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78th out of 376 books
—
872 voters
The Dark Room
by
R.K. Narayan
"There are writers—Tolstoy and Henry James to name two—whom we hold in awe, writers—Turgenev and Chekhov—for whom we feel a personal affection, other writers whom we respect—Conrad for example—but who hold us at a long arm's length with their 'courtly foreign grace.' Narayan (whom I don't hesitate to name in such a context) more than any of them wakes in me a spring of gra...more
Paperback, 214 pages
Published
October 1st 1994
by University Of Chicago Press
(first published June 1938)
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When I picked up this book, I was hoping for something similar to “The World Of Nagaraj”, by R. K. Narayan that I had read sometime back. Even though this book “The Dark Room” is also set in the town of Malgudi, it is quite different from the previous one. In this book, the author has actually tried to highlight the nature of family that lived during those times. Maybe in some ways that nature of families still continues.
This story is about Savitri who is a submiss...more
When I picked up this book, I was hoping for something similar to “The World Of Nagaraj”, by R. K. Narayan that I had read sometime back. Even though this book “The Dark Room” is also set in the town of Malgudi, it is quite different from the previous one. In this book, the author has actually tried to highlight the nature of family that lived during those times. Maybe in some ways that nature of families still continues.
This story is about Savitri who is a submiss...more
The third Narayan novel I have read in the Everyman's Library edition of four stories set in the fictional town of Malgudi, India and I am looking forward to the fourth ('The English Teacher'), as Narayan's wonderful unassuming and gentle style improved with each of the books I have read so far.
In 'The Dark Room,' Narayan writes about a female protagonist for the first time. Savitri, sensitive and intelligent, is burdened with a boorish and overbearing husband as well as three insensitive and o...more
In 'The Dark Room,' Narayan writes about a female protagonist for the first time. Savitri, sensitive and intelligent, is burdened with a boorish and overbearing husband as well as three insensitive and o...more
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A poignant story of a women , who felt very dependent of the male dominated society. Women are to be given food and shelter and cajole them every time to keep up the harmony and retain peace in the house. Savithri is the very loveable wife to her husband. He cajoles her calling pet and all sort of stuffs , but yet fails to keep up her mind in peace. The value of a women will never be known until some one miss them. When Ramani's elder son Babu asks him if his mother is alive, like breaking the...more
Reading RK Narayan makes me miss my childhood. The picture he paints of people and places are like that of your neighbours or those whom you have seen and known all the time. The rustic Indian sub-town/village feel to his writings is unbeatable.
The dark room is a really light read yet the rich characters and the poignant story lingers on. I feel like his characters are so real-life that they could just come put of the books for you to see and feel them right in front of you. The irony and the s...more
The dark room is a really light read yet the rich characters and the poignant story lingers on. I feel like his characters are so real-life that they could just come put of the books for you to see and feel them right in front of you. The irony and the s...more
Very few readers will dispute the talent that R K Narayan was. He was the first Indian writer in English to acquire such a name for himself both among native as well as foreigner readers.
V. S Naipaul has written how his image of India was entirely shaped by reading R K Narayan's books and all that happens in Malgudi, the fictional small-town in South India that the author set his stories in. His tales came with a parochial delight, yet encompassed a world of human emotions and characters. This w...more
V. S Naipaul has written how his image of India was entirely shaped by reading R K Narayan's books and all that happens in Malgudi, the fictional small-town in South India that the author set his stories in. His tales came with a parochial delight, yet encompassed a world of human emotions and characters. This w...more
R. K. Narayan, undoubtedly the best Indian writer in English, does it again for me. He was a great observer and a gifted articulator. ‘The Dark Room’ set in the fictitious town of Malgudi is yet again an impressive tale. Humorous but satirical, ‘The Dark Room’ describes the plight of a subdued housewife. The story is what we read of almost everyday in newspapers and magazines alike, what we see in our own families or around us but R. K. Narayan’s deliberation made it a great read.
The magic of this book is that you can relate to almost every character in the book. Be it Savitri, in all her turmoils, her impotent indignation, her wanting to go back to her kids, her innate weakness over her husband and her contempt of him too. Be it Ramani, a lion at home, a mouse in the outside world, his pride over his trophy-wife, and his entertainment after club hours. A must read.
nice book....but very discriptive...it focuses on the state of women's mind........what all is going in her mind.....her love for her children.....and the courage she showed while leaving the house.....her self respect and the courage to earn her own livelihood......overall the book is good to read when one gets to know all the characters...
I just love Narayan's town of Malgudi and all the people he has created to live in Malgudi...His writing style and the beautiful and simple way he presents the day to day life of the people of Malgudi is simply a gift....
This one from Narayan talks more or less about the condition of women in Indian Society and the dominance of men, and the double standards they adopt. Simple as always, but quite a strong one from Narayan.
Good work. Beginning is good. Middle part is fascinating. But after the middle part after the climax is little disappointing. Indeed a good work.
This book was truly an eye opener!!!
As always RK Narayan has been successful to mesmerize it's readers!!!!
As always RK Narayan has been successful to mesmerize it's readers!!!!
R.K. Narayan is a legend. His work inspired me to break all boundaries while letting the story flow
the average repressed soul story
the story was well told.
A Simple Read!
Unconventional
Very melancholic but true. Narayan depicts the helplessness of women in a male-dominated society. The ending is very realistic.
Simplicity and underplay continue to fascinate the reader along with a very different side of Malgudi and RK Narayan.
Simplicity and underplay continue to fascinate the reader along with a very different side of Malgudi and RK Narayan.
As always i am delighted with Narayan's writing.
Climax of this book....no words to write about it.
Awesome.
Climax of this book....no words to write about it.
Awesome.
Touching novel. Must read all books by R K Narayan.
A nice book from RK Narayan...
Dec 11, 2007
Rebecca Child
marked it as to-read
another $2.00 book i picked up today, looked interesting.
good.........
May 18, 2013
Chanchal
marked it as to-read
May 16, 2013
Ravi
marked it as to-read
May 16, 2013
Chandana
marked it as to-read
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R. K. Narayan is among the best known and most widely read Indian novelists writing 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...more
More about R.K. Narayan...
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...more
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Jul 08, 2009 12:18pm