Literature Library author
R. K. Narayan
A concise guide to R. K. Narayan's body of work, major titles, and recurring themes.
Author overview
R. K. Narayan (1906–2001) was a novelist and screenwriter whose body of work spans short story. This writing is associated with British Raj and India. Major works and useful reading starting points include Waiting for the Mahatma, Under the Banyan Tree and Other Stories, The Vendor of Sweets, and The Painter of Signs. Key themes include ordinary life in a changing India, family and community, and tradition, modernity, and gentle irony.
Reading pathway
Begin with Like the Sun.