Narayan's magnificent new novel is about a tigerpossessed of the soul of an enlightened human being who tells us the story ofhis life. Raja leaves his home in the Mempi hills only to find he is capturedand made to perform in a circus and on a film set.

Eventually he escapes, onlyto be recaptured - but this time voluntarily - by a guru. The two of them leaveMalgudi and return to the hills where they pass their days in sweetphilosophical discourse until old age overtakes Raja and he is forced to give uphis freedom for ever.

A haunting tale, A Tiger For Malgudi uniquelycombines the elusive timeless quality of Hindu legend with the comic vision ofNarayan's earlier Malgudi novels. Everyone, young and old, will enjoy the verysimplicity of this compelling fable, but some will want to explore with Raja thepathway to true enlightenment (less)