The Man-Eater of Malgudi: R.K. Narayan

Narayan's novels are short. I can get through a whole one in a day- and because they're so moreish I find I want to. The narrator of The Man-Eater of Malgudi is a lazy, good-natured small-town businessman whose life is invaded by a bullying psychopath. The bad man interprets sweet-natured acquiescence as cowardice (and isn't far wrong) and the more he is allowed to take the more he grabs. Fortunately, as the narrator's annoyingly detached assistant points out,   it is a law of the universe that even the most seemingly invincible rakshasa (demon) harbours a fatal flaw and will eventually implode. 

An unsettling book, for all its humour. 

The Changing Face Of Hathershaw

We received notice today that someone has placed an application to build 4 "mews houses" on the waste ground on Meldrum Street that overlooks our ginnel and  from which urchins throw stones at the backs of our houses. We are just out of the direct line of fire, but Rene-next-door has had her bathroom window broken many times. Good. We've been expecting this development for ages.

Before it became a launching pad for missiles the patch supported a row of lock-up garages. The concrete footings are still there.  The garages fell down one by the one- the last of them- which was also the nearest to our property- succumbing to an arson attack. It was immensely exciting- leaping flames and roiling smoke- with the heat so fierce I was afraid it would crack the window behind which I was enjoying the show.