Onam in a Nightie cover art

Onam in a Nightie

Stories from a Kerala Quarantine

 Preview

Audible Standard 30-day free trial

Try Standard free
Select 1 audiobook a month from our entire collection.
Listen to your selected audiobooks as long as you're a member.
Get unlimited access to bingeable podcasts.
Standard auto renews for £5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Onam in a Nightie

By: Anjana Menon
Narrated by: Mary Joseph
Try Standard free

£5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for £4.30

Buy Now for £4.30

About this listen

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.

 Asia Travel Writing & Commentary Words, Language & Grammar Writing & Publishing Witty Funny Heartfelt
All stars
Most relevant
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

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.