Hi all,
Thanks all of you for turning up for our X’mas event in Sassoon Hospital … the kids had a great time, so did we! The snaps taken will shortly be put up in www.twistntales.blogspot.com.
The year’s drawing to a close with a host of uncertainties on the National front…and the electoral scene looming large. Looks like 2009 will turn out to be landmark year! We hope and pray that you and your family and friends have a wonderful Christmas and a very safe and joyous 2009. And fill up your heart with abundance with all the lovely books that we have at twistntales!
Lots of new books, some reviewed, some listed:
New Arrivals:
"Imagining India" by Nandan Nilekani @ Rs 699/- (530 pgs)
Internationally lauded entrepreneur and co-founder of Infosys, Nandan Nilekani astutely, eloquently and accurately captures the whole gamut of India from, as he puts it, "the point of view of an avid amateur”; Examining the ideas that give India strength and the ones that inhibit it, how it’s multitudinous people arm it with great potential power, how legislative history created snarls in productivity and arguments on topics many and varied (reservations, rapid urbanization, the environment and even sustainable energy resources) it is an indelible and evocative read.
"Inside Ducker’s brain" by Jeffrey A Kames Rs @ 1025/- (274 pgs)
The inventor and quintessential guru of management Peter Drucker has penned over thirty books in a span of sixty years, each detailing a different one of his management tenets and business philosophies. "Inside Ducker’s Brain" collects the crucial essence of all his works and compiles them in one powerful and comprehensive volume. Business principles that could very well be mottos such as “opportunity favors the prepared mind”, the upholding of the Jeffersonian ideal of equality, the defining role of the leader, a short course on innovation are only some of the basic rules outlined in this chronicle that was polished by Drucker, himself!
“Understanding our Mind” by Thich Nath Hanh @ Rs 295/- (251 pgs)
”Understanding our Mind” was a finalist for the 2001 Nautilus Award and not for any small reason. The book delves into the nature of consciousness and rewards the reader with a comprehensive understanding of the subject. Thich Nath Hanh, Martin Luther King’s nominee for a Nobel Peace Prize, uses the metaphor of a careful gardening throughout this book; our mind is a field, seeds are of all kinds (joy, suffering, love, self delusion etc), flower and garbage etc. Though his teachings stem from the Buddhist school of thought their simple wisdom is all encompassing and universal. An inspirational book describing a valuable philosophy.
"Khairlanji- A strange and bitter crop" by Anand Teltumbde @ Rs 190/- (211 pgs)
"Khairlanji” is a book in the Holocaust series that, through the example of the massacre of a Dalit family at Khairlanji, captures the reality behind India’s veneer of development and progress. How has India’s modernist, republic encouraged inter-caste bitterness? Did the elitist mass media fail in its purported goal of objectivity and purposely portray the murderous mob sympathetically? A powerful treatise about the ongoing oppression and suppression of Dalits in a modern India.
"Our Bodies, Ourselves" by The Boston Women's Health Book Collective @ Rs 450/- (830 pgs)
Covering not just a woman’s bodily but psychological and emotional well being "Our Bodies, Ourselves” begins with a chapter on body image and continues to highlight various, crucial areas of women’s health; chapters on sexuality, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, eating well, mood altering drugs, abuse, relationships etc it covers the whole gamut of women’s issues with a bent towards South Asian women, providing not only a comprehensive guide but the tools for self help and resources for further reading as well.
"The Private Patient" by P. D. James @ Rs.695/- (395 pgs)
Here’s another Adam Dalglish mystery from the pen of P.D James (author of international bestseller “The Lighthouse”). The beautiful Dorset country comes to life as James weaves a psychologically stimulating plot around Mr. Chandler Powell’s private clinic where infamous investigative journalist Rhoda Gradwyn’s convalescence is rudely interrupted when she is murdered. James’ beloved creation Dalglish investigates when a second killing raises more complications than clues. A twisting and absorbing mystery that draws one in with its air of being so convincingly real, both in portrayal of people and places, James retains her masterful skill!
"You've been warned" by James Patterson and Howard Roughan @ Rs. 295/- (435 pgs)
Ambitious, neurotic (maybe psychotic?) Kristin Burns is a wannabe celebrity fashion photographer trying to make it big while working as a nanny for the children of a Manhattan based family and carrying on an affair with her boss’s husband. A bloody, recurring nightmare (that feels like it’s coming true), a long dead dad (isn’t he?), a loving boyfriend (doesn’t he?), receives collect calls and her paranoia starts to lead her mind astray. This collaboration between Patterson and Roughan produces a fast-paced page-turner that promises a quick, suspenseful and tumultuous read.
"Tales of Beedle the bard" by J.K. Rowling @ Rs 599/- (108 pgs)
A hopping cauldron, a foolish, power hungry king, a proud and prejudiced pure-blood wizard, princesses on a shared quest and, finally, the deathly hallows, "The tales of Beedle the Bard" is a collection of five 'fairy' tales popular among children in J.K. Rowling's wizarding world. Beedle was a progressive thinking fifteenth century Bard and this 'edition' of moral stories was translated from ancient runes by Hermionie Granger published with Albus Dumbledore's original footnotes intact. This inventive device allows Rowling to analyze and comment upon her own fables using Dumbledore's voice and wit. Typical Rowling but taking a leaf or two out of the books of Blyton and the brothers Grimm, it is an exceedingly delightful read!
"Story of Astronomy" by Uday Patil @ Rs 80/- (50 pgs)
Whacky artwork adds zing to an already fun script, though it makes no claims to covering every known aspect of astronomy. A select history of the subject is portrayed in the style of a comic book and prominent controversies steered clear of. A slim volume that promises a quick, zany and illuminating read, it has been both written and illustrated by Pune's own Uday Patil.
“The ghost of the mountains” by Sujatha Padmanabhan @ Rs 100/-
A simply told tale of a small Ladakhi village’s encounter with a feral snow leopard, and one boy’s determination to save the majestic creature from the villager’s wrath. A beautiful book, with lovely illustrations and nuggets of interesting facts about nature, a smattering of Ladakhi words gives it additional touches of warmth. Short, sweet and conveying the message of conservation, this is a one of a kind find.
New books:
"For Crying Out Loud! - The World According to Clarkson" by Jeremy Clarkson @ Rs 395/-
"Success Is Not An Accident - Change Your Choices, Change Your Life" by Tommy Newberry @ Rs 295/-
"You Only Think Twice - The Definitive Guide To Better Thinking Skills For Indian Executives" by K.Ravi @ Rs 195/-
“The Untold Charminar – Writings on Hyderabad” edited by Syeda Imam @ Rs 399/-
“The World Almanac and book of facts 2009” @ Rs. 595/- by Reader’s Digest
“Working with Earth Energies” by David Furlong @Rs. 595/-
“Rigmarole and Other Plays” by Sai Paranjpye @ Rs.199/-
“America America” by Ethan Canin @Rs. 875/-
“Breaking Dawn” by Stephanie Meyer @Rs. 550/-
“India- One man’s personal journey round the subcontinent” by Sanjeev Bhaskar @ Rs 295/-
“The Rumbling Island – True stories from the forests of India” edited by Zai Whitaker @ Rs.175/-“China: A history” by John Keay @ Rs 395/-
”The Power of Story – change your story, change your destiny in business and in life” by Jim Loehr @ Rs 685/-
“Wild City” by Ranjit Lal @ Rs 275/-
“Footprint India handbook 2009” by Annie Dare and David Stott @ Rs 875/-
“Branson” by Tom Bower @ Rs 495/-
“Destination moon” by Pallava Bagla and Subhadra Menon @ Rs 195/-
“The accidental theorist – and other dispatches from the dismal science” by Paul Krugman @ Rs. 500/-
“Outliers – The story of success” by Malcolm Gladwell @ Rs. 399/-
“The Business traveller’s guide to the World” @ Rs. 399/-
“Panic” by Michael Lewis @ Rs. 250/-
“Courting destiny” by Shanti Bhushan @ Rs. 650/-
“The Silver Donkey” by Sonya Hartnett @ Rs. 195/-
“The Cosmic Dectective – Explaining the mysteries of our universe” by Mani Bhaumik @ Rs. 199/-
“Tandoor Cinders” by Vilas Sarang @ Rs. 199/-
“The Woman who thought she was a planet and other stories” by Vandana Singh @ Rs. 275/-
“Twilight” by Azhar Abidi @ Rs. 399/-
Happy reading, enjoy your books, savour the pleasure of reading and re-reading a good book! Have a wonderful Christmas and a lovely 2009,
From all of us here at,
twistntales
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
Recession - so learn new habits ? why can't we do so otherwise ?
Cost Cutting & Redeployment Measures By Wipro, TCS, Infy
Wipro has asked the recruits hired for the tech services arm to join the BPO arm instead to avoid a delay in joining dates. Currently, this is being offered in Kolkata and it could be replicated in Orissa and Hyderabad as well. This will be a time bound offer that could extend between 12 to 18 months after which they will be able to join tech services again. Also, there won’t be any change in salary structure for such employees. On the other hand, Infosys has urged its employees to save $10 each by cutting operation cost and controlling expenditure. The company has also set up a portal for employees to send in cost cutting measures and suggesting bigger business ideas. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is planning a an austerity plan under which all capital expenditure will be re-examined.
Source: 03-12-08 www.ibnlive.com & Hindustan Times Business Compiled by www.naukri.com
This is a tragedy. When companies have to "tell" employees to save $ 10 by controlling exps. Why ? Becoz it is recession ? why not otherwise ? Because client is paying ? Now that clients are asking for 30% cuts, suddenly everybody is waking up.
Don't we need clean working habits always ? why can't we use both sides of A4s ? So much of printing stationery is wasted. So many cars - from the same organisation go from Pune to Sahar everyday. Can't we pool ?
Sometimes, you feel good about a recession ... its the only way we begin to value what we have.
At twistntales, we try to run our business with the economics of a marwari store, but at the same time give customers, the ambience of a Landmark. (we are not that big, but soon we'll get there !) Right from using re-cycled newspaper bags for our books. And when many of our customers return our bags to us, we accept them happily - to use them again.
All our telephone pads are made from one side used stationery. No Post-its in tnt, only for special occasions. We need to be this way always. Remember, we are in the books business ? We don't make too much money ?
But wasteful expenditure hurts. Anywhere and everywhere. In whichever form. Sometimes, midlle class virtues of saving every penny - and making sure each paisa goes a long way is best.
Wipro has asked the recruits hired for the tech services arm to join the BPO arm instead to avoid a delay in joining dates. Currently, this is being offered in Kolkata and it could be replicated in Orissa and Hyderabad as well. This will be a time bound offer that could extend between 12 to 18 months after which they will be able to join tech services again. Also, there won’t be any change in salary structure for such employees. On the other hand, Infosys has urged its employees to save $10 each by cutting operation cost and controlling expenditure. The company has also set up a portal for employees to send in cost cutting measures and suggesting bigger business ideas. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is planning a an austerity plan under which all capital expenditure will be re-examined.
Source: 03-12-08 www.ibnlive.com & Hindustan Times Business Compiled by www.naukri.com
This is a tragedy. When companies have to "tell" employees to save $ 10 by controlling exps. Why ? Becoz it is recession ? why not otherwise ? Because client is paying ? Now that clients are asking for 30% cuts, suddenly everybody is waking up.
Don't we need clean working habits always ? why can't we use both sides of A4s ? So much of printing stationery is wasted. So many cars - from the same organisation go from Pune to Sahar everyday. Can't we pool ?
Sometimes, you feel good about a recession ... its the only way we begin to value what we have.
At twistntales, we try to run our business with the economics of a marwari store, but at the same time give customers, the ambience of a Landmark. (we are not that big, but soon we'll get there !) Right from using re-cycled newspaper bags for our books. And when many of our customers return our bags to us, we accept them happily - to use them again.
All our telephone pads are made from one side used stationery. No Post-its in tnt, only for special occasions. We need to be this way always. Remember, we are in the books business ? We don't make too much money ?
But wasteful expenditure hurts. Anywhere and everywhere. In whichever form. Sometimes, midlle class virtues of saving every penny - and making sure each paisa goes a long way is best.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Message sent to twistntales@yahoogroups on 3rd Dec
Hi all,
While our hearts and minds grieve for tragic events that our country is needlessly going through, our hope lies in “the thousand mutinies” (as Naipaul put it) that are happening across the Nation right now. While the TRPs go up on the Mumbai story, another 177 lives have been lost on the east coast of India due to a cyclone. We need to get more sensitive – not just when it affects people like us – and we can go a long way in making ourselves a Nation. While we seek answers, we need to do our bit as concerned citizens – we can start with making sure that our names are on the electoral rolls and go out to vote on D day.
J.K.Rowling can be credited with a lot of new desirable behaviour … getting kids back to reading, for example. And getting us to send this mail to you, after almost a 2 month gap!!! No wonder she is rich! She goads folks to action!
Yes, the “Tales of Beedle the Bard” will be available tomorrow (Thurs, 4th Dec), first thing in the morning. So, wake up early all you Rowling fans … as usual, twistntales decides to keep you awake!
And yes, thankyou for all your queries re. our welfare in these recessionary times… yes, we are doing fine, thanks again. We are using this opportunity to create some back office systems, computerize our records, stocks and inventory. We hope to be implementing our billing software shortly. All in all, we hope to bring you a better shopping experience at our Store.
Before we get on to new books, our Christmas party at Sassoon Pediatric Ward is scheduled for Sat, 20th Dec, 2 pm. For those of you who are new to this, we celebrate Christmas with Santa, Story telling, music and dance at Sassoon Hospital in the Pediatric Ward. A few volunteers like Saira Sikand and Nalini Ramachandran have been working there for many years and have created “Sunshine” for the kids. Every year twistntales carries goodies to Sunshine, sponsored by our customers. The requirement list for Sunshine will be put up at the Store in a couple of days.
Lots of new books have released in the past few weeks, few reviewed below and the others listed below!
New Arrivals:
"The parrot who wouldn't talk and other stories" by Ruskin Bond @ Rs. 125/- (106 pgs)
A fresh compilation of works by well beloved, Mussoorie-dwelling Bond, comprising fourteen short tales, both newly written and old favourites. Adventures and misadventures abound as young Ruskin, his grandmother, grandfather (constantly involved in fun-filled trickery), bumbling Uncle Ken and miscellaneous eccentric acquaintances and relatives go about their lives. Among other things they capture a ghost, have an encounter with a hungry tiger, listen to, tell and are part of many stories. Each is a small but wholesome nugget, nourishing with nostalgia, humour and charm in that style which is so inimitably Ruskin Bond.
"Same-sex love in India: A literary history" Edited by Ruth Vanita and Saleem Kidwai @ Rs. 450/- (479 pgs)
The aptly titled compilation not only chronicles homoerotic writings but in fact begins by explicating the significance of friendship in the Vedic tradition. Classified neatly into ancient/ medieval/modern Indian materials (Sanskrit and Perso-Urdu) it attempts to do away with the illusion that same sex love is a recent phenomenon in human history. It is not limited to homosexuality but explores all same sex love finally inclining toward the romantic and the sexual. Extracts from modern writers such as Ismat Chughtai, Bipen Khakhar, Vikram Seth juxtapose with stories from the Panchantantra, Kama Sutra , Bhagvad, Shiva, Padma Puranas, Amir Khusro and even the Baburnama. Varied flavours and shades of the subject are exposed for a time and given breathing room.
"AIDS sutra" by Various (Edited by Negar Akhavi with a foreword by Amartya Sen) @ Rs. 395/- (334 pgs)
Collected writings from eminent pens all exploring HIV/AIDS in some form or the other. Aspects of the disease from how it touches sex workers, how hijras in India deal with the increasing threat to how injecting drug users risk it every time they use are explored. Salman Rushdie, Kiran Desai, William Darlymple, Shobhaa De, Vikram Seth, Sunil Gangopadhyay and more contribute unique stories elucidating the suffering (mental, physical and social) the AIDS afflicted go through. Each piece casts a bit of light stilling a separate hue of the disease on paper.
"Moving out of the box" by Jana M. Kemp @ Rs. 255/- (168 pgs)
Brainstorming sessions often lead to very little action. Moving Out Of The Box details tools that will help management teams forgo futile arguing and ensure constructive thinking. This book provides methods essentially the "ChoiceMarks" way to enforce decisions. ChoiceMarks starts with AntiSurvival, Boxed-In, Neutral, Engaged Enthusiasm, and Extreme Excitement - all different stages of team decision making. A good process to follow to have result oriented meetings.
"Buy.ology: How everything we believe about why we buy is wrong" by Martin Lindstrom @ Rs. 525/- (240 pgs)
"Buy.ology" opens a new window into the consumer mind and serves us a fresh cross-section of what drives a consumer. An anti smoking law will unwittingly induce the opposite. Subliminal advertising ; banned but still everywhere. The reasons as to what advertisments appeal to us are as varied as religious beliefs, childhood memories, even our sense of smell. Prepare to have your established beliefs on consumer psychology skewered.
"The Tao of personal leadership - The ancient way to success" by Diane Dreher @ Rs. 195/- (288 pgs)
Tao, the ancient Chinese belief system accepts change and attempts to create harmony in concert with change. "The Tao of Personal Leadership" blends the ancient wisdom of Tao with recent successes in the world of leadership. With examples, questions and exercises Diane Dreher illustrates and then reinforces age old strategies to succeed in being a leader to yourself as well as challenging those surrounding you to reach their zenith.
"Belonging" by Sameem Ali @ Rs. 350/- (281 pgs)
This is the true story of Sameem Ali. Unwanted as a baby she was sent to a children's home where she grew into adolescence. When she was taken back by her family she was hurriedly married off at thirteen and quickly became a mother at fourteen. This simply recounted tale recalls Sameem Ali's struggle with abuse in both her own family and her husband's as she forges a way to a happier future.
"100 essential things you didn't know you didn't know" by John D. Barrow @ Rs. 525/- (284 pgs)
Brace yourselves for some flabbergasting mathemagic! A spectacular compilation of practical yet thoroughly fun mathematical applications shedding light on the six degrees of separation, why the other queue always seems to move faster, whether an army of randomly typing monkeys can produce the entire works of Shakespeare (yes!), how long things survive, chaos, infinity and everything in between. "100 Essential Things You Didn't Know You Didn't Know" proves undeniably that, yes! Maths is in fact very interesting!
"A girl like me" by Swati Kaushal @ Rs. 250/- (338 pgs)
An,Anisha,Ani ; This American born Indian adolescent, recently relocated from the U.S. to Gurgaon with her mum, and memories of a dear departed dad, is your typical tomboy turned bombshell but still too deep in denial to understand why the gorgeous guys are chasing her sometimes shorts clad, sometimes skirt clad derriere. Candidly chronicling her clueless confusion between Kedar, Kunal, quirky classmates, killer kisses, A Girl Like Me is choc-a-block with confessions of this confounded teen drama queen.
"The book of Ram" by Devdutt Pattanaik @ Rs. 250/- (215pgs)
In Hindu culture the love for Lord Ram is unanimous. Eka-vachani,Eka-bani,Eka-patni. He is the King who always keeps his word, the eternally devoted husband, brother, son, pupil, perfectly dutiful in every way. Through The Book Of Ram Devdutt Pattanaik examines Lord Ram and his relationships with various mythological greats; Dashratha, Valmiki, Sita, Lakshamana and more, to the end of asserting his relevance in the modern era.
"Girls of Riyadh" by Rajaa Alsanea @ Rs. 430/- (300 pgs)
The stories of four Saudi girls facing the usual trials and tribulations experiencing the very heartbreaks and heart's desires that are universal to modern young women all over the world. Told via email to a vast online audience, Girls Of Riyadh disillusions those among us who felt the cultural divide to be very great and reveals that under their Abayas - girls,even 'Girls of Riyadh' just wanna have fun!
"A director's mind" by Ujjal Chakraborty @ Rs. 995/- (351 pgs)
True to title "A Director's Mind" explores the methods and thought process of cinematic legends Chaplin, Ray, Kurosawa, Hitchcock (to name a few) Breathtakingly illustrated with stills from cinematic chef d'oeuvres it delves into the genius behind great works of cinema and literature (Graham Greene, Bertrand Russell, Leo Tolstoy, Shakespeare) grooming one in the directorial mindset.
"The partnership - A history of Goldman Sachs" by Charles D. Ellis @ Rs. 995/- (729 pgs)
Goldman and Sachs has weathered every financial crisis right from the Great Depression of the 1927 on. From creative entrepreneurial decisions to disciplined risk taking, intensive recruitment and those colourful individuals (a junior high drop out, powerhouse Gus Levy, two secretaries of the treasure to current CEO Lloyd Blankfein) who add spice to the variety, "The Partnership" lays out a comprehensive history of the firm's rise through time, cementing our admiration and understanding of how it scaled Wall Street to reach its peak.
"Ocean of wisdom - Guideline For Living" by The Dalai Lama @ Rs. 195/- (132 pgs)
Pearls of good, sound advice for all, from His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Everyday matters as well as threats to modern world such as impending nuclear warfare and global warming are commented upon. Exceedingly humble and peaceful yet in complete awareness of the need of the hour, each page holds a wealth of wisdom applicable to anyone even those not inclined toward religion or worship.
"Mahatma vs Gandhi" by Dinkar Joshi @ Rs. 250/- (279 pgs)
A novelization of the life of Harilal Gandhi. Eldest of four Gandhi sons, Harilal was the black sheep of this family, with the media often reporting his drunken misbehaviour at the height of Gandhiji's quest for Swaraj. The struggle between the man and the Mahatma, unveiling an unprecedented aspect of Gandhiji as a struggling family man is what "Mahatma vs Gandhi" is about.
"Chandrakanta" by Devakinandan Khatri @ Rs. 199/- (252 pgs)
About a hundred years prior to the conception of Harry Potter, the world of Hindi literature was being vividly painted with the adventures of Chandrakanta. Puffin has now unearthed this treasure and translated it into English for a new generation of readers to enjoy. The love of princess Chandrakanta and prince Virendra Singh is fraught not just with political intrigue but by obstacles of a magical nature. Mustachioed Krur Singh, vying for the affections of the princess, employs the services of spies well versed in the dark arts and masters of disguise to thwart Virendra. Labrynths, mystery, murder and plot, Puffin sees no reason that "Chandrakanta" should ever be forgot!
"ABCs of parenting" by Gouri Dange @ Rs. 175/- (123 pgs)
A guide through an A to Z of phases and techniques of parenting. Gouri Dange uses her experience as a family counsellor to lay out some fundamental concepts that will help parents understand and better communicate with their kids. For parenting there is no short cut, no ABraCaDabra...it is once again a process of starting from the A B Cs.
List of other new books
"Looking Through Glass" by Mukul Kesavan @ Rs. 325/- (378 pgs)
"The Private Patient" by P. D. James @ Rs.695/- (395 pgs)
"The Snowball" by Alice Schroeder @ Rs. 995/- (960 pgs)
"You've Been Warned" by James Patterson and Howard Roughan @ Rs. 295/- (435 pgs)
"The Heretic's Daughter" by Kathleen Kent @ Rs. 520/- (332 pgs)
"Finding Keeper's: The Monster Guide To Hiring and Holding the World's Best Employees" by Steve Pogorzelski & Jesse Harriott with Doug Hardy
"Looking Beyond" by Hugh and Colleen Gantzer @ Rs. 295 (276 pgs)
"Netherland" by Joseph O'Neill @ Rs 295 (247 pgs)
"The First Patient" by Michael Palmer @ Rs 280 (450 pgs)
"Amazing Grace" by Danielle Steele @ Rs 240 (523 pgs)
"Broken Soup" by Jenny Valentine @ Rs 195 (249 pgs)
"Fireflies in the Mist" by Qurratulain Hyder @ Rs 350 (378 pgs)
"Khairlanji- A Strange and Bitter Crop" by Anand Teltumbde @ Rs 190 (211 pgs)
"Our Bodies,Ourselves" by The Boston Women's Health Book Collective @ Rs 450 (832 pgs)
"Inside Druker's Brain" by Jeffrey A Krames Rs @ 1025 (274 pgs)
"By Royal Command" by Charlie Higson @ Rs 350 (354 pgs)
"How Toyota Became # 1" by David Magee @ Rs 499 (236 pgs)
"Sex and Power - Defining History, Shaping Societies" by Rita Banerji @ Rs 450 (415 pgs)
"Closing the Innovation Gap" by Judy Estrin @ Rs 595 (252pgs)
"Performance Leadership - The Next Practices to Motivate Your People, Align Stakeholders and Lead Your Industry" by Frank Buytendijk @ Rs 595 ( 302 pgs)
"For Crying Out Loud! - The World According to Clarkson" by Jeremy Clarkson @ Rs. 395 (288 pgs)
"Success Is Not An Accident - Change Your Choices,Change Your Life" by Tommy Newberry @ Rs 295 (230 pgs)
“You Only Think Twice - The Definitive Guide To Better Thinking Skills For Indian Executives" @ Rs 195 (185 pgs)
"Not Springtime Yet" by Priya Sarukkai Chabria @ Rs 350 (129 pgs)
"Designing dynamic organizations" by Jay Galbraith, Diane Downey and Amy Kates @ Rs 450 (286 pgs)
"Story of astronomy" by Uday Patil @ Rs 80/- (50 pgs)
New Tulika books :
"High in the sky - A Korean folktale" retold by Cathy Spagnoli @ Rs 125/-
"The Tamarind tree" by Lata Mani @ Rs 100/-
"Crocodile tears" by Sandhya Rao @ Rs 125/-
Lots of new books in our Nature/ Wildlife section :
"Tiger and other game" by Colonel A E Stewart @ Rs 450 (308 pgs)
"Tiger! The story of the Indian tiger" by Kailash Sankhala @ Rs 450 (220 pgs)
"Maneaters and memories" by J.E. Carrington Turner @ Rs 350 (190 pgs)
"Jungle trails in Northern India" by John Hewett @ Rs 495 (278 pgs)
"Maneaters and marauders" by John Taylor @ Rs 395 (200 pgs)
"Jungle by-ways in India" by E.P. Stebbing @ Rs 450 ( 306 pgs)
"Mauled by a tiger - Encounters in the Indian jungle" by Arthur W. Strachan @ Rs 495 (279 pgs)
."Ten thousand miles on elephants" by Olive Smythies @ 395 (220 pgs)
We have added all CNBC titles to our Investment section:
1."Invest the happionaire way" by Yogesh Chabria @ Rs 499 (86 pgs)
2."Invest the happionaire way" (Hindi) by Yogesh Chabria @ Rs 299 (113 pgs)
3."The A-list of B schools" - Your definitive guide to the best in management education edited by Dirgha Sampat
4."What your financial agent will tell you and why you shouldn't listen" by Deepa Venkatraghvan @ Rs 499 (218 pgs)
5."Everything you wanted to know about investing" - The encyclopedia of investment and wealth creating intelligence by Kotak and CNBC - TV18
Lots of new books! Take time off and take your pick!
From the team at,
twistntales
While our hearts and minds grieve for tragic events that our country is needlessly going through, our hope lies in “the thousand mutinies” (as Naipaul put it) that are happening across the Nation right now. While the TRPs go up on the Mumbai story, another 177 lives have been lost on the east coast of India due to a cyclone. We need to get more sensitive – not just when it affects people like us – and we can go a long way in making ourselves a Nation. While we seek answers, we need to do our bit as concerned citizens – we can start with making sure that our names are on the electoral rolls and go out to vote on D day.
J.K.Rowling can be credited with a lot of new desirable behaviour … getting kids back to reading, for example. And getting us to send this mail to you, after almost a 2 month gap!!! No wonder she is rich! She goads folks to action!
Yes, the “Tales of Beedle the Bard” will be available tomorrow (Thurs, 4th Dec), first thing in the morning. So, wake up early all you Rowling fans … as usual, twistntales decides to keep you awake!
And yes, thankyou for all your queries re. our welfare in these recessionary times… yes, we are doing fine, thanks again. We are using this opportunity to create some back office systems, computerize our records, stocks and inventory. We hope to be implementing our billing software shortly. All in all, we hope to bring you a better shopping experience at our Store.
Before we get on to new books, our Christmas party at Sassoon Pediatric Ward is scheduled for Sat, 20th Dec, 2 pm. For those of you who are new to this, we celebrate Christmas with Santa, Story telling, music and dance at Sassoon Hospital in the Pediatric Ward. A few volunteers like Saira Sikand and Nalini Ramachandran have been working there for many years and have created “Sunshine” for the kids. Every year twistntales carries goodies to Sunshine, sponsored by our customers. The requirement list for Sunshine will be put up at the Store in a couple of days.
Lots of new books have released in the past few weeks, few reviewed below and the others listed below!
New Arrivals:
"The parrot who wouldn't talk and other stories" by Ruskin Bond @ Rs. 125/- (106 pgs)
A fresh compilation of works by well beloved, Mussoorie-dwelling Bond, comprising fourteen short tales, both newly written and old favourites. Adventures and misadventures abound as young Ruskin, his grandmother, grandfather (constantly involved in fun-filled trickery), bumbling Uncle Ken and miscellaneous eccentric acquaintances and relatives go about their lives. Among other things they capture a ghost, have an encounter with a hungry tiger, listen to, tell and are part of many stories. Each is a small but wholesome nugget, nourishing with nostalgia, humour and charm in that style which is so inimitably Ruskin Bond.
"Same-sex love in India: A literary history" Edited by Ruth Vanita and Saleem Kidwai @ Rs. 450/- (479 pgs)
The aptly titled compilation not only chronicles homoerotic writings but in fact begins by explicating the significance of friendship in the Vedic tradition. Classified neatly into ancient/ medieval/modern Indian materials (Sanskrit and Perso-Urdu) it attempts to do away with the illusion that same sex love is a recent phenomenon in human history. It is not limited to homosexuality but explores all same sex love finally inclining toward the romantic and the sexual. Extracts from modern writers such as Ismat Chughtai, Bipen Khakhar, Vikram Seth juxtapose with stories from the Panchantantra, Kama Sutra , Bhagvad, Shiva, Padma Puranas, Amir Khusro and even the Baburnama. Varied flavours and shades of the subject are exposed for a time and given breathing room.
"AIDS sutra" by Various (Edited by Negar Akhavi with a foreword by Amartya Sen) @ Rs. 395/- (334 pgs)
Collected writings from eminent pens all exploring HIV/AIDS in some form or the other. Aspects of the disease from how it touches sex workers, how hijras in India deal with the increasing threat to how injecting drug users risk it every time they use are explored. Salman Rushdie, Kiran Desai, William Darlymple, Shobhaa De, Vikram Seth, Sunil Gangopadhyay and more contribute unique stories elucidating the suffering (mental, physical and social) the AIDS afflicted go through. Each piece casts a bit of light stilling a separate hue of the disease on paper.
"Moving out of the box" by Jana M. Kemp @ Rs. 255/- (168 pgs)
Brainstorming sessions often lead to very little action. Moving Out Of The Box details tools that will help management teams forgo futile arguing and ensure constructive thinking. This book provides methods essentially the "ChoiceMarks" way to enforce decisions. ChoiceMarks starts with AntiSurvival, Boxed-In, Neutral, Engaged Enthusiasm, and Extreme Excitement - all different stages of team decision making. A good process to follow to have result oriented meetings.
"Buy.ology: How everything we believe about why we buy is wrong" by Martin Lindstrom @ Rs. 525/- (240 pgs)
"Buy.ology" opens a new window into the consumer mind and serves us a fresh cross-section of what drives a consumer. An anti smoking law will unwittingly induce the opposite. Subliminal advertising ; banned but still everywhere. The reasons as to what advertisments appeal to us are as varied as religious beliefs, childhood memories, even our sense of smell. Prepare to have your established beliefs on consumer psychology skewered.
"The Tao of personal leadership - The ancient way to success" by Diane Dreher @ Rs. 195/- (288 pgs)
Tao, the ancient Chinese belief system accepts change and attempts to create harmony in concert with change. "The Tao of Personal Leadership" blends the ancient wisdom of Tao with recent successes in the world of leadership. With examples, questions and exercises Diane Dreher illustrates and then reinforces age old strategies to succeed in being a leader to yourself as well as challenging those surrounding you to reach their zenith.
"Belonging" by Sameem Ali @ Rs. 350/- (281 pgs)
This is the true story of Sameem Ali. Unwanted as a baby she was sent to a children's home where she grew into adolescence. When she was taken back by her family she was hurriedly married off at thirteen and quickly became a mother at fourteen. This simply recounted tale recalls Sameem Ali's struggle with abuse in both her own family and her husband's as she forges a way to a happier future.
"100 essential things you didn't know you didn't know" by John D. Barrow @ Rs. 525/- (284 pgs)
Brace yourselves for some flabbergasting mathemagic! A spectacular compilation of practical yet thoroughly fun mathematical applications shedding light on the six degrees of separation, why the other queue always seems to move faster, whether an army of randomly typing monkeys can produce the entire works of Shakespeare (yes!), how long things survive, chaos, infinity and everything in between. "100 Essential Things You Didn't Know You Didn't Know" proves undeniably that, yes! Maths is in fact very interesting!
"A girl like me" by Swati Kaushal @ Rs. 250/- (338 pgs)
An,Anisha,Ani ; This American born Indian adolescent, recently relocated from the U.S. to Gurgaon with her mum, and memories of a dear departed dad, is your typical tomboy turned bombshell but still too deep in denial to understand why the gorgeous guys are chasing her sometimes shorts clad, sometimes skirt clad derriere. Candidly chronicling her clueless confusion between Kedar, Kunal, quirky classmates, killer kisses, A Girl Like Me is choc-a-block with confessions of this confounded teen drama queen.
"The book of Ram" by Devdutt Pattanaik @ Rs. 250/- (215pgs)
In Hindu culture the love for Lord Ram is unanimous. Eka-vachani,Eka-bani,Eka-patni. He is the King who always keeps his word, the eternally devoted husband, brother, son, pupil, perfectly dutiful in every way. Through The Book Of Ram Devdutt Pattanaik examines Lord Ram and his relationships with various mythological greats; Dashratha, Valmiki, Sita, Lakshamana and more, to the end of asserting his relevance in the modern era.
"Girls of Riyadh" by Rajaa Alsanea @ Rs. 430/- (300 pgs)
The stories of four Saudi girls facing the usual trials and tribulations experiencing the very heartbreaks and heart's desires that are universal to modern young women all over the world. Told via email to a vast online audience, Girls Of Riyadh disillusions those among us who felt the cultural divide to be very great and reveals that under their Abayas - girls,even 'Girls of Riyadh' just wanna have fun!
"A director's mind" by Ujjal Chakraborty @ Rs. 995/- (351 pgs)
True to title "A Director's Mind" explores the methods and thought process of cinematic legends Chaplin, Ray, Kurosawa, Hitchcock (to name a few) Breathtakingly illustrated with stills from cinematic chef d'oeuvres it delves into the genius behind great works of cinema and literature (Graham Greene, Bertrand Russell, Leo Tolstoy, Shakespeare) grooming one in the directorial mindset.
"The partnership - A history of Goldman Sachs" by Charles D. Ellis @ Rs. 995/- (729 pgs)
Goldman and Sachs has weathered every financial crisis right from the Great Depression of the 1927 on. From creative entrepreneurial decisions to disciplined risk taking, intensive recruitment and those colourful individuals (a junior high drop out, powerhouse Gus Levy, two secretaries of the treasure to current CEO Lloyd Blankfein) who add spice to the variety, "The Partnership" lays out a comprehensive history of the firm's rise through time, cementing our admiration and understanding of how it scaled Wall Street to reach its peak.
"Ocean of wisdom - Guideline For Living" by The Dalai Lama @ Rs. 195/- (132 pgs)
Pearls of good, sound advice for all, from His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Everyday matters as well as threats to modern world such as impending nuclear warfare and global warming are commented upon. Exceedingly humble and peaceful yet in complete awareness of the need of the hour, each page holds a wealth of wisdom applicable to anyone even those not inclined toward religion or worship.
"Mahatma vs Gandhi" by Dinkar Joshi @ Rs. 250/- (279 pgs)
A novelization of the life of Harilal Gandhi. Eldest of four Gandhi sons, Harilal was the black sheep of this family, with the media often reporting his drunken misbehaviour at the height of Gandhiji's quest for Swaraj. The struggle between the man and the Mahatma, unveiling an unprecedented aspect of Gandhiji as a struggling family man is what "Mahatma vs Gandhi" is about.
"Chandrakanta" by Devakinandan Khatri @ Rs. 199/- (252 pgs)
About a hundred years prior to the conception of Harry Potter, the world of Hindi literature was being vividly painted with the adventures of Chandrakanta. Puffin has now unearthed this treasure and translated it into English for a new generation of readers to enjoy. The love of princess Chandrakanta and prince Virendra Singh is fraught not just with political intrigue but by obstacles of a magical nature. Mustachioed Krur Singh, vying for the affections of the princess, employs the services of spies well versed in the dark arts and masters of disguise to thwart Virendra. Labrynths, mystery, murder and plot, Puffin sees no reason that "Chandrakanta" should ever be forgot!
"ABCs of parenting" by Gouri Dange @ Rs. 175/- (123 pgs)
A guide through an A to Z of phases and techniques of parenting. Gouri Dange uses her experience as a family counsellor to lay out some fundamental concepts that will help parents understand and better communicate with their kids. For parenting there is no short cut, no ABraCaDabra...it is once again a process of starting from the A B Cs.
List of other new books
"Looking Through Glass" by Mukul Kesavan @ Rs. 325/- (378 pgs)
"The Private Patient" by P. D. James @ Rs.695/- (395 pgs)
"The Snowball" by Alice Schroeder @ Rs. 995/- (960 pgs)
"You've Been Warned" by James Patterson and Howard Roughan @ Rs. 295/- (435 pgs)
"The Heretic's Daughter" by Kathleen Kent @ Rs. 520/- (332 pgs)
"Finding Keeper's: The Monster Guide To Hiring and Holding the World's Best Employees" by Steve Pogorzelski & Jesse Harriott with Doug Hardy
"Looking Beyond" by Hugh and Colleen Gantzer @ Rs. 295 (276 pgs)
"Netherland" by Joseph O'Neill @ Rs 295 (247 pgs)
"The First Patient" by Michael Palmer @ Rs 280 (450 pgs)
"Amazing Grace" by Danielle Steele @ Rs 240 (523 pgs)
"Broken Soup" by Jenny Valentine @ Rs 195 (249 pgs)
"Fireflies in the Mist" by Qurratulain Hyder @ Rs 350 (378 pgs)
"Khairlanji- A Strange and Bitter Crop" by Anand Teltumbde @ Rs 190 (211 pgs)
"Our Bodies,Ourselves" by The Boston Women's Health Book Collective @ Rs 450 (832 pgs)
"Inside Druker's Brain" by Jeffrey A Krames Rs @ 1025 (274 pgs)
"By Royal Command" by Charlie Higson @ Rs 350 (354 pgs)
"How Toyota Became # 1" by David Magee @ Rs 499 (236 pgs)
"Sex and Power - Defining History, Shaping Societies" by Rita Banerji @ Rs 450 (415 pgs)
"Closing the Innovation Gap" by Judy Estrin @ Rs 595 (252pgs)
"Performance Leadership - The Next Practices to Motivate Your People, Align Stakeholders and Lead Your Industry" by Frank Buytendijk @ Rs 595 ( 302 pgs)
"For Crying Out Loud! - The World According to Clarkson" by Jeremy Clarkson @ Rs. 395 (288 pgs)
"Success Is Not An Accident - Change Your Choices,Change Your Life" by Tommy Newberry @ Rs 295 (230 pgs)
“You Only Think Twice - The Definitive Guide To Better Thinking Skills For Indian Executives" @ Rs 195 (185 pgs)
"Not Springtime Yet" by Priya Sarukkai Chabria @ Rs 350 (129 pgs)
"Designing dynamic organizations" by Jay Galbraith, Diane Downey and Amy Kates @ Rs 450 (286 pgs)
"Story of astronomy" by Uday Patil @ Rs 80/- (50 pgs)
New Tulika books :
"High in the sky - A Korean folktale" retold by Cathy Spagnoli @ Rs 125/-
"The Tamarind tree" by Lata Mani @ Rs 100/-
"Crocodile tears" by Sandhya Rao @ Rs 125/-
Lots of new books in our Nature/ Wildlife section :
"Tiger and other game" by Colonel A E Stewart @ Rs 450 (308 pgs)
"Tiger! The story of the Indian tiger" by Kailash Sankhala @ Rs 450 (220 pgs)
"Maneaters and memories" by J.E. Carrington Turner @ Rs 350 (190 pgs)
"Jungle trails in Northern India" by John Hewett @ Rs 495 (278 pgs)
"Maneaters and marauders" by John Taylor @ Rs 395 (200 pgs)
"Jungle by-ways in India" by E.P. Stebbing @ Rs 450 ( 306 pgs)
"Mauled by a tiger - Encounters in the Indian jungle" by Arthur W. Strachan @ Rs 495 (279 pgs)
."Ten thousand miles on elephants" by Olive Smythies @ 395 (220 pgs)
We have added all CNBC titles to our Investment section:
1."Invest the happionaire way" by Yogesh Chabria @ Rs 499 (86 pgs)
2."Invest the happionaire way" (Hindi) by Yogesh Chabria @ Rs 299 (113 pgs)
3."The A-list of B schools" - Your definitive guide to the best in management education edited by Dirgha Sampat
4."What your financial agent will tell you and why you shouldn't listen" by Deepa Venkatraghvan @ Rs 499 (218 pgs)
5."Everything you wanted to know about investing" - The encyclopedia of investment and wealth creating intelligence by Kotak and CNBC - TV18
Lots of new books! Take time off and take your pick!
From the team at,
twistntales
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Maximum city minimised by non-liberals
At the outset, i am hurt deeply. I come from Bombay, not mumbai - sorry that place i dont know.
My Bombay is that of Johnny Walker singing "yeh bombay meri jaan"
Bombay has been systematically ruined. I read Black Friday when it was released. I was not in Bombay in 1993. I had moved out 2 years before. But i wept when i read the book. The blasts affected most of us directly. A classmate and a few colleagues at work. I was then at Bank of Oman, with its office in Air India building. Almost the entire Bombay branch wiped out. I was at the Head Office in Dubai.
This was Deja vu. I don't like half baked pseudo mumbaites posing as Bombayites. Bombay was truly a liberal, extremely professional most happening place to be. "Dhanda" was its motto. I miss Bombay. It still miss it when i visit Mumbai.
My Bombay is that of Johnny Walker singing "yeh bombay meri jaan"
Bombay has been systematically ruined. I read Black Friday when it was released. I was not in Bombay in 1993. I had moved out 2 years before. But i wept when i read the book. The blasts affected most of us directly. A classmate and a few colleagues at work. I was then at Bank of Oman, with its office in Air India building. Almost the entire Bombay branch wiped out. I was at the Head Office in Dubai.
This was Deja vu. I don't like half baked pseudo mumbaites posing as Bombayites. Bombay was truly a liberal, extremely professional most happening place to be. "Dhanda" was its motto. I miss Bombay. It still miss it when i visit Mumbai.
Monday, December 1, 2008
twistntales - in the future ?
Books and bookstores are supposed to be dying. But despite the internet and the dire economy, new bookstores have just opened in Plano and Oak Cliff. KERA's Jerome Weeks says that the new shops are not your typical booksellers. Not in North Texas.
For one thing, Legacy Books in Plano is big. Located at Legacy Road and the Dallas North Tollway, it has 24,000 square feet, and it stocks some 110,000 book titles. That's the size of a Borders or Barnes & Noble superstore. But Legacy isn't a chain store. It's independently owned. And most independents aren't that big. Elsewhere in the country, major independents are considered some of the best bookstores around - places like Elliot Bay in Seattle or Book People in Austin. But in North Texas, Legacy is the first (therefore, only) major independent.
The store in the Shops at Legacy is the brainchild of Teri Tanner. She practically grew up in retail. She worked for both Barnes & Noble and Borders most recently as the regional director of sales for Borders.
TANNER: "I've been building this store in my head for 25 years - because you listen to a bookseller or a cashier or the cleaning crew that says, "I just wish this" or "I just wish that" - and that's what we've tried to do here."
Construction continues because although Legacy Books is open, the official grand opening is November 7. Deanne Teeter led the Legacy design team for the firm, Morrison Seifert Murphy. She points out the store's demonstration kitchen as one of Tanner's innovations.
TEETER: "She really wanted to have chefs that are signing their books, that they can actually cook. So this was a real design challenge and an opportunity for the space. There's a camera over there, and it displays over the cooking section on the TV, and it can be back there on the TV. So if you can't actually get into this space to see it, you can see it here as well.
Other highlights are a caf that serves beer and wine and a third-floor gallery that displays books on photography and architecture as if they were artworks. Speaking of artworks, sculptures and paintings are on display by area artists Tamara White, Elizabeth McDonald and Seth Schwaiger.
But what distinguishes successful independents is their book selection and customer service. With the right mix and the right diligence, an independent can become a favorite, local cultural institution like a museum or library. Meg Smith is marketing director for the American Booksellers Association.
SMITH: "What people look to an independent bookstore for is a sense of real personalization - in selling, in choices of reading material. And it really takes on the identity of the people that shop there. And very naturally, independent bookstores have been a center for a lot of community activity."
One survey has found that the top two kinds of stores that people hope will open near them are bookshops and bakeries. That's good news for Jorge Alvarez and Gilbert Barrola. They've just opened Dicho's in the Bishop Arts District (It's at the corner of Seventh and Bishop the former home of the Naughty Dog coffeeshop.) In the back of the bookstore is a caf run by Cretia's, the bakery on McKinney Avenue. At only 1300 square feet, Dicho's is cozy and smells of cookies.
Dichos is Spanish for "old sayings" and the store features both English and Spanish-language books. (Alvarez explains that the odd apostrophe, which suggests there's someone named Dicho involved with the store, came about because the word, dichos, was trademarked in California.) Alvarez started a bookstore in Pomona, California six years ago with his partner, and then opened a Dicho's in Gainesville, Texas, near the Oklahoma border, that the pair still run. They commute to Dallas.
ALVAREZ: "One of our goals is to make our store feel comfortable and home-like. In California, we were in an art colony, so we were surrounded by art galleries and culture. When we came to Bishop Arts, we felt we were at home again."
In Plano, Legacy Books aims to be a destination store, a shrine for booklovers all over Texas and beyond. Dicho's aim is much smaller. There isn't a single Borders or Barnes & Noble anywhere near Oak Cliff.
ALVAREZ: "There's no general bookstore that services the community. So we definitely found a niche where we feel that people are eager to have a bookstore."
Many people believe that bookstores are doomed because of online sellers like Amazon.com, even though Amazon sells less than 10 percent of all books. Actually, a much bigger threat is posed by big-box stores like Wal-Mart or Target, which skim off the bestsellers.
Yet if anyone understands the risks and the low-profit margin nature of bookselling, it's Tanner or Alvarez. And they remain optimistic.
TANNER: "I have to tell you, in some of the cities that I've been in with Barnes & Noble and with Borders, if you can do what they do in some of these locations, it's impossible for me to believe that we will not be successful."
For one thing, Legacy Books in Plano is big. Located at Legacy Road and the Dallas North Tollway, it has 24,000 square feet, and it stocks some 110,000 book titles. That's the size of a Borders or Barnes & Noble superstore. But Legacy isn't a chain store. It's independently owned. And most independents aren't that big. Elsewhere in the country, major independents are considered some of the best bookstores around - places like Elliot Bay in Seattle or Book People in Austin. But in North Texas, Legacy is the first (therefore, only) major independent.
The store in the Shops at Legacy is the brainchild of Teri Tanner. She practically grew up in retail. She worked for both Barnes & Noble and Borders most recently as the regional director of sales for Borders.
TANNER: "I've been building this store in my head for 25 years - because you listen to a bookseller or a cashier or the cleaning crew that says, "I just wish this" or "I just wish that" - and that's what we've tried to do here."
Construction continues because although Legacy Books is open, the official grand opening is November 7. Deanne Teeter led the Legacy design team for the firm, Morrison Seifert Murphy. She points out the store's demonstration kitchen as one of Tanner's innovations.
TEETER: "She really wanted to have chefs that are signing their books, that they can actually cook. So this was a real design challenge and an opportunity for the space. There's a camera over there, and it displays over the cooking section on the TV, and it can be back there on the TV. So if you can't actually get into this space to see it, you can see it here as well.
Other highlights are a caf that serves beer and wine and a third-floor gallery that displays books on photography and architecture as if they were artworks. Speaking of artworks, sculptures and paintings are on display by area artists Tamara White, Elizabeth McDonald and Seth Schwaiger.
But what distinguishes successful independents is their book selection and customer service. With the right mix and the right diligence, an independent can become a favorite, local cultural institution like a museum or library. Meg Smith is marketing director for the American Booksellers Association.
SMITH: "What people look to an independent bookstore for is a sense of real personalization - in selling, in choices of reading material. And it really takes on the identity of the people that shop there. And very naturally, independent bookstores have been a center for a lot of community activity."
One survey has found that the top two kinds of stores that people hope will open near them are bookshops and bakeries. That's good news for Jorge Alvarez and Gilbert Barrola. They've just opened Dicho's in the Bishop Arts District (It's at the corner of Seventh and Bishop the former home of the Naughty Dog coffeeshop.) In the back of the bookstore is a caf run by Cretia's, the bakery on McKinney Avenue. At only 1300 square feet, Dicho's is cozy and smells of cookies.
Dichos is Spanish for "old sayings" and the store features both English and Spanish-language books. (Alvarez explains that the odd apostrophe, which suggests there's someone named Dicho involved with the store, came about because the word, dichos, was trademarked in California.) Alvarez started a bookstore in Pomona, California six years ago with his partner, and then opened a Dicho's in Gainesville, Texas, near the Oklahoma border, that the pair still run. They commute to Dallas.
ALVAREZ: "One of our goals is to make our store feel comfortable and home-like. In California, we were in an art colony, so we were surrounded by art galleries and culture. When we came to Bishop Arts, we felt we were at home again."
In Plano, Legacy Books aims to be a destination store, a shrine for booklovers all over Texas and beyond. Dicho's aim is much smaller. There isn't a single Borders or Barnes & Noble anywhere near Oak Cliff.
ALVAREZ: "There's no general bookstore that services the community. So we definitely found a niche where we feel that people are eager to have a bookstore."
Many people believe that bookstores are doomed because of online sellers like Amazon.com, even though Amazon sells less than 10 percent of all books. Actually, a much bigger threat is posed by big-box stores like Wal-Mart or Target, which skim off the bestsellers.
Yet if anyone understands the risks and the low-profit margin nature of bookselling, it's Tanner or Alvarez. And they remain optimistic.
TANNER: "I have to tell you, in some of the cities that I've been in with Barnes & Noble and with Borders, if you can do what they do in some of these locations, it's impossible for me to believe that we will not be successful."
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