Johnson, Gordon. Cultural Atlas of India, New York: Facts on File, 1996.

A thorough introduction to the rich cultural and political history of the Indian subcontinent, featuring detailed maps and many illustrations showing the area's ethnic and religious diversity.

Kain, Geoffrey, editor. R. K. Narayan: Contemporary Critical Perspectives, East Lansing: Michigan State University Press, 1993.

Nearly all of the essays in this collection focus on Narayan's novels and his short fiction of Malgudi, but they provide useful insights into his overriding themes and techniques. The volume includes John Lowe's interview with Narayan, in which the writer reveals himself to be strangely and fascinatingly uninterested in his own writing processes.

Narayan, R. K. My Days: A Memoir, New York: Viking, 1974.

This award-winning autobiography covers Narayan's first 67 years and first 17 books in under 200 pages. His stories of life in India, and the influence of his family on his work, read...