Nobody can ever beat the story-telling ability of the legendary R.K. Narayan. ’’Talkative Man’’ his, admittedly, shortest novel is another milestone. The plot revolves around one Mr. Rann who has landed in Malgudi Railway station from Delhi on some project for the United Nations and who eventually comes to reside in Talkative Man’s (the narrator) house in Kabir Street.
The story is furthered with some intriguing revelations about Rann by TM, as the Talkative Man is referred to in the novel. To provide a peep into the jewel:
’’Bizarre happenings at Malgudi are heralded by the arrival of a stranger on the Delhi train who takes up residence in the station waiting-room and, to the dismay of the station master, will not leave ...’’
To disclose anything else beyond this would result in a nice thrashing from those interested in reading this piece.
The maestro as always extends a rare perception into the complexities of Indian middle-class society..in his own way within the sketched town of Malgudi. The ever explicit and lucid writing style is something that is epitomised in each of Narayan’s work. The fact magnificently exemplified in Swami and Friends, Malgudi Days, Painter of Signs , The English Teacher and many more. All of his work promises to entertain and makes us relish every single moment of reading them and this one is no different.