Book Details

• Publisher: SAHITYA AKADEMI

• Author: E.V. Ramakrishnan

• Language: English

• Pages: 196

• Cover: PAPERBACK

• Dimensions: 21.5 cm x 14 cm

• Weight: 250 gm

• Edition: 2014

• ISBN: 9788126043668

About the Book
Vedakke Koottala Narayanankutty Nair (1932-2004), better known as V.K.N., was one of the most towering figures in Malayalam literature, influencing the literary scene for over four decades starting from the 1960s. With over forty fictional works to his name, V.K.N. stands apart for his unique narrative style, which combines wordplay, subtle wit, sharp irony, and incisive satire. His works such as Aarohanam (translated as Bovine Bugles), Pithamahan (The Great Grandfather), Adhikaram (Power), and Anantharam (Hereafter) continue to engage readers with their critical view of contemporary society. Through his storytelling, V.K.N. critiqued the intellectual elite, political pretensions, the fantasies of the affluent, and the contradictions of modern life.

His deep knowledge of history and his cosmopolitan sensibility enabled him to perceive and articulate the complex issues stemming from colonialism, while his literary skill brought together classical references from Kalidasa and Valmiki to modern thinkers like Bertrand Russell and Ogden Nash. This volume features a selection of nine of his short stories, two long stories, and a novel, all in the author’s own masterful English translations, showcasing his fluency and charm in both languages.