The Colours of Evil by Ashokamitran, translated by N Kalyan Raman, East-West Books, Chennai

It was the first collection of Ashokamitran’s short stories to be published in English translation.

In the stories in this collection, Ashokamitran arrives at a larger sense of the world through the trials and tribulations of ordinary people. His spare, lean prose seamlessly blends together his acute perceptions, fine eye for detail and laconic humour.

N Kalyan Raman captures the nuances of his chiselled prose, bringing into sharp focus the quintessentially human characters that people Ashokamitran’s world.

Translator's Note