Six unforgettable stories of love and bravery, treachery and injustice, from ancient Indian literature. Classical Sanskrit and Tamil writing teem with myriad characters, and here we meet some truly memorable ones.
This collection of six plays, poems and epics retold for children includes ‘Shakuntala’, a heartrending story of the love between the beautiful Shakuntala and King Dushyanta; ‘The Little Clay Cart’, where the evil designs of the king and his family are foiled by the righteous Charudatta and Vasantasena; ‘The Story of an Anklet’, about Kannagi, who wreaks a terrible revenge for the wrong done to her; ‘Manimekalai’, the extraordinary account of a woman’s search for her true calling; ‘The Last Trial of Sita’, in which the playwright gives a whole new ending to the Ramayana, and ‘The Broken Thigh’, about the final, desperate combat between Duryodhana and Bheema on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Accompanied by descriptions of the authors’ lives and the time when the stories were written, these lively retellings are an ideal introduction to some of the best-known stories from the Indian classics.
‘I’m going to find that box, the box that’s been missing for a hundred years … Do you know, there are precious gems in it, worth a king’s ransom? Emeralds the size of a rooster’s egg, rubies as big as pigeons’ eggs, pearls the size of a duck’s egg!Aunt Podi’s treasured Burmese box was a part of family history. When Panchu Mama narrates the hair-raising story of how it was acquired and the mysterious circumstances in which it got lost, Goopy decides to find the fabled box and its precious contents. ‘The Burmese Box’ is an action-packed story of a family on a treasure hunt, as they grapple with devious plans and nasty crooks, a highly suspicious detective and eccentric relatives.In ‘Goopy’s Secret Diary’, con men, hidden treasures, a stolen necklace and the secret of an old mansion make for a fascinating read as we follow Goopy’s rollicking adventures in a forest.Featuring two novellas, The Burmese Box is beloved children’s author Lila Majumdar at her best. Her impeccable style and trademark humour will keep generations of readers in thrall.
A classic coming-of-age story which has held generations of readers spellbound!
Rusty, a sixteen-year-old Anglo-Indian boy, is orphaned and has to live with his English guardian in the claustrophobic European part in Dehra Dun. Unhappy with the strict ways of his guardian, Rusty runs away from home to live with his Indian friends. Plunging for the first time into the dream-bright world of the bazaar, Hindu festivals and other aspects of Indian life, Rusty is enchanted … and is lost forever to the prim proprieties of the European community.
Written when the author was himself seventeen, this moving story of love and friendship, with a new introduction and illustrations will be enjoyed by a whole new generation of readers.
Of course, there is no such thing as the FBI branch of Kuttipuram, Kerala, but Ashwathy Venugopalan always believes in the impossible-life is more entertaining that way. And things only get more impossible in Ashwathy’s life when God arrives in a boot and requests her to investigate the murder of a woman in her town. Can Ashwathy, the atheist, crack her first case with God by her side?
Who’ll let the dog out?
The Rulebreakers’ Club is a gang of five that’s stuck with the Worst Dog in the World. But they’ve finally found a way to get rid of him. All they have to do is catch a ghost and rob a bank. Oh, and they also have to save the world. Easy, right? Wrong! How are the Rulebreakers ever going to get out of the mess they’ve got themselves into? And where will they find this phantom ghost?
Three boys, two girls and one dog-no, you haven’t heard this before!
The Rulebreakers’ Club is a gang of five without a dog. And, of course, gangs without dogs are just not cool. They decide to remedy this situation by kidnapping a pug named Spike. But dognapping is tricky business and dog-owning is definitely not as easy as it sounds. Can the Rulebreakers survive this trouble-making dog and save the world while they’re at it? Or will they land up in a doggone mess?
In The Archer we meet Tetsuya, a man once famous for his prodigious gift with a bow and arrow but who has since retired from public life, and the boy who comes searching for him. The boy has many questions, and in answering them Tetsuya illustrates the way of the bow and the tenets of a meaningful life. Paulo Coelho’s story suggests that living without a connection between action and soul cannot fulfil, that a life constricted by a fear of rejection or failure is not a life worth living. Instead, one must take risks, build courage and embrace the unexpected journey fate has to offer.
With the wisdom, generosity, simplicity and grace that have made him an international bestseller, Paulo Coelho provides the framework for a rewarding life: hard work, passion, purpose, thoughtfulness, the willingness to fail and the urge to make a difference.
When will India win the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic?
How long do we have to use masks?
When can we expect a safe and effective vaccine? Do we need to wear masks even after we get a vaccine?
What if there is no definitive treatment against COVID-19?
How can we protect our family form this disease?
How should we respond to this ‘new normal’ as an individual and as a community?
What is the way forward?
Offering insights on how India continues to fight the pandemic, Till We Win is a must-read for everyone. It is a book for the people, for political leaders, policymakers and physicians, with the promise and potential to transform public health in India.
In What the Customer Wants You to Know, Ram Charan explains how the crisis of a broken selling system can be tackled. According to the author, today selling has become a war of prices. Conducting a business transaction is no longer fun since most customers feel cheated by their respective vendors. Charan says that the easiest way to avoid the hassle is to understand the customer’s point of view. Instead of feeling cheated, the consumer should look to the seller for assistance in today’s cost-effective times. The author brings in a new aspect of selling, which he calls value creation selling.
A sitola match between two rival schools is more than a game for Nanka-if they lose, he and his father have to leave town! Can Nanka and his unlikely teammates do it?
