Waiting for the Mahatma, a novel written by Narayan and published in 1958, is a very popular work that deals with contemporary issues, particularly the campaign against the British led by Gandhi and the impact it had on the people of the time. The novel is a very insightful portrayal of the social upheaval caused by Gandhi's attitudes on caste.

Narayan's The Man-Eater of Malgudi was published in 1962. Arguably one of his finest novels, it deals with the gradual transformation of society as it encounters the forces of change. Written in a manner that is partly allegorical and partly realistic, the novel exemplifies Narayan's attitude toward culture and religion. At the very heart of Narayan's work is a mythical structure, and that comes across very forcibly in this novel.

A Passage to India has earned the reputation of a minor classic...