The Guide: A Novel (Penguin Classics)

Read a review mentioning it on the internet and bought it, not disappointed, a pleasant surprise -- unassumingly exquisite plots and writing, can't help feeling the eerie similarities between R.K. Narayan's writting of an Southern Indian fictional town of Malgudi (1958) and Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Columbia fictional town of Macondo (1967)! The humor can't fail once the overall plot was set: a resourceful, cunning guy scraping and enjoying petty living running a store and serving as tour guide in a town on the the railroad got messed up with a wife of high society... can't end well -- ending up in prison... when out of prison and sitting on a riverbank for a long time contemplating all no-good options forward, he was mistaken as a guru and every little utterance from him sounds profoundly wise to the villagers there, and without knowing and reluctantly he plays along... can't end well as well. But the writing is so unhurried and enchanting, as it shows a time and a people's usual struggle I can't help caring how this ordinary guy ends (and how the author rounds up the impossible story).

This is an easy but compelling read. As always, RK Narayan has managed to weave a beautiful story out of a simple everyday life of a young man Raju. The story makes you pause and ponder at several levels, of humanity, caste and creed, of pretense and spirituality. The characters are well portrayed. Definitely a must read!

The Guide is one of those rare books that you stumble upon and wonder how you have missed it for so long. Written as a reflective memoir of a man we meet initially upon his release from prison, the story traces back to his circumstances prior to his imprisonment in surprising ways. The son of a shopkeeper who gains something of a reputation as a part time tour guide becomes involved with a women and finds fortune and fame only to be brought low again due to his own manipulative character. This is a man who knows how to read people, knows how to manipulate circumstances to his advantage but dramatically overplays his hand. On his release he takes shelter in an abandoned temple and is taken by the locals for a holy man. The entire pattern of his life appears to be remerging but with surprising results.The Guide is an unforgettable novel. The writing is irresistible making it difficult to put aside. One of the best books I've read in years.

SpoilersIn this story Raju begins as a shallow tour guide. He's selfish, only cares about money, and doesn't think deeply about life. As the story goes on he meets Rosie and gets involved in a scandal, which forces him to examine his priorities. He realizes he wants to make a positive impact on the world and becomes a spiritual leader, helping others and auctally trying to make a diffrence. I personally liked the humor in some of the dialouge. The part I enjoyed the most was in the end when Raju really found who he was and how he was living a much better life. I would definitely say it is not a go go go type of book and you will enjoy it if you like a good story. If you want to see good change in someones life I defnitely think you should read it.

Michael Gorra in his introduction, regards Narayan as "easy to read, hard to understand". It is the story of a (dis)honest tourist guide who eventually sinks in a lookout for wealth & his love and his eventual rise into a reluctant holy man. The novel is set in the fictional town of Malgudi, though there is no fictional or heroic elements in his characters and Narayan beautifully brings out the human element in them, leaving the other details to the reader's imagination. And even though this book may be something for light reading considering the simple use of language, there is a lot left to think and ponder for the reader

The way Narayan interlaces the two different streams of stories in the book is wonderful. The novel is a masterpiece in the way it is written and takes the reader to a visual tour of malgudi lansscape. The way Narayan has developd the city of malgudi is really exemplery. The transformation of Raju from a high society man to a saint is well laid out. The lives of Raju and Rosy has been well presented. The day to day activities around Raju, the saint's, during fasting is also well presented. The whole episode is dramatised to such an extent that we can visualise the whole thing in front of our eyes. The most importent thing about Narayan is the language that he uses through out the book. Its amazing the way he presents the whole novel in such a simple language. The climax is really heart rendering. Narayan holds the readers interest through out the book. A must read for anyone.

Good book to read

I wad totally absorbed by this story. The characters are so well painted. It is clear why Narayan is considered a master.

This book was a book club reading. It’s a good story, I really enjoyed reading it

It is timeless classic was written well ahead of its time.Simply a good read.I got almost lost in this novel started to think myself as the main protagonist. So emotionally interwoven this epic will have lasting impact on the readers.No wonder why it was picked up for motion picture by evergreen Dev ji , but the movie differed in many scene , off course the novel of this magnitude is hard to put on screen in its as it is format.

There was nothing to dislike.

R. K. ナーラーヤンの小説『ガイド』(1958年刊)は、ジュンパ・ラヒリの旅行ガイドの話、“病める通訳”とどこかで繋がっているのではないか、と思いながら読み始めた。結論を急ぐと、“病める通訳”と『ガイド』は無関係だ。僕の予想・期待ははずれた。ただ、記憶では本の三分の二ぐらいのところにinterpreter of maladiesという言葉が出てきてそれは通訳というよりある種の治療家に近いような意味だった気がする。　ペンギン文庫版の裏表紙に『ガイド』は、コメディの名作みたいなことが書かれている。たしかに、主人公のラージュが私文書偽造で逮捕されてから法廷での争い、入獄、模範囚として出獄してから聖人となるあたりはコメディなのだが、それは全体の三文の一にしかすぎず、その他はむしろ南インドの美しい陽光とそこで生きる人々の生活と悲しみについての物語なのだ。僕は、コメディの部分よりもむしろそちらの方が読み応えがあった。・・・小説は、鉄道が街にやって来るころの少年時代の回想にはじまる。雑貨屋を営むなかでラージュは観光旅行者に取り入りガイドとなる。ある時、ラージュは洞窟調査にやってきた少壮の歴史家をガイドする。その歴史家は、調査に熱中するあまりその魅力的な妻ローシーイをほとんど顧みない。ラージュとローシーイは通常以上の親密な関係になってゆく。彼女は、もともとは寺院付のダンサーの家系の生まれであったが大学で修士号をとっていた。資産のあるその歴史家は彼女の学歴を条件に奇妙な結婚をしたのだった。歴史家は、彼女にダンスを踊ることを禁じ彼女を侮辱し冷たく突き放す。ローシーイは、ラージュに救いを求めたのだ。ラージュの家族の激しい反対にも関わらずそのローシーイを庇いダンサーとして大成するために尽力する。ローシーイをとるのか自分をとるのかと母親に迫られ、母親が立ち去っていくあたりは僕も身につまされるものがあった。　本の冒頭に収められた解説によれば、主人公のラージュは、ヒンドゥー神話におけるトリックスターとしての賢者に原型をもつという。ラージュの生き方は本当に面白い。そう思うとヒンドゥー神話についても読書を広げて行きたい気がしてきた。

It is a timeless classic written well ahead of its time. This book is emotionally interwoven epic will have lasting impact on the readers. The novel covers different lifetimes of the protagonist Raju, and it is that aspect that makes it so much beautiful. The innocence of the child that shapes up in most of his life is endearing, and especially the reader will rue the lack of luck, not the same as bad luck, for Raju. Indeed, more often he comes so near and yet when he fails, the gap could not be more seas apart and the fall from the skies to the hard surface. The story line is pretty complex and brings forth the complex husband wife relationship. A sensitive portrayal of woman’s ambition and feelings. Such a commendable work, the story was later adapted into a Bollywood film. An excellent piece of literature that is both simple in its approach and stirring at the same time. One of the best books written by R.K Narayan.Review-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️