I enjoyed this book so much that I read it in less than a day. Set in India in the 1940s, it's a love story, but not only that, it also reflects the birth pangs of a new nation.

Young Sriram, who has led a somewhat sheltered life under the care of his grandmother, meets Bharati, an activist in Mahatma Gandhi's Satyagraha movement. Through his pursuit of Bharati, Sriram is drawn into the independence movement, and we see through his eyes how various parts of Indian society were dealing with the prospect of independence. Some were disturbed by likelihood of change (ranging from those with a big stake in the Imperial status quo, to those who disliked British rule but nonetheless viewed its demise with deep distrust - for example one powerful person is shocked at Gandhi's inclusive attitude towards untouchables). Others of course sat on the fence or were just not bothered about politics - who was in charge was a matter of utter indifference to them.

Sriram is drawn closer to Indian nationalists who were prepared to take a more violent attitude to protest, such as his friend Jagadish. But Narayan contrasts their position with that of a British person who has lived in India for over thirty years, employed many Indians and regarded himself as an Indian: Sriram's intolerance turns to embarrassment during a conversation with that character.

Narayan weaves these themes into the main plot with great skill - big issues are reflected, illuminated, and put into context by everyday events. At times people and events appear to be comic, at other times tragic, but always they carry a resonance.

The true hero of the novel, of course, is Gandhi. Narayan depicts him as a saint-like figure (he even uses that term). Whether or not this will grate upon readers with a greater knowledge of Gandhi and his place in Indian history than mine, I don't know. It is true to say that the novel is sentimental in places. Perhaps that approach was right for the time the novel was written, and it might not hang together so well if it was written in a different, more critical way. I was prepared to overlook that and just enjoy the read.

A truly Indian experience. As told by R.K. Narayan this story evolves from a dreamy pace to a fevered pitch. Sriram is a child growing up in his own world. A world of security, comfort and laziness. What is it that drives this youth to seek change? The entrance of a romance in his life, the natural process of growing up or is it the Mahatma? Narayan uses his narrative style and rustic observation to enrich this tale and capture the spirit of rural India coming to terms with its liberation. What does this liberty mean? Our hero's life has changed for good. Driven by the spirit of the events unfolding around him Sriram is involved in the fight for freedom. But Sriram's motives are suspect. And has his life really changed? Yet Sriram is still capable of selfless action. His love for Bharathi and his devotion to her vindicate his motives. With his characteristic charm Narayan has recreated the common life amidst a historic perspective. For lovers of Narayan this is a must read. Enjoy.

Sriram, a 20-year old lad with lots of money, a loving grandmother and all the time in the world (to waste) meets Bharati, a beautiful woman. And as it always happens, falls in love instantly. But Bharati is involved in the Indian freedom struggle, and is a disciple of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the independence movement. She is a serious-minded woman and will think of nothing other than the task on hand. Sriram realises that the only way to win her hand is by immersing himself in the freedom movement.

Thus he embarks on a life of struggles - he deserts his grandmother and all the money. At times, Sriram thinks if he should ever have altered the course of his life. Did he not enjoy life before? But love transcends everything. And for that one woman in his life, he will undergo any tribulation. He is waiting for her, but will she? The ending of the story is quite excellent, and will have you spellbound.

Set in the 1940s, this book wonderfully narrates the freedom struggle through the eyes of Sriram and Bharati. To me, it is the most important work of R.K. Narayan and ranks alongside his classic debut novel, Swami and Friends.

R.K. Narayan's memoir gives us a glimpse into the uncomplicated life of a simple man who became one of the 20th century's literary giants. On par with Graham Greene, Narayan shared in his literature the world of Malgudi, a busy place peopled with hilarious characters and a clear reflection of the politics of a small Indian city. Narayan's India is real, bereft of the imperial feel of Kipling's version of a few decades earlier. In Malgudi, everyone knows each other, and the circle of life revolves around a little print shop, fashioned after the shop Narayan would visit when creating his local arts paper as a young man.

MY DAYS is a fascinating look into Narayan's psyche, though it does drag at times. Narayan clearly writes better make-believe than real life, but this book is still a treat.

This is vintage Narayan at his best. Those of us who are his regular readers, will continue to marvel at his breezy, uncomplicated style of narration. My Days will make you smile, shed a tear and feel sorry when it ends ! A must for all book-lovers.

Narayan retells the Ramayana and Mahabharata epics as well as some of his favourite tales from within them. Obviously, the epics are much condensed (the original Mahabharata is over 100,000 stanzas of verse and the longest composition in the world). Narayan describes his method as writing from memory the stories, focusing on personalities and plot, and ignoring the massive philosophical interludes (which can run to hundreds of pages - the Bhagavad Gita for example - and are often published separately in the English interpretation) and so this is a retelling rather than a translation.

The stories themselves are wonderful, the Mahabharata especially. They are thought to have been writen several thousand years B.C., and still important in India today. In the Ramayana, the demon Ravana is given protection so that he cannot be killed by a supernatural being, so Vishnu comes to earth in human form (as the perfect prince Rama) to defeat Ravana. In his task he is assisted by various people including the monkey god Hanuman.

The Mahabharata is the story of the conflict between the five divine Pandava brothers and their one hundred cousins who want to destroy them. This story is particularly interesting, and wise, and sometimes funny.

I found the stories to be fascinating and a good insight into Indian culture. I'm in India at the moment, and a lot of things have become more clear to me after reading this book. It's fun to read.

This book is only useful for those who want a very basic introduction to the Mahabharata, and only want to invest a minimum of time doing so. This book will give the reader the basic outline of the Plot, but does not dwelve into the many important Philosophical portions of the Epic, and the "outside stories". The book is well written. I like the style of R.K. Narayan. As an introduction this book is much better than that of Buck, not only because Narayan is a better writer, but because he had a better knowledge of the Epic, Hinduism and Sanskrit Literature.

If you must get an introduction, I recommend the one by C.V. Narasimhan, which based on selected verses, and brings the reader much closer to the Mahabharata.

This is a good book for those who do not know Mahabharat story. The reason it is good for the beginners is that it is concise and flows through the subject quickly. So it would be a good book for new readers who can quickly get a sort of overview of Mahabharat.

If you already know Mahabharat plot and story, try and get a little advanced book.

This shortened prose version of the Mahabarata by R. K. Narayan presents the engaging adventure of the five Pandava brothers' efforts to reclaim their empire. The story itself has nearly everything anyone could want in a good book: edge of your seat action and edge of your mind inspiration. In addition to celebrating the Pandavas' super-human strength and feats of daring, the book also catalogs many types of human relationships: mother-child, sybling-sybling, husband(s)-wife, king-courtier, mentor-apprentice, even writer-reader..... Long after you finish reading this book, you'll be realizing why Hindus recognize it as one of their two most sacred books---it's got everything! And yet it rarely stoops to the level of being preachy. (Narayan also has a shortened prose version of the other sacred Hindu book---The Ramayana.)