheTalkativeMan.jpg
First edition (India)
Author R.K. Narayan
Country India
Publisher Indian Thought Publications
Heinemann (UK
Publication date
1986
Media typePrint
ISBN 978-0-670-81341-4
OCLC 14166421
823 19
LC Class PR9499.3.N3 T3 1987
Preceded by Under the Banyan Tree and Other Stories  
Followed by A Writer's Nightmare  

Talkative Man is a novel by R. K. Narayan first published in 1986 by Heinemann. [1] Like his earlier novels, this one is also set in the fictional town of Malgudi. [2] The novel is a bit short by Narayan's standards but provides the same level of enjoyment one experiences with his other writings. [3]

Plot

The main character is an ordinary man who is wealthy and works as a journalist. He has a regular routine in his life: posting articles in the post box, having a talk with people at the tea shop, going to the library and the house. One day, he meets a man from an unknown land called "Timbuctoo", another of Narayan's creations, the land being similar to the US. The man seems to have come for an official duty for the UN and seeing the calmness of the place, decides to stay there for his work.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philip K. Dick</span> American science fiction author (1928–1982)

Philip Kindred Dick, often referred to by his initials PKD, was an American science fiction writer. He wrote 44 novels and about 121 short stories, most of which appeared in science fiction magazines during his lifetime. His fiction explored varied philosophical and social questions such as the nature of reality, perception, human nature, and identity, and commonly featured characters struggling against elements such as alternate realities, illusory environments, monopolistic corporations, drug abuse, authoritarian governments, and altered states of consciousness. He is considered one of the most important figures in 20th century science fiction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">R. K. Narayan</span> Indian writer (1906-2001)

Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami, better known as R. K. Narayan, was an Indian writer and novelist known for his work set in the fictional South Indian town of Malgudi. He was a leading author of early Indian literature in English along with Mulk Raj Anand and Raja Rao.

Malgudi is a fictional town located in Agumbe situated in the Shivamogga district of the Indian state of Karnataka in the novels and short stories of R. K. Narayan. It forms the setting for most of Narayan's works. Starting with his first novel, Swami and Friends, all but one of his fifteen novels and most of his short stories take place here. Malgudi was a portmanteau of two Bengaluru localities - Malleshwara and Basavanagudi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard K. Morgan</span> British science fiction and fantasy author

Richard Kingsley Morgan, is a British science fiction and fantasy author of books, short stories, and graphic novels. He is the winner of the Philip K. Dick Award for his 2003 book Altered Carbon, which was adapted into a Netflix series released in 2018. His third book, Market Forces, won the John W. Campbell Award in 2005, while his 2008 work Thirteen garnered him the Arthur C. Clarke Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Clute</span> Canadian sci-fi and fantasy literature critic (born 1940)

John Frederick Clute is a Canadian-born author and critic specializing in science fiction and fantasy literature who has lived in both England and the United States since 1969. He has been described as "an integral part of science fiction's history" and "perhaps the foremost reader-critic of science fiction in our time, and one of the best the genre has ever known." He was one of eight people who founded the English magazine Interzone in 1982.

<i>Swami and Friends</i> Novel by Indian author R. K. Narayan

Swami and Friends is the first of a series of novels written by R. K. Narayan (1906–2001), English language novelist from India. The novel, the first book Narayan wrote, is set in British India in a town called Malgudi. The second and third books in the trilogy are The Bachelor of Arts and The English Teacher.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">R. K. Laxman</span> Indian Cartoonist

Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Laxman was an Indian cartoonist, illustrator, and humorist. He is best known for his creation The Common Man and for his daily cartoon strip, You Said It in The Times of India, which started in 1951.

<i>A Tiger for Malgudi</i>

A Tiger for Malgudi is a 1983 novel by R. K. Narayan told by a tiger in the first person. Deeply moving is the attachment of the tiger to the monk and the monk's care for the tiger. R. K. Narayan consulted with noted tiger expert K. Ullas Karanth on the writing of this novel. Narayan used the teaching of Buddha's enlightenment in this particular novel. The novel is set in the fictional town of Malgudi.

<i>Waiting for the Mahatma</i>

Waiting for the Mahatma is a 1955 novel by R. K. Narayan.

Indian English literature (IEL), also referred to as Indian Writing in English (IWE), is the body of work by writers in India who write in the English language but whose native or co-native language could be one of the numerous languages of India. Its early history began with the works of Henry Louis Vivian Derozio and Michael Madhusudan Dutt followed by Rabindranath Tagore and Sri Aurobindo. R. K. Narayan, Mulk Raj Anand and Raja Rao contributed to the growth and popularity of Indian English fiction in the 1930s. It is also associated, in some cases, with the works of members of the Indian diaspora who subsequently compose works in English.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William March</span> United States Marine, novelist, short story writer

William March was an American writer of psychological fiction and a highly decorated U.S. Marine. The author of six novels and four short-story collections, March was praised by critics but never attained great popularity.

<i>The World of Nagaraj</i>

The World of Nagaraj (1990) is a classic piece of literature by R. K. Narayan. It is based in the fictional town of Malgudi, a small town in South India.

<i>Malgudi Days</i> (TV series) Indian television series started in 1980s

Malgudi Days is an Indian television series that started in 1986, and was filmed in both English and Hindi, based on the 1943 short story collection of the same name by R. K. Narayan. The series was directed by Kannada actor and director Shankar Nag. Carnatic musician L. Vaidyanathan composed the score, while R. K. Narayan's younger brother and acclaimed cartoonist R. K. Laxman was the sketch artist. The series was made by film producer T.S. Narasimhan. In 2006, the series was revived for an additional 15 episodes, which were directed by Kavitha Lankesh.

<i>Next Sunday</i>

Next Sunday is a collection of weekly essays by R. K. Narayan published in 1960. The book provides insights into Narayan's writings and perspectives and the protagonists of his works - the middle class common man. The book also includes his reflections on the themes of and actions in his novels and short stories.

Indian Thought Publications is a publisher founded in 1942, in Mysore by R. K. Narayan. Narayan founded the company as he was cut off from England owing to the war and needed an outlet for his works. The first book to be published by the company was Malgudi Days, in 1943. The publishing company followed a short-lived journal that he founded, of the same name. The company is currently managed from a tiny home-office in Chennai by Narayan's granddaughter Bhuvaneswari (Minnie).

<i>Malgudi Days</i> (short story collection) 1943 collection of short stories by R. K. Narayan

Malgudi Days is a collection of short stories by R. K. Narayan published in 1943 by Indian Thought Publications.

Harvey Breit was an American poet, editor, and playwright as well as reviewer for The New York Times Book Review from 1943 to 1957.

<i>Miss Malini</i> 1947 film by Kothamangalam Subbu

Miss Malini is a 1947 Indian Tamil-language satirical film written and directed by Kothamangalam Subbu and produced by K. Ramnoth, based on a story by R. K. Narayan. Subbu also starred in the film alongside Pushpavalli and M. S. Sundari Bai. Javar Seetharaman and Gemini Ganesan made their acting debuts in the film appearing in minor supporting roles. The film focuses on Malini (Pushpavalli), an impoverished woman who joins her actress friend Sundari's theatre company Kala Mandhiram and becomes a success. Things take a turn for the worse when she befriends a charlatan named Sampath.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Narayan (writer)</span> Indian author (1940–2022)

Narayan was an Indian author best known for his debut novel Kocharethi (1998). Most of Narayan's novels deal with the lives of the tribal communities of Kerala. He belonged to the Malayarayar tribe and is considered Kerala's first tribal novelist.

<i>Chandra Chakori</i> 2003 Indian film

Chandra Chakori is a 2003 Indian Kannada-language romance drama film directed by S. Narayan and produced by H. D. Kumaraswamy and Anitha Kumaraswamy under Chennambika Films. The film stars debutants Sriimurali, Priya, Naaz Srinagara Kitty in the lead roles, while Sundar Raj, Doddanna and Ashok appear in supporting roles.

References

  1. M. K. Bhatnagar (2002). New Insights Into the Novels of R.K. Narayan. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. p. 75. ISBN   978-81-269-0178-4.
  2. "Augustus Carp's wicked, witty world Series: Paperback Guide". St. Petersburg Times. 6 March 1988. Retrieved 31 August 2009.
  3. "'TALKATIVE' SHORT ON WORDS, LONG ON ENJOYMENT". Daily News of Los Angeles. 15 March 1987. Retrieved 31 August 2009.