Literary tour !

With the sleuth @ Baker Street

With Charles Dickens @ Madame Tussauds

Adam Smith, father of modern Economics, author of "Wealth of Nations"

"The Complete Tales Of Peter Rabbit" by Beatrix Potter

with Beatrix Potter !

The main hall of the British Museum which used to be the British Library. The same place where Karl Marx wrote his "Das Kapital"

Where was "Inspector Morse" shot ? In the Turf Tavern in Oxford !

Oxford !!!!

twistntales @ London Book Fair

Book Fairs are happy places to be. One gets to meet "books" people - authors, publishers, others in the books trade - and readers !

twistntales was in the London Book Fair in April this year, catching on with what's happening in the trade, who's coming to India when, what and how of things. As small but independent booksellers, we felt it important to build bridges, establish new contacts and generally have a good "dekho" at the book scene.

India was the "market focus" this year boasting one of the largest English reading populations of the World. The "India Section" was interesting, with almost 78 Indian authors participating, including the bigwigs like Vikram Seth. We had our very own Ajit Harisinghani with "One Life to Ride" (posing above) from Pune (Copies available @ twistntales)

The Book Fair itself was interesting with lots of new products being launched (apart from books), the most interesting being an ATM for books ! An Any Time Machine for printing books on demand when you run out of copies was a big hit amongst bookstore owners ! Besides, authors and publishers, there were others like Tulika and Zubaan (regulars at twistntales know these publications well) who were working with NGOs promoting the cause of reading amongst schoolchildren in the UK.

One also took this opportunity to visit bookstores in all major/ minor towns of England and Scotland, apart from the pilgrimages to William Wordsworth's Dove's Cottage and The World of Beatrix Potter bringing alive both the daffodils and Peter Rabbit in childlike enthusiasm to us. But that will be the topic of another post, another day !

friends and team tnt again

This one is for the author of "re-assurance in disguise" .... to whom these tangenrine walls meant a hug and to let her know that the warm spirit within its walls misses her !

I knew the profile when she walked in first. Noticed her a couple of times and realised that she was a reader from her choice of books. Knew the profile ... software engineer on her first assignment after campus, and .... was enjoying the first flush of independence and money in hand. I was reminded of myself just after my management degree, with my nose up in the air with a blue chip job and salary.

The second time, i billed. I asked her name. The third time i remembered it. The 4th or 5th time, conversation was initiated. One was always wary. Girls in their 20s do not want to be asked too many personal questions about themselves. All you get sometimes is a cold stare .... and then they avoid you ... make you feel "aunty types". But this one was trusting. She was warm and friendly ... and so it started ... so many memories .... of a tired soul walking in straight from office into twistntales ... it was home for her. On Saturdays and sundays when she will step out to pick brunch for roommate and self, and ...... message after message from her hungry roommate will finally push her out at 2 pm !

From Aundh to Durshet (searching for Dino fossil in river bed), Delhi airport(the first person to meet us after Kailash Yatra), and Belgian Waffles in Bangalore .... Shibani, miss you lots. Would love to see you walk in like old times. Hope you are soaking in California and Golden Gate ... and Napha Valley like straight out of "walk in the clouds".