The Guide

New introduction by Michael GarraFor the centennial of his birth, R. K. Narayan's most celebrated novelFormerly India's most corrupt tourist guide, Raju-just released from prison-seeks refuge in an abandoned temple. Mistaken for a holy man, he plays the part and succeeds so well that God himself intervenes to put Raju's newfound sanctity to the test. Narayan's most celebrated novel, The Guide won him the National Prize of the Indian Literary Academy, his country's highest literary honor.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust theseries to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-datetranslations by award-winning translators.

R. K. Narayan (1906-2001), born and educated in India, was the author of fourteen novels, numerous short stories and essays, a memoir, and three retold myths. His work, championed by Graham Greene, who became a close friend, was often compared to that of Dickens, Chekhov, Faulkner, and Flannery O'Connor, among others.Michael Gorra is a professor of English at Smith College. His books include The Bells in Their Silence- Travels Through Germany and After Empire- Scott, Naipaul, Rushdie.

Working Bodies examines the theoretical underpinnings and empirical nature of the noticeable shift to interactive and embodied forms of work in service economies. Introductory chapters explore the transformation of labour markets in advanced industrial economies, the arguments for and against a radical shift in the nature of employment, the growth of inequality and assess the growing significance of the body/work relationship. Later chapters consist of a series of mainly UK-based case studies of interactive and embodied servicing work - from childcare and sex work to boxing, nursing and low paid jobs in hospitality. Combining geographical and sociological theories with empirical research, the author explores the interconnections between class, ethnicity, gender in the construction of workplace identities, as well as the spatial division of labor in the 'servicing' economy. Informed by the latest scholarship, Working Bodies is an fascinating exploration of the growing significance of low-paid and often casualised forms of employment in the twenty-first century economy, challenging the insistence on new forms of knowledge work in conventional accounts of labour market transformations.

Formerly Indias most corrupt tourist guide, Rajujust released from prisonseeks refuge in an abandoned temple. Mistaken for a holy man, he plays the part and succeeds so well that God himself intervenes to put Rajus newfound sanctity to the test. Narayans most celebrated novel, "The Guide" won him the National Prize of the Indian Literary Academy, his countrys highest literary honor.

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