Goat Days

Benyamin

Jul 2012 · Penguin UK

About this eBook

Najeeb’s dearest wish is to work in the Gulf and earn enough money to send back home. He achieves his dream only to be propelled by a series of incidents, grim and absurd, into a slave-like existence herding goats in the middle of the Saudi desert. Memories of the lush, verdant landscape of his village and of his loving family haunt Najeeb whose only solace is the companionship of goats. In the end, the lonely young man contrives a hazardous scheme to escape his desert prison. Goat Days was published to acclaim in Malayalam and became a bestseller. One of the brilliant new talents of Malayalam literature, Benyamin’s wry and tender telling transforms this strange and bitter comedy of Najeeb’s life in the desert into a universal tale of loneliness and alienation.

Ratings and reviews

Aadu jeevitham (goat days) is a true heart touching and real story. Here is the word by word translation with almost full essence. Story of 100's of keralites struck their lives in Gulf.

There is an Adage . " The proof is in the pudding" which means you can judge the quality of something after you have tried,used, experienced it. I don't think my mere words would do the justice with Najeeb's life. The way he carried himself all over those miserable years is not only extraordinary but it implicates how hard life could be. And our day to day life struggles are extremely dwarf to the problems which Najeeb really experienced. Must read.

frankly, this is the first time i am reading a novel. Mostly i used to watch movies that are based on novels (a lot of movies). The book is stupendous, the situations he undegoes make us feel we are also a part in it. Some chapters in book are filled with strange and twisty events of his life and at the end its amazing... I am proud to be a part of people who read this book...its a wonderful readable book...believe me...