An enchanting collection of stories from the heartland of India
Ruskin Bond’s simple characters, living amidst the lush forests of the Himalayan foothills, are remarkable for their quiet heroism, courage and grace, and age-old values of honesty and fidelity. Residents of nondescript villages and towns, they lead lives that are touched by natural beauty as well as suffering—the loss of a loved parent, unfulfilled dreams, natural calamities, ghostly visitations, a respected teacher turned crooked, strangers who make a nuisance of themselves—which only reinforces their abiding faith in God, family and neighbour. Told in Bond’s distinctive style, these stories are a magnificent evocation of an India that may be fast disappearing.
Among life’s choices is to have children or remain childfree. Yet those who want a child and find themselves unable, live through the trauma of ‘infertility’—cruelly attributed as ‘their fault’—to undergo the tribulations of assisted reproductive technology.
But how safe is aggressive Ivf, invasive Icsi, exploitative ovarian hyper-stimulation and commercial surrogacy? Politics of the Womb proves that there can be broken babies and breaking mothers; it rips away the romanticism around uterus transplants, warns of genetic theft and ‘designer babies’, and points to the human element being sacrificed, as artificial reproduction uses, reuses and recycles the woman.
Pinki Virani combines investigation with analysis to question those who lead the worldwide onslaught on the woman’s womb in the name of babies, and squarely confronts what has become the business of baby-making by a chain of suppliers that manufactures on demand. Written in a manner accessible to all, here finally is a path-breaking book which speaks up, in no uncertain terms, for the right to informed choice on responsible reproduction.
It was death at first sight . . .
Miss Ripley-Bean was sitting on a bench beneath the deodars, having a quiet moment to herself, when suddenly two shadows, larger than life, appeared on the outside wall; they were struggling with each other. Only afterwards, when a dead body was discovered, did Miss Ripley-Bean realize she had witnessed a murder – and that the murderer had seen her . . .
In this marvellous collection of brand-new stories set in the Mussoorie of a bygone era, Ruskin Bond recounts the deliciously sinister cases of a murdered priest, an adulterous couple, a man who is born evil, and the body in the box bed; not to forget the strange happenings involving the arsenic in the post, the strychnine in the cognac, a mysterious black dog, and the Daryaganj strangler.
As the elderly Miss Ripley-Bean, her Tibetan terrier Fluff, her good friend Mr Lobo, the hotel pianist, and Nandu, the owner of the Royal, mull over the curious murders, the reader will be enthralled and delighted – until the murderer is finally revealed.
Has anyone ever asked you—What were the best days of your life?
That one period of your life you always wanted to go back to? And live that life . . . one more time?
When asked this, I closed my eyes and went back in my own past. And I thought . . .
. . . of the days, when life's most complex choices had a simple solution of Akkad Bakkad Bambey Bo!
. . . of the seasons when rains were celebrated by making paper boats.
. . . of the times when waiting at the railway crossing meant counting the bogies of the train passing by.
When I opened my eyes, it seems Like it Happened Yesterday! Like it was yesterday that I broke my first tooth and fell in love for the first time. Like it was yesterday, when I was about to lose my friend, and suddenly he became my best friend.
I look back and it becomes a journey full of adventure. It makes me laugh, it makes me cry and I know I’m here because I was . . .
Come, hold my hand, and take this trip with me. It will be yesterday for you, once again!
Note: This book is in the Hindi language and has been made available for the Kindle, Kindle Fire HD, Kindle Paperwhite, iPhone and iPad, and for iOS, Windows Phone and Android devices.
Every relationship requires effort but a long-distance relationship requires extra effort
Aditya is a writer while the mere thought of reading repels Jasmine. They have absolutely nothing in common. Not even the cities they live in. Yet nothing can stop them from falling head over heels for each other.
With distance playing spoilsport, they must forget all conventional logic and give their relationship a real shot through Skype, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. But can you trust your partner who’s miles away from you? Can a long-distance relationship really work?
All Rights Reserved for You is the heart-warming real-life story of a couple who is separated by distance but is never really far apart.
Old allies go dark . . . New worlds join the fight . . . A rescue from an enemy held world . . . A lone operative with a dangerous plan . . . The Karuzari finally have the support of an industrialized system, but they need time to build their forces. Unfortunately, time is the one thing they may not have. Captain Scott now faces a difficult decision: To risk it all on a single roll-of-the-dice, or to turn his back on an old friend, and a plan that could buy them the time they so desperately need?
'Thirty-seven years in the force, and if I was allowed to choose just one thing to erase from my mind, what's inside that room would be it.'
That's what a LAPD Lieutenant tells Detectives Hunter and Garcia of the Ultra Violent Crimes Unit as they arrive at one of the most shocking crime scenes they have ever attended.
In a completely unexpected turn of events, the detectives find themselves joining forces with the FBI to track down a serial killer whose hunting ground sees no borders; a psychopath who loves what he does because to him murder is much more than just killing - it's an art form.
Welcome to The Gallery of the Dead.
The brand new novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Queen of Wishful Thinking - a gorgeous read full of love, life and laughter.
Marnie Salt has made so many mistakes in her life that she fears she will never get on the right track. But when she 'meets' an old lady on a baking chatroom and begins confiding in her, little does she know how her life will change.
Arranging to see each other for lunch, Marnie finds discovers that Lilian is every bit as mad and delightful as she'd hoped - and that she owns a whole village in the Yorkshire Dales, which has been passed down through generations. And when Marnie needs a refuge after a crisis, she ups sticks and heads for Wychwell - a temporary measure, so she thinks.
But soon Marnie finds that Wychwell has claimed her as its own and she is duty bound not to leave. Even if what she has to do makes her as unpopular as a force 12 gale in a confetti factory! But everyone has imperfections, as Marnie comes to realise, and that is not such a bad thing - after all, your flaws are perfect for the heart that is meant to love you.
The Perfectly Imperfect Woman is the heart-warming and hilarious new novel from the queen of feel-good fiction - a novel of family, secrets, love and redemption ... and broken hearts mended and made all the stronger for it.
Infants of the Brush is historical fiction based on Armory v. Delamirie, a 1700s court case before the King's Bench against Paul de Lamerie, a silversmith. In the vein of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist, Infants of the Brush is set in a time when climbing boys were forced up burning flues to dislodge harmful soot and coal ash.
Egan Whitcombe is just six years old when he is sold to Master Armory for a few coins. As one of Master Armory's eight broomers, Egan quickly learns that his life depends on absolute obedience.
Pitt, the leader of Master Armory's broomers, teaches Egan to sweep chimneys and negotiate for scraps of bread. Broken and starving, the boys discover friendship as they struggle to save five guineas, the cost of a broomer's independence.
In this book, Greek Mythology: An Elaborate Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Harems, Sagas, Rituals and Beliefs of Greek Myths, the listener will be taken to the ancient customs and beliefs of the ancient Greeks. The report is dedicated to the gods the Greeks worshiped. You will find, among others:
A description and explanation of the Greek mythological gods and goddesses and their heavenly powersThe relationships, marriages, and complicated soap opera stories that were told in Ancient GreeceUnique characteristics of each of the gods and the most important legends about themRecords of their wars, struggles, adultery, and acts of revenge
The Greek had many heroes in their myths and legends, and you will be introduced to both of them in this guide. Greek Mythology is intricate and complex, and the ideals behind their mythological beliefs were often intertwined with real life events. This book will examine how both myth and fact contributed to the culture and traditions of the Greek and how these influences and stories continue to live on throughout the centuries!
This short but wacky collection of eighteen fairy tales by Peter Leithart is perfect for bedtime reading, each tale invoking the imagery, plots, and themes of the book of Proverbs. Whether its the story of the fairies that live in walnuts or of the man who never got out of bed, these stories will make you laugh. Though you may be tempted to read deep theological meaning into each story, in reality they owe their origin to Peter Leithart telling his kids stories before bed. Perfect for the family.
At Last the 1948 Show is a classic satirical TV series that prided and inspired Monty Python. Featuring Cambridge footlighters John Cleese, Tim Brooke-Taylor and Graham Chapman, this is arguably the finest sketch comedy series ever produced, and certainly something you do not want to miss...
This volume features a compilation of classic sketches from the first and second series of the show, including:
-Intro
-Let's Speak-a English
-Top of the Form
-Spiv Doctor
-Thief in Library
-Come Dancing
