The Goat Thief is the translated short stories collection of acclaimed Tamil writer Perumal Murugan. Translated by N. Kalyan Raman, the stories are handpicked by the author himself.
Receiving applause from readers who like short stories and those who started reading short stories thanks to The Goat Thief, we bring you some of the reviews and tweets shared about the book. Have a look and you might become a fan yourself!
Sukanya Basu Malik gave a review on Instagram,
“I love the way the author Perumal sets up the entire scenario in front of the reader’s eyes, which remains devoid of his perspective of the situation. Not many authors are capable of doing that. He simply narrates the scene for the readers to decipher their own meanings of the tales.”
Another review on Amazon by Meera Nair gave the book rave ratings:
“Famed Tamilian writer, Perumal Murugan’s 10 short stories have been compiled into this volume called The Goat Thief. Steeped in cultural nuances and throwing light on the simplicities of life, the stories draw our attention towards the very nature of humanity; be it seeking company or obsessing over ordinary objects. Some of these tales are testament to the hardships that people from lower tiers of society undergo… I’m not all that familiar with translated literature, but if they are anywhere as good as this one, sign me up!”
Chittajit Mitra found a small review on Twitter could not do justice, so he provided the review link there,
“All the 10 short stories are different in their own way, the author’s ability to change a simple story into something so riveting that you won’t be able to keep the book down. The translator has done an exemplary job which can’t be ignored. The language is simple, the title in interesting & so is the cover. A must read!”
Isha Choudhury put a review on Goodreads. Apparently, she has already decided on her next birthday gift!
“Murugan has done a fabulous job in picking up his best stories! I loved every bit of the book. There is no denial on the fact that the book is amazing, the environment of the story line is described with finesse that you feel you’re living the character. It was wonderful reading this, and I suggest it to everyone who is a lover of translated works, because this won’t disappoint you. Oh, and this makes up for a wonderful birthday gift for a bibliophile as well.”
This is what a blogger had to say,
“I am glad that I got this opportunity read works of the celebrated Tamil author Perumal Murugan, thanks to N Kalyan Raman’s translation. The Goat Thief is a collection of 10 simple stories that irradiates the rustic charm… My takeaway: At the cost of sounding repetitive, it is small moments in life if thoroughly lived and felt, makes life worth living and memorable.”
Another blogger review says,
“Very few translated books actually impress me but this book has instantly reached the top of my book list. For people who love to unravel the mysteries of human world with utmost simplicity then this is a highly recommended book. If you bump into this master piece anywhere, do not like JUST DO NOT think twice before picking it up.”
So, if you want to start reading The Goat Thief, click here.