03:00 pm
What have you been reading? Come, discuss your latest read. Each member gets 5-7 minutes to talk about the book, theme, plot, with 2 minutes to answer any questions others might have. This month’s special focus will be
05:00 pm
At the supermarket, you fill your basket to get the most for your money. At the Store of Life, you fill your basket to get the most out of your time, the one truly finite resource. At this book-reading session, we’ll
11:00 am
What about some Filter Coffee and Unfiltered conversations on a fine Sunday morning? Listeners Circle is an initiative to facilitate listening without judgment, hence giving a safe space for anyone to speak their heart out
The Chola ruler King Parthiban has a dream… he wants to make his empire the most powerful in the region. However, before he can do this, he is killed in battle. With the rising might of the Pallavas, how is his young son to fulfil this dream? A dramatic moment in history is recreated in this racy thriller by a master raconteur! With heart-stopping twists and turns, unforgettable characters, and the grace and valour of a time past, this is a gripping page-turner of a book, translated by a 15-year-old with rare panache.
In the boundless Thar, deemed a ‘wasteland’ by the authorities, miners bulldoze sand dunes guarding life-sustaining water. The Gangetic dolphin, once a thriving apex predator, struggles for survival as its riverine habitat is fragmented by dams and roiled by incessant shipping. Deep in the mangrove forests of the Sunderban, tigers prey on desperate crab-catchers. Encroachments on the Mumbai coastline unleash cataclysmic floods. Along the eroding beaches of Kerala, fishers live in fear of the sea swallowing them whole. As the spectre of climate change compounds these natural and human-induced disasters, India’s most endangered landscapes are pushed to the precipice of destruction.
Arati Kumar-Rao journeys to these marginlands, listening intently to their inhabitants, paying close attention to each fissure, fold and ripple, as she documents the misguided decisions, wilfully ignored warnings and disregarded evidence that have brought us almost to a point of no return. But the land is still rich in ancient wisdom, and its cracks hold lessons that may yet aid us in undoing centuries of slow violence – so long as one is willing to attune their senses.
Some of the finest contemporary poetic voices from Bangladesh, Canada, India, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Portugal, Scotland, the UK, and the USA make a compelling case for the pursuit of pleasure, for the excitement of the erotic. When explored in a space of consent, the erotic is a formidable force. It is not an easy animal to fathom. Often misunderstood and mistreated, it is trivialised, confused with pornography, considered taboo, too bold or risqué. It is sometimes greeted with a whiff of disapproval and embarrassment and sometimes, even dismissed. This erotic anthology celebrates sex and desire unabashedly. But it also seeks to makes a case for permission, for the celebration of all bodies, genders, and orientations. When it is from a place of consent, even a salt shaker passed across the table is erotic. Finding the erotic in the mundane is an often surprising, and always thrilling experience. That draught of water on a warm afternoon. The silence of snowfall. The anticipation. The gratification. That delight.
The world's first super-team is renewed by a new generation of heroes, promising to uphold the legacy of their predecessors and inspire other heroes across the world. This volume focuses on the individual members of the team. Nathan Heywood, the grandson of Commander Steel, awakens to find himself transformed into the team's newest member, Citizen Steel. All American powerhouse Liberty Belle races to stop the Justice Society's troubled young recruit, Damage, from making the worst mistake of his life. Plus, the secrets of 52 begin to reveal themselves to the Justice Society.
Fiction. Graphic Novel. South Asia Studies. Primordial Halahala is at war. In a last-ditch attempt to stop the bloodshed, the wise and ancient Tortle draws the outline of a new creature into a rock--thus ushering in a strange dystopian world of weeping trees, robotic birds, and cities grown from seeds.
‘Urban Kitsch’, originally written in 1996, explores the forms of vernacular visual culture that emerged in the city of Baroda following the liberalisation of the Indian economy. Plastic toys, celebrity mud flaps, and postmodern architecture collide into a new formal category—both celebrated and derided—as Praneet Soi traverses the city on his trusted Yamaha RX 100.
Published here for the first time, ‘Urban Kitsch’ was written as part of Praneet Soi’s Master’s in Painting at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. The complete facsimile of this dissertation is accompanied by a recent interview with the artist by Nihaal Faizal and Sarasija Subramanian.
Unpleasant truths await a Sri Lankan president in the back of a London cab. An advertising agency has to come to terms with a blown-up collection of pictures of its employees' penises. A man presumed missing, quietly journals by the sea. A being dispassionately recalls the numerous births it had taken and absurd fates it had to endure. An Englishman, a Dutchman and a Portuguese man walk into a Ceylon bar with grand narcotic designs.
A masterful blend of dry wit, morbid charm and earnest observations, Booker-winning author Shehan Karunatilaka's The Birth Lottery and Other Surprises is a collection of fantastic short stories that serves up fantasies for both doomsday and everyday, marking the return of one of South Asia's most compelling storytellers.
Sachchidanand Hirananda Vatsyayan 'Agyeya' is unarguably one of the most remarkable figures of Indian literature. From his revolutionary youth to acquiring the mantle of a (highly controversial) patron saint of Hindi literature, Agyeya's turbulent life also tells a history of the Hindi literary world and of a new nation-spanning as it does two world wars, Independence and Partition, and the building and fraying of the Nehruvian state.
Akshaya Mukul's comprehensive and unflinching biography is a journey into Agyeya's public, private and secret lives. Based on never-seen-before archival material-including a mammoth trove of private papers, documents of the CIA-funded Congress for Cultural Freedom and colonial records of his years in jail-the book delves deep into the life of the nonconformist poet-novelist. Mukul reveals Agyeya's revolutionary life and bomb-making skills, his CIA connection, a secret lover, his intense relationship with a first cousin, the trajectory of his political positions, from following M.N. Roy to exploring issues dear to the Hindu right, and much more. Along the way, we get a rare peek into the factionalism and pettiness of the Hindi literary world of the twentieth century, and the wondrous and grand debates which characterized that milieu.
Despite the repeated warnings of Lord Canterville, the Otis family is moving to Canterville chase—an ancient, sprawling mansion that is believed to be haunted by a ruthless English nobleman who murdered his wife. All this is a bunch of hokum to the Otises, who don’t believe in ghosts. What happens when the family spots reappearing bloodstains and hears chains clanking in the night? They still aren’t petrified! Now, the ghosts pride is hurt. Will he keep on attempting to scare the living daylights out of people that refuse to be frightened? Or will he finally give up?.
From the rustling green leaves on the trees to the fluttering pink butterflies, Radha and Krishna live in a beautiful world of color. Now you too can explore the sights and sounds of their pretty home—in Hindi and English!
This bilingual picture book written in verse by Anjali Jaipuria introduces young readers to the colorful sights and gentle sounds of nature. Anjali Jaipuria's rich yet easy-to-read verse and Sudeepti Tucker’s vivid illustrations will transport you and your child right into the world that Radha and Krishna live and play in.
Best friends Sophie and Agatha have been chosen to be students at the fabled School for Good and Evil, where ordinary boys and girls are trained to become fairy-tale heroes and villains.
One will train for Good, taking classes in Princess Etiquette and Animal Communication. One will become Evil’s new hope: learning Uglification and Death Curses.
Sophie and Agatha think they know where they belong, but when they are swept into the Endless Woods, they’re switched into the opposite schools. Together they’ll discover who they really are and what they are capable of.
The new children’s book from No. 1 bestselling author David wall I A MS – a fantastically funny tale illustrated by artistic genius, Tony Ross. Welcome to the Isle of mulch… this little island is home to a large number of horrible grown-ups. The school, The local Park, The toy shop and even the island’s ice-cream Van are all run by awful adults who like nothing more than making children miserable. And the island is owned by the most awful one of all – aunt Greta greed! Something needs to be done about them. But who could be brave enough? Meet Ned – An extraordinary boy with a special power. Slimepower!.
Who has not heard stories of ghosts? Do you know how many kinds of ghosts are out there? Join the noted Sahitya Akademi award-winning poet Keki Daruwalla as he sets out to tell us about all the kinds of ghosts one can meet.
There are transparent ghosts, uninvited guest ghosts, partially invisible ghosts, even loudly bathing ghosts!
But what is whimsy? Is it the madness of Fox or the weirdness of Prat? Watch and read as these two delightfully absurd creatures compete with each other to be the most whimsical! Annie Besant’s original tale rings with unusual and vivid imagery that Ruchi Mhasane re-imagines in her equally whimsical artwork.
Two tales, set in a time “when animals and human beings still talked to each other,” display Thomas King’s cheeky humor and master storytelling skills. Freshly illustrated and reissued as an early chapter book, these stories are perfect for newly independent readers.
In Coyote Sings to the Moon, Old Woman and the animals sing to the moon each night. Coyote attempts to join them, but his voice is so terrible they beg him to stop. He is crushed and lashes out ? who needs Moon anyway? Furious, Moon dives into a pond, plunging the world into darkness. But clever Old Woman comes up with a plan to send Moon back up into the sky and, thanks to Coyote, there she stays.
In Coyote’s New Suit, mischievous Raven wreaks havoc when she suggests that Coyote’s toasty brown suit is not the finest in the forest, thus prompting him to steal suits belonging to all the other animals. Meanwhile, Raven tells the other animals to borrow clothes from the humans’ camp. When Coyote finds that his closet is too full, Raven slyly suggests he hold a yard sale, then sends the human beings (in their underwear) and the animals (in their ill-fitting human clothes) along for the fun. A hilarious illustration of the consequences of wanting more than we need.
மனிதவுரிமை என்ற சொல் குழந்தைகளுக்குத் தெரிந்திருக்கும். ஆனால் அதன் முழுப்பொருளையும் அவர்கள் அறிந்திருக்க மாட்டார்கள். இந்நூல், மனித உரிமை என்பதை அவர்களது அன்றாட வாழ்வுடன், அனுபவங்களுடன் தொடர்புபடுத்திக் காட்டுகிறது. இதில் ஐக்கிய நாடுகள் சபையின் அனைத்துலகமனித உரிமை அறிக்கையில் பட்டியலிடப்பட்டுள்ள 30 உரிமைகளும் இடம்பெற்றுள்ளன. உலகப் புகழ்ப் பெற்ற 29 ஓவியர்கள் இவ்வுரிமைகளைக் கண்ணையும் கருத்தையும் கவரும் ஓவியங்களாக, கற்பனையை கிளரும் படக்கதைகளாகத் தீட்டியுள்ளனர். இது அனைத்துலக பொதுமன்னிப்பு சபை என்ற சர்வதேச அமைப்பு, குழந்தைகளுக்கு புரியும் வகையில் வடிவமைத்துள்ள மனித உரிமைகள் பற்றிய ஆங்கில நூலின் தமிழாக்கமாகும்.
tex
THERE ARE MORE SPECIES OF PAIN THAN THERE ARE BIRDS BLUE LIKE POETRY, UNHATCHED ELLIPSES FRACTURED SKIES PAINT A CATALOGUE FADING I WAS A SKYWRITER ONCE OF POEMS IN SMOKE Nandita Bose, in her very first book of poetry, looks to nature --- the seasons, the silences, floods, flowers--- listening to its whispers and secrets. Her verse comes from the earth, from its deserts and thirst, from its sudden showers and shy blossoms. With utmost delicacy, she juxtaposes harsh man- woman realities against the gossamer fantasies of what could have been.
Jest like that is a humorous collection of 24 Short stories by Aruna Nambir, Aparna Ravikumar, Annemari de Silva, Balasubramaniam Meganathan, Bachi Karkaria, Bikram Vohra, Chetan Bhagat, G. Sampath, Jane De Suza, Milan Vohra, Nilanjan P. Choudhury, Pravin Ramachandran, Philip John, Preethi Venugopala, Prashant Sanakaran, Rachana Singh, Rucha Biju Chitrodia, Shovon Chowdhury, Sidin Vadukut, Shinie Antony, Sonia Rao, Shreekumar Varma, Varun Thomas, Zac O'Yeah. Each story has its unique brand of humour blend of storytelling and it is compiled by Shinie Antony.
We live in a world where strife prevails as a norm and war surrounds us however surreptitiously, through ideas like competition, propriety, work, progress, the proverbial rat race or the need to climb the ladder of success. Where is the time to celebrate the essence of life... namely love? This book is both a celebration and a medium to mourn over that sometimes elusive, oft ephemeral, almost always exuberant, enchanting, evocative and inspiring force called love. The English version is a translation of the Hindi original which holds the potential to become songs and is a tribute to the lyricists of old Bollywood films. It offers the ground for love to play out and pave its way beyond the barriers of custom, tradition, religion, age and the like, that souls may meet and experience bliss beyond the confines of expectations.
The walk around the temple often spurs her to trace her steps across the steep ascent dotted with thick and sometime sparse blades of brow. She consumes the pinnacle but not for long. While its easy to stride up an incline, it's rather challenging to descend with dignity. It's hard not to stumble here.The plains that reside at the foot provide the much needed respite. She contemplates the neighboring peak and then turns to face the sharp, sloped bridge -- the bridge to the pink pastures. She rolls and pitches. Her hands offer balance while her feet cat- walk the precarious path. An ego resides at the end of the ramp. Her thoughts move to their previous encounters. The thrill of provocation is hard to resist. And, the pink pastures...
It started as another ordinary saturday for Tutu. No school, nothing to do but play with Kaalu. But then, almost as soon as they begun their first game of Hide and Seek, every thing changed... ...and so begun an adventure.
'Karnakavita' is an anthology of Hindi and Urdu poetry from Bangalore. It is the collaborative effort of 30 poets which has made the anthology possible. Despite living in a non-Hindi speaking region, these are poets who, either in isolation, or in small groups, are experimenting with the language they dearly love. The anthology's importance can be laid by the fact that it is the first of its kind to surface from Bangalore. Most poets associated with the anthology are young and are striving hard to stay connected with their roots. While this collective represents poets from different parts of the country, it is made special by a major contribution by native poets of Karnataka who bring a strong local flavor. 'Karnakavita' is an honest and humble attempt to encourage both poets and readers of the Hindi language. We hope this collective is able to converse with its readers and paves way for a more vibrant and active scene for Hindi poetry in the city.
“Love Me in a Hurry”/”Bega Preethsu Nanna” contains poems from Mani Rao’s various books, representative of her unique style. Forged in the crucible of longing, loss and mortality, these poems express what many would not dare even confess to themselves. This is a bilingual collection with Rao’s poems translated into Kannada for the first time, by Prathibha Nandakumar. A special jute-bound edition published by Atta Galatta that could only have been conceptualised in Bengaluru. About Mani Rao’s poetry: “Here is a poet who works by daring – daring herself and the reader – to let go. In the best poems you hear and feel and watch a current. It’s like watching lightning for.” – Allan Sealy. “Prathibha Nandakumar’s translations are carefully calibrated to both reflect the English originals as well as stand out on the basis of their own strength. A rare feat indeed.” – Karthik Venkatesh.
Bangalore Writers Workshop is the first-of-its-kind writing and storytelling school in Bangalore, India. Founded in 2011, we have since been running intensive and supportive creative writing and other workshops, while building a community of writers in the city. BWW’s mission is to foster the creative mind, encourage a community, and make writers aware of who they are as creators of text. In 2022, we turned a decade old and the brief to celebrate the occasion wrote itself. We should have an anthology that showcases the work of our students – fiction and creative non-fiction – while celebrating the city of Bangalore that helped us birth and nurture this community.
test book in scroll 3
