my favourite book...swami and friends...

Swami and friends by R.K.Narayan would be a reader's delight for its absorbing depth and skillful presentation.The manner in which Narayan takes the reader into a virtual world of Malgudi that never existed is commendable.The intricasies of a child's innocent world are well potrayed by the author by manifesting in Swami, the usual traits of a ten year old who loves loafing about in the sun and as any other child despises examinations.The craftsmenship of Narayan that reflects in the vivid imagery he creates with the characters and the situations makes this novel enjoyable even after so many years with no binding of time and age. This is a book that anybody who is a child at heart, would get drawn to instantaneously.The political unrest in the country at that time,the imaginary world of Malgudi,Swami and his group of friends are all harmonised with a single bond of Narayan's inimitable imagination.Swami 's innocent observations about the world around him along with his suppressed thoughts that he dares not share with his friends for the fear of mockery reflect the usual thought process of a child which has been skillfully captured by the author's attention to detail and description.The author's prolific talent can be inferred from the imaginary topography he has created for the town of Malgudi complete with its trunk road and several landmarks like the Boardless hotel,the Lawley extension,the town hall and the river Sarayu.This stands testimony to the creative genius of Narayan, who in his own right could well be called the architect of the virtual town of Malgudi.The way Narayan has shaped up the characters,be it Swami's strict father,his old grandmother,the mighty school bully Mani,the affluent Rajam and many others makes these characters very life like and quite interesting. For the readers this novel is a breath of fresh air that takes them into a nostalgia of their childhood memories. Swami and Friends is a worthy addition to the wealth of classic books in the modern Indian English literature, handsomely reflecting the genuine creative genius of R.K.Narayan.