Ever since he first read Graham Greene, Pico Iyer has been obsessed by the figure of the writer and by one of the great themes of Greene’s work: what it means to be an outsider. Wherever he has travelled-usually as an outsider himself-Iyer has found reminders of Greene’s life, observed scenes that might have been written by Greene, written stories that recall Greene. Yet, as Iyer recounts the history of his obsession, another phantom image begins to assert itself, one that Iyer had long banished from his inner life-that of his father.
Archives: Books
One Hundred & One Folktales From India
In every corner of India, there is a wealth of folktales-funny, fabulous and fantastical. In this collection, Eunice de Souza brings together one hundred and one wonderful stories, both familiar and unknown. Their subjects are diverse – how the world was made, how kings should rule, the tales of wise and foolish men and women, and animal fables.
Some stories are about well-known heroes – Akbar and Birbal, Vikram and Betal, Tenali Raman – while some introduce new ones, like Gulalla Shah, the brave man from the hills, and Parmanand, the reluctant guru from Andhra Pradesh. There are also sundry appearances by the devil, beautiful temptresses and supernatural creatures. This is a true collector’s item, encompassing the entire range and diversity of the oral tradition in different parts of the country, and with bold an vivid illustrations by Sujata Singh.
Dev & Simran
Dev and Simran. A couple living in the heart of Bombay and grappling with everyday married life and the loss of a child. Then Dev dies and Simran is left to pick up the pieces with the help of a close-knit group of friends. Grieving in their own personal ways for Dev, they try, as best they can, to support Simran through her ordeal. As this diverse group of people interact, reminisce and navigate some of life’s harshest, funniest and most ordinary moments, we share their agonies and joys, their personal hang-ups, their insecurities and strengths. Intense, witty and moving, Dev and Simran is a quiet and graceful tribute to life.
Feather Tales: The Paradise Flycatcher
‘My Snowdrop is rare, he is exotic. He is the most wonderful squirrel in the whole wide world. I want my squirrel back.’
The Rose Garden’s beloved squirrel, Shikar-Snowdrop to young Mitalee-has vanished without a trace. No one can find him! Last seen in the company of a paradise flycatcher-a stunning bird with a long white tail-he has left no other trail. So, to save their friend, the loyal bird gang must fly to distant forests to track down the glamorous creature, who might just be able to help.
Return to the ledges of the fountain in the Rose Garden to read about the enthralling capers of your favourite feathered friends and bird-squirrel as they swap stories of daring and wonder.
These My Words
The ultimate anthology of Indian poetry from the Vedas to the present in all the major Indian languages
These My Words is an anthology of magnificent breadth, ranging from Valmiki to Agha Shahid Ali, Aurobindo to Vikram Seth, Andal to Tagore, spanning Indian poetry in its myriad forms, styles and languages. The poems speak for themselves and to each other, as folk songs and tribal epics sit alongside classical Sanskrit and formal Tamil verse is a companion to contemporary Bengali or Dogri. There is Ghalib in praise of love, Tukaram on religious bigotry, Ksetrayya on divine love through the erotic, Gieve Patel on identity. In Eunice de Souza and Melanie Silgardo’s carefully curated selection, each poem illumines exquisitely the tradition of Indian poetry.
The Bard of Blood
Delhi’s power circles are shocked to discover that ex-RAW chief Sadiq Sheikh has been murdered. Kabir Anand is settling into his new life as a professor of Shakespeare studies in Mumbai, when a call from the PMO thrusts him back into the world he is trying to forget. A brilliant agent who served under Sadiq Sheikh, Kabir was forced to leave RAW because of a disastrous mission in Balochistan in 2006-part of India’s covert support of the Baloch rebels. Kabir must now revisit those ghosts, avenge his mentor and face his deadliest enemies- Mullah Omar and the ISI-while racing against time to save his country.
A gripping thriller, researched with the assistance of the US and Indian intelligence agents, war correspondents and crime writer S. Hussain Zaidi.
Shiksha
From schools of excellence to brilliant improvement in the board examinations and state-of-the-art facilities, government schools in Delhi rock. The implementation of innovative concepts like ‘happiness curriculum’ and ‘entrepreneurship mindset programme’ in Delhi government schools has brought about revolutionary change in the public school education system in the national capital of India.
Manish Sisodia, Delhi’s deputy chief minister and education minister, is the visionary instrumental in ushering in such a transformation. Recounting his experiences and experiments as an education minister, this book offers blow-by-blow account of this amazing success story. Shiksha, a book of hope and possibilities, will inspire everyone who is poised to make a difference in society through education.
A Delhi Obsession
Two-time Winner of the Giller Prize
Munir Khan, a recent widower from Toronto, meets the charming and witty Mohini Singh, a married liberal newspaper columnist, in the bar of the high-brow Delhi Recreational Club. An enigma surrounds the Kenya-born, westernized and agnostic Munir, and an inexplicable attraction takes root. Delhi’s streets, monuments and ruins become the setting of their passionate affair.
A terror attack shakes the city just as Jetha Lal and his acolytes, self-proclaimed protectors of cows and Hindu women, raise decibel levels at the Club. Meanwhile, Mohini’s parents’ wounded memory of the Partition and a family trip to Shirdi only serve to exacerbate her anxieties and deep sense of guilt. And even as Jetha Lal’s menacing shadow looms over them, Munir and Mohini cannot let each other go. At what cost their passion?
Written with trademark sensitivity and a sharp, affecting vision, A Delhi Obsession is M.G. Vassanji’s most urgent novel yet. Set in contemporary times, it unravels an unexpected yet prophetic story of passion, love and faith, amidst the placid environment of an elite Delhi club. Cutting close to the bone, this searing novel will compel you to confront your profoundest dilemmas.
The Absolutely True Adventures of Daydreamer Dev (Omnibus Edition, 3 in 1)
Sitting in class or watching clouds from the roof of Kwality Carpets, Dev’s flights of fancy land him in challenging environments all over the globe. He brings home notes from his teacher so regularly that Amma only rolls her eyes as she fishes them from his satchel. Baba says that if there were medals for daydreaming, Dev would be an All-India Champion-maybe even an Olympic hero.
These action-packed stories transport the reader to three iconic locations, each one testing Dev’s survival skills while teaching him to respect environments and cultures that seem alien to him.
Follow Dev as he accompanies the ghost of a Sherpa woman on a quest to conquer Mount Everest.
Ride with Dev as he traces the Amazon River, which proves much more difficult than going with the flow!
Join Dev and his pal OP as they set out from Timbuktu to cross the Sahara on malodorous camels.
For Dev and his colourful imagination, it’s Access All Areas and No Holds Barred.
Thirsty Nation
Water is the most precious natural resource in the world-far ahead of oil and minerals. Blue Gold not only analyses the impending water crisis to hit the world and more importantly India-but also explores the investment opportunities possible in the water sector.
Presented in the book are innovative, cutting edge ways to combat the water crisis and ways of investing in the right projects. The roles of technology, finance, and a general view of domestic and foreign investment in water are explored by the authors and practical and lucrative financial advice is offered making it an important book in the present ecological and financial environment.