Diary of a Malayali Madman by N. Prabhakaran | Book Review

Summary:

A research scholar whose notebook reveals a surreal pig farm... A psychologist in search of the truth about one of his clients... An aspiring writer who emulates Gogol... The unforgettable men and women in N. Prabhakaran's stories have an uncanny ability to expose the fault lines between the real and the unreal, the normal and the mad, as they explore their own inner worlds and psychic wounds.

A pioneer of the post-modern aesthetic turn, N. Prabhakaran weaves the nitty- gritty of everyday, small-town lives into his stories - all set in northern Kerala - that are steeped in folklore, nature, factional politics, and the intricacies of human relationships. Brilliantly translated by Jayasree Kalathil, Diary of a Malayali Madman marks the very first time this major Indian writer's work is available in English.

Author:

N. Prabhakaran

Publisher:

Harper Perennial India

Release date:

February 12th 2019

No. of Pages:

Paperback, 260 Pages

This book is a collection of five short stories with different characters, different names. The stories are beautiful and each story has a message. Each story brings a fresh perspective to contemporary human existence and its relationships with the world around.

The detailing of people and the surroundings makes you feel a part of the story, the characters that will stay with you forever. You get a brief view into another's world, and while sometimes you wish there was more, more often then not it's just the right amount.

The stories kept me engaged and wanting to read more. Overall, I truly enjoyed this book. I'm definitely looking forward to read more from the author.

My favorite story would have to be the one called Diary of a Malayali Madman which is also the title of the book. The list of stories in the book includes are:
1. Wild Goat
2. Tender Coconut
3. Pigman
4. Pigman
5. Diary of a Malayali Madman