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Onam in a Nightie

Stories from a Kerala Quarantine

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Onam in a Nightie

By: Anjana Menon
Narrated by: Mary Joseph
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In India's tropical paradise, stands a town wrapped around a giant roundabout, where a canny caretaker with a French connection holds sway. Vying for his attention are two competing neighbours. Appu holds lessons for the living but Maya cares only for the dead. And a gastronome dog plays ball girl to tennis-loving nuns.

At the centre is an imposing temple so ancient that no one knows exactly when it was built. Here, even a tiny railway station has set its own rules for acceptance and belonging. On the other side of the tracks, a baker runs errands for total strangers in the middle of a pandemic.

Malgudi Days meets reality in the search for joy and belonging in a book that is alternatively heartwarming and hilarious. Anjana Menon takes you to a place that you wish stays that way forever, in these true stories of hope and resilience from a midway Kerala town.

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I have to admit I was a bit surprised when this turned out to be a non-fiction collection of essays rather than a collection of short stories. Once I re-adjusted my expectations though I thoroughly enjoyed this glimpse into life in Kerala and learning how the pandemic was handled there. I'm glad I found this now and not a year or two ago, I think I needed that distance from my own memories of pandemic Europe to really enjoy this book. Overall it was absolutely fascinating and I'd love to read another collection like this that captures life in Kerala after the pandemic.

Amazing glimpse into life in Kerala

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