Message sent to twistntales@yahoogroups.com on 16th Nov, 2007
Welcome to a pile of November arrivals! Though post Diwali shopping ennui has set in for most, don't let that deter you from picking up some absolutely marvellous books. Again, lot of books reviewed for you, and the newer ones listed below:
"Bhagat Singh: The Jail Notebook and Other Writings" Compiled by Chaman Lal @ Rs. 150/- (191 pgs)
When Bhagat Singh spent two years in jail, awaiting his death sentence, he wrote four books. While they were smuggled out, they were destroyed and lost forever. But Bhagat Singh also kept a notebook in jail, full of notes and jottings from what he was reading. It contains quotes and sentences from books by Rousseau, Lenin and Hobbes. It also includes texts that Bhagat Singh wrote in jail- letters to a number of people including his comrade Sukhdev and his father as well as essays giving his opinions on a variety of topics. Published in the year of his birth centenary, this is a book to be cherished.
"Giving:How each of us can Change the World" by Bill Clinton @Rs. 840/- (240 pgs)
Giving is a book that inspires people to change the world. Bill Clinton writes about how people, regardless of their income, available time, age and skills, are trying to bring about a change. From Bill and Melinda Gates to a six- year old Californian girl named McKenzie Steiner, who organized and supervised drives to clean up the beach in her community, Clinton introduces us to heroes both well- known and unknown. He also writes about his own experiences, about men and women who gave up their unfulfilling careers and fulfillment they now experience through giving. It also reveals companies and organizations that are making extraordinary and innovative efforts to make a difference. This book is meant to inspire and make people believe in citizen activism and service.
"The Way to the Top: The Best Business Advice I Ever Received" by Donald Trump @ Rs. 640/- (253 pgs)
The Way to the Top compiles the best advice from over a hundred and fifty successful men and women. These include not only the upper echelons of the Fortune 500 listed companies such as Staples, American Airlines and Boeing but also family- run companies like Carlson Companies. Donald Trump asked some of these people to answer this question: what’s the best business advice you ever received? This book gives a range of inspiring and practical advice on making good decisions, conducting yourself appropriately, developing your career, communicating with others, leading a team effectively, and much more. Simple, intriguing, insightful and witty advice from people who are already at the top.
"Finding the Next Starbucks: How to Identify and Invest in the Hot Stocks of Tomorrow" by Michael Moe @ Rs. 595/- (374 pgs)
Michael Moe was one of the first research analysts to identify Starbucks as a huge opportunity in 1992 when its market cap was two hundred and twenty million dollars. Today its market cap is twenty- three billion dollars. In this book he shows how winners like Dell, eBay could have been spotted in their start- up phase and how you can find Wall Streets future giants. He forecasts areas with greatest potential for growth including nano technology and alternative energy and what goes into making small companies big- the four Ps, great people, leading product, huge potential and predictability. Including interviews with the biggest names in business- like Bill Campbell and Vinod Khosla- who offer their own insights, this is an indispensable book for growth investors and entrepreneurs.
"The Young Che: Memories of Che Guevara" by Ernesto Guevara Lynch @ Rs. 475/- (310 pgs)
Compiled from two separate books- My Son Che and A Soldier of the Americans, this is a book about a boy who grew up to be a revolutionary and an iconic hero. The book takes us through Che’s bourgeois but nonconformist childhood, the people, book and political events that shaped him, through to the moment he joined Castro to train for the invasion of Cuba. It also includes, published for the first time anywhere, Che’s diary of his bicycle journey around North Argentina in 1950 and letters he sent home as he traveled further and further into Latin America. Published for the first time in English, The Young Che sheds fresh light on the transformation of a compassionate boy into a revolutionary famous all over the world.
"Elizabeth" by J. Randy Taraborrelli @ Rs. 390/- (548 pgs)
Elizabeth Taylor has been known for her extraordinary beauty, surrounded by fame and notoriety. This book maps out her life, how she evolved from a gifted but manipulated child star to a screen icon. The author examines her eight marriages to seven men, including her abusive marriage to Nicky Hilton, her attraction to Mike Todd, and the complex, passionate Taylor- Burton love affair that never actually died. From an author who has written biographies of people such as Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Madonna and Princess Grace, this is a beautiful and honest book about a woman nothing like her celebrity image.
"Eight Lives Down: The Story of a Counter Terrorist Bomb Disposal Operator’s Tour in Iraq" by Chris Hunter @ 735/- (369 pgs)
Chris Hunter was a bomb technician working in one of the most dangerous places in the world. His job was to make the British sector in Iraq safe against some of the most hardened and technically advanced terrorists in the world. And just when he thought life couldn’t get any more dangerous, the stakes were raised once again. He became a personal target for the terrorists. Eight Lives Down is a powerful and haunting account of a man who used up eight of his nine lives protecting others.
"The Shadow of the Silk Road" by Colin Thubron @ Rs. 475/- (363 pgs)
When author Colin Thubron decided to travel the Silk Road, he knew his journey would be difficult, for to follow the Silk Road is to follow a ghost. It flows through the heart of Asia, but it has officially vanished. Colin Thubron traces the drifts of the first great trade route out of China into the mountains of Central Asia, across northern Afghanistan and the plains of Iran into Kurdish Turkey. From Xian to Kashgar, Kashgar to Meshed and Meshed to Antakya, on buses, donkey carts, trains, jeeps and camels, covering over seven thousand miles in eight months, the author recounts his extraordinary adventures. A fantastic work of non- fiction, Shadow of the Silk Road is captivating, rich in its writing and will have the reader spellbound.
"The 7 Rules of Success: Follow the Strategies, Experience the Results" by Fiona Harrold @ Rs. 260/- (246 pgs)
Author Fiona Harrold has talked to some of the world’s top achievers- who have found their passion and made it their career- and discovered the rules they live by. In this book, she shows how to apply these rules to your lives. From getting past your fear of failure to becoming a charming, effective individual who people want to do business with, this book coaches you on how to understand and use the techniques, tips, tricks and strategies. Fiona Harrold is the UK’s most successful life coach.
"The Book of Demons: Including a Dictionary of Demons in Sanskrit Literature" by Nanditha Krishna @ Rs. 325/- (268 pgs)
Nanditha Krishna writes vividly about creatures feared by people throughout time. She explains the various types of demonic beings and concepts that exist in Hindu literature, supplemented by a ready dictionary of individual demons for reference. Besides the well known rakshasas and asuras, the author also reveals a densely populated world of lesser- known but equally fascinating, demonic beings. Beautifully illustrated, well described, Nanditha Krishna brings to life the traits and actions of a host of complex, colourful, monstrous and intriguing demons that inhabit Indian religion and mythology.
"The Penguin Guide to the States and Union Territories of India" @ Rs. 199/-
"The Penguin Guide to the Countries of the World" @ Rs. 199/-
Incorporating all available figures till 15 August 2007, this second edition contains everything anyone would want to know about the various regions and their essentials. A useful guide for students, examination candidates, office executives and the general reader, the guide gives authentic information on all twenty-eight states, six union territories and the national capital territory of Delhi that constitute India. It includes the history of the region, political developments, geographic profile with a detailed map, cultural overview and economical data, its major educational institutions, airports and a lot more. Additionally it also has a full list of governors and chief ministers since Independence, current party positions in every state assembly and comparison charts across states. Similar is the version relating to Countries of the World.
Fiction:
"The Younger Gods" by David and Leigh Eddings @ Rs. 430/- (429 pgs)
The Elder Gods’ are being replaced by Younger Gods’ and the Land of Dhrall is in peril. The attacks of the dreadful Vlagh, ruler of the Wasteland, have been repelled in three of the Elder Gods’ realms. And now only one land is left for Vlagh to attack- the land ruled by Goddess Aracia who hates the idea of being replaced by a Younger God. With Aracia out of control the fate of the Land of Dhrall is questionable. The authors, David and Leigh Edding clearly have a vivid imagination making this modern fantasy novel a pleasure to read.
"Jinx" by Meg Cabot @ Rs. 399/- (254 pgs)
Jinx’s real name is Jean. A name she hates almost as much as Jinx. She has been named so due to her uncanny ability to jinx what ever comes her way. She is sent to her relatives in New York until the trouble she’s caused back home dies down. Her sophisticated cousin Tory doesn’t care much for Jinx, but when Jinx’s chronic bad luck starts to disturb Tory’s perfect life, Tory starts making life difficult for Jinx. To add to this, Jinx is told that she has special powers, not a jinx. But will these special powers save Jinx from Tory? And then the unthinkable happens… her past catches up with her. Right on the night of her prom.
"A Girl and a River" by Usha K. R. @ Rs. 295/- (324 pgs)
Spanning a period of fifty years, A Girl and a River is the story of Kaveri, a girl from a liberal, prosperous household, during the freedom struggle. Unlike her father, who believes that the family is protected from such delusions as ‘Swaraj” and takes their privileges for granted, Kaveri is profoundly affected by Gandhiji’s visit to their town. She defies her father and participates in the Quit India march but is betrayed by her brother, Setu. When their small town faces a police firing for the first time, Kaveri’s family is torn apart. What happens to Kaveri, her fate, remains shrouded in mystery. Until fifty years later in 1857, Setu’s daughter tries to come to terms with her uneasy upbringing and begins to ask about the past and her parent’s refusal to talk about it. Seamlessly blending the lives of Kaveri and Setu’s daughter, this book is a work of art.
"Vikramaditya’s Throne" by Polie Sengupta @ Rs. 175/- (144 pgs)
Long after King Vikramaditya had died, King Bhoja found his throne and decided to make it his own. But every time he set foot on it, one of the angels holding the throne would come alive and narrate a story of King Vikramaditya’s kindness. When Upa’s father gets kidnapped, Upa and her mother move to her grandmother’s village to recover from the shock. There they are befriended by an odd- looking stranger who tells them the tales of Vikramaditya’s good deeds. And as Upa and her mother listen to these magical stories they begin to see the goodness in the people around them and recognize the relevance of the tales of King Vikramaditya in their lives today. Written in simple language, these thought- provoking tales come alive under Polie Sengupta’s penmanship.
Newer Arrivals:
"Gandhi: A Spiritual Journey" by M. V. Kamath @ Rs. 195/-
"Molly Moon, Micky Minus and the Mind Machine" by Georgia Byng @ Rs. 390/-
"Making Money" by Terry Pratchett @ Rs. 990/-
"On Ugliness" Ed. by Umberto Eco @ Rs. 1380/-
"Chetan Anand: The Poetics of Film" by Uma Anand and Ketan Anand @ Rs. 895/-
"A Writer’s People: Ways of Looking and Feeling" by V. S. Naipaul @ Rs.395/-
"Stalin’s ghost" by Martin Cruz Smith @ Rs. 475/-
"Bridge of Sighs" by Richard Russo @ Rs. 540/-
"God explained in a taxi ride" by Paul Arden @ Rs. 195/-
"Raj Kapoor" by Ritu Nanda (Hindi) @ Rs. 95/-
"Darlingiji –true love of Nargis & Sunil Dutt" by Kishwar Desai @ Rs. 395 /-
"Heights of madness" by Myra Macdonald @ Rs. 395/-
"Monty’s Turn" Monty Panesar with Richard Hobson @ Rs. 700/-
"Jet City Woman" by Ankush Saikia @ Rs. 195/-
"Nineteen minutes" by Jodi Picoult @ Rs. 260/-
"Power, Freedom and Grace" by Deepak Chopra @ Rs. 195/-
"The Almost Moon" by Alice Sebold @ Rs. 515/-
"The Six Sacred Stones" by Matthew Reilly @ Rs. 795/-
"The Gathering" by Anne Enright @ Rs. 325/-
"High School Musical - Battle of the Bands" by N. B. Grace @ Rs. 150/-
"High School Musical - Wild Cat Spirit" by Catherine Hapka @ Rs.150/-
"Sham e Awad - writings on Lucknow" ed. by Veena Talwar Oldenburg @ Rs. 395/-
"Breaking Barriers - Stories of 12 Women" by Parvathy Menon@ Rs. 95/-
"The Penguin Fiction Collection - 20 years of Penguin India, vols. 1, 2” @ Rs. 395/- each
Happy Reading and drop in to the Store!
From the team at
twistntales
Monday, November 19, 2007
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
We are looking for people
If you like books and you like people, and are looking for a part-time job (with full-time commitment, come talk to us.
Min 4 hour slots, starting 10 am. Openings at all slots.
High Energy and enthu ... wanting to learn, right attitude is a must - prior exp. not essential. Min. Graduation, any discipline. Students but min XIIth, welcome for evening slots.
Come, be part of this happy team. We work very hard. But we have lots of fun too.
Min 4 hour slots, starting 10 am. Openings at all slots.
High Energy and enthu ... wanting to learn, right attitude is a must - prior exp. not essential. Min. Graduation, any discipline. Students but min XIIth, welcome for evening slots.
Come, be part of this happy team. We work very hard. But we have lots of fun too.
Happy Children's Day
Enjoy ! Happy Children's Day !
We at twistntales enjoy our Children's day .. and like every year are happy to offer you a 10% off on all kids books for the day ! What better gifts can we give our children !
No, there is something better ... one more article from Shyam, very apt for Children's Day, posted below :
"When my client told me about how she struggles to find the right words to use as she gives her children financial gifts. Many of you have done well in life and wish to pass part of that on to your children.
Most people struggle with a shirt or a pant going up to a diamond set, a car or even better a house. That is not the point – what you give should be financially a great investment over a long period of time. Long after the wrappers have been thrown out, and the puppy has grown up is there a gift that will stay with them?
Yes, give them financial freedom!
To me, the key is to teach them that instant gratification is good, but teaching them that money should be got (earned is best), spent (some instant gratification) and saved / invested for the future.
If your child or grandchild is about to have a birthday, break the gift into various parts. Let him / her decide what to do with the 3 parts. Let one portion be for instant gratification (mobile, ipod, VCD, jeans) put away a portion for buying something he / she needs in say 5 years time (education?) and one portion that he / she will use when they are say 50 years of age.
This will teach them that instant gratification is great but if you look around the attic, it is not very inspiring. It will also teach them about “value” and help them take a decision on the basis of value rather than impulse.
Let us say you wish to gift Rs. 500,000 to your grand daughter who is all of 12 years of age. Fairly obvious that she will not be able to appreciate what this article says (my interaction actually shows that children deal with money far, far better than so called adults). However she will understand that our politicians have made it almost mandatory for kids from middle class families also to study abroad. She will understand that her father will have a conflict of interest when allocating money for her education and for his retirement.
An investment, requires patience, the ability to delay gratification, and a little bit of know-how. As a grandparent, you can help set lifelong patterns of financial responsibility by showing your grandchildren how to invest their money wisely.
Now sit with your grand daughter and teach her why she should delay gratification. Tell her how her money will grow in a mutual fund. How she should buy a MP3 player for Rs. 6000, and put the balance in a mutual fund. Teach her that she could be a lender to a company by buying debentures or a part owner by buying equity shares. Even better she could get excellent fund managers work for her by paying them a fee.
Introduce her to the big great world of finance and investments.
How when at 21 years she pays her college fees from the fund, her eyes will be moist. How at 32 when her husband is buying a house this fund will help bridge the gap. How when at 40 she decides to start a new business, this fund will give her the confidence to do something on her own.
Even Rs.1, 000 can buy a well-rounded mutual fund like Hdfc Equity fund. If you had invested in an SIP of Rs.1, 000 in Franklin India Bluechip since 1997, you would have invested Rs.128, 000 today. And that would have been worth Rs. 1,030,330.
Giving an annualized retun of 36%. Ok, ok your financial planner is telling you that past performance is not a guarantee of future performance.
Is he guaranteeing that it will not give 40% over the next 20 years? NO. The past is only a proxy for what can happen in the future. But surely you can afford a 5k SIP for your grand daughter? What about 10K? I surely do not know how much return to expect but a 15% return over the next 30 years CANNOT be a small amount. Do you agree?
What will it do? It will pay for her education, home down payment, marriage, her business and perhaps if she did not use it for any of these, her retirement.
You could perhaps help older children with more advanced concepts like Index funds, like saying it is better to receive interest rather than pay interest. On why they can save for an asset rather than pay an EMI. Or how a loan for a smaller time frame is cheaper than a loan for a longer time frame.
Help your children to see how much fun it is to watch an investment grow. Celebrate milestones--like when that investment doubles or reaches the target goal for something special. Drop in a small amount every time there is a celebration. When she gets a Rs. 25000 gift from her uncle tell her how she can invest a portion of that in the same mutual fund!
Finance is changing and changing dramatically. For sheer survival you need to learn and adapt. If you spent time with your child or grand child teaching her finance the satisfaction is two fold.
She will think of you whenever she looks at her degree, house, car or retirement plan. Less selfishly you would have spent time with her, and taught her things which corporate India believes the kids who join them know. At least your kid out of the 18443 people they recruit will know. Amen."
Enjoy Children's Day and prepare them to face the future ... when u may not be around to hold hands.
We at twistntales enjoy our Children's day .. and like every year are happy to offer you a 10% off on all kids books for the day ! What better gifts can we give our children !
No, there is something better ... one more article from Shyam, very apt for Children's Day, posted below :
"When my client told me about how she struggles to find the right words to use as she gives her children financial gifts. Many of you have done well in life and wish to pass part of that on to your children.
Most people struggle with a shirt or a pant going up to a diamond set, a car or even better a house. That is not the point – what you give should be financially a great investment over a long period of time. Long after the wrappers have been thrown out, and the puppy has grown up is there a gift that will stay with them?
Yes, give them financial freedom!
To me, the key is to teach them that instant gratification is good, but teaching them that money should be got (earned is best), spent (some instant gratification) and saved / invested for the future.
If your child or grandchild is about to have a birthday, break the gift into various parts. Let him / her decide what to do with the 3 parts. Let one portion be for instant gratification (mobile, ipod, VCD, jeans) put away a portion for buying something he / she needs in say 5 years time (education?) and one portion that he / she will use when they are say 50 years of age.
This will teach them that instant gratification is great but if you look around the attic, it is not very inspiring. It will also teach them about “value” and help them take a decision on the basis of value rather than impulse.
Let us say you wish to gift Rs. 500,000 to your grand daughter who is all of 12 years of age. Fairly obvious that she will not be able to appreciate what this article says (my interaction actually shows that children deal with money far, far better than so called adults). However she will understand that our politicians have made it almost mandatory for kids from middle class families also to study abroad. She will understand that her father will have a conflict of interest when allocating money for her education and for his retirement.
An investment, requires patience, the ability to delay gratification, and a little bit of know-how. As a grandparent, you can help set lifelong patterns of financial responsibility by showing your grandchildren how to invest their money wisely.
Now sit with your grand daughter and teach her why she should delay gratification. Tell her how her money will grow in a mutual fund. How she should buy a MP3 player for Rs. 6000, and put the balance in a mutual fund. Teach her that she could be a lender to a company by buying debentures or a part owner by buying equity shares. Even better she could get excellent fund managers work for her by paying them a fee.
Introduce her to the big great world of finance and investments.
How when at 21 years she pays her college fees from the fund, her eyes will be moist. How at 32 when her husband is buying a house this fund will help bridge the gap. How when at 40 she decides to start a new business, this fund will give her the confidence to do something on her own.
Even Rs.1, 000 can buy a well-rounded mutual fund like Hdfc Equity fund. If you had invested in an SIP of Rs.1, 000 in Franklin India Bluechip since 1997, you would have invested Rs.128, 000 today. And that would have been worth Rs. 1,030,330.
Giving an annualized retun of 36%. Ok, ok your financial planner is telling you that past performance is not a guarantee of future performance.
Is he guaranteeing that it will not give 40% over the next 20 years? NO. The past is only a proxy for what can happen in the future. But surely you can afford a 5k SIP for your grand daughter? What about 10K? I surely do not know how much return to expect but a 15% return over the next 30 years CANNOT be a small amount. Do you agree?
What will it do? It will pay for her education, home down payment, marriage, her business and perhaps if she did not use it for any of these, her retirement.
You could perhaps help older children with more advanced concepts like Index funds, like saying it is better to receive interest rather than pay interest. On why they can save for an asset rather than pay an EMI. Or how a loan for a smaller time frame is cheaper than a loan for a longer time frame.
Help your children to see how much fun it is to watch an investment grow. Celebrate milestones--like when that investment doubles or reaches the target goal for something special. Drop in a small amount every time there is a celebration. When she gets a Rs. 25000 gift from her uncle tell her how she can invest a portion of that in the same mutual fund!
Finance is changing and changing dramatically. For sheer survival you need to learn and adapt. If you spent time with your child or grand child teaching her finance the satisfaction is two fold.
She will think of you whenever she looks at her degree, house, car or retirement plan. Less selfishly you would have spent time with her, and taught her things which corporate India believes the kids who join them know. At least your kid out of the 18443 people they recruit will know. Amen."
Enjoy Children's Day and prepare them to face the future ... when u may not be around to hold hands.
Monday, November 12, 2007
How do we bring up our children ?
Today, Shyam sent this in the mail. As Children's Day approaches, I thought it worthwhile to post this here.
For those born in the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s....
Hi,
this mail is for all of us ..Meena Periamma to Chandra...and i guess it applies to all of us.
First, we survived being born to mothers who had no full time maids/cooked food/cleaned the house while they carried us.
They took aspirin, ate salt, thenga yennai, cheese , sweet dishes and didn't get tested
for diabetes.
Then after that trauma, our baby cribs were covered with bright coloured lead-based paints. They bought us choppu which was painted bright. We ate them, licked them.....
We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking .
As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags. We sat in the front seat, back seat, on laps, and cars had no child locks.
Riding in the back of a local bus/train was a special treat.
We drank water from the tap and NOT from a bottle. At schools, at friends houses, at hotels, at municipal taps .....
We spent hours on the terrace under bright sunlight flying our kites, without worrying about the UV effect which never ever effect us. We were told not to disturb other "parents' in the afternoons, but we could whatever else.
We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.
We ate pastries, white bread and real butter and drank soft drinks
with sugar in it, but we weren't overweight because..... .WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!!
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. Or mom had to tell us she is going to the market.
No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K. Oh girls above the age of 13 were safe EVEN without cell phones. Come on most of our houses did not have phones.
We would spend hours reparing our out dated bicycle (hired) out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem .
We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 99 channels on cable, no video tape movies, no surround sound, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or Internet chat rooms....... .! .WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!
We slept with our parents, grandparents, on the floor, on the paai, on the jamakalam, ..in wedding halls, - well none of us had our "own" rooms. We were once in a while told this was our "room" but any guest could use it. Without worrying about leaving the toilet wet.
We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents. Some of us even stapled our fingers to see how a stapler works.
We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.
We were never given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, we made up games with sticks and tennis balls and although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes.
We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just yelled for them from outside the gate! And we did not call to ask whether this was a good time to come. We ate what their mothers gave without having to check with our mothers.
Cricket League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who
didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!
The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law! Dammit! they would have called the law, if the police missed us...
This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!
The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.
We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO
DEAL WITH IT ALL!
And YOU are one of them!
CONGRATULATIONS!
For those born in the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s....
Hi,
this mail is for all of us ..Meena Periamma to Chandra...and i guess it applies to all of us.
First, we survived being born to mothers who had no full time maids/cooked food/cleaned the house while they carried us.
They took aspirin, ate salt, thenga yennai, cheese , sweet dishes and didn't get tested
for diabetes.
Then after that trauma, our baby cribs were covered with bright coloured lead-based paints. They bought us choppu which was painted bright. We ate them, licked them.....
We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking .
As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags. We sat in the front seat, back seat, on laps, and cars had no child locks.
Riding in the back of a local bus/train was a special treat.
We drank water from the tap and NOT from a bottle. At schools, at friends houses, at hotels, at municipal taps .....
We spent hours on the terrace under bright sunlight flying our kites, without worrying about the UV effect which never ever effect us. We were told not to disturb other "parents' in the afternoons, but we could whatever else.
We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.
We ate pastries, white bread and real butter and drank soft drinks
with sugar in it, but we weren't overweight because..... .WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!!
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. Or mom had to tell us she is going to the market.
No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K. Oh girls above the age of 13 were safe EVEN without cell phones. Come on most of our houses did not have phones.
We would spend hours reparing our out dated bicycle (hired) out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem .
We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 99 channels on cable, no video tape movies, no surround sound, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or Internet chat rooms....... .! .WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!
We slept with our parents, grandparents, on the floor, on the paai, on the jamakalam, ..in wedding halls, - well none of us had our "own" rooms. We were once in a while told this was our "room" but any guest could use it. Without worrying about leaving the toilet wet.
We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents. Some of us even stapled our fingers to see how a stapler works.
We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.
We were never given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, we made up games with sticks and tennis balls and although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes.
We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just yelled for them from outside the gate! And we did not call to ask whether this was a good time to come. We ate what their mothers gave without having to check with our mothers.
Cricket League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who
didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!
The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law! Dammit! they would have called the law, if the police missed us...
This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!
The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.
We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO
DEAL WITH IT ALL!
And YOU are one of them!
CONGRATULATIONS!
Wildlife and Nature reading
Just returned from a holiday in Pench (MP).
Apart from the tiger and leopard, both of whom gave us lovely darshan, caught up with Kipling.
Pench and Kanha are Kipling Country. "Just so stories" is amazing. Sitting in a tent in the jungle, at dark and listening to "how the leopard got its spots" or "the camel got a hump" is fantastic. Colonial literature has its own charm.
Which got me thinking.... what are we ... if not for Corbett, Kipling, Kenneth Anderson and Ruskin Bond .... the best wildlife description, country description, bringing the jungles alive visually ... we have to be eternally grateful. Whether it is "maneaters of kumaon"(Corbett) or "sivanipalli" (Anderson) ...or Kipling's Madhya Pradesh ... simple but evocative writing at its best. If we include Nature, we cannot miss out on Bill Aitken. From Nandadevi to "Seven Sacred Rivers" these are essential reading.
I strongly feel and keep recommending to School libraries as well ... anyone from 8th std onwards, its time to introduce them to Corbett and Kenneth Anderson. Bond and Kipling can start from age 5 onwards. Oh for some good readers !
Last year Shabbir volunteered for Corbett reading and quite a few kids turned up. This summer, i don't mind doing a wildlife week ! Any takers ?
Apart from the tiger and leopard, both of whom gave us lovely darshan, caught up with Kipling.
Pench and Kanha are Kipling Country. "Just so stories" is amazing. Sitting in a tent in the jungle, at dark and listening to "how the leopard got its spots" or "the camel got a hump" is fantastic. Colonial literature has its own charm.
Which got me thinking.... what are we ... if not for Corbett, Kipling, Kenneth Anderson and Ruskin Bond .... the best wildlife description, country description, bringing the jungles alive visually ... we have to be eternally grateful. Whether it is "maneaters of kumaon"(Corbett) or "sivanipalli" (Anderson) ...or Kipling's Madhya Pradesh ... simple but evocative writing at its best. If we include Nature, we cannot miss out on Bill Aitken. From Nandadevi to "Seven Sacred Rivers" these are essential reading.
I strongly feel and keep recommending to School libraries as well ... anyone from 8th std onwards, its time to introduce them to Corbett and Kenneth Anderson. Bond and Kipling can start from age 5 onwards. Oh for some good readers !
Last year Shabbir volunteered for Corbett reading and quite a few kids turned up. This summer, i don't mind doing a wildlife week ! Any takers ?
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Stock up on Books for Diwali weekend
Hi all,
With festivities happening all round, can good books be left behind? Welcome to another round of great books and reviews.... Again, we have listed a lot of new books towards the end.
New, Rare and Different books:
"Other Colours" by Orhan Pamuk @ Rs. 495/- (433 pgs)
A Book of Essays and a Story is a collection of pithy and eclectic write-ups focusing on writings on Life, Art, Books and Critics. Ranging from childhood memories to memories of time shared with his own daughter, classics that the author read to eminent personalities whom he met, politics, books and reading, different cities and civilizations-from Istanbul to New York-the topics spanned are amazing! Interspersed among these are Pamuk’s own black and white sketches as well as a short story ‘To Look Out the Window”. A Collector's book from the Nobel Laureate.
"The Elephant, The Tiger and The Cellphone: The Reflections on India in the Twenty-first Century" by Shashi Tharoor @ Rs. 495/- (387 pgs)
For those of us who read Tharoor religiously every Sunday, these writings are familiar. As India turns sixty, Shashi Tharoor reminds us of the paradox that is India. Comparing India with an elephant, a slow, plodding, slumbering elephant that in the early 1990’s seemed to rouse out of its slumber and morph into a tiger. Essays on a broad range of subjects, his writings are lucid, witty, insightful and as thought- provoking as ever. In 2007, Shashi Tharoor concluded a nearly twenty-nine-year career with the United Nations and has been awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, India’s highest honour for overseas Indians.
"Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changed Everything" by Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams @ Rs.775/- (324 pgs)
This book is about mass collaboration changing the face of corporations everywhere. Banishing the age- old hierarchical system that was being used, companies now encourage everyone to share information and ideas. Interconnected and orchestrated through blogs, wikis, chat rooms, peer- to- peer networks and personal broadcasting, the internet is being reinvented to provide the first ever-global platform for collaboration. This book investigates how small businesses can achieve success.
"Writing a nation- An Anthology of Indian Journalism" Ed. by Nirmala Lakshman @ Rs. 795/- (718 pgs)
It’s a compilation of articles that have appeared in the leading national English dailies such as The Hindu, Indian Express etc. It encompasses a vast set of topics ranging from tackling corruption, riots, media, education and social issues and so forth. The press has always molded public opinion. This book shows that the tradition of independent Indian journalism is alive and well in India in the sixth decade after independence. The writers include celebrated journalists, politician’s academicians, activists and many others.
"A Princess’s Pilgrimage (Nawab Sikandar Begum’s “A Pilgrimage To Mecca”) Edited, Introduced and with an Afterword by Siobhan Lambert –Hurley @ Rs 350/- (180 pgs)
In 1870, Nawab Sikandar Begum of Bhopal became the first Muslim woman to publish an account of her Hajj Pilgrimage. Her unique and critical description unfolds an amazing vista of the colonial environment of Arabia. Replete with first hand accounts of shopping for Water (!), curios, fabric, condiments, slaves and enquiries about prices of building material, prevalent etiquette, the social and political scenario; the book brings to life a forgotten social and cultural era. The presence of a critical introduction as well as the after word goes a long way to encourage the generally curious reader, the researcher or historian to rethink what period travel writing is all about.
"Janani" by Rinki Bhattacharya @ Rs.280/-(197 pgs.)
This is a book about Mothers, daughters and motherhood. Autobiographical writings of women who are well known public figures are woven to stroll through accounts of motherhood, adoptive motherhood, step mothering, single motherhood and no –motherhood…all humane and compelling narratives. Interspersed with some inspiring verses, these intimate writings amaze us with the uniqueness of the most abundant and common: mother –child relationship
"Rudra –The Idea of Shiva" By Nilima Chitgopekar @ Rs 250/-(189 pgs.)
Through first person narratives of Vishnu, Sati, Daksha, Parvati and Ganesha, the author traces the diverse threads of history, philosophy, anthropology and faith to unravel the myth and mystery of the intriguing deity that is Shiva. The author has recreated the defining moments in Shiva’s life to uncover the deeper truths of the unmatched appeal of Mahadeva.
"Saadat Hasan Manto- Selected Stories" Translated and edited by Khalid Hasan @ Rs.295/- (309 pgs)
Often compared with Gogol, Manto, the supreme humanist shows how the essential goodness of people does not perish even in the face of unimaginable sufferings. This collection of superbly translated stories range from chilling accounts of Partition, touching stories of simplicity and the mysterious and dubious happenings of the underworld. Powerful and deeply moving, these stories have retained their relevance even though they were published more than half a century ago.
"Screenwriting is Storytelling: Creating an A- List Screenplay That Sells" by Kate Wright @ Rs. 350/- (264 pgs)
From an Emmy award winning producer and screenwriter, senior instructor at UCLA ‘Coach Kate’ comes a book, which reveals some effective screen writing formulae, defines story sequencing and explores the mysteries of story telling. With special features like tips on breaking in, Industry organizations, websites for screenwriters and screenwriting competitions, a novice or an experienced writer stands to gain a lot from this lucidly written book which draws ample examples from many contemporary, successful films.
"Living Pictures Perspectives on the Film Poster in India" edited by David Blamey & Robert D’Souza. @ Rs. 995/- (259 pgs)
This book makes an interesting attempt to go beyond evaluating merely the visual charm of the Indian Cinema’s posters. It delves into the meaning within a broader cultural context and goes beyond appearances to examine the society that produces this unique visual ideology. Living Pictures reveals how Indian film vernacular, its artifacts and aesthetic principals, are circulated and contested in the everyday world. The brilliant array of posters takes one on a delightful stroll down memory lane too.
"Murderous Maths – Codes" by Kjartan Poskitt @ Rs.195/- (157 pgs)
For those confused by ciphers and codes, Murderous Maths aims at relieving the agony of cryptanalysis by explaining ingenious ways and means to decode complex word codes, number codes as well as those related to time and dates. Number messages, double codes, substitution codes etc are demystified in an entertaining and lucid manner indeed.
"Match book- Indian Matchbox Labels" by Shahid Datawala @ Rs.650/- (75 pgs)
This sleek and slick book is a wonderful, first ever, collection of Indian Matchbox labels .It showcases over 500 colorful brands such as ‘Cheetah Fight’. ‘Judo Deluxe’, ‘Tip Top’ and ‘New Shit’! Curious, hilarious and visually stunning it makes a perfect gift for artists, graphic designers, pyromaniacs, smokers non –smokers and anyone with an affinity for the quirky.
"King Khan- SRK" by Deepa Gahlot @ Rs. 495/- (128 pgs)
With a career story that colors movie lore, Shah Rukh Khan has trail blazed into the Hindi Film Industry. He personifies the media- savvy, money-smart focused professional that today’s world idolizes and blockbuster movies created the SRK brand. With a career milestone of sixty films, the author makes a mid career assessment by analyzing the various phases of SRK’s life and career and putting them in perspective. Interspersed with quotes from the Superstar are photographs that capture him and his various moods.
"A Certain Ambiguity- A Mathematical Novel" by Gaurav Suri & Hartosh Singh Bal @ Rs.450/- (281 pgs)
To show readers that mathematics is ‘beautiful’, authors Gaurav Suri+ Hartosh Singh Bal who have degrees in Mathematics and share a childhood friendship have weaved fiction, maths and philosophy into this interestingly authored novel in which a grandfather and grandson struggle with the question of whether there can ever be absolute certainty in maths or life. Their explorations lead us into the realms of the development and study of geometry and infinity .The narrative and characters are compelling, complex, moving yet enlightening.
"Penguin Guide to Countries of the World" @ Rs.199/- (295 pgs)
The Penguin Guide to Countries of the World gives the most current information on, as the title suggests, countries of the world. This being the second edition it incorporates information as available on thirty- first Aug 2007 of the 193 nations of the world, which are members of the United Nations. The information spans a concise history of each nation, detailed map, economic profile, a note on its administrative systems, transport and communication data etc. The book also features a separate listing of capitals, currencies, GDP’s, Life expectancy, demographic studies as well as the countries with largest road and railway networks. It makes a handy one-volume guide to everything one would like to know about any given country.
"The Genius of Dnyaneshwar - An English Translation" by Ravin Thatte @ Rs.750/- (1034 pgs)
From an interesting personality- a plastic surgeon-comes an equally evocative book about the most famous religious literature in Marathi, The Dnyaneshwari, originally authored by the renowned saint Dnyaneshwar. A beautiful translation of the commentaries on ‘The Geeta’, the book makes a riveting read all through its 123 chapters. The translation of the poetic and profound Marathi Dnyaneshwari to English is also lyrical and entrancing. Not only has it effectively presented the rich version of the original book but also guides readers through a glossary of English words. The book ends with a brief biography of Saint Dnyaneshwar.
"Theatre of the Streets: The Jana Natya Manch Experience" Ed. by Sudhanva Deshpande @ Rs.120/- (160 pgs)
The Jana Natya Manch (Janam) was co- founded by Safdar Hashmi in 1973 and has done about eight thousand performances in over a hundred and forty towns, cities and villages of India. On January first 1989, Safdar Hashmi was killed in performance in a working class locality in Delhi. This book, dedicated to his memory, gives an insight into his life and his work. It contains writings and interviews by Janam activists, by writers and directors who’ve worked with Janam, and academic researchers. Janam is a voluntary amateur theatre group and this book will be interesting for anyone interested in theatre in connection to politics, society, history and culture.
"The Style Bible" Ed by James Bassil @ Rs. 542/- (208 pgs)
From AskMen.Com comes a handbook filled with fundamentals that every man can use to improve his dress sense and lifestyle. Conveniently divided into 8 rules, this book helps to build a versatile wardrobe, co -ordinate different colors, patterns and accessories and tread surely in the world of shoes too. With instructive illustrations and lots of tips it makes the book an educative and interesting read.
Management:
"Strategic Human Resource Technologies" by Ashok Chanda, B.Sivarama Krishna and Jie Shen @ Rs.720/- (524 pgs)
In recent years technology has transformed HRM. The authors bring together 40 strategic HR technologies and explain how and where these technologies can be defined for various HR subsystems. They include tools for measurement and scorecard comparisons. Using models, charts and clearly defined terminology, this book lays out the practical steps in implementing HR technologies.
"The Art Of Business Leadership - Indian Experiences" by S Balasubramanian @ Rs.395/- (304 pgs)
This extremely interesting book proposes a new look at the complex world and characteristics of Indian Business leadership. It is based on the author’s personal interactions and painstaking research on some of India’s leading businessmen and businesswomen, who have been successful in transforming the organization and the people they lead, into vibrant and growing entities. Presenting a unique perception of business leadership in India it explores this complex subject and its dynamics in today’s challenging global business environment.
"Leading with Wisdom-Spiritual based leadership in Business" by Peter Pruzan and Kirsten Pruzan Mikkelsen @ Rs.495/- (408 pgs)
This path-breaking book offers the experiences and perspectives of 31 top executives from 15 countries in 6 continents. They are executives who express from their first hand experience what it is like to lead a business from a spiritual basis. They tell amazing, down to earth, real life stories about how spirituality and rationality can go hand in hand in leadership and life. It may provide a fundamental shift in the way we look at the very purpose of business. This book is a trendsetter and a refreshing contrast to conventional success literature.
"Mergers, acquisitions and corporate restructuring" edited by Chandrashekar Krishnamurti and Vishwanath S R @ Rs.495/- (468 pgs)
An acknowledged method of staving off hostile takeovers is through mergers and acquisitions (M&A). In the first half, the author deals with the various aspects of and processes involved in M&A. In the rest of the book he focuses on emerging trends in M&A activities and likely future directions. It covers the entire spectrum of activities in a typical merger transaction starting from searching for candidates to closing the deal. The book also covers various forms of corporate restructuring like spin offs; carve outs, targeted stocks, and reorganization of debt contracts, lay offs and downsizing. It contains numerous real life examples and summarizes much of the research done in the last 20 years. This is an invaluable book for CEOs, investment and financial managers, merchant bankers, corporate planners, management consultants and promoter- entrepreneurs.
"Total management by ratios - An analytical approach to management control and stock market valuations" by Hrishikes Bhattacharya @ Rs.395/- (420 pgs)
This is a pioneering book that integrates functional analysis of a business enterprise with stock market valuation. It moves beyond the convention of financial statement analysis to first evaluate every function of management and then integrate this into the total corporate functioning of an enterprise, leading to its valuation in the stock market. All the ratios are explained and worked out with live examples.
"The Indian CEO: A Portrait of Excellence" by Signe M Spencer, Tharuma Rajah, S A Narayan, Seetharaman Mohan, Gaurav Lahiri @ Rs. 295/- (204 pgs)
The book, The Indian CEO, chronicles the results of the study and identifies a set of leadership qualities that has enabled the CEOs to lead their companies to the top. Based on in-depth interviews and case studies, the book covers different situations the CEOs had to tackle. It describes the consistent characteristics and behavior of the best Indian CEOs at this time. It examines the key things that Indian CEOs do, and are doing to create socially responsible business excellence. As India develops and businesses become more integrated into the economy, this is a book not for future leaders, but today’s managers.
"Blind Men and the Elephant: Demystifying the Global IT Services Industry" by Was Rahman and Priya Kurien @ Rs.395/- (334 pgs)
Though the IT industry is a trillion dollar industry, it remains one of the least understood industries on the world. Drawing vivid comparisons from everyday life and other industries, this book makes complex concepts accessible to the general reader, giving them for the first time an in-depth insight into the IT industry.
"The New Sales Manager: Challenges for the 21st Century" by Walter Vieira @ Rs. 295/- (204 pgs)
The lucid style is extremely engaging and will appeal to everyone involved in selling. The cartoons are very apt and suited to the matter for easy understanding. “The sales managers I have known, met or heard about...” at the end of each chapter are case studies that are extremely useful. A bullet point reference for the Sales function.
"Towards Personal Excellence: Psychometric Tests and Self- Improvement Techniques for Managers" by Seema Sanghi @ Rs. 475/- (296 pgs)
This book has simplified the various concepts and theories in the form of practical hints for increasing excellence of various personal and interpersonal skills. With a lot of techniques to assess with rating scales and assessment sheets and scorecards, it is an invaluable tool for anyone keen on building a step-by-step self-assessment plan. Compelling aid to Career progression and defining a path.
"8 Steps to Building Innovating Organizations" by Manu Parashar @ Rs. 250/- (152 pgs)
The book breaks the manager’s myth that innovation is something outside the organizational framework, and shows how the capability to innovate can be built into the fabric of an organization in eight steps. It explains the nuances of the process of innovation in an easy- to- understand style, making it reader- friendly. Also included are examples and case studies of well-known firms from India and abroad and personal examples. The author, Manu Parashar is the CEO of Gone to Fish, an innovation consultancy at Bangalore.
A new series of "Instant Books" by Tata McGraw Hill priced: Rs. 299/- Titles listed below:
Instant Advertising
Instant Cash flow
Instant Leads
Instant Profit
Instant Promotions
Instant Referrals
Instant Repeat Business
Instant Sales
Instant Systems
Instant Team Building
Instant Successful Franchising
Instant Business Coach
Instant Real Estate Coach
Instant Billionaire in Training
New Books:
"Penguin Guide to the States and Union Territories of India-2nd edition" @ Rs. 199/-
"The Book of Demons- Including a Dictionary of Demons in Sanskrit Literature" by Nanditha Krishna @ Rs. 325/- (268 pgs)
"The World According to Clarkson- Volume 2" by Jeremy Clarkson @ Rs. 260/-
"Vikramaditya’s throne" by Polie Sengupta @ Rs. 175/-
“The Way to the Top: The Best Business Advice I Ever Received” by Donald Trump @ Rs. 640/-
“The Younger Gods” by David and Leigh Eddings @ Rs. 430/-
“Shadow of the Silk Road” by Colin Thubron @ Rs. 475/-
“Gandhi: A Spiritual Journey” by M. V. Kamath @ Rs. 195/-
“Elizabeth” by J. Randy Taraborrelli @ Rs. 390/-
“The Righteous Men” by Sam Bourne @ Rs. 295/-
“A Girl and a River” by Usha K. R. @ Rs. 295/-
“The 7 Rules of Success: Follow the Strategies, Experience the Results” by Fiona Harrold @ Rs. 260/-
“Jinx” by Meg Cabot @ Rs. 399/-
“Molly Moon, Micky Minus and the Mind Machine” by Georgia Byng @ Rs. 390/-
“Making Money” by Terry Pratchett @ Rs. 495/-
“On Ugliness” Ed. by Umberto Eco @ Rs. 1380/-
“Chetan Anand: The Poetics of Film” by Uma Anand and Ketan Anand @ Rs. 895/-
“A Writer’s People: Ways of Looking and Feeling” by V. S. Naipaul @ Rs.395/-
“The Young Che - Memories of Che Guevara” @ Rs. 475/-
“Eight lives down” by Chris Hunter @ Rs. 735/-
“Stalin’s ghost” by Martin Cruz Smith @ Rs. 475/-
“Bridge of Sighs” by Richard Russo @ Rs.540/-
Enjoy your books, enjoy your reading!
And here’s wishing all of you a very happy and safe Diwali. twistntales shall be closed on the Diwali weekend of (9th, 10th and 11th), so do kindly stock up on your reading delights for your holiday season !!!
From the team at,
With festivities happening all round, can good books be left behind? Welcome to another round of great books and reviews.... Again, we have listed a lot of new books towards the end.
New, Rare and Different books:
"Other Colours" by Orhan Pamuk @ Rs. 495/- (433 pgs)
A Book of Essays and a Story is a collection of pithy and eclectic write-ups focusing on writings on Life, Art, Books and Critics. Ranging from childhood memories to memories of time shared with his own daughter, classics that the author read to eminent personalities whom he met, politics, books and reading, different cities and civilizations-from Istanbul to New York-the topics spanned are amazing! Interspersed among these are Pamuk’s own black and white sketches as well as a short story ‘To Look Out the Window”. A Collector's book from the Nobel Laureate.
"The Elephant, The Tiger and The Cellphone: The Reflections on India in the Twenty-first Century" by Shashi Tharoor @ Rs. 495/- (387 pgs)
For those of us who read Tharoor religiously every Sunday, these writings are familiar. As India turns sixty, Shashi Tharoor reminds us of the paradox that is India. Comparing India with an elephant, a slow, plodding, slumbering elephant that in the early 1990’s seemed to rouse out of its slumber and morph into a tiger. Essays on a broad range of subjects, his writings are lucid, witty, insightful and as thought- provoking as ever. In 2007, Shashi Tharoor concluded a nearly twenty-nine-year career with the United Nations and has been awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, India’s highest honour for overseas Indians.
"Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changed Everything" by Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams @ Rs.775/- (324 pgs)
This book is about mass collaboration changing the face of corporations everywhere. Banishing the age- old hierarchical system that was being used, companies now encourage everyone to share information and ideas. Interconnected and orchestrated through blogs, wikis, chat rooms, peer- to- peer networks and personal broadcasting, the internet is being reinvented to provide the first ever-global platform for collaboration. This book investigates how small businesses can achieve success.
"Writing a nation- An Anthology of Indian Journalism" Ed. by Nirmala Lakshman @ Rs. 795/- (718 pgs)
It’s a compilation of articles that have appeared in the leading national English dailies such as The Hindu, Indian Express etc. It encompasses a vast set of topics ranging from tackling corruption, riots, media, education and social issues and so forth. The press has always molded public opinion. This book shows that the tradition of independent Indian journalism is alive and well in India in the sixth decade after independence. The writers include celebrated journalists, politician’s academicians, activists and many others.
"A Princess’s Pilgrimage (Nawab Sikandar Begum’s “A Pilgrimage To Mecca”) Edited, Introduced and with an Afterword by Siobhan Lambert –Hurley @ Rs 350/- (180 pgs)
In 1870, Nawab Sikandar Begum of Bhopal became the first Muslim woman to publish an account of her Hajj Pilgrimage. Her unique and critical description unfolds an amazing vista of the colonial environment of Arabia. Replete with first hand accounts of shopping for Water (!), curios, fabric, condiments, slaves and enquiries about prices of building material, prevalent etiquette, the social and political scenario; the book brings to life a forgotten social and cultural era. The presence of a critical introduction as well as the after word goes a long way to encourage the generally curious reader, the researcher or historian to rethink what period travel writing is all about.
"Janani" by Rinki Bhattacharya @ Rs.280/-(197 pgs.)
This is a book about Mothers, daughters and motherhood. Autobiographical writings of women who are well known public figures are woven to stroll through accounts of motherhood, adoptive motherhood, step mothering, single motherhood and no –motherhood…all humane and compelling narratives. Interspersed with some inspiring verses, these intimate writings amaze us with the uniqueness of the most abundant and common: mother –child relationship
"Rudra –The Idea of Shiva" By Nilima Chitgopekar @ Rs 250/-(189 pgs.)
Through first person narratives of Vishnu, Sati, Daksha, Parvati and Ganesha, the author traces the diverse threads of history, philosophy, anthropology and faith to unravel the myth and mystery of the intriguing deity that is Shiva. The author has recreated the defining moments in Shiva’s life to uncover the deeper truths of the unmatched appeal of Mahadeva.
"Saadat Hasan Manto- Selected Stories" Translated and edited by Khalid Hasan @ Rs.295/- (309 pgs)
Often compared with Gogol, Manto, the supreme humanist shows how the essential goodness of people does not perish even in the face of unimaginable sufferings. This collection of superbly translated stories range from chilling accounts of Partition, touching stories of simplicity and the mysterious and dubious happenings of the underworld. Powerful and deeply moving, these stories have retained their relevance even though they were published more than half a century ago.
"Screenwriting is Storytelling: Creating an A- List Screenplay That Sells" by Kate Wright @ Rs. 350/- (264 pgs)
From an Emmy award winning producer and screenwriter, senior instructor at UCLA ‘Coach Kate’ comes a book, which reveals some effective screen writing formulae, defines story sequencing and explores the mysteries of story telling. With special features like tips on breaking in, Industry organizations, websites for screenwriters and screenwriting competitions, a novice or an experienced writer stands to gain a lot from this lucidly written book which draws ample examples from many contemporary, successful films.
"Living Pictures Perspectives on the Film Poster in India" edited by David Blamey & Robert D’Souza. @ Rs. 995/- (259 pgs)
This book makes an interesting attempt to go beyond evaluating merely the visual charm of the Indian Cinema’s posters. It delves into the meaning within a broader cultural context and goes beyond appearances to examine the society that produces this unique visual ideology. Living Pictures reveals how Indian film vernacular, its artifacts and aesthetic principals, are circulated and contested in the everyday world. The brilliant array of posters takes one on a delightful stroll down memory lane too.
"Murderous Maths – Codes" by Kjartan Poskitt @ Rs.195/- (157 pgs)
For those confused by ciphers and codes, Murderous Maths aims at relieving the agony of cryptanalysis by explaining ingenious ways and means to decode complex word codes, number codes as well as those related to time and dates. Number messages, double codes, substitution codes etc are demystified in an entertaining and lucid manner indeed.
"Match book- Indian Matchbox Labels" by Shahid Datawala @ Rs.650/- (75 pgs)
This sleek and slick book is a wonderful, first ever, collection of Indian Matchbox labels .It showcases over 500 colorful brands such as ‘Cheetah Fight’. ‘Judo Deluxe’, ‘Tip Top’ and ‘New Shit’! Curious, hilarious and visually stunning it makes a perfect gift for artists, graphic designers, pyromaniacs, smokers non –smokers and anyone with an affinity for the quirky.
"King Khan- SRK" by Deepa Gahlot @ Rs. 495/- (128 pgs)
With a career story that colors movie lore, Shah Rukh Khan has trail blazed into the Hindi Film Industry. He personifies the media- savvy, money-smart focused professional that today’s world idolizes and blockbuster movies created the SRK brand. With a career milestone of sixty films, the author makes a mid career assessment by analyzing the various phases of SRK’s life and career and putting them in perspective. Interspersed with quotes from the Superstar are photographs that capture him and his various moods.
"A Certain Ambiguity- A Mathematical Novel" by Gaurav Suri & Hartosh Singh Bal @ Rs.450/- (281 pgs)
To show readers that mathematics is ‘beautiful’, authors Gaurav Suri+ Hartosh Singh Bal who have degrees in Mathematics and share a childhood friendship have weaved fiction, maths and philosophy into this interestingly authored novel in which a grandfather and grandson struggle with the question of whether there can ever be absolute certainty in maths or life. Their explorations lead us into the realms of the development and study of geometry and infinity .The narrative and characters are compelling, complex, moving yet enlightening.
"Penguin Guide to Countries of the World" @ Rs.199/- (295 pgs)
The Penguin Guide to Countries of the World gives the most current information on, as the title suggests, countries of the world. This being the second edition it incorporates information as available on thirty- first Aug 2007 of the 193 nations of the world, which are members of the United Nations. The information spans a concise history of each nation, detailed map, economic profile, a note on its administrative systems, transport and communication data etc. The book also features a separate listing of capitals, currencies, GDP’s, Life expectancy, demographic studies as well as the countries with largest road and railway networks. It makes a handy one-volume guide to everything one would like to know about any given country.
"The Genius of Dnyaneshwar - An English Translation" by Ravin Thatte @ Rs.750/- (1034 pgs)
From an interesting personality- a plastic surgeon-comes an equally evocative book about the most famous religious literature in Marathi, The Dnyaneshwari, originally authored by the renowned saint Dnyaneshwar. A beautiful translation of the commentaries on ‘The Geeta’, the book makes a riveting read all through its 123 chapters. The translation of the poetic and profound Marathi Dnyaneshwari to English is also lyrical and entrancing. Not only has it effectively presented the rich version of the original book but also guides readers through a glossary of English words. The book ends with a brief biography of Saint Dnyaneshwar.
"Theatre of the Streets: The Jana Natya Manch Experience" Ed. by Sudhanva Deshpande @ Rs.120/- (160 pgs)
The Jana Natya Manch (Janam) was co- founded by Safdar Hashmi in 1973 and has done about eight thousand performances in over a hundred and forty towns, cities and villages of India. On January first 1989, Safdar Hashmi was killed in performance in a working class locality in Delhi. This book, dedicated to his memory, gives an insight into his life and his work. It contains writings and interviews by Janam activists, by writers and directors who’ve worked with Janam, and academic researchers. Janam is a voluntary amateur theatre group and this book will be interesting for anyone interested in theatre in connection to politics, society, history and culture.
"The Style Bible" Ed by James Bassil @ Rs. 542/- (208 pgs)
From AskMen.Com comes a handbook filled with fundamentals that every man can use to improve his dress sense and lifestyle. Conveniently divided into 8 rules, this book helps to build a versatile wardrobe, co -ordinate different colors, patterns and accessories and tread surely in the world of shoes too. With instructive illustrations and lots of tips it makes the book an educative and interesting read.
Management:
"Strategic Human Resource Technologies" by Ashok Chanda, B.Sivarama Krishna and Jie Shen @ Rs.720/- (524 pgs)
In recent years technology has transformed HRM. The authors bring together 40 strategic HR technologies and explain how and where these technologies can be defined for various HR subsystems. They include tools for measurement and scorecard comparisons. Using models, charts and clearly defined terminology, this book lays out the practical steps in implementing HR technologies.
"The Art Of Business Leadership - Indian Experiences" by S Balasubramanian @ Rs.395/- (304 pgs)
This extremely interesting book proposes a new look at the complex world and characteristics of Indian Business leadership. It is based on the author’s personal interactions and painstaking research on some of India’s leading businessmen and businesswomen, who have been successful in transforming the organization and the people they lead, into vibrant and growing entities. Presenting a unique perception of business leadership in India it explores this complex subject and its dynamics in today’s challenging global business environment.
"Leading with Wisdom-Spiritual based leadership in Business" by Peter Pruzan and Kirsten Pruzan Mikkelsen @ Rs.495/- (408 pgs)
This path-breaking book offers the experiences and perspectives of 31 top executives from 15 countries in 6 continents. They are executives who express from their first hand experience what it is like to lead a business from a spiritual basis. They tell amazing, down to earth, real life stories about how spirituality and rationality can go hand in hand in leadership and life. It may provide a fundamental shift in the way we look at the very purpose of business. This book is a trendsetter and a refreshing contrast to conventional success literature.
"Mergers, acquisitions and corporate restructuring" edited by Chandrashekar Krishnamurti and Vishwanath S R @ Rs.495/- (468 pgs)
An acknowledged method of staving off hostile takeovers is through mergers and acquisitions (M&A). In the first half, the author deals with the various aspects of and processes involved in M&A. In the rest of the book he focuses on emerging trends in M&A activities and likely future directions. It covers the entire spectrum of activities in a typical merger transaction starting from searching for candidates to closing the deal. The book also covers various forms of corporate restructuring like spin offs; carve outs, targeted stocks, and reorganization of debt contracts, lay offs and downsizing. It contains numerous real life examples and summarizes much of the research done in the last 20 years. This is an invaluable book for CEOs, investment and financial managers, merchant bankers, corporate planners, management consultants and promoter- entrepreneurs.
"Total management by ratios - An analytical approach to management control and stock market valuations" by Hrishikes Bhattacharya @ Rs.395/- (420 pgs)
This is a pioneering book that integrates functional analysis of a business enterprise with stock market valuation. It moves beyond the convention of financial statement analysis to first evaluate every function of management and then integrate this into the total corporate functioning of an enterprise, leading to its valuation in the stock market. All the ratios are explained and worked out with live examples.
"The Indian CEO: A Portrait of Excellence" by Signe M Spencer, Tharuma Rajah, S A Narayan, Seetharaman Mohan, Gaurav Lahiri @ Rs. 295/- (204 pgs)
The book, The Indian CEO, chronicles the results of the study and identifies a set of leadership qualities that has enabled the CEOs to lead their companies to the top. Based on in-depth interviews and case studies, the book covers different situations the CEOs had to tackle. It describes the consistent characteristics and behavior of the best Indian CEOs at this time. It examines the key things that Indian CEOs do, and are doing to create socially responsible business excellence. As India develops and businesses become more integrated into the economy, this is a book not for future leaders, but today’s managers.
"Blind Men and the Elephant: Demystifying the Global IT Services Industry" by Was Rahman and Priya Kurien @ Rs.395/- (334 pgs)
Though the IT industry is a trillion dollar industry, it remains one of the least understood industries on the world. Drawing vivid comparisons from everyday life and other industries, this book makes complex concepts accessible to the general reader, giving them for the first time an in-depth insight into the IT industry.
"The New Sales Manager: Challenges for the 21st Century" by Walter Vieira @ Rs. 295/- (204 pgs)
The lucid style is extremely engaging and will appeal to everyone involved in selling. The cartoons are very apt and suited to the matter for easy understanding. “The sales managers I have known, met or heard about...” at the end of each chapter are case studies that are extremely useful. A bullet point reference for the Sales function.
"Towards Personal Excellence: Psychometric Tests and Self- Improvement Techniques for Managers" by Seema Sanghi @ Rs. 475/- (296 pgs)
This book has simplified the various concepts and theories in the form of practical hints for increasing excellence of various personal and interpersonal skills. With a lot of techniques to assess with rating scales and assessment sheets and scorecards, it is an invaluable tool for anyone keen on building a step-by-step self-assessment plan. Compelling aid to Career progression and defining a path.
"8 Steps to Building Innovating Organizations" by Manu Parashar @ Rs. 250/- (152 pgs)
The book breaks the manager’s myth that innovation is something outside the organizational framework, and shows how the capability to innovate can be built into the fabric of an organization in eight steps. It explains the nuances of the process of innovation in an easy- to- understand style, making it reader- friendly. Also included are examples and case studies of well-known firms from India and abroad and personal examples. The author, Manu Parashar is the CEO of Gone to Fish, an innovation consultancy at Bangalore.
A new series of "Instant Books" by Tata McGraw Hill priced: Rs. 299/- Titles listed below:
Instant Advertising
Instant Cash flow
Instant Leads
Instant Profit
Instant Promotions
Instant Referrals
Instant Repeat Business
Instant Sales
Instant Systems
Instant Team Building
Instant Successful Franchising
Instant Business Coach
Instant Real Estate Coach
Instant Billionaire in Training
New Books:
"Penguin Guide to the States and Union Territories of India-2nd edition" @ Rs. 199/-
"The Book of Demons- Including a Dictionary of Demons in Sanskrit Literature" by Nanditha Krishna @ Rs. 325/- (268 pgs)
"The World According to Clarkson- Volume 2" by Jeremy Clarkson @ Rs. 260/-
"Vikramaditya’s throne" by Polie Sengupta @ Rs. 175/-
“The Way to the Top: The Best Business Advice I Ever Received” by Donald Trump @ Rs. 640/-
“The Younger Gods” by David and Leigh Eddings @ Rs. 430/-
“Shadow of the Silk Road” by Colin Thubron @ Rs. 475/-
“Gandhi: A Spiritual Journey” by M. V. Kamath @ Rs. 195/-
“Elizabeth” by J. Randy Taraborrelli @ Rs. 390/-
“The Righteous Men” by Sam Bourne @ Rs. 295/-
“A Girl and a River” by Usha K. R. @ Rs. 295/-
“The 7 Rules of Success: Follow the Strategies, Experience the Results” by Fiona Harrold @ Rs. 260/-
“Jinx” by Meg Cabot @ Rs. 399/-
“Molly Moon, Micky Minus and the Mind Machine” by Georgia Byng @ Rs. 390/-
“Making Money” by Terry Pratchett @ Rs. 495/-
“On Ugliness” Ed. by Umberto Eco @ Rs. 1380/-
“Chetan Anand: The Poetics of Film” by Uma Anand and Ketan Anand @ Rs. 895/-
“A Writer’s People: Ways of Looking and Feeling” by V. S. Naipaul @ Rs.395/-
“The Young Che - Memories of Che Guevara” @ Rs. 475/-
“Eight lives down” by Chris Hunter @ Rs. 735/-
“Stalin’s ghost” by Martin Cruz Smith @ Rs. 475/-
“Bridge of Sighs” by Richard Russo @ Rs.540/-
Enjoy your books, enjoy your reading!
And here’s wishing all of you a very happy and safe Diwali. twistntales shall be closed on the Diwali weekend of (9th, 10th and 11th), so do kindly stock up on your reading delights for your holiday season !!!
From the team at,
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Positive affirmations !
It feels good when a lot of folks do turn up in response to a sms or email. Thankyou everybody for making it to our Saraswati Pooja. Happy Dassera to all of you.
For every mail that we send out to folks on the mailing list, there are atleast 3 to 4 responses. Though our numbers say that our mail goes out to 2300+ email adds in our yahoogroup, quite a few we think are reduntant ones. People have moved jobs or even simply changed their email ids, and we are contnuing to write to their old ones. However, what keeps us going is for those few who care to respond.
We are not a faceless organisation writing to a faceless mass of email ids. Our effort in doing the reviews and sending them out to folks who care to read and respond makes it all sooooo... worthwhile. Thank you again.
I have reproduced 2 responses that we have recd. to our previous mail.
To: twistntales@yahoogroups.com
From: somaiyanilesh@gmail.com
Subject: Re: [twistntales] "Victory over Evil with good books!
Hi guys,
Thanks for the invitation, it's a pleasant surprise to get an invitation from your next door book lovers.
And hey, its really nice the way you are operating, if I may say that.
It was good to just know who are the people behind TnT, and will surely drop by sometime soon.
After all it would be great to come and have a chat on cinema and software in general with some good music in the background and get some idea on wats the coolest haristyle thats 'in' only to learn some accounts later on.
Nilesh
To: twistntales@yahoogroups.com
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2007 09:20:59 +0530
From: gaurav_chaudhuri@infosys.com
Subject: RE: [twistntales] "Victory over Evil with good books!
Hello TnT,
Wish you all a very auspicious Durga Puja and Vijayadashami.
May god shower you with blessings on the occasion of Saraswati puja.
Thank You for writing in.
Best Wishes,
Gaurav Chaudhuri
Thankyou Nilesh Somaiyya and Gaurav Chaudhuri.
It was also good to meet all ex- tnt-ians who showed up. Geetanjali, fresh from a camp in Idukki district, Kerala, Tia, ofcourse, Reshma, who called from UK, but whose mind was here, Jo - with some delicious Bengali sweets, Indu who came in time with Pooja material .... Shradda with Dhruv .... all so very linked and attached to twistntales.
But we missed you, Saroj. Never have you missed our Saraswati Puja ... you have always made it with a special garland for our Saraswati. Hope you get well soon.
And thanks to the others who made it.
Devashish and Rupali. Sangeeta and Manjushree. Nirmalya and Sumita. The Chatterjees, the Bids, Uma Aunty, Suchita, Tripuri, Kimi, Prithi, Maya, Shiru - all you guys are special ... thanks again for honoring Saraswati.
Our Saraswati, Raja Ravi Verma's painting, my inheritance from my grandmother.
For every mail that we send out to folks on the mailing list, there are atleast 3 to 4 responses. Though our numbers say that our mail goes out to 2300+ email adds in our yahoogroup, quite a few we think are reduntant ones. People have moved jobs or even simply changed their email ids, and we are contnuing to write to their old ones. However, what keeps us going is for those few who care to respond.
We are not a faceless organisation writing to a faceless mass of email ids. Our effort in doing the reviews and sending them out to folks who care to read and respond makes it all sooooo... worthwhile. Thank you again.
I have reproduced 2 responses that we have recd. to our previous mail.
To: twistntales@yahoogroups.com
From: somaiyanilesh@gmail.com
Subject: Re: [twistntales] "Victory over Evil with good books!
Hi guys,
Thanks for the invitation, it's a pleasant surprise to get an invitation from your next door book lovers.
And hey, its really nice the way you are operating, if I may say that.
It was good to just know who are the people behind TnT, and will surely drop by sometime soon.
After all it would be great to come and have a chat on cinema and software in general with some good music in the background and get some idea on wats the coolest haristyle thats 'in' only to learn some accounts later on.
Nilesh
To: twistntales@yahoogroups.com
Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2007 09:20:59 +0530
From: gaurav_chaudhuri@infosys.com
Subject: RE: [twistntales] "Victory over Evil with good books!
Hello TnT,
Wish you all a very auspicious Durga Puja and Vijayadashami.
May god shower you with blessings on the occasion of Saraswati puja.
Thank You for writing in.
Best Wishes,
Gaurav Chaudhuri
Thankyou Nilesh Somaiyya and Gaurav Chaudhuri.
It was also good to meet all ex- tnt-ians who showed up. Geetanjali, fresh from a camp in Idukki district, Kerala, Tia, ofcourse, Reshma, who called from UK, but whose mind was here, Jo - with some delicious Bengali sweets, Indu who came in time with Pooja material .... Shradda with Dhruv .... all so very linked and attached to twistntales.
But we missed you, Saroj. Never have you missed our Saraswati Puja ... you have always made it with a special garland for our Saraswati. Hope you get well soon.
And thanks to the others who made it.
Devashish and Rupali. Sangeeta and Manjushree. Nirmalya and Sumita. The Chatterjees, the Bids, Uma Aunty, Suchita, Tripuri, Kimi, Prithi, Maya, Shiru - all you guys are special ... thanks again for honoring Saraswati.
Our Saraswati, Raja Ravi Verma's painting, my inheritance from my grandmother.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Victory over Evil with good books!
Hi,
Greetings of Idd, Puja and Dassera.... As we celebrate the victory of good over evil, here's as good an opportunity as any to let you know about the team that operates behind the scenes in twistntales.
We are a small core team happy to bring you the latest happenings in the world of publishing and books. Different folks work different hours/ days, and they come from all backgrounds. This enables us to bring you a cross section of books, all handpicked for the Store. A combination of students and other professionals (on a break from their respective professions, but readers nonetheless), help us run this place. All of them work part-time, but their commitment to tnt is fulltime. On your visits to tnt, we have met you, spoken about your interests and (we hope) helped you identify books that suited your need on that particular day.
We have our own blog at twistntales@blogspot.com authored by a couple of us. You can catch up with happenings at twistntales through the blog too, and do leave your comments as well.
The team at twistntales:
Jahnavi
Jahnavi joined us in November last and has since then often been our Star performer. Truly in her element during our Harry Potter midnite mania, Jahnavi has an unerring eye for detail. She is a BCom student of Symbiosis, with her heart set on cinema, music and other liberal arts. Anything, even work, is "fun" for Jahnavi and truly amplifies the tnt spirit. Expressing herself well, through her reviews or her posters, Jahnavi intends scaling the corporate ladder through marketing or HR.
Shama
Shama is cool. Anything from spiked hair (maybe "pink spiked" in a while) to logical thinking is "hey cool" for her. "Shama is a sweetheart with a few sharp edges ..... in her hair!" But check her out for the craziest jokes in town (and other towns too!), and you will have the real Shama face to face. Painfully shy, Welhams will be proud of this alumni doing Mass Comm. from Indira Institute.
Sonali
Sonali is a scientist, and a "Farishta" fan on World Space. You will meet her on weekends @ the Store, with her own choice of old Hindi film music, playing softly in the background. Always thinking, the timely quips on the board outside the Store, are always invariably her contribution. A diehard Agatha Christie fan, her range of interests spans far and wide. Always planning her next holiday, you will spot her in Shillong Sarongs after her last hill holiday in June.
Poorva
Joined us a couple of months back, has very quickly learnt the ropes to be our "Star of the month" in September. Having had a helmet forced on her since last month, sensibly, she now attends college too, much to the surprise of her classmates! Gearing up to be an accountant, she hones her skills with tnt accounts.
Roopa
A software engineer on a family break, Roopa defines multi tasking to new levels. Besides a 4 hour slot @ tnt, she juggles her time with "work from home" projects and test paper correction, besides attending to 3 year old Harini.
Ravi and Nirmala take care of the Store, keep it clean, make us coffee, decorate it, run errands, do the banking and bring/drop books. They celebrate with us on a good day, and really cut loose on "their" days. The rangolis on Puja days are Nirmala's handiwork, when she has time from her "Church" meetings!
A few who have worked regular hours in the past, are always near tnt efforts. They come back to do short cameo innings to help cover for exam leave or other emergency situations. Tia /Reshma/ Indu/ Anushree/ Jyothi/ Aditya/ Shrikant have over the past few months often dropped in to help the tnt effort continue and maintain its excellent service quality to you, our customers.
We have our regular Saraswati Puja on Sat, 20th Oct @ 4.30 pm at twistntales premises. You are invited to attend the Puja alongwith family and friends.
And now onto books: Again, while a few have been reviewed, the newer ones have been listed, will be reviewed in the next mail.
"Journey Into Islam: The Crisis of Globalization" by Akbar Ahmed @ Rs. 525/- (323 pgs)
Islam has always been considered a very traditional and orthodox religion. What is the effect of globalization on Islam? Author Akbar Ahmed says that Islam and the West need to find a way past the hatred and mistrust that has been intensified by the war on terror and the forces of globalization. To establish dialogue and understanding between these two cultures, Ahmed and a team of Americans went on a journey, meeting Muslims from all walks of life- students, professors, presidents, cab drivers, prime ministers and sheikhs. The book destroys all stereotypes about Islam and Ahmed gives insight into how instead of waging war, the United States can improve relations with Islamic nations and people. Journey into Islam is an important book stating a powerful case for creating bonds across religion, race and tradition for lasting harmony between Islam and the West.
"Without Fear: The Life and Trial of Bhagat Singh" by Kuldip Nayar @ Rs. 395/- (240 pgs)
Bhagat Singh was one of the most inspiring youth leaders of the Indian Independence movement. The Hindustan Socialist Republican Association to which he belonged gained momentum when Gandhiji’s non-violent resistance movement began testing the people’s patience. He was executed at the age of twenty-three for his involvement in the Lahore Conspiracy Case and it was only years after his death that his jail writings came to light. And these writings prove that Bhagat Singh was more than just a defiant freedom fighter. An intellectual, he was inspired by Lenin, Marx, Bertrand Russell and Victor Hugo. The book, well researched by the author, explains the true ideology of Bhagat Singh and his comrades.
"Iran Awakening" Shirin Ebadi with Azadeh Moaveni @ Rs. 410/- (232 pgs)
Iran Awakening recounts the extraordinary journey of Iranian human-rights lawyer, Shirin Ebadi. She writes about her cases- cases that no one else would accept due to their volatile content. She speaks of her work, her faith and her experiences of braving imprisonment, assassination and her family’s humiliation, all for the dream of a peaceful and just Iran. The book is not a political memoir, but the memoir of a remarkable woman who still struggles to change Iran without the use of violence through its turbulent times. Shirin Ebadi received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003 for her public career in defending Iranians’ rights.
"Echoes and Eloquences-The Life and Cinema of Gulzar" By Saibal Chatterjee @ Rs. 795/-(267 pgs)
This book is much more than a chronological record of Gulzar’s life. It’s a book that captures the essence, the philosophy and the reasons behind the sustained sensitivity of this last active link of Mumbai cinemas golden era. The many experiences that added to his becoming and being ‘Gulzar’from Sampooran Singh Kalra of Sabzi Mandi, Delhi are effortlessly interwoven to spin the tale of making of some exquisite lyrics, scintillating screenplays and some really memorable dialogues. Behind- the- scene snaps give us a rare insight into the warm and wonderful world cinema of top caliber.
"Fantasies of a Bollywood Love Thief: Inside the World of Indian Moviemaking" by Stephen Alter @ Rs. 295/- (280 pgs)
Author Stephen Alter tracks the making of the Bollywood movie Omkara in this highly insightful book. Director Vishal Bhardwaj has made an Indian adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Othello. Stephen Alter goes behind the scenes of this star-studded movie to give an account of the making of a highly praised movie. From the adaptation of the original Shakespearean drama to a script narration, Fantasies of a Bollywood Love Thief also includes interviews with India’s best-known directors, lyricists, producers and actors such as Gulzar, Javed Akhtar, Viveik Oberoi and many more. Stephen Alter is the author of best-selling travelogues like "Sacred Waters: A Pilgrimage to the Many Sources of the Ganga" and "Amritsar to Lahore"
"Autobiography of An Actor - Sivaji Ganesan" compiled by Dr.T S Narayana Swamy @ Rs. 300/-(250 pgs)
This autobiography is a uniquely compiled book. Interviews of noted actor Sivaji Ganesan were taped and then organized in a question and answer format so that the Actor's quotes and words are faithfully retained. The English version has been presented by Sabita Radhakrishna who succeeds in retaining the essence of the original Tamil expressions. Reflections, reminiscences and perceptions of the Actor are compiled in conjunction with abundant photographs to give the reader an insight into the life and times of Sivaji Ganesan.
"How To Have Creative Ideas: 62 Exercises to Develop the Mind" by Edward De Bono @ Rs. 295/- (180 pgs)
Creativity is not a talent with which people are born with. It is a skill and every skill needs to be developed. Creativity is the basis of brainstorming and other such activities, which lead to lateral thinking and innovation. In this book, Edward De Bono has given sixty-two different games and exercises to encourage creativity and lateral thinking. The purpose of these games is to provide training in creative thinking making it simple, practical and fun for anyone who wants to have great ideas.
"Joker in the Pack: An Irreverent View of Life at IIMs" by Ritesh Sharma and Neeraj Pahlajani @ Rs. 195/- (195 pgs)
On the lines of Five Point Someone and Everything You Desire, comes yet another book on the journey through an IIM. Shekhar Verma has been born and brought up in a typical Indian middle class family. His favourite pastimes were cricket and television and eventually he goes to IIM. This is his story of his life at IIM and of life beyond. The authors are from IIM and the storyline will evoke a sense of nostalgia amongst the alumni.
Fiction:
"Rant" by Chuck Palahnuick @ Rs.520/- (319 pgs)
Friends of Buster ‘Rant’ Casey get together to build up an oral history of Rant’s short, spiced up, shocking life. From the author of Fight Club this is another book in which to expect hilarity, horror and deep insight into the desperate and surreal lives of a pack of highly charged youth! The multiple answers by different people about a single situation bring up some really interesting points.
"The Key Of Chaos" by Payal Dhar @ Rs. 295/-(324 pgs)
The sequel to ‘A Shadow In Eternity’ is an amazingly concocted bizarre and exciting plot where the protagonist ‘Maya’ is forced to defend the security of an ancient artifact of the "Warriors of the Shadow" Adventure and excitement await the readers who are taken on a journey of safekeeping and escapades from dangers from totally unexpected corners.
"Artemis Fowl: The Graphic Novel" by Eoin Colfer @ Rs. 225/-(56 pgs)
Artemis Fowl, the young crime-solving prodigy, in a graphic novel captures the imagination of all his fans. The neat and well-laid graphics make it a fast paced pleasurable journey across fictional lands and fantastic encounters…all for the cause of victory over the evil forces!
Newer Books:
"Other Colours: Essays and a Story" by Orhan Pahmuk @ Rs. 495/-
"Mr. And Mrs. Dutt: Memories of our Parents" by Namrata Dutt Kumar and Priya Dutt @ Rs. 695/-
"Writing A Nation: An Anthology of Indian Journalism" Ed. by Nirmala Lakshman @ Rs.795/-
"Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything" by Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams @ Rs.775/-
"Living Pictures: Perspectives on the Film Poster in India" Ed.by David Blamey and Robert D’ Souza @ Rs. 995/-
"Murderous Maths: Codes- How To Make them and Break Them" by Kjartan Poskitt @ Rs.195/-
"The Style Bible: The 11 Rules For Building A Complete And Timeless Wardrobe" Ed. by James Bassil @ Rs. 542/-
"King Khan" by Deepa Gahlot @ Rs. 495/-
“Matchbox” – Indian Matchbox labels @ Rs. 650/-
Other Noteworthy books:
"Bhagat Singh: The Jail Notebooks and Other Writings" compiled by Chaman Lal @ Rs.150/- (Left Word - published from National Archives of India)
"Bhagdad Burning: A young woman’s diary from a war zone" by Riverbend @ Rs.350/-
"A Princess’s Pilgrimage: Nawab Sikander Begum’s ‘A pilgrimage to Mecca’" edited by Shobhan Lambert - Hurley @ Rs.350/- (of a journey done in 1870) - Women Unlimited)
"A Very Strange Man: A novel" by Ismat Chughtai translated from the original by Tahira Naqvi @ Rs.250/-
"Theatre of the streets: The Jana Natya Manch Experience" edited by Sudhanva Deshpande @ Rs.120/-
"The Crooked Line" by Ismat Chugtai @ Rs. 250/- (Women Unlimited)
"Clarinda - A Historical Novel" by A. Madhaviah @ Rs. 175/- (Sahitya Akademi - Rare Book Reprint series)
"And the World Changed" - Contemporary Stories by Pakistani Women @ Rs. 350/- (Women Unlimited)
Kalhana's "Rajatarangini" - translated by R. S. Pandit @ Rs. 200/- (Sahitya Academy)
New Books in Tulika, kids.
"Picture Gandhi" by Sandhya Rao
"My Gandhi Scrapbook" by Sandhya Rao
"Elephants Never Forget" by Anushka Ravishankar and Christiane Peiper @ Rs. 350/-
"Poorva: Magic, Miracles and the Mystical Twelve" by Lakshmi Devnath @Rs. 195/-
Some great books, some rare …. Do drop in to the Store and check it out,
From the team at tnt !
Greetings of Idd, Puja and Dassera.... As we celebrate the victory of good over evil, here's as good an opportunity as any to let you know about the team that operates behind the scenes in twistntales.
We are a small core team happy to bring you the latest happenings in the world of publishing and books. Different folks work different hours/ days, and they come from all backgrounds. This enables us to bring you a cross section of books, all handpicked for the Store. A combination of students and other professionals (on a break from their respective professions, but readers nonetheless), help us run this place. All of them work part-time, but their commitment to tnt is fulltime. On your visits to tnt, we have met you, spoken about your interests and (we hope) helped you identify books that suited your need on that particular day.
We have our own blog at twistntales@blogspot.com authored by a couple of us. You can catch up with happenings at twistntales through the blog too, and do leave your comments as well.
The team at twistntales:
Jahnavi
Jahnavi joined us in November last and has since then often been our Star performer. Truly in her element during our Harry Potter midnite mania, Jahnavi has an unerring eye for detail. She is a BCom student of Symbiosis, with her heart set on cinema, music and other liberal arts. Anything, even work, is "fun" for Jahnavi and truly amplifies the tnt spirit. Expressing herself well, through her reviews or her posters, Jahnavi intends scaling the corporate ladder through marketing or HR.
Shama
Shama is cool. Anything from spiked hair (maybe "pink spiked" in a while) to logical thinking is "hey cool" for her. "Shama is a sweetheart with a few sharp edges ..... in her hair!" But check her out for the craziest jokes in town (and other towns too!), and you will have the real Shama face to face. Painfully shy, Welhams will be proud of this alumni doing Mass Comm. from Indira Institute.
Sonali
Sonali is a scientist, and a "Farishta" fan on World Space. You will meet her on weekends @ the Store, with her own choice of old Hindi film music, playing softly in the background. Always thinking, the timely quips on the board outside the Store, are always invariably her contribution. A diehard Agatha Christie fan, her range of interests spans far and wide. Always planning her next holiday, you will spot her in Shillong Sarongs after her last hill holiday in June.
Poorva
Joined us a couple of months back, has very quickly learnt the ropes to be our "Star of the month" in September. Having had a helmet forced on her since last month, sensibly, she now attends college too, much to the surprise of her classmates! Gearing up to be an accountant, she hones her skills with tnt accounts.
Roopa
A software engineer on a family break, Roopa defines multi tasking to new levels. Besides a 4 hour slot @ tnt, she juggles her time with "work from home" projects and test paper correction, besides attending to 3 year old Harini.
Ravi and Nirmala take care of the Store, keep it clean, make us coffee, decorate it, run errands, do the banking and bring/drop books. They celebrate with us on a good day, and really cut loose on "their" days. The rangolis on Puja days are Nirmala's handiwork, when she has time from her "Church" meetings!
A few who have worked regular hours in the past, are always near tnt efforts. They come back to do short cameo innings to help cover for exam leave or other emergency situations. Tia /Reshma/ Indu/ Anushree/ Jyothi/ Aditya/ Shrikant have over the past few months often dropped in to help the tnt effort continue and maintain its excellent service quality to you, our customers.
We have our regular Saraswati Puja on Sat, 20th Oct @ 4.30 pm at twistntales premises. You are invited to attend the Puja alongwith family and friends.
And now onto books: Again, while a few have been reviewed, the newer ones have been listed, will be reviewed in the next mail.
"Journey Into Islam: The Crisis of Globalization" by Akbar Ahmed @ Rs. 525/- (323 pgs)
Islam has always been considered a very traditional and orthodox religion. What is the effect of globalization on Islam? Author Akbar Ahmed says that Islam and the West need to find a way past the hatred and mistrust that has been intensified by the war on terror and the forces of globalization. To establish dialogue and understanding between these two cultures, Ahmed and a team of Americans went on a journey, meeting Muslims from all walks of life- students, professors, presidents, cab drivers, prime ministers and sheikhs. The book destroys all stereotypes about Islam and Ahmed gives insight into how instead of waging war, the United States can improve relations with Islamic nations and people. Journey into Islam is an important book stating a powerful case for creating bonds across religion, race and tradition for lasting harmony between Islam and the West.
"Without Fear: The Life and Trial of Bhagat Singh" by Kuldip Nayar @ Rs. 395/- (240 pgs)
Bhagat Singh was one of the most inspiring youth leaders of the Indian Independence movement. The Hindustan Socialist Republican Association to which he belonged gained momentum when Gandhiji’s non-violent resistance movement began testing the people’s patience. He was executed at the age of twenty-three for his involvement in the Lahore Conspiracy Case and it was only years after his death that his jail writings came to light. And these writings prove that Bhagat Singh was more than just a defiant freedom fighter. An intellectual, he was inspired by Lenin, Marx, Bertrand Russell and Victor Hugo. The book, well researched by the author, explains the true ideology of Bhagat Singh and his comrades.
"Iran Awakening" Shirin Ebadi with Azadeh Moaveni @ Rs. 410/- (232 pgs)
Iran Awakening recounts the extraordinary journey of Iranian human-rights lawyer, Shirin Ebadi. She writes about her cases- cases that no one else would accept due to their volatile content. She speaks of her work, her faith and her experiences of braving imprisonment, assassination and her family’s humiliation, all for the dream of a peaceful and just Iran. The book is not a political memoir, but the memoir of a remarkable woman who still struggles to change Iran without the use of violence through its turbulent times. Shirin Ebadi received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003 for her public career in defending Iranians’ rights.
"Echoes and Eloquences-The Life and Cinema of Gulzar" By Saibal Chatterjee @ Rs. 795/-(267 pgs)
This book is much more than a chronological record of Gulzar’s life. It’s a book that captures the essence, the philosophy and the reasons behind the sustained sensitivity of this last active link of Mumbai cinemas golden era. The many experiences that added to his becoming and being ‘Gulzar’from Sampooran Singh Kalra of Sabzi Mandi, Delhi are effortlessly interwoven to spin the tale of making of some exquisite lyrics, scintillating screenplays and some really memorable dialogues. Behind- the- scene snaps give us a rare insight into the warm and wonderful world cinema of top caliber.
"Fantasies of a Bollywood Love Thief: Inside the World of Indian Moviemaking" by Stephen Alter @ Rs. 295/- (280 pgs)
Author Stephen Alter tracks the making of the Bollywood movie Omkara in this highly insightful book. Director Vishal Bhardwaj has made an Indian adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Othello. Stephen Alter goes behind the scenes of this star-studded movie to give an account of the making of a highly praised movie. From the adaptation of the original Shakespearean drama to a script narration, Fantasies of a Bollywood Love Thief also includes interviews with India’s best-known directors, lyricists, producers and actors such as Gulzar, Javed Akhtar, Viveik Oberoi and many more. Stephen Alter is the author of best-selling travelogues like "Sacred Waters: A Pilgrimage to the Many Sources of the Ganga" and "Amritsar to Lahore"
"Autobiography of An Actor - Sivaji Ganesan" compiled by Dr.T S Narayana Swamy @ Rs. 300/-(250 pgs)
This autobiography is a uniquely compiled book. Interviews of noted actor Sivaji Ganesan were taped and then organized in a question and answer format so that the Actor's quotes and words are faithfully retained. The English version has been presented by Sabita Radhakrishna who succeeds in retaining the essence of the original Tamil expressions. Reflections, reminiscences and perceptions of the Actor are compiled in conjunction with abundant photographs to give the reader an insight into the life and times of Sivaji Ganesan.
"How To Have Creative Ideas: 62 Exercises to Develop the Mind" by Edward De Bono @ Rs. 295/- (180 pgs)
Creativity is not a talent with which people are born with. It is a skill and every skill needs to be developed. Creativity is the basis of brainstorming and other such activities, which lead to lateral thinking and innovation. In this book, Edward De Bono has given sixty-two different games and exercises to encourage creativity and lateral thinking. The purpose of these games is to provide training in creative thinking making it simple, practical and fun for anyone who wants to have great ideas.
"Joker in the Pack: An Irreverent View of Life at IIMs" by Ritesh Sharma and Neeraj Pahlajani @ Rs. 195/- (195 pgs)
On the lines of Five Point Someone and Everything You Desire, comes yet another book on the journey through an IIM. Shekhar Verma has been born and brought up in a typical Indian middle class family. His favourite pastimes were cricket and television and eventually he goes to IIM. This is his story of his life at IIM and of life beyond. The authors are from IIM and the storyline will evoke a sense of nostalgia amongst the alumni.
Fiction:
"Rant" by Chuck Palahnuick @ Rs.520/- (319 pgs)
Friends of Buster ‘Rant’ Casey get together to build up an oral history of Rant’s short, spiced up, shocking life. From the author of Fight Club this is another book in which to expect hilarity, horror and deep insight into the desperate and surreal lives of a pack of highly charged youth! The multiple answers by different people about a single situation bring up some really interesting points.
"The Key Of Chaos" by Payal Dhar @ Rs. 295/-(324 pgs)
The sequel to ‘A Shadow In Eternity’ is an amazingly concocted bizarre and exciting plot where the protagonist ‘Maya’ is forced to defend the security of an ancient artifact of the "Warriors of the Shadow" Adventure and excitement await the readers who are taken on a journey of safekeeping and escapades from dangers from totally unexpected corners.
"Artemis Fowl: The Graphic Novel" by Eoin Colfer @ Rs. 225/-(56 pgs)
Artemis Fowl, the young crime-solving prodigy, in a graphic novel captures the imagination of all his fans. The neat and well-laid graphics make it a fast paced pleasurable journey across fictional lands and fantastic encounters…all for the cause of victory over the evil forces!
Newer Books:
"Other Colours: Essays and a Story" by Orhan Pahmuk @ Rs. 495/-
"Mr. And Mrs. Dutt: Memories of our Parents" by Namrata Dutt Kumar and Priya Dutt @ Rs. 695/-
"Writing A Nation: An Anthology of Indian Journalism" Ed. by Nirmala Lakshman @ Rs.795/-
"Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything" by Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams @ Rs.775/-
"Living Pictures: Perspectives on the Film Poster in India" Ed.by David Blamey and Robert D’ Souza @ Rs. 995/-
"Murderous Maths: Codes- How To Make them and Break Them" by Kjartan Poskitt @ Rs.195/-
"The Style Bible: The 11 Rules For Building A Complete And Timeless Wardrobe" Ed. by James Bassil @ Rs. 542/-
"King Khan" by Deepa Gahlot @ Rs. 495/-
“Matchbox” – Indian Matchbox labels @ Rs. 650/-
Other Noteworthy books:
"Bhagat Singh: The Jail Notebooks and Other Writings" compiled by Chaman Lal @ Rs.150/- (Left Word - published from National Archives of India)
"Bhagdad Burning: A young woman’s diary from a war zone" by Riverbend @ Rs.350/-
"A Princess’s Pilgrimage: Nawab Sikander Begum’s ‘A pilgrimage to Mecca’" edited by Shobhan Lambert - Hurley @ Rs.350/- (of a journey done in 1870) - Women Unlimited)
"A Very Strange Man: A novel" by Ismat Chughtai translated from the original by Tahira Naqvi @ Rs.250/-
"Theatre of the streets: The Jana Natya Manch Experience" edited by Sudhanva Deshpande @ Rs.120/-
"The Crooked Line" by Ismat Chugtai @ Rs. 250/- (Women Unlimited)
"Clarinda - A Historical Novel" by A. Madhaviah @ Rs. 175/- (Sahitya Akademi - Rare Book Reprint series)
"And the World Changed" - Contemporary Stories by Pakistani Women @ Rs. 350/- (Women Unlimited)
Kalhana's "Rajatarangini" - translated by R. S. Pandit @ Rs. 200/- (Sahitya Academy)
New Books in Tulika, kids.
"Picture Gandhi" by Sandhya Rao
"My Gandhi Scrapbook" by Sandhya Rao
"Elephants Never Forget" by Anushka Ravishankar and Christiane Peiper @ Rs. 350/-
"Poorva: Magic, Miracles and the Mystical Twelve" by Lakshmi Devnath @Rs. 195/-
Some great books, some rare …. Do drop in to the Store and check it out,
From the team at tnt !
Thursday, October 11, 2007
The Business of Non-Politics
I hear a lot of talk about office politics these days. I used to think it only happened in big, multinational companies, but now, even people who run a business of their own complain.
I have worked with a lot of people at tnt. Watched a lot of others work. There have been mistakes, bust-ups...people who didn't seem...quite what we were looking for.
But never has there been any back-biting. People have fought, maybe been bitter, but it has all been up front.
We're not angelic or goody-goodies! Believe me, team tnt is known for quirkiness and passion.
One reason is that,nobody is 'bigger.'Nobody has a 'higher' job....we all climb ladders and mop floors whenever required. We're a small team that keeps changing. A team where everybody must know everything about the business.
Each person brings stories, a little bit more life into the store. The employess and the Store become one. And so, to think of maiming the Store in any way is unthinkable.
We do talk about people when they aren't there. We do tell each other how sweet Shama is and yes Boss, we normally talk about you in worried tones because you're running around in your head, and your truck!
But never, even in the throes of alcohol, has there been bitching.
We'll tell each other when things aren't right. Not because we're dying to bring the other person down, but because we care. We're secure enough about ourselves and our colleagues.
I have worked with a lot of people at tnt. Watched a lot of others work. There have been mistakes, bust-ups...people who didn't seem...quite what we were looking for.
But never has there been any back-biting. People have fought, maybe been bitter, but it has all been up front.
We're not angelic or goody-goodies! Believe me, team tnt is known for quirkiness and passion.
One reason is that,nobody is 'bigger.'Nobody has a 'higher' job....we all climb ladders and mop floors whenever required. We're a small team that keeps changing. A team where everybody must know everything about the business.
Each person brings stories, a little bit more life into the store. The employess and the Store become one. And so, to think of maiming the Store in any way is unthinkable.
We do talk about people when they aren't there. We do tell each other how sweet Shama is and yes Boss, we normally talk about you in worried tones because you're running around in your head, and your truck!
But never, even in the throes of alcohol, has there been bitching.
We'll tell each other when things aren't right. Not because we're dying to bring the other person down, but because we care. We're secure enough about ourselves and our colleagues.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
9th october reviews
Our mail sent out earlier in the evening. If you will like these reviews in your Inbox, please suscribe to twistntales@yahoogroups.com.
Hi all,
Here we go again with our review of new books .... and while we have been doing that, lots of new books have been happening @ the Store .... we have provided a list at the end ... and some books from Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai - not yet listed. So, do drop in for a fabulous selection of books.
“The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World” by Alan Greenspan @ Rs.695/- (531 pgs)
When 9/11 happened, Alan Greenspan was the Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, on his way back to Washington. What should have been a crippling shock to the economy was absorbed astonishingly quickly by the system. Alan Greenspan writes about his experiences in the command room of the global economy and the aftermath of 9/11- the new global economy which is more flexible, resilient, open, self-directing and fast-changing than ever before. Greenspan shares the story of his life, the individuals who made a strong impression on his life including every U.S. President and Prime Ministers like Thatcher and Blair and the crises and challenges that they faced. The Age of Turbulence is the intellectual and personal legacy of a person who held the global economy in the palm of his hand for the longest term of nineteen years and with the greatest effect than any other living figure.
“Romancing With Life: An Autobiography” by Dev Anand @ Rs. 695/- (438 pgs)
Romancing With Life is a full-fledged autobiography by one of the pioneering Bollywood actors, producers and directors- Dev Anand. Born in 1923, Dev Anand burst into Indian cinema playing the debonair romantic hero, started a production house Navketan banner in 1950 and turned director in 1970. he writes candidly of his youth in Gurdaspur and Lahore; his struggle to make a name for himself in Bombay; his friendship with Guru Dutt, romance with Suraiya and marriage with Kalpana Kartik. Full of bittersweet memories and rare pictures from personal archives, Romancing With Life is an unforgettable book.
"The Elephanta Suite" by Paul Theroux @ Rs. 395/- (278 pgs)
From the author of The Great Railway Bazaar and Blinding Light, is a book that captures the very essence of modern India. Containing three stories where the author’s characters risk venturing far beyond their well-worn paths to discover woe or truth or peace: a holidaying middle-aged couple veer heedlessly from idyll to chaos; a buttoned-up Boston lawyer finds relief in Mumbai’s slums; a young woman befriends an elephant in Bangalore. Paul Theroux’s characterization of people and places destroys all stereotypes, high-lighting the subtle ironies indicative of their country. Through each story the reader is catapulted towards a fresh and inspiring notion of India and its impact on those who try to lose- or find- themselves there.
"The Assassin’s Song" by M. G. Vassanji @ Rs. 450/- (375 pgs)
Karsan Dargawalla is the estranged elder son of the Sahib of Pirbaag, and of Nur Fazal, a mysterious thirteenth-century sufi saint. After the Gujarat riots of 2002, Karsan returns as the heir to the now destroyed Pirbaag. As he restarts his life, he recalls the rich history of Pirbaag and the journey that took him from his dusty Gujarat village to the ivy covered campus of Harvard. Drawn back into the circle of life, forging his own identity, rediscovering his faith, it is redemption he seeks. Described by Khuswant Singh as “An important book written impeccably”, The Assassin’s Song is a heartbreaking ballad of life revocably tainted by the bigotry of narrow thought and rigid faith. Vassanji is the author of 5 acclaimed novels and his The Gunny Sack won the Commonwealth Writers Prize.
"Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment" by Deepak Chopra @ Rs. 395/- (278 pgs)
Who is Gautama Buddha?
Is he fact blended into fiction? The story of the prince who became a living god?
Or is “god” the very thing he didn’t want to be?
Bestselling author Deepak Chopra writes the story of Buddha, from a prince Siddhartha to a monk Gautama to Buddha, the Compassionate One. Fictionalized at times, Chopra narrates how a young man in line to the Throne abandoned his palace and princely title. Now alone and face-to-face with his personal demons, he becomes a wandering monk. Eventually it is his ability to conquer his body and mind by sheer will that enables him to transcend his physical pain and achieve enlightenment. The author who wrote Ageless Body, Timeless Mind captures, in all his mystery, the one human being who ever gained enlightenment. As mortal as the next, he was raised to the rank of an immortal but he got there by following a heart that was as human and vulnerable as any one else’s.
“Potpourri” by Ruskin Bond @ Rs. 95/- (163 pgs)
Potpourri is the new book by Ruskin Bond- a collection of short stories and poems. Their themes very from horror to romance, humour to crime and mystery. Through these varied stories and poems, he introduces a cast of family, friends and other characters who have left a lasting impression on his life. He regales us with tales of a murderous uncle in ‘He Said It With Arsenic’ and ‘Love and Cricket’ reveals his romantic side. Filled with warmth and humour, these stories have been handpicked by Ruskin Bond to paint a realistic portrait of his life.
“More than a game: The story of Cricket's early years” by John Major @ Rs.695/- (433pgs)
As the title suggests, this book goes beyond the boundaries of cricket. Ex-Prime Minister John Major not only outlines the evolution of cricket as a sport but also examines the social changes that affected it. He examines the spread of cricket through the British Empire, the role of wealthy patrons who would gamble and the expansion of the game from county cricket to the international level. The book is full of anecdotes and illustrations. More than a game is a book not just for cricket lovers.
“How To Get From Where You Are To Where You Want To Be: The 25 Principles of Success” by Jack Canfield @ Rs. 275/- (332 pgs)
Jack Canfield, co-creator of Chicken Soup For The Soul Enterprises, built his $80 million empire from scratch. He owes his success to twenty-five core principles, which he shares in this book. His insights will help the reader turn around every area of your life- at work, in your finances, socially or at home. These principles and techniques have worked not only for Jack Canfield but also for hundreds of thousands of his students who have now found success in their careers, greater wealth in their finances, greater joy in their relationships and greater fulfillment and happiness in their lives.
“India: A Journey Through A Healing Civilization” by Shashank Mani @ Rs. 295/- (213 pgs)
In 1997, Shashank Mani, an IIT alumnus, organized a train journey across India to get an idea of how the country has changed in the past fifty years of independence. Through a twenty-two day journey, two hundred Indians, men and women, from different walks of life, discovered development, discussed issues and came up with possible solutions.Now as India is in its sixtieth year of independence- and as the original 1997 team plans one more ambitious journey across India- this is a story reminding us where we were and where we need to be.
“The Bastard of Istanbul” by Elif Shafak @ Rs. 375/- (360 pgs)
On an afternoon that’s about to change her life forever, nineteen years old, unmarried Asya Kazanci walks into a doctor’s office for an abortion. Arya Kazanci lives with her extended family in Istanbul, in a house where all the Kazanci men die in their early fourties. A house of women, among them Asya’s mother Zeliha- beautiful and rebellious and runs a tattoo parlour; Banu, who has newly discovered herself as a clairvoyant; and Feride, a hypochondriac obsessed with impending disaster. Life is good, until Asya’s Armenian-American cousin Armanoush comes to stay and hidden secrets begin to surface The author is one of Turkey's most acclaimed and outspoken novelist.
“Entry From Backside: Hazaar Fundas of Indian-English” by Binoo K. John @ Rs. 95/- (214 pgs)
‘I am hopinjg all is well with health and wealth. I am fine at my end. Hoping your end is fine too’. – Gopal’s letter to his brother in Anurag Mathur’s The Inscrutable Americans
The language English was brought to India by the British Raj and since the days of the British Raj, India has evolved its own version of English. A hybrid form of English rules the land, flaunting its illegitimacy, brashness and popularity. Bad grammar, spelling mistakes and creative suffixes are seen in Indian-English. This book is a journey through a sub-genre, a language that closely resembles English that has evolved against all odds. It entertains as well as educates while weaving together a history of verbal patterns that reflect social and cultural trends.
“Playing For Pizza” by John Grisham @ Rs. 250/- (262 pgs)
Rick Dockery was the third-string quarterback for the Cleveland Browns and much to the dismay of everyone watching the finals, Rick actually gets into the game. And goes on to give the worst single performance of his life. Now a national laughing stock, dropped form the team, shunned by all other teams, Rick has no idea of what his future will be. Against enormous odds, Rick finally finds a team to play for. Only its in Italy! He knows nothing about the team, has never been to Europe and doesn’t speak or understand a word of Italian. John Grisham’s new book is a semi-fiction, based on a true story set in a small province in Italy where Italians play American football for free pizza
Other New Books @ the Store :
Fiction :
“Adverbs” by Daniel Handler @ Rs. 325/- (272 pgs)
Adverbs is a collection of short stories on love- all different kinds of love between different kinds of people. A high school crush; an adolescent’s first stirrings for his sisters boyfriend; a hopeless tryst between a taxi driver and his passenger.From the author of Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, comes a book that is witty, brilliant reminding the reader that there are a million different ways to love.
“Motor Mouth” by Janet Evanovich @ Rs. 195/- (396 pgs)
Meet Alexandra ‘Barney’ Barnaby, aka Motor Mouth, a name given to her as she is the race-day spotter for NASCAR race-driver, Sam Hooker. Sam Hooker- the man Alexandra works for and lives with. When their massive St. Bernard, Beans, is dog-napped by the same guy they suspect of killing one of Hooker’s cheating rivals, Barney and Hooker get caught up in a chase around Florida and North Carolina, and doing a million crazy things like stealing an eighteen-wheeler…
“The Book of Air and Shadow” by Michael Gruber @ Rs. 295/- (561 pgs)
Jake Mishkin is an intellectual property lawyer and his latest case was to track a lost work of William Shakespeare. Employed to find Shakespeare’s last, lost play, embarks on a chase all over the world to find the missing masterpiece. He moves from New York to England to Switzerland only to find his every move being followed by an unknown person and realizes that no one is to be trusted in this dangerous match of wits’. Author Michael Gruber weaves a story that moves through the ages, a thrilling plot combining a brilliant seventeenth century writer and poet and a twenty-first century lawyer.
Indian Writing :
“I Take This Woman” by Rajinder Singh Bedi Tr. By Khushwant Singh @ Rs. 150/- (126 pgs)
Set in a village in Punjab, this is the story of a woman compelled to marry one whom she brought up as her own son. Written by Rajinder Singh Bedi, acknowledged widely as one the finest Urdu writers and translated by Khushwant Singh, the book explores sexuality, society and relationships.
“Around The Hearth: Khasi Legends” by Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih @ Rs. 195/- (154 pgs)
The Khasi tribe of North East India is master storytellers, even though their script developed as late as in 1842. Their stories always begin with “When man and beast and stones and trees spoke as one…” Combining myths and legends, bilingual writer and poet, Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih, writes how fables of love, hate, jealousy, forgiveness, evil, redemption inform the philosophy, morals and daily activities of his community even today.
History :
“The Great Partition: The Making of India and Pakistan” by Yasmin Khan @ Rs. 495/- (251 pgs)
Yasmin Khan writes a sobering analysis of the 1942 partition of India which, ironically, promised its people both political freedom and a future free of religious strife. The Partition being one of the first, most significant and bloodiest events of decolonization in the twentieth century, the author exposes the obliviousness of the small elite driving the division, uses new research, interviews and archival sources to illuminate the human cost, activism on both sides and the repercussions that resound even today.
“Emperors of the Peacock Throne: The Saga of the Great Mughals” by Abraham Eraly @ Rs. 495/- (555 pgs)
In Emperors of the Peacock Throne, the author presents the history of one of the world’s greatest empires. The Mughal empire laid its foundations in India December 1525 and went on to become one of the most influential of empires, shaping India fro over three centuries. Abraham Eraly writes of Babur, the pioneer; Humayun, the dreamer; Akbar, the greatest and most enigmatic of the Mughals; Jahangir and Shah Jahan, lovers of aesthetic beauty; the dour and determined Aurangzeb, last of the Mughal rulers. From a master storyteller, this is the new and revised edition of the book first published in 1997.
Inspiration :
“Khushwant Singh Treasury: Favourite Prayers, Poems, Proverbs and Profanities For Every Day of the Year”@ Rs. 299/- (201 pgs)
The Khushwant Singh Treasury is exactly that- a treasury of 366 (Khushwant Singh has also taken into account a leap year!) of prayers, poems, proverbs and profanities. From verses from religious texts to ribald limericks, this collection will inspire as well as entertain, making it a must-have.
“Absolutely Effortless Prosperity” by Bijan Anjomi Rs. 395/- (168 pgs)
Absolutely Effortless Prosperity is one of those books, which targets a large audience. It gives thirty simple yet profound lessons that will change your life in thirty days. The book helps the reader focus on thoughts of peace and spirit and by controlling these thoughts through a focus on lessons on love, peace, joy and prosperity the reader can notice a remarkable change in his life. Bijan Anjomi is the founder and president of Effortless Prosperity and also is world-famous author, healer, speaker, personal coach and visionary who is making a difference for world peace.
Young Adults :
“Curiosity Killed the Cat and Other Animal Idioms” by Bindia Thapar @ Rs. 175/- (Pgs.128)
Did you just have to do a ‘mammoth task’ or did you run away from the job like a ‘scaredy cat’? either way flip through this book to find out how these animal idioms originated. The humourous illustrations and brief explanations make the book a fun and interesting read.
“Chicken Mama And Other Stories” by Margaret Bhatty @ Rs. 175/- (125 pgs)
From penguins to the world’s last dinosaur, from a freedom fighter whose main weapon is his chappal to a spiky-haired medicine woman, this selection will make you laugh out loud and introduce children to a whole new range of characters.A wonderful collection of short stories for children, this book is perfect for anyone over the age of ten.
“Switcheroos! Topsy-Turvy Mysteries of Markiposa” by Swati Chanda @ Rs. 195/- (135 pgs)
Deep in the forest of Markiposa lives Rinzin, a friendly but misunderstood green dragon. Until a little rabbit becomes her friend, Rinzin lives all alone in the forest. And then a winged unicorn comes to Markiposa and the world turns upside-down. The lion loses his roar, the crow turns multi-coloured, wolves and vultures become vegetarian and the elephant does what an elephant never, ever does- she forgets!Now its up to Rinzin to solve all these mysteries of the forest.
“President Pratibha Patil- India’s First Woman President: The Story of the Journey from Jalgaon to Raisina Hill” by Ritu Singh @ Rs. 95/- (111 pgs)
In its sixtieth year of independence, history was made once again when, on July 25, Pratibha Patil became the first woman to hold the highest office in the country. Shattering the illusion of a glass ceiling, Pratibha Patil was used to winning elections. In the thiry-four years of her political career, she has never once lost an election. Besides a politician, she is also a grandmother, table tennis champion, qualified lawyer and social reformer. This book through anecdotes, gives us a glimpse into her life and what it is to be Pratibha Patil, first woman President of India.
Other new books, yet to be reviewed :
“Iran Awakening” by Shirin Ebadi with Azadeh Moaveni @ Rs. 410/-
“Elvis by the Presleys: Intimate Stories From Priscilla Presley, Lisa Marie Presley and Other Family Members” Ed. by David Ritz @ Rs. 410/-
“How To Have Creative Ideas: 62 Exercises To Develop The Mind by Edward De Bono @ Rs. 295/-
“Without Fear: The Life and Trial of Bhagat Singh” by Kuldeep Nayar @ Rs. 395/-
“Self Esteem: The Key To Your Childs Future” by Tony Humphreys @ Rs. 195/-
“Fantasies of A Bollywood Love Thief: Into The World of Indian Movie Making” by Stephen Alter @ Rs. 295/-
“Against The Day” by Thomas Pynchon @ Rs. 430/-
“Rant” by Chuck Palahniuk @ Rs. 520/-
“Joker In The Pack: An Irreverent View of Life At IIMs” by Ritesh Sharma and Neeraj Pahlajani @ Rs. 195/-
“Artemis Fowl: The Graphic Novel” Adapted By Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin @ Rs. 225/-
“India Booms: The Breathtaking Development and Influence of Modern India” by John Farndon @ Rs. 520/-
“Resumes For Professionals: High Powered Tactics For High Earning Executives” by Marshall A. Brown and Annabelle Reitman @ Rs. 295/-
“Skullduggery Pleasant” by Derek Landy @ Rs. 295/-
“The Music Room” by Namita Devidayal @ Rs. 395/-
“Please, Mr. Einstein” by Jean- Claude Carriere @ Rs. 410/-
“Boeing Versus Airbus: The Inside Story of the Greatest International Competition in Business by John Newhouse @ Rs. 850/-
“India: Colours and Shadows of Spirituality” by Adrien Mayer @ Rs. 795/-
“The Encyclopedia of Golf Techniques” by Chris Meadows with Allen F. Richardson @ Rs. 695/-
“H.R.H” by Danielle Steel @ Rs. 250/-
“Journey Into Islam: The Crisis of Globalization” by Akbar Ahmed @ Rs. 525/-
“Outdoor Fun and Games for Kids: Over 100 Activities For 3-11 Year Olds” by Jane Kemp and Clare Walters @ Rs. 250/-
“Echoes and Eloquence: The Life and Cinema of Gulzar” by Saibal Chatterjee @ Rs. 795/-
And Phew ! .... lots more ! With “Mr and Mrs. Dutt” arriving tomorrow, Bollywood cinema history fans never had it so good !
So here's wishing all a great reading time and splendid festivities at dandia nites !
From the team at,
twistntales.
Hi all,
Here we go again with our review of new books .... and while we have been doing that, lots of new books have been happening @ the Store .... we have provided a list at the end ... and some books from Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai - not yet listed. So, do drop in for a fabulous selection of books.
“The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World” by Alan Greenspan @ Rs.695/- (531 pgs)
When 9/11 happened, Alan Greenspan was the Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, on his way back to Washington. What should have been a crippling shock to the economy was absorbed astonishingly quickly by the system. Alan Greenspan writes about his experiences in the command room of the global economy and the aftermath of 9/11- the new global economy which is more flexible, resilient, open, self-directing and fast-changing than ever before. Greenspan shares the story of his life, the individuals who made a strong impression on his life including every U.S. President and Prime Ministers like Thatcher and Blair and the crises and challenges that they faced. The Age of Turbulence is the intellectual and personal legacy of a person who held the global economy in the palm of his hand for the longest term of nineteen years and with the greatest effect than any other living figure.
“Romancing With Life: An Autobiography” by Dev Anand @ Rs. 695/- (438 pgs)
Romancing With Life is a full-fledged autobiography by one of the pioneering Bollywood actors, producers and directors- Dev Anand. Born in 1923, Dev Anand burst into Indian cinema playing the debonair romantic hero, started a production house Navketan banner in 1950 and turned director in 1970. he writes candidly of his youth in Gurdaspur and Lahore; his struggle to make a name for himself in Bombay; his friendship with Guru Dutt, romance with Suraiya and marriage with Kalpana Kartik. Full of bittersweet memories and rare pictures from personal archives, Romancing With Life is an unforgettable book.
"The Elephanta Suite" by Paul Theroux @ Rs. 395/- (278 pgs)
From the author of The Great Railway Bazaar and Blinding Light, is a book that captures the very essence of modern India. Containing three stories where the author’s characters risk venturing far beyond their well-worn paths to discover woe or truth or peace: a holidaying middle-aged couple veer heedlessly from idyll to chaos; a buttoned-up Boston lawyer finds relief in Mumbai’s slums; a young woman befriends an elephant in Bangalore. Paul Theroux’s characterization of people and places destroys all stereotypes, high-lighting the subtle ironies indicative of their country. Through each story the reader is catapulted towards a fresh and inspiring notion of India and its impact on those who try to lose- or find- themselves there.
"The Assassin’s Song" by M. G. Vassanji @ Rs. 450/- (375 pgs)
Karsan Dargawalla is the estranged elder son of the Sahib of Pirbaag, and of Nur Fazal, a mysterious thirteenth-century sufi saint. After the Gujarat riots of 2002, Karsan returns as the heir to the now destroyed Pirbaag. As he restarts his life, he recalls the rich history of Pirbaag and the journey that took him from his dusty Gujarat village to the ivy covered campus of Harvard. Drawn back into the circle of life, forging his own identity, rediscovering his faith, it is redemption he seeks. Described by Khuswant Singh as “An important book written impeccably”, The Assassin’s Song is a heartbreaking ballad of life revocably tainted by the bigotry of narrow thought and rigid faith. Vassanji is the author of 5 acclaimed novels and his The Gunny Sack won the Commonwealth Writers Prize.
"Buddha: A Story of Enlightenment" by Deepak Chopra @ Rs. 395/- (278 pgs)
Who is Gautama Buddha?
Is he fact blended into fiction? The story of the prince who became a living god?
Or is “god” the very thing he didn’t want to be?
Bestselling author Deepak Chopra writes the story of Buddha, from a prince Siddhartha to a monk Gautama to Buddha, the Compassionate One. Fictionalized at times, Chopra narrates how a young man in line to the Throne abandoned his palace and princely title. Now alone and face-to-face with his personal demons, he becomes a wandering monk. Eventually it is his ability to conquer his body and mind by sheer will that enables him to transcend his physical pain and achieve enlightenment. The author who wrote Ageless Body, Timeless Mind captures, in all his mystery, the one human being who ever gained enlightenment. As mortal as the next, he was raised to the rank of an immortal but he got there by following a heart that was as human and vulnerable as any one else’s.
“Potpourri” by Ruskin Bond @ Rs. 95/- (163 pgs)
Potpourri is the new book by Ruskin Bond- a collection of short stories and poems. Their themes very from horror to romance, humour to crime and mystery. Through these varied stories and poems, he introduces a cast of family, friends and other characters who have left a lasting impression on his life. He regales us with tales of a murderous uncle in ‘He Said It With Arsenic’ and ‘Love and Cricket’ reveals his romantic side. Filled with warmth and humour, these stories have been handpicked by Ruskin Bond to paint a realistic portrait of his life.
“More than a game: The story of Cricket's early years” by John Major @ Rs.695/- (433pgs)
As the title suggests, this book goes beyond the boundaries of cricket. Ex-Prime Minister John Major not only outlines the evolution of cricket as a sport but also examines the social changes that affected it. He examines the spread of cricket through the British Empire, the role of wealthy patrons who would gamble and the expansion of the game from county cricket to the international level. The book is full of anecdotes and illustrations. More than a game is a book not just for cricket lovers.
“How To Get From Where You Are To Where You Want To Be: The 25 Principles of Success” by Jack Canfield @ Rs. 275/- (332 pgs)
Jack Canfield, co-creator of Chicken Soup For The Soul Enterprises, built his $80 million empire from scratch. He owes his success to twenty-five core principles, which he shares in this book. His insights will help the reader turn around every area of your life- at work, in your finances, socially or at home. These principles and techniques have worked not only for Jack Canfield but also for hundreds of thousands of his students who have now found success in their careers, greater wealth in their finances, greater joy in their relationships and greater fulfillment and happiness in their lives.
“India: A Journey Through A Healing Civilization” by Shashank Mani @ Rs. 295/- (213 pgs)
In 1997, Shashank Mani, an IIT alumnus, organized a train journey across India to get an idea of how the country has changed in the past fifty years of independence. Through a twenty-two day journey, two hundred Indians, men and women, from different walks of life, discovered development, discussed issues and came up with possible solutions.Now as India is in its sixtieth year of independence- and as the original 1997 team plans one more ambitious journey across India- this is a story reminding us where we were and where we need to be.
“The Bastard of Istanbul” by Elif Shafak @ Rs. 375/- (360 pgs)
On an afternoon that’s about to change her life forever, nineteen years old, unmarried Asya Kazanci walks into a doctor’s office for an abortion. Arya Kazanci lives with her extended family in Istanbul, in a house where all the Kazanci men die in their early fourties. A house of women, among them Asya’s mother Zeliha- beautiful and rebellious and runs a tattoo parlour; Banu, who has newly discovered herself as a clairvoyant; and Feride, a hypochondriac obsessed with impending disaster. Life is good, until Asya’s Armenian-American cousin Armanoush comes to stay and hidden secrets begin to surface The author is one of Turkey's most acclaimed and outspoken novelist.
“Entry From Backside: Hazaar Fundas of Indian-English” by Binoo K. John @ Rs. 95/- (214 pgs)
‘I am hopinjg all is well with health and wealth. I am fine at my end. Hoping your end is fine too’. – Gopal’s letter to his brother in Anurag Mathur’s The Inscrutable Americans
The language English was brought to India by the British Raj and since the days of the British Raj, India has evolved its own version of English. A hybrid form of English rules the land, flaunting its illegitimacy, brashness and popularity. Bad grammar, spelling mistakes and creative suffixes are seen in Indian-English. This book is a journey through a sub-genre, a language that closely resembles English that has evolved against all odds. It entertains as well as educates while weaving together a history of verbal patterns that reflect social and cultural trends.
“Playing For Pizza” by John Grisham @ Rs. 250/- (262 pgs)
Rick Dockery was the third-string quarterback for the Cleveland Browns and much to the dismay of everyone watching the finals, Rick actually gets into the game. And goes on to give the worst single performance of his life. Now a national laughing stock, dropped form the team, shunned by all other teams, Rick has no idea of what his future will be. Against enormous odds, Rick finally finds a team to play for. Only its in Italy! He knows nothing about the team, has never been to Europe and doesn’t speak or understand a word of Italian. John Grisham’s new book is a semi-fiction, based on a true story set in a small province in Italy where Italians play American football for free pizza
Other New Books @ the Store :
Fiction :
“Adverbs” by Daniel Handler @ Rs. 325/- (272 pgs)
Adverbs is a collection of short stories on love- all different kinds of love between different kinds of people. A high school crush; an adolescent’s first stirrings for his sisters boyfriend; a hopeless tryst between a taxi driver and his passenger.From the author of Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, comes a book that is witty, brilliant reminding the reader that there are a million different ways to love.
“Motor Mouth” by Janet Evanovich @ Rs. 195/- (396 pgs)
Meet Alexandra ‘Barney’ Barnaby, aka Motor Mouth, a name given to her as she is the race-day spotter for NASCAR race-driver, Sam Hooker. Sam Hooker- the man Alexandra works for and lives with. When their massive St. Bernard, Beans, is dog-napped by the same guy they suspect of killing one of Hooker’s cheating rivals, Barney and Hooker get caught up in a chase around Florida and North Carolina, and doing a million crazy things like stealing an eighteen-wheeler…
“The Book of Air and Shadow” by Michael Gruber @ Rs. 295/- (561 pgs)
Jake Mishkin is an intellectual property lawyer and his latest case was to track a lost work of William Shakespeare. Employed to find Shakespeare’s last, lost play, embarks on a chase all over the world to find the missing masterpiece. He moves from New York to England to Switzerland only to find his every move being followed by an unknown person and realizes that no one is to be trusted in this dangerous match of wits’. Author Michael Gruber weaves a story that moves through the ages, a thrilling plot combining a brilliant seventeenth century writer and poet and a twenty-first century lawyer.
Indian Writing :
“I Take This Woman” by Rajinder Singh Bedi Tr. By Khushwant Singh @ Rs. 150/- (126 pgs)
Set in a village in Punjab, this is the story of a woman compelled to marry one whom she brought up as her own son. Written by Rajinder Singh Bedi, acknowledged widely as one the finest Urdu writers and translated by Khushwant Singh, the book explores sexuality, society and relationships.
“Around The Hearth: Khasi Legends” by Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih @ Rs. 195/- (154 pgs)
The Khasi tribe of North East India is master storytellers, even though their script developed as late as in 1842. Their stories always begin with “When man and beast and stones and trees spoke as one…” Combining myths and legends, bilingual writer and poet, Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih, writes how fables of love, hate, jealousy, forgiveness, evil, redemption inform the philosophy, morals and daily activities of his community even today.
History :
“The Great Partition: The Making of India and Pakistan” by Yasmin Khan @ Rs. 495/- (251 pgs)
Yasmin Khan writes a sobering analysis of the 1942 partition of India which, ironically, promised its people both political freedom and a future free of religious strife. The Partition being one of the first, most significant and bloodiest events of decolonization in the twentieth century, the author exposes the obliviousness of the small elite driving the division, uses new research, interviews and archival sources to illuminate the human cost, activism on both sides and the repercussions that resound even today.
“Emperors of the Peacock Throne: The Saga of the Great Mughals” by Abraham Eraly @ Rs. 495/- (555 pgs)
In Emperors of the Peacock Throne, the author presents the history of one of the world’s greatest empires. The Mughal empire laid its foundations in India December 1525 and went on to become one of the most influential of empires, shaping India fro over three centuries. Abraham Eraly writes of Babur, the pioneer; Humayun, the dreamer; Akbar, the greatest and most enigmatic of the Mughals; Jahangir and Shah Jahan, lovers of aesthetic beauty; the dour and determined Aurangzeb, last of the Mughal rulers. From a master storyteller, this is the new and revised edition of the book first published in 1997.
Inspiration :
“Khushwant Singh Treasury: Favourite Prayers, Poems, Proverbs and Profanities For Every Day of the Year”@ Rs. 299/- (201 pgs)
The Khushwant Singh Treasury is exactly that- a treasury of 366 (Khushwant Singh has also taken into account a leap year!) of prayers, poems, proverbs and profanities. From verses from religious texts to ribald limericks, this collection will inspire as well as entertain, making it a must-have.
“Absolutely Effortless Prosperity” by Bijan Anjomi Rs. 395/- (168 pgs)
Absolutely Effortless Prosperity is one of those books, which targets a large audience. It gives thirty simple yet profound lessons that will change your life in thirty days. The book helps the reader focus on thoughts of peace and spirit and by controlling these thoughts through a focus on lessons on love, peace, joy and prosperity the reader can notice a remarkable change in his life. Bijan Anjomi is the founder and president of Effortless Prosperity and also is world-famous author, healer, speaker, personal coach and visionary who is making a difference for world peace.
Young Adults :
“Curiosity Killed the Cat and Other Animal Idioms” by Bindia Thapar @ Rs. 175/- (Pgs.128)
Did you just have to do a ‘mammoth task’ or did you run away from the job like a ‘scaredy cat’? either way flip through this book to find out how these animal idioms originated. The humourous illustrations and brief explanations make the book a fun and interesting read.
“Chicken Mama And Other Stories” by Margaret Bhatty @ Rs. 175/- (125 pgs)
From penguins to the world’s last dinosaur, from a freedom fighter whose main weapon is his chappal to a spiky-haired medicine woman, this selection will make you laugh out loud and introduce children to a whole new range of characters.A wonderful collection of short stories for children, this book is perfect for anyone over the age of ten.
“Switcheroos! Topsy-Turvy Mysteries of Markiposa” by Swati Chanda @ Rs. 195/- (135 pgs)
Deep in the forest of Markiposa lives Rinzin, a friendly but misunderstood green dragon. Until a little rabbit becomes her friend, Rinzin lives all alone in the forest. And then a winged unicorn comes to Markiposa and the world turns upside-down. The lion loses his roar, the crow turns multi-coloured, wolves and vultures become vegetarian and the elephant does what an elephant never, ever does- she forgets!Now its up to Rinzin to solve all these mysteries of the forest.
“President Pratibha Patil- India’s First Woman President: The Story of the Journey from Jalgaon to Raisina Hill” by Ritu Singh @ Rs. 95/- (111 pgs)
In its sixtieth year of independence, history was made once again when, on July 25, Pratibha Patil became the first woman to hold the highest office in the country. Shattering the illusion of a glass ceiling, Pratibha Patil was used to winning elections. In the thiry-four years of her political career, she has never once lost an election. Besides a politician, she is also a grandmother, table tennis champion, qualified lawyer and social reformer. This book through anecdotes, gives us a glimpse into her life and what it is to be Pratibha Patil, first woman President of India.
Other new books, yet to be reviewed :
“Iran Awakening” by Shirin Ebadi with Azadeh Moaveni @ Rs. 410/-
“Elvis by the Presleys: Intimate Stories From Priscilla Presley, Lisa Marie Presley and Other Family Members” Ed. by David Ritz @ Rs. 410/-
“How To Have Creative Ideas: 62 Exercises To Develop The Mind by Edward De Bono @ Rs. 295/-
“Without Fear: The Life and Trial of Bhagat Singh” by Kuldeep Nayar @ Rs. 395/-
“Self Esteem: The Key To Your Childs Future” by Tony Humphreys @ Rs. 195/-
“Fantasies of A Bollywood Love Thief: Into The World of Indian Movie Making” by Stephen Alter @ Rs. 295/-
“Against The Day” by Thomas Pynchon @ Rs. 430/-
“Rant” by Chuck Palahniuk @ Rs. 520/-
“Joker In The Pack: An Irreverent View of Life At IIMs” by Ritesh Sharma and Neeraj Pahlajani @ Rs. 195/-
“Artemis Fowl: The Graphic Novel” Adapted By Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin @ Rs. 225/-
“India Booms: The Breathtaking Development and Influence of Modern India” by John Farndon @ Rs. 520/-
“Resumes For Professionals: High Powered Tactics For High Earning Executives” by Marshall A. Brown and Annabelle Reitman @ Rs. 295/-
“Skullduggery Pleasant” by Derek Landy @ Rs. 295/-
“The Music Room” by Namita Devidayal @ Rs. 395/-
“Please, Mr. Einstein” by Jean- Claude Carriere @ Rs. 410/-
“Boeing Versus Airbus: The Inside Story of the Greatest International Competition in Business by John Newhouse @ Rs. 850/-
“India: Colours and Shadows of Spirituality” by Adrien Mayer @ Rs. 795/-
“The Encyclopedia of Golf Techniques” by Chris Meadows with Allen F. Richardson @ Rs. 695/-
“H.R.H” by Danielle Steel @ Rs. 250/-
“Journey Into Islam: The Crisis of Globalization” by Akbar Ahmed @ Rs. 525/-
“Outdoor Fun and Games for Kids: Over 100 Activities For 3-11 Year Olds” by Jane Kemp and Clare Walters @ Rs. 250/-
“Echoes and Eloquence: The Life and Cinema of Gulzar” by Saibal Chatterjee @ Rs. 795/-
And Phew ! .... lots more ! With “Mr and Mrs. Dutt” arriving tomorrow, Bollywood cinema history fans never had it so good !
So here's wishing all a great reading time and splendid festivities at dandia nites !
From the team at,
twistntales.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Baramati
Hi everybody. Sorry I delayed in putting these up, but there're just so many, and all are so important :)
Anyway, we're all looking great so enjoy!
In the silk factory
Cocoons
Sunflower-fields on our way home
Anyway, we're all looking great so enjoy!
In the silk factory
Cocoons
Sunflower-fields on our way home
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)