Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Santa and Magic at Sassoon !

The gifts for Sunshine !


the twistntales volunteer teams !!



Our lead guitarist, Lijya


The twistntales choir in action !


Dr. Aarti Kinikar honoring Varsha, our enthusiastic social worker


twistntales volunteers enjoying the show as well !


Onlookers galore !


An excited young volunteer from the audience!


The magician at work !


The kids enthralled by the magician


The doctors enjoying the proceedings


Gauri introducing the proceedings

Santa at twistntales !


Dr. Aarti Kinikar, our biggest supporter in Sassoon Hospital



Santa gheraoed by kids at Sassoon !



Decorations in Sassoon under Mrs. Claus's (Gauri) supervision.


Santa getting ready at twistntales. Now the secret can be told. Our Santa is ex Radio Mirchi RJ Srikant (Bumper to bumper). Srikant spent his student days working in twistntales, and has been our Santa ever since. Changes in job, marital status, location - nothing has detered him - he has continued to remain our Santa and provide hope and joy to all the kids in Sassoon Hospital as well.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Thanks from Sassoon Hospital

Dear Janaki,

Sincere thanks to you and the entire Twist n Tales team for yet another lovely Christmas celebration at Sassoon hospital. The kids and everyone present enjoyed the evening and Santa was a big hit with the children as always. The hospital staff were very touched to be acknowledged and delighted with their gift. Our thanks to all the donors for the stationery, books and toys as well as the new cabinet.

Merry Christmas and a very happy new year to you all.

Best wishes,
Nalini & Saira
Volunteers, Sunshine Group
Sassoon hospital, Pediatric dept.

List of donors for Sassoon X'mas event

A very big thank you to all our donors who made our Xmas event joyful and meaningful.

Sr.no Name Item

1. Shafqat Hussain Rs. 5000/-
2. Piyush Goel Rs. 500/-
3. Delia Carey Sponsor paid for magician/ music system
4. Lijya P Coloring books and crayons
5. Nikita Kulkarni toys
6. Pramila Tate toys
7. Lalitha Vaidyanathan Rs. 1000/-
8. Gunjan/ Anagha/
Meenakshi/ Kanchan Carrom Board
9. Manoj/ Ramesh/
Anshu Cupboard/ decorations
10. Kshitija Bhuwad coloring books
11. Avalokiteshwar Sen Rs. 1000/-
12. Sonia Garcha Hindi/ Marathi storybooks
13. Nandini/ Aranya/ Children who made bookmarks and sold at
Nirali/ Manasi twistntales, and bought crayons.
14. Sangeeta Ganapathy Rs. 1000/-
15. V M Deusar Marathi storybooks
16. Uma Sarathchandran coloring books + crayons
17. Tripuri Godbole Rs. 6000/-
18. Ishani Joshi coloring books
19. Anushka Sawarkar Crayons

Thank you again, we are touched by your prompt response !

Friday, December 16, 2011

Merry Christmas - Join us !

Mail sent to twistntales@yahoogroups.com on 16th Dec’11

Hi,

Here’s another reminder for all of you who will like to come for our Christmas Party at Sassoon Hospital (Pediatric Ward) tomorrow (Sat, 17th Dec).

The party (magic show, singing etc) happens at the Pediatric ward and starts by 4pm. For those of you coming directly, please assemble on the ground in front of the pediatric ward, and you are sure to spot a few familiar twistntales faces 

Before we proceed, a big thank you to all of you who have donated so generously. And to those of you living outside Pune, who wrote back asking for online transfer facility, a very very big thank you. All your monies have been received, and needless to say, our cup of joy is overflowing! All the items on the list that we put up have now found sponsors, and we have more to spare! Thank you once again! We will shortly put up the names of donors on our blog.

Our young students have been singing Christmas Carols every evening at the Store (from 7 to 8pm) and it is a joy to listen! Do drop in and enjoy!

We have received a tremendous variety in new books and some adorable books / box sets that make wonderful christmas gifts, make sure you check them out.

New Books

“Grand Pursuit – The Story of Economic Genius” by Sylvia Nasar @ Rs. 499/-

From the bestselling author of ‘A Beautiful Mind’ comes this exceptional book of the story of how different ideas were born in the golden age before World War I, challenged in the catastrophic interwar years by two World Wars, the rise of totalitarian governments and a great depression; and has now come to be revived in the second golden age after World War II. It’s a study of the history and life of ‘ideas’ and their thinkers, and how after having transformed societies around the world, these continue to do so, even today. A brilliant, thought provoking read!

“1Q84” by Haruki Murakami @ Rs. 999/- (pgs 925)

Here’s a long awaited treat for Murakami Fans! Nominated for the Man Asian Literature Prize 2011, this mesmerizing story of Anomame and Tengo and the strange parallel universe they inhabit is sure to delight and surprise you. This hypnotically addictive novel is a work of startling originality and as the title suggests is a mind bending ode to George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty Four. (The number 9 in Japanese is pronounced like the letter ‘Q’.)

“Calcutta Exile” by Bunny Suraiya @ Rs. 299/- (pgs 249)

Set against the richly textured backdrop of 1959 Calcutta- a time when the city’s social and cultural mosaic included Indians, the British and Anglo-Indians this book evokes a bygone era of one of the most vibrant and cosmopolitan cities in the world. Tracing the transition of this empire through the metaphor of family; it also raises questions about individual and collective Identities, the foremost among which is the search for a home.

“The Tennis Partner: The Story of a Friendship” by Abraham Verghese @ Rs. 399/-

When Abraham Verghese, a physician meets David Smith, a medical student recovering from Drug Addiction, the two Men learn how intertwined their lives are. And by playing tennis which allows them both to shed their inhibitions and find security; here is a brave and heart baring story of friendship and survival! Abraham Verghese is the bestselling author of Cutting for Stone.

“The Sealed Letter” by Emma Donoghue @ Rs.499/- (pgs 397)

There are two friends- Helen Codrington and Emily Fido Faithfull. One unhappy in her marriage whilst the other a successful woman in Business. An affair is aided. Trust is on the table and when it becomes known, more than just friendship is destroyed by a mysterious sealed letter! Based on blow-by-blow newspaper reports of the 1864 Codrington divorce, here is gripping drama full of wicked dialogue and thought provoking mystery of friends, lovers and marriage! Emma Donoghue is the best selling author of Room. (Short listed for the Man Booker and Orange Prizes)

“Instant City: Life and Death in Karachi” by Steve Inskeep @ Rs.599/- (pgs 284)

Here is an incisive, intriguing portrait of Karachi, Pakistan outlined by Steve Inskeep based on his interviews with a broad cross section of Karachi residents, from doctors to architects and shopkeepers. He also explores how migration in recent decades has transformed Karachi instantly, illuminating the perils and possibilities of rapidly growing metropolises all over the World!

“Grammar Rules: Writing with Military Precision” by Craig Shrives @ Rs.250/-

Do you know how to use semicolons, where to put your apostrophes and when to use commas? What is the difference between hyphen and a dash? When to use into and in to? When double or single speech marks? Well, that is the sort of stuff this wonderful book is full of. It aims to brush up and perfect your grammar skills whether eight or eighty!

“Snuff” by Terry Pratchett @ Rs.799/- (pgs 378)

Snuff, the latest in the Discworld series by Terry Pratchet is out. It’s fantastical and irresistible. Commander Sam Vimes is on a holiday, but ‘No’ not for very long. The universally acknowledged truth that a policeman taking a holiday will barely have time to open his suitcase before he finds his first corpse rests proved here. And when there is a crime, the finding, chase and punishment which follows is not far behind!
Other noteworthy books:

“The Kashmiri Storyteller” by Ruskin Bond @ Rs.250/-
“Out of the Blue: Rajasthan’s Road to the Ranji Trophy” by Aakash Chopra @ Rs.299/-
“Pakistan: A Personal History” by Imran Khan @ Rs.599/- (pgs 389)
“Death comes to Pemberley” by P.D. James @ Rs.499/- (pgs 310)
“Gandhi: A Manga Biography” by Kazuki Ebine @ Rs.499/-
“Screw Business as Usual” by Richard Branson @ Rs.599/-
“Moral Materialism: Sex and masculinity in Modern India” by Joseph S Alter @ Rs.499/-
“The Prague Cemetery” by Umberto Eco @ Rs.550/-
“Narcopolis” by Jeet Thayil @ Rs. 499/-
“Dubai: The Making of a Megapolis” by Pranay Gupte @ Rs.699/-
“The Bartenders Guide” @ Rs.395/-
“The Lives we have Lost: Essays and Opinions on Nepal” by Manjushree Thapa @ Rs.350/-
“Jerusalem: The Biography” by Simon Sebag Montefiore @ Rs.695/-
“Girl Meets Boy” by Ali Smith @ Rs.225/-
“The man who would be Queen: Autobiographical Fictions” by Hoshang Merchant @ Rs.250/-
“Letters to Friends, Family and Editors” by Franz Kafka (translated by Richard and Clara Winston) @ Rs.299/-
“The Rivered Earth” by Vikram Seth @ Rs.399/-
“How to Love your Body and get the Body you Love” by Yaana Gupta @ Rs.199/-
“Krishna Coriolis Series” by Ashok K. Banker
Book 2: Dance of Govinda @ Rs.199/-
Book 3: Flute of Vrindavan @ Rs.199/-
“Can Love Happen Twice” by Ravinder Singh @ Rs.125/-
“Open the Windows to the World around you” by Sukant Ratnakar @ Rs.299/-
“Understanding Michael Porter” by Magretta @ Rs.795/-
“Being Ethical- Ethics as the Foundation of Business” by S. Manikutty @ Rs.299/-
“Wild Child and other Stories” by Paro Anand @ Rs.150/-
“Inside Steve’s Brain: Business Lessons from Steve Jobs, the Man who Saved Apple” by Leander Kahney @ Rs.399/-
“The Slap: Whose side are you on?” by Christos Tsiolkas @ Rs.350/-
“Too Asian, not Asian enough: Fiction from the new Generation” edited by Kavita Bhanot @ Rs.399/-
“Seal Target Geronimo: The Inside Story of the Mission to Kill Osama Bin Laden” by Chuck Pfarrer @ Rs.499/-
“The Maths Handbook: Everyday Maths Made Simple” by Richard Elwes @ Rs.299/-
“The Complete Harry Potter Collection” by J.K. Rowling @ Rs.3299/-
“Postcards from Ladybird: 100 Classic ladybird covers in One Box” @ Rs.599/-
“Demand: Creating What People Love before They Know They Want It” by Adrian J. Slywotzky with Karl Weber @ Rs.299/-
“The Marriage Plot” by Jeffrey Eugenides @ Rs.399/-
“Heart to Heart: Remembering Nainaji” by Vidya Rao @ Rs.199/-
“Sold: Can she ever be Free” by Patricia McCormick @ Rs.245
“The Average Indian Male” by Cyrus Broacha @ Rs.199/-
“Delirious Delhi: Inside India’s Incredible Capital” by Dave Prager @ Rs.399/-
“The Sea is my Brother: The Lost Novel” by Jack Kerouac @ Rs.699/-

Enjoy your books!

From the merry team at

twistntales

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Things required for Sassoon Hospital (Pediatric Ward) - Christmas 2011

A. Medical/ Hospital Supplies (Consumables)

Any contribution towards buying of syringes, needles, etc, Bedsheets - 120 beds – 2 sets (240 bed sheets to tuck in beds). Details of medical consumables given below :

List of Consumables that can help-

1. Intracaths No 24, No 25 (requirement of 300 each) Approx. Cost Rs 40/- each (Rs. 12000/-)
2. Butterfly Scalp Needles No. 25 (requirement of 300) Approx. Cost Rs. 30/- each (Rs. 9000/-)
3. Paediatric Microdrip Chamber IV set (requirement of 500) Approx. Cost of Rs. 150/- each (Rs. 75000/-)
4. Tuberculine syringes (requirement of 300) Approx. Cost of Rs. 10/- each (Rs. 3000/-)

Contributions are welcome towards any of the above. Any amount is ok. We will put two or three donors together against each of the above.

B. For the Children (for Sunshine Room)

1. Cupboards (full/half size, steel – with see thru’ glass doors)
2. Carom Board (with coins) – new, if possible – big regular size.
3. Story Books (Hindi/ Marathi only)
4. Coloring Books
5. Crayons/ Pencils/ Erasers
6. Toys – pull alongs, blocks (non toxic). No soft toys please.
7. Picture Puzzles (used is Ok, but good condition, with all pieces intact)

C. Any contribution in cash / cheque. Cheques to be made in the name of SOFOSH (Society of friends of Sassoon Hospital). Donations exempt under 80 G of IT Act.

Celebrate the Spirit of Giving at Christmas at Sassoon Hospital

Hi all,

Thank you to many of you for making it to our event, “Tales Teens Try”. We had a wonderful response and a good interesting debate between the authors and pre-teens/ teens and the parents/educators gathered here on that day.

Details of proceedings and snaps of the event posted on Facebook and in our Blog.

We are ready to move on to the next event – our annual feature, an X’mas party with the kids at Sassoon Hospital. To give you an idea about it:

Sassoon Municipal Hospital is one of the biggest hospitals in Pune and offers free medical aid to patients in and around Pune. It has one of the largest pediatric wards (120 beds) – where kids 0-14 yrs are treated. It has a neo-natal, a Thalassemia ward, ICU and a regular ward for kids. Patients from Pune and nearby villages travel to Sassoon for treatment. It is a sight to see – families move to Pune and live in the compound of the Hospital while the child is undergoing treatment.

The Doctors, Nurses and other employees are doing a yeoman service working under sometimes very trying circumstances. They are all highly skilled and of course, they have a choice of being in better equipped hospitals. But many of them work on, almost as if on a spiritual calling.

Twistntales has been celebrating Christmas every year with the children and staff of Sassoon Pediatric Department. This is our 7th year at the hospital. Over the years, we have collected donations, toys, medical equipment, and got corporates with CSR requirements in touch for larger projects and so on. The Hospital has been kind enough to allot a room, christened “The Sunshine Room wherein these toys, books, games are kept. Volunteers come and give their time to these children and help read to kids, have a story session and generally spread some joy and cheer to these sick children. The Sunshine Room is equipped with a carom board, coloring books, and a music system and is generally a happy place.

During our party, the hospital likes our Santa to visit every kid in bed and the doctors insist that Santa visit even the kids in ICU. The Hospital gives us permission to organize an entertainment program for the children, which we happily put together. Our children (who volunteer) perform (sing/dance), we add a puppet show/ magician and lo and presto, with a touch of storytelling, we have a show that all of us enjoy.

Our Christmas Party is on 17th of Dec, Sat at 4 pm in Sassoon Hospital, Pediatric Ward. You are most welcome to join us for the party. If you or any of your children like to perform (Hindi/Marathi songs, storytelling, perform on any of the musical instruments) kindly give us a call (25881465/ 25899745/ 9960639162) and let us know right away in a day or two. Our program will normally last up to 5/5.30 pm.

The Santa bandwagon leaves twistntales around 2.30pm, so if you will like to join us (in your own vehicles), please let us know and be at twistntales by then. Twistntales will be closed on 17th Dec for a few hours in the afternoon.

The donation list will be posted shortly on the blog. Kindly let us know if you/ your friends/ your organization will like to contribute towards any of the items listed. Every contribution will be acknowledged by twistntales and SOFOSH (Society for Friends of Sassoon Hospital), which is a registered NGO. All donations in cash/ cheques are exempt under 80 G under IT Act. Cheques can be drawn in favor of SOFOSH.

Volunteers desirous of contributing time and energy towards this project may also contact twistntales, either for that day or on a longer on-going basis. We will be shortly announcing a Volunteer Program for Sunshine for college students (after our program).

Do join us and give generously. Many of you have been very generous benefactors in the past, and we look forward to you spreading the word and adding more donors to this cause. Thank you for being there.

Now, onwards to books:

New Arrivals:

“Great by Choice” by Jim Collins and Morten T. Hansen @ Rs.799/- (pgs 304)

Ten years after the world wide bestseller Good to Great, Jim Collins returns with his colleague, Morten Hansen to ask why some companies thrive in uncertainty, even chaos and others do not. Focusing not just on performance, but also on the type of unstable environments faced by leaders today, the authoritative study reveals many new findings which are sure to leave you surprised! The authors challenge conventional wisdom with thought provoking practical arguments on the 10Xers, 20 Mile Marchers and other topics. The final chapters deal with the role luck plays to achieve the ‘great’ status for a Company. This is classic Collins: contrarian, data driven and uplifting!

“The Price of Civilization: Economics & Ethics after the Fall” by Jeffrey Sachs @ Rs.599/- (pgs 326)

The Price of Civilization explains how Government can be made to reform Corporate Culture without stifling competition and to improve our energy infrastructure by both tax emissions and providing market incentives for innovation. Sachs shows how Government, Business and Citizens can find common ground- on bank accountability, the decentralizing of social services and taxing the super rich as a way to achieve our shared goals of efficiency, equity and sustainability! This book authored by the World renowned economist and Bestselling author of The End of Poverty is essential reading for Politicians, Business persons, Industry Professionals and indeed anyone with an interest in creating a sustainable Future!

“Boomerang: The Meltdown Tour” by Michael Lewis @ Rs.599/- (pgs 213)

After the success of the bestselling ‘The Big Short’, Michael Lewis continues in his endeavor to acquaint us with the full story of the U.S financial meltdown of 2008. How exactly had it come to hit the rest of the world in the face too is investigated comprehensively. After studying and thereby understanding the behaviour/ reactions of persons and societies as a whole, Michael Lewis here, bursts the financial bubbles across Europe and other countries for us, the laypersons, like a terrifying story superbly well told!

“Extreme Money: The Masters of the Universe and the Cult of Risk” by Satyajit Das @ Rs.699/- (pgs 514)

Finance has come to dominate human reality and none other than best selling author Satyajit Das is here to tell us the story of how this happened. Revealing the spectacular money games that have generated increasingly massive bubbles of fake growth, Ponzi prosperity, sophistication and wealth; how everything from home mortgages to climate change has become financialized is discussed. Das shows us in present turbulent times how ‘Extreme Money’ has become ever more unreal!

“The Fall of the House of Forbes: The inside Story of the Collapse of a Media Empire” by Stewart Pinkerton @ Rs.799/- (pgs 302)

Stewart Pinkerton, a former Managing Editor of Forbes Magazine, writing from an insider’s perspective reveals the remarkable story of the House of Forbes- the legendary name in Finance Journalism synonymous with Wealth. He takes us inside their mansion- like headquarters at 60 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, tells of the private life of Malcolm Forbes and the family’s increasing discomfort with the Patriarch, the glory days of the magazine with its news- making stories, high rolling expense accounts without leaving behind the picture of how the company collapsed at shocking speed after their unsurpassed success run due to series of bad business decisions. Here is the Forbes: unraveled.

“Steve Jobs” by Walter Isaacson @ Rs.799/- (pgs 627)

A brutally honest, un-cut, exclusive biography of the Icon whom the world will continue to revere for centuries to come is here. Based on more than forty interviews with Steve Jobs and more than a hundred of Steve’s family members, friends, adversaries, competitors and colleagues this book chronicles the roller coaster life and intense personality of a creative entrepreneur whose passion for perfection and ferocious drive revolutionized technology and all our lives! Presenting Steve, with his Apple and much more which probably even a die hard fan may not have been aware of! Read and be inspired; as who knows, you could well be the next apple of our eyes!

“Julian Assange: The Unauthorised Autobiography” @ Rs.599/-pgs 339

The editor in chief of the news making Wikileaks began writing the story of his life. He describes not only the work of Wikileaks here, but his moral and political development too. From his childhood and teenage years in Australia, through travels in Europe, Asia and Africa this book published under controversial circumstances burns with passion and anger and is a raw meditation on the meaning of disclosure itself! Read Julian Assange to understand his unflinching commitment to the Truth!

“Sonia Gandhi: an Extraordinary Life, an Indian Destiny” by Rani Singh @ Rs.499/- (pgs 268)

The remarkable story of Sonia Gandhi’s rise to Power and how she won the hearts of India’s millions is captured by Rani Singh, a noted London based broadcast journalist through exclusive interviews with senior members of government, part colleagues, political opponents and close family friends. In this first mainstream biography of this inspirational woman, the author’s compelling narrative retraces the path of the brave and beautiful Sonia Gandhi examining what her life and legacy mean for India!

“Lucknow Boy: A Memoir” by Vinod Mehta @ Rs.499/- (pgs 325)

This remarkably candid Memoir with its ringside view of many of the major events of our times, brims over with wit, wisdom, scandal and gossip Vinod Mehta’s extraordinary story. Racy tales on Indian Politics and Society coupled with valuable lessons from Mehta’s nearly four decade long tryst with Indian Journalism makes it unputdownable!

“The Litigators” by John Grisham @ Rs.350/- (pgs 436)

Yes, the master of the legal thriller is back with his latest! Three unconventional characters from diverse backgrounds make up team Finley & Figg: specialists in injury claims and quickie divorces. However none of them have ever faced a jury in legal court. And they are about to take on one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the States, giving up all- their easy going, lucrative lives and more, for a cause which is close to their heart. Will it be worth it? Read this action packed thriller to find out!

“The Race” by Clive Cussler and Justin Scott @ Rs.499/- (pgs 404)

It is the age of flying machines and Races, intricate plotting and may be even a killing. And intrepid detective Isaac Bell engages in his most dangerous case yet. A dazzling new novel from the grandmaster of Adventure, this is Clive Cussler at his Best!

“Inheritance” by Christopher Paolini @ Rs.699/- (pgs 860)

It began with Eragon… and it ends here with Inheritance. The Final stunning book in this series is out leading us onto the world of dreamers and dreams, sparking our imagination; leaving us transported! The Rider and his Dragon have come farther than anyone dared to imagine. But can good succeed over Evil? And if so, at what cost? Pick up and read to find out!

“God save the Dork” by Sidin Vadukut @ Rs. 199/- (pgs 240)

Book 2 in the Dork Trilogy is here; and is sure promises to be as hilarious as the First! Robin ‘Einstein’ Varghese is back with his incredible adventures, this time in London where work beckons. Will the strategy Guru be able to turn the project around in his favour by his out-of-the-box thinking? Will he visit Madame Tussauds and take a photo with Shah Rukh Khan on his lover, Gouri’s insistence? Absolutely Unputdownable! Read to enjoy!

“There is No God: Agnostic Khushwant” by Khuswant Singh with Ashok Chopra @ Rs.299/- (pgs 246)

Khuswant Singh’s latest book which is raising some eyebrows; begins with a chapter on the need for new religion- without God. It then moves on to describe how religion has proved to be more harmful than beneficial, providing relevant extracts to prove his point. The author has tried to dispel many prejudices held against Muslims by Non Muslims by giving down to earth examples. The Chapter devoted to the interaction of the author (a confirmed agnostic) with the Dalai Lama makes for some really fascinating reading!

“Non Stop India” by Mark Tully @ 499/- (pgs 257)

Veteran journalist Mark Tully draws on thirty years of reporting on India to find answers of many unresolved questions about the sustainability of our rapidly growing economy and its effect on the Nation. Enriched with revealing interviews with captains of Industry, Subsistence Farmers, Politicians, Dalits, Spiritual Leaders and Bandits, Tully successfully captures the real voices of the Nation impressively! Addressing pressing concerns in different areas of life such as governance, business, spirituality and ecology Non Stop India truly has a lot on offer!

“The Art of the Adventures of Tintin” by Chris Guise @ Rs.999/- (pgs 200)

This book tells the story of how the film makers started the making of Tintin- the Movie; with early concept drawings, privies sequences, models, costume designs and final stills from the film. The book focuses on the creative process, showing the many designs that made it to the movie and others that didn’t. It highlights the attention to detail, skill and creativity of all the artists involved in the making of the movie. What is to note in particular is that the story is told by the artists themselves, (Wow!) who talk about their inspirations, techniques and experiences! Read this book to gain a true insight into the making of this ground breaking feature film!

“Grand Pursuit – The Story of Economic Genius” by Sylvia Nasar @ Rs. 499/- (pgs 555)
“1Q84” by Haruki Murakami @ Rs. 999/- (pgs 925)
“Calcutta Exile” by Bunny Suraiya @ Rs. 299/- (pgs 249)
“The Tennis Partner” by Abraham Verghese @ Rs. 399/- (pgs 340)
“Ardent Shakespeare: Complete Works” Edited by Richard Proudfoot, Ann Thompson and David Kastan @ Rs.499/- (pgs 1346)
“Corporate Divas” by Sonia Golani @ Rs.250/- (pgs 229)
“Where Good Ideas Come From: The Seven Patterns of Innovation” by Steven Johnson @ Rs.399/- (pgs 326)
“The Sealed Letter” by Emma Donoghue @ Rs.499/- (pgs 397)
“Anna and the French Kiss” by Stephanie Perkins @ Rs.299/- (pgs 372)
“The Affair” by Lee Child @ Rs.550/- (pgs 427)
“The Wonder book for Girls and boys: Six Great Greek Myths” by Nathaniel Hawthorne @ Rs.195/- (pgs 246)
“Instant City: Life and Death in Karachi” by Steve Inskeep @ Rs.599/- (pgs 284)
“Talking to the Terrorists – Face to Face with the Enemy” by Peter Taylor @ Rs. 450/- (pgs 358)
“Ice Boys in Bell Bottoms” by Krishna Shastri Devulapalli @ Rs. 250/- (pgs 263)
“The God Enchanter” by Anuradha Majumdar @ Rs. 199/- (pgs 145)
“The Temple and the Mosque – the Best of Premchand” @ Rs. 250/- (pgs 197)
“The Shadow Market: How Sovereign Wealth Funds Secretly Dominate the Global Economy” by Eric J Weiner @ Rs.399/- (pgs 310)
“First Proof – The Penguin Book of New Writing” @ Rs. 250/- (pgs 219)
“A Shot at History” by Abhinav Bindra @ 399/- (pgs 228)
“C. V. Raman – A Biography” by Uma Parameswaran
“Heroes of Olympus: The Son of Neptune” by Rick Riordan @ Rs.399/- (pgs 521)
“Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever” by Jeff Kinney @ Rs.299/- (pgs 217)
“Grammar Rules: Writing with Military Precision” by Craig Shrives @ Rs.250/- (pgs 243)
“Yossarian Slept Here: When Joseph Heller was Dad and Life was a Catch 22” @ Rs. 399 (Pgs 272)
“Made for Goodness” by Desmond Tutu and Mpho Tutu @ Rs.399/- (Pgs 206)
“Snuff” by Terry Pratchett @ Rs.799/- (pgs 378)
“The Magic of Home” by Nora Roberts @ Rs.250/- (pgs 367)
“One Click: Jeff Bezos and the rise of amazon.com” by Richard L. Brandt @ Rs.499/- (pgs 214)
“The Law of the Garbage Truck: How to Respond to People who Dump on you and How to Stop Dumping on Others” by David J Pollay @ Rs.299/- (pgs 244)
“The Secret Letters of the Monk who sold his Ferrari” by Robin Sharma @ Rs.250/- (pgs 223)
“Tao Te Ching: The Book of the Way” by Lao-Tzu (Translated by Stephen Mitchell) @ Rs.225/- (pgs 108)
“War of the Worldviews: Science Vs Spirituality” by Deepak Chopra and Leonard Mlodinow @ Rs.599/- (pgs 315)
“Paramhansa Yogananda: A Biography” by Swami Kriyananda @ Rs.195/- (pgs 274)
“Get to the Top: The Ten Rules for Social Success” by Suhel Seth @ Rs.250/- (pgs 194)
“Return to the Kingdom: Steve Jobs, the Creation of Apple and how it changed the World” by Michael Moritz @ Rs.399/- (pgs 352)
“Super Connect: How the Best Connections in Business and Life are the ones you least Expect” by Richard Koch and Greg Lockwood @ Rs.495/- (pgs 286)
“A Desirable Residence” by Sophie Kinsella writing as Madeleine Wickham @ Rs.399/- (pgs 332)
“Family Fables and Hidden Heresies: A memoir of Mothers and More” by Vrinda Nabar @ Rs. 299/-
“Mind and Life: Discussions with the Dalai Lama on the Nature of Reality” by Pier Luigi Luisi @ Rs.395/- (pgs 218)
“In Search of Silence: Dropping the Baggage Discovering what’s Real” by Rohan Narse @ Rs.295/- (pgs 247)
“The Kashmiri Storyteller” by Ruskin Bond @ Rs.250/- (pgs 103)
“Out of the Blue: Rajasthan’s Road to the Ranji Trophy” by Aakash Chopra @ Rs.299/- (pgs 262)
“The New Collected Short Stories” by Jeffrey Archer @ Rs.399/- (pgs 857)
“Pakistan: A Personal History” by Imran Khan @ Rs.599/- (pgs 389)
“Death comes to Pemberley” by P.D. James @ Rs.499/- (pgs 310)
“Gandhi: A Manga Biography” by Kazuki Ebine @ Rs.499/-
“Inside Coca- Cola: A CEO’s Life Story of Building the World’s most popular Brand” by Neville Isdell with David Beasley @ Rs. 499/- (Pgs 254)
New titles in the Puffin Lives series @ Rs.150/-
“Gautama Buddha: The Lord of Wisdom” by Rohini Chowdhury
“The 14th Dalai Lama: Buddha of Compassion” by Aravinda Anantharaman
“Swami Vivekananda: A Man with a Vision” by Devika Rangachari
“Guru Nanak: The Enlightened Master” by Sreelata Menon
“Two Fates: The Story of my Divorce” by Judy Balan @ Rs.150/- (pgs 199)

Enjoy your books!

As part of the festive cheer, we will have students performing/ singing every evening at twistntales (from the 13th of Dec) – 7pm onwards. Do join in and add to the good cheer!

From the team at,

twistntales

Monday, November 21, 2011

Tales Teens Try !


Anushka Ravishankar signing books for her teenage fans!


Mini Srinivasan reading from her book, "Just a train ride away"


A section of the audience


The moderator, Mahrukh Bharucha making a point


The pre-teen brigade in the last rows!


The teenage author, Aayushi Kolhatkar reading from her book, "Tunnel of Illusions"


Sonja Chandrachud, author of "Trouble at the Taj" responding to a question.


Anushka Ravishankar, giving tips to aspiring young writers


Young fans want all copies signed

Friday, November 18, 2011

Tales Teens Try !



at 5 pm in twistntales, on sat, 19th Nov.

Book Review - The Storyteller - Tales from the Arabian Nights

The Storyteller: Tales from the Arabian Nights
by Anushka Ravishankar

Here is Anushka Ravishankar’s latest new collection of tales from the Arabian
Nights. So you’ll find many, many versions of the Arabian Nights- simplified ones, long ones, illustrated ones, bad ones, good ones, lyrical ones and funny ones. What usually remains more or less constant is the framework- the story of King Schariar and his proclamation to kill his wife every morning and marry a new one and of Scherazade, the courageous daughter of the Chief Minister who takes up the challenge and saves the lives of many young women through the power of her storytelling.
Woven between this plot are stories of wit and wisdom, of bravery, truth and courage, about Kings, Queens, Djinns, Wizards and Magic- retellings of stories from Arabia, Persia, India and China that turn Scherazade’s one night into a 1001 nights…
Such is the power of a story. If it can change a King’s mind, well why can’t it change yours? Thus embrace change wholeheartedly believing in the power of stories and come be a part of the tales our teens are telling @ twistntales on Saturday, 19th of November! Spin. Spin... Spin-a-tale!

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Book Review - Trouble at the Taj !


Trouble at the Taj

Whether it’s Natural or Supernatural, No mystery is out of this World for the young detective kids of the DOA Detective agency! Led by Madame X who is the head of the agency, she has trained her detective kids, and is now on a Holiday somewhere on a sunny Island, but that’s really none of anyone’s business!

Anyway Team DOA certainly comprises of some out- of -the -Box characters! There is Chintan Desai - the walking, talking encyclopedia from Malabar Hills, Katrina (Kat) - the Desi Charlie’s Angel who is a specialist at delivering lethal Karate Kicks, Pagal Pappu who can read people’s thoughts along with ‘Bandar’ his pet monkey whom u can put to work by offering a bunch of Bananas and Tuk Tuk, their Autorickshaw with ‘attitude’ who transports these detectives to places of trouble where the all important mysteries are to be solved!

So there is trouble brewing at the Taj Mahal, as the chief architect Ustad Ahmed Lahauri appointed to build the magnificent tomb has vanished. He was in the middle of the construction of the wonder, when; just like that, into thin air he disappears, and nobody knows where he is! And the ghost of the lovely Mumtaz is deeply saddened and has no peace yet. Team DOA has arrived at the royal palace. Will these detective kids be able to find the missing architect before his unfinished construction project is given to some other Architect? Is there a traitor in their midst with wicked plans? Read this book and you’ll discover whodunit!

And who has compiled this DOA Detective Agency (Asia HQ, Mumbai ki 13th Bogey)?
It’s our local Desi Rowling Sonja Chandrachud!

Sonja Chandrachud’s Potion of Eternity and Pearls of Wisdom published by Penguin Puffin India have received rave reviews from the young and not so young for their wonderful mix of fantasy and humour inciting keen interest from international film makers for film adaptations.
Her latest series—DOA Detective Files also published by Penguin Puffin India — takes you deep into ancient historical times where cryptic curses, mysterious murders and lost treasures beckon. This series has already been lauded as ‘a classic adventure series that is cleverly combines history and all its mysteries encouraging youngsters to read and learn and enjoy – effortlessly.

The first book in the DOA series – Trouble at the Taj – launched a month ago has made it to the children’s fiction bestseller list.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Book Review - Atleast a Fish !


At least a Fish!

‘Please, At least a Fish, if not a Dog!’

Here it is. The ubiquitous argument heard across all families- Children pleading with their parents into getting them a pet! And just like any other child is Ana’s plea to her parents- ‘The Bopannas’!

After rounds of prolonged negotiation, scenes of ‘eyes filling up with tears’ and all what it takes, (yes the children, they sure know it best!) Three fish- the wise philosophers with cool shortened names- Socky(Socrates), Platty(Plato) and Totty(Aristotle) enter into the home and lives of the Bopannas!

But, in the picture is a homeless, very fishy puppy in the hands of kind Dr. Nirmala from Adopt-a- Pet agency. To them is written a thoughtful letter by brave Ana and her friend Zain after as much thinking as what their minds are capable of! And a mysterious smelly pond with a reputation of spookiness and strange sightings lurks around in the corner.
And what Happens then?

Well there are many twists in the tale, weaved to surprise one- dragons magically transforming into turtles, many super illustrations which appear on the page just when u need them; like they say at the right place in the right time– creating splendid animated visuals and along the way you will discover how the very fishy Puppy may actually just be a Fish!


A Fish is not a Dog. But can a Dog be a Fish?
Confused?

Then Come to our Event, travel with the Author Anushka Ravishankar herself, through this book which is her First book in the ‘Zain and Ana’ series. She is a award-winning Children’s writer based in Chennai. She has written over twenty books for children, including Moin and the Monster, Elephants Never Forget. Song of the Bookworm and To Market! To Market! Several of her Books have been translated into languages like Dutch, German, Italian, and Spanish, among others.

You can meet Anushka Ravishankar her at twistntales, your neighbourhood bookstore soon!

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Book Review - Just a Train Ride Away !


Santosh. His name means contentment.
However Santosh is not content. He is a normal, good, school going boy just like any other child; except that he lives with his Mother alone. Ma and Baba had separated when Santosh was four, and that’s all what he has been told, really!
Thus Santosh is set to travel alone from Mumbai to Kolkata during his holidays with a secret plan in his mind- that of looking for his Father whom he barely remembers.
As the ‘Howrah Mail’ whistles away, something begins to happen. The journey brings him into contact with people quite outside his sheltered, protected world. It opens his mind to a whole new world where life beyond wardrobes full of jeans and shoes, and imported 10 speed bicycles exist. And other things like survival and the bare necessities matter. It brings before him life full of so many possibilities in spite of all odds. It sparks hope and spirit with honesty.
And above all he discovers how growing up is just a train ride away!
Chuuckk- chuukk!

Now, A little about our Award Winning Author:

Mini Srinivasan’s this very book- ‘Just a Train Ride Away’ has been awarded the Bal Sahitya Puraskar, 2010. She lives and works in Pune where she writes for Children, develops educational radio programmes, works with teachers and children in rural schools and is part of a child rights advocacy group. She particularly likes writing for pre-teens whom she finds bright, feisty and fun!

Come meet her on 19th Nov, at the Store!

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Happy Children's Day with events and new books!

Hi all,

Here’s wishing all our children – our biggest fans are kids! – a great time ahead … Happy Children’s Day on the 14th of Nov. The joy of childhood is a great feeling, and many of us as parents relive these joys with them. So, make sure you make time for your kid/s this week to help them enjoy their special day! And for all kids out there, make sure you pick up your copy of the new book in the Wimpy Kid series “Cabin Fever” releasing on Wed, 16th Nov at your favourite store!

As part of our celebrations, we bring you “Tales Teens Try” – a reading cum discussion with three award winning authors together! These authors (a brief profile given below), come from different backgrounds and write books of different genres for young adults (9yrs to 14yrs). The idea of this session is to have readers, authors, young adults, teachers participate in the readings and discussion and understand what appeals most to this age group in this day and age. The participating authors are:

Mini Srinivasan

Winner of the first Children’s Literary Award – the Bal Sahitya Puraskar 2010 instituted by the Sahitya Akademi in India, for her book, “Just a Train Ride Away”. Mini Srinivasan lives and writes in Pune, where she works with teachers and children in government-run schools. She is also part of a child rights advocacy group focusing on making education more meaningful for underprivileged children. She loves to write for pre-teens +, who she thinks are smart, feisty and fun.

Anushka Ravishankar

Anushka Ravishankar is an award-winning writer and playwright. Her books include Wish you were Here, Moin and the Monster, Tiger on a Tree, Today Is My Day, among others, and several have been published internationally. Many of you will remember picking up these books from twistntales over the last many years. We in twistntales are huge fans of Anushka’s writings and are very happy to have her do a reading at our Store. She writes books that kids fight to read! “Atleast a Fish” and its sequel are the latest to add to her list.

Sonja Chandrachud

Many of you know Sonja, having attended her previous book releases at our Store. Dubbed the ‘Desi Rowling’ by the media, Sonja deftly brews up fantastical tales filled with magic, mayhem & mischief. Potion of Eternity & Pearls of Wisdom are the bestselling books in the much loved Hilarious Hauntings Adventures series. Her new YA series - DOA Detective Files takes you deep into ancient historical times where cryptic curses, mysterious murders and lost treasures beckon. “Trouble at the Taj” is the first in the series.

All of them will read from their books as well and take questions from their young readers. They will be in conversation with noted theatre person Mahrukh Barucha on what our Young Adults like to read! Please stay in touch with our blog where all their books will be reviewed in the next few days. Inviting Young Adults, Educators, Librarians, Parents and all those keen on reading to join this interactive session. Kindly participate with your time and energy and make this a meaningful session for all of us!

This event will happen on Saturday, 19th Nov 2011 at 5pm (upto 8pm) at twistntales. Make sure your kids are there and between these three authors, a whole host of books that they have authored will be on sale at a discount. Get your autographed copies!

In the meantime, lots of new books have already reached/ or are releasing in the next few days. While Paolini fans have already got their “Inheritance”, Rick Riordan’s “Sons of Neptune” and Jeff Kinney’s “Cabin Fever” should be in twistntales from early Wednesday morning! Promises to be a busy week with lots of new books!

Some new books reviewed:

“The Sense of an Ending” by Julian Barnes @ Rs.499/- (pgs 150)

‘Sense of an Ending’ is a story of one man coming to terms with his Past. Starting out by evoking memories from School the story moulds itself emphatically to the end with some thoughtfully etched out characters, throwing in surprises and promises! Laced with Julian Barnes’ trademark precision, dexterity and insight, it comes as no surprise that this work won the David Cohen Prize for Literature as well as the Booker Prize 2011! Brilliant!

“Ithaca” by David Davidar @ Rs.499/- (pgs 276)

The picture is of Litmus, a publishing house in the UK which is struggling to survive after the unexpected death of its most successful author. Will the company remain independent and be able to keep at bay the giant corporation intent on taking it over? Will it be able to survive the sweeping change taking place in the publishing industry? Coming from one of the foremost figures in the publishing industry itself this novel is a thrilling account of the turbulent world of publishing presented inside out!

“The Tailor of Giripul” by Bulbul Sharma @ Rs.299/- (pgs 320)

With the redolent smells and sounds of a village buried amongst the Mountains comes this story of a mild- mannered Tailor who sits strewn around with bits of Cloth to stitch for the Women of his Village! Along the way he has to deal with their dreams, desires; his relationship with his wife and solve the mystery of a killing! Bulbul Sharma is at her best creating small portraits out of telling details and it is this gift that breaks through to create pockets of magic!

“India Inside: The Emerging Innovation Challenge to the West” by Nirmalya Kumar and Phanish Puranam @ Rs.795/- (pgs 177)

In ‘India Inside’, authors and respected London Business School Professors Nirmalya Kumar and Phanish Puranam assert that the long held monopoly on Innovation by Western Corporations is over and that Nations, Policy makers and Organizations need to look East to a hidden movement that is changing how innovation happens! Drawing on extensive research and in depth interviews with India based executives at companies like AstraZeneca, GE, Infosys, Intel, and others the book illuminates Indian Companies’ growing ability to innovate by conjuring up consumer offerings that are low cost, compact, efficient and robust in spite of harsh environmental conditions! Innovation is the need of the hour and so is this book!

“The 3rd Alternative: Solving Life’s Most Difficult Problems” by Stephen R. Covey @ Rs.799/- (pgs 456)

From the bestselling author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People comes this latest book which is a breakthrough approach to conflict resolution and creative problem solving both professional and personal. Through key examples and stories from his work as a consultant, Covey demonstrates the power of 3rd Alternative Thinking leaving one feeling inspired and at peace!

“The Billboard Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music: From Rock, Pop, Jazz, Blues and Hip Hop to Classical Folk, World and More” edited by Paul Du Noyer @ Rs.1995/- (pgs 448)

Written by a team of expert music writers and musicologists this richly illustrated encyclopedia will take you on a remarkable journey of discovery from the sounds of the early 20th Century Bluesmen through the birth of Rock’n’Roll right up to the present day Dance and Hip Hop. Every facet of music is explored! Each section begins with a glimpse of the social, cultural and political influences that helped shape the course of the music and covers the major artists who defined the sounds of their time. Without leaving behind the one hit wonders which should not be forgotten and the instruments that created these sounds; this all encompassing reference book is a rare gem!

“Pilots Man your Planes: The History of naval Aviation” by Wilbur H Morrison @ Rs. 995/- (pgs 462)

It is the story of Naval Aviation and of the Men and Women who fought for it through its obscure beginnings in 1910 from the Persian Gulf War and on to the present. It is a complete History woven together from interviews and stories of the architects and visionaries who have shaped and influenced the development of Naval Aviation throughout the twentieth Century. Author Wilbur Morrison paints the picture of the successes, failures, conflicts and politics of the wings who govern the Seas in this brilliant volume!

“Rafa: My Story” by Rafael Nadal with John Carlin @ Rs.595/- (pgs 304)

Private is Dark. And here is the biography of the personality whose life has been much in the dark, until now. This book takes us to the heart of Nadal’s Childhood, his growth as a player and his incredible career. It includes memorable highs and lows, from victory in the mind-blowing 2008 Wimbledon final to the recent injury problems that have posed a threat to his dominance in the sport. This book is sure to take you on a ride from Nadal’s lifelong home on the island of Majorca and leave you live at the locker rooms of the Centre Courts!

Other new books:

“The Shadow Market: How Sovereign Wealth Funds Secretly Dominate the Global Economy” by Eric J Weiner @ Rs.399/- (pgs 310)
“First Proof – The Penguin Book of New Writing” @ Rs. 250/- (pgs 219)
“A Shot at History” by Abhinav Bindra @ 399/- (pgs 228)
“C. V. Raman – A Biography” by Uma Parameswaran
“Non Stop India” by Mark Tully @ 499/- (pgs 257)
“The Price of Civilization: Economics and Ethics after the fall” by Jeffrey Sachs @ Rs.599/- (pgs 326)
“Ardent Shakespeare: Complete Works” Edited by Richard Proudfoot, Ann Thompson and David Kastan @ Rs.499/- (pgs 1346)
“Steve Jobs” by Walter Isaacson @ Rs.799/- (pgs 627)
“The Litigators” by John Grisham @ Rs.350/- (pgs 436)
“Great by Choice” by Jim Collins and Morten T. Hansen @ Rs.799/- (pgs 304)
“Julian Assange: The Unauthorised Autobiography” @ Rs.599/- (pgs 339)
“The Race” by Clive Cussler and Justin Scott @ Rs.499/- (pgs 404)
“Sonia Gandhi: An Extraordinary Life, An Indian Destiny” by Rani Singh @ Rs.499/- (pgs 268)
“Corporate Divas” by Sonia Golani @ Rs.250/- (pgs 229)
“Boomerang: The Meltdown Tour” by Michael Lewis @ Rs.599/- (pgs 213)
“There is No God: Agnostic Khushwant” by Khuswant Singh with Ashok Chopra @ Rs.299/- (pgs 246)
“Extreme Money: The Masters of the Universe and the Cult of Risk” by Satyajit Das @ Rs.699/- (pgs 514)
“Where Good Ideas Come From: The Seven Patterns of Innovation” by Steven Johnson @ Rs.399/- (pgs 326)
“The Sealed Letter” by Emma Donoghue @ Rs.499/- (pgs 397)
“Anna and the French Kiss” by Stephanie Perkins @ Rs.299/- (pgs 372)
“The Fall of the House of Forbes: The inside Story of the Collapse of a Media Empire” by Stewart Pinkerton @ Rs.799/- (pgs 302)
“The Affair” by Lee Child @ Rs.550/- (pgs 427)
“The Wonder book for Girls and boys: Six Great Greek Myths” by Nathaniel Hawthorne @ Rs.195/- (pgs 246)
“Instant City: Life and Death in Karachi” by Steve Inskeep @ Rs.599/- (pgs 284)
“Inheritance” by Christopher Paolini @ Rs.699/- (pgs 860)
“Talking to the Terrorists – Face to Face with the Enemy” by Peter Taylor @ Rs. 450/- (pgs 358)
“Ice Boys in Bell Bottoms” by Krishna Shastri Devulapalli @ Rs. 250/- (pgs 263)
“The God Enchanter” by Anuradha Majumdar @ Rs. 199/- (pgs 145)
“The Temple and the Mosque – the Best of Premchand” @ Rs. 250/- (pgs 197)
“God Save the Dork” by Sidin Vadukut @ Rs. 199/- (pgs 240)
“Grand Pursuit – The Story of Economic Genius” by Sylvia Nasar @ Rs. 499/- (pgs 555)
“1Q84” by Haruki Murakami @ Rs. 999/- (pgs 925)
“Calcutta Exile” by Bunny Suraiya @ Rs. 299/- (pgs 249)
“The Tennis Partner” by Abraham Verghese @ Rs. 399/- (pgs 340)

Happy Reading and see you at the Store,

From the team at,

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Come for "Tales Teens Try" @ twistntales

Tales Teens Try


What do Young Adults like to read?

twistntales presents award winning authors, Mini Srinivasan, Anushka Ravishankar and Sonja Chandrachud in conversation with noted theatre person Mahrukh Barucha on what our Young Adults like to read!


Mini Srinivasan


Winner of the first Children’s Literary Award – the Bal Sahitya Puraskar 2010 instituted by the Sahitya Akademi in India. Mini Srinivasan lives and writes in Pune, where she works with teachers and children in government-run schools. She is also part of a child rights advocacy group focusing on making education more meaningful for underprivileged children. She loves to write for pre-teens +, who she thinks are smart, feisty and fun.

Anushka Ravishankar


Anushka Ravishankar is an award-winning writer and playwright. Her books include Wish you were Here, Moin and the Monster, Tiger on a Tree, Today Is My Day, among others, and several have been published internationally. She writes books that kids fight to read! “Atleast a Fish” and its sequel are the latest to add to her list.

Sonja Chandrachud


Dubbed the ‘Desi Rowling’ by the media, Sonja deftly brews up fantastical tales filled with magic, mayhem & mischief. Potion of Eternity & Pearls of Wisdom are the bestselling books in the much loved Hilarious Hauntings Adventures series. Her new YA series - DOA Detective Files takes you deep into ancient historical times where cryptic curses, mysterious murders and lost treasures beckon. “Trouble at the Taj” is the first in the series.

All of them will read from their books as well and take questions from their young readers. Inviting Young Adults, Educators, Librarians, Parents and all those keen on reading to join this interactive session.


Date Saturday, 19th Nov
Time 5pm to 8pm
Venue twistntales,
Gaikwad Nagar
Aundh
RSVP 25881465/ 25899745/ 9373339162

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

You Can’t Take What We Have! No Way!

This is the third burglary attempt at twistntales, and luckily for us, unsuccessful! In the last ten years, we have learnt our lessons, and inspite of the burglars moving from Plan A to Plan B to Plan C, they have not been successful. Tell–tale signs of every plan in evidence!

What is it they want from us? Books? I will gladly give away free, if they want to read! Money? We don’t have any! Our Ethos, values, love for books, people, brand? Try as hard as you might, you won’t be able to take that away!

Our Mood? For a little while, maybe! Even Yashoda, our maid says, “Mood-uch Karaab kele!” That’s the spirit – our folks keep smiling – you can’t take away that from us!

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Diwali Hamper of new books !!

Hi all,

First of all, a big thank you to all of you who joined us for the Saraswati Puja on Dusherra day at the Store.

As school vacations begin and the festive spirit catches on, we at twistntales are ready and well stocked up in all sections. Do pay your favorite bookstore a visit and stock up your reading treasures for the Diwali break!

Lots of new books also happening in the next two weeks – the Steve Jobs (God bless his soul) book, the new Grisham thriller, a brand new book in the Wimpy kid series, the Sons of Neptune book in the Heroes of Olympus series (by Percy Jackson), “Inheritance” in the Eldest/ Eragon series by Christopher Paolini series – make sure you have your monies saved for these books! Do keep in touch for more frequent updates on our facebook page,https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=710923194

Apart from Chetan Bhagat, a lot has already happened in the past couple of weeks, Julian Barnes, “The Sense of an Ending” which won the Booker 2011 this week, all already in the Store. A few have been reviewed below.

Twistntales will be celebrating Diwali on 25th Oct, Tuesday evening at the Store and you are most welcome to join us. We will then be closed from 26th Oct (wed) to 31st Oct (mon). We will be open for business as usual from 1st Nov. The last couple of months have been tough on us (we are short staffed) and we had to keep the store closed on some afternoons. Going forward, Nov and Dec, we will be open full day as earlier. So feel free to drop in anytime.

Many of you know the many students who have interned with us in the past 10 years. Most of them join us in the first year of college, after 12th class, and stay with us during the first two years of graduation. When they leave, they take with them more than just the money we pay them. Many of them are equipped with basic managerial skills to start work as junior execs in the corporate world.

Lijya is one such person. She completes a year with us this month, and has earned her spurs to be our “Star of the Month” for Oct 2011. She has single handedly supported the operations of the Store, inspite of her own hectic college schedules and exams, all very willingly and with a smile. Kudos to her and she surely is an example to many youngsters on how to manage what you want to do without compromising too much on other things. Do visit the Store and congratulate her for her efforts :-)

Now on to new books:

Socio Eco

“Water: Asia’s New Battleground” by Brahma Chellaney @ Rs.699/- (pgs 386)

The battles of yesterday were fought over land. Those of today are over energy. But the battles of tomorrow may be over water. Nowhere is the danger greater than in water distressed Asia. Asia is home to many of the world’s great rivers and lakes, and the potential for conflict is further underscored by China’s unrivalled global status. Brahma Chellaney, one of India’s leading strategic thinkers from the Centre for Policy Research, presents a pioneering study of Asia’s murky water politics and the relationships between freshwater, peace and security.

“Capitalism 4.0: The Birth of a New Economy” by Anatole Kaletsky @ Rs.399/- (pgs 423)

Has the Global Financial Crisis ruined Businesses, Banks, and Nations and left you distraught? Is the Capitalist system doomed? If you think yes, then well ‘think’ again with this eye opening book by Anatole Kaletsky who explains how this crisis has contributed to the evolution of a stronger capitalist model- refreshed and reinvented; all set to take-off again! Tracing the development of capitalism through three distinct historical phases, Anatole Kaletsky shows us how these transitions, threatening though they may have been; have actually acted as a catalyst fueling Capitalism to emerge stronger, sharper and superior yet again!

Science

“The Magic of Reality: How we Know what’s really True” by Richard Dawkins @ Rs.1099/- (pgs 271) (Illustrated by Dave McKean)

Have you ever wondered what things are made of? Or for that matter ‘What is the Sun?’ The answer to these questions and much more is right here in this book and is sure to leave you amazed, dazzled and feeling inspired! With explanations of space, time and evolution this book presents the real story of the World around us capturing minds of young adults, adults and octogenarians alike! It is scientific reality spiced with magic and is simply wonderful!

“Knocking on Heaven’s Door: How Physics and Scientific Thinking illuminate the Universe and the Modern World” by Lisa Randall @ Rs.999/- (pgs 442)

One of the most illuminating Science Books in years, Knocking on Heaven’s Door explains with wit and clarity the latest ideas in physics and cosmology. It tells of the aims of the biggest and most expensive machine ever built: the Large Hadron Collider, the enormous particle accelerator which contains within it the hottest and coldest spot in the Galaxy and features the most powerful supercomputer system of all time. Recounting the thrilling progress in our understanding of the universe and examining the role of risk, creativity, uncertainty, beauty and truth in Scientific Thinking ‘Lisa Randall’ leaves our minds sparked!

Personalities

“Controversially Yours” by Shoaib Akhtar @ Rs.499/- (pgs 280)

Chuuck- Chuuck! : It’s the Rawalpindi Express, with his take on the Game of Cricket, on his Peers, on the fraught tussles between bowlers and batsman and the institutions that control the Sport, including the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Pakistan Cricket Board. From the early days of his Struggle to the 2011 World Cup, this is Shoaib’s story in his own words, straight from the heart; making some headlines!

“Bishan: Portrait of a Cricketer” by Suresh Menon @ Rs.299/- (pgs 236)

The name Bishan Singh Bedi conjures up a picture of India’s legendary spin quartet of the 1970’s and here is a fine study of the Connoisseur by none other than India’s well known sports writer Suresh Menon! The biography covers Bedi’s incredulous magic with the ball, his forthright and outward character as well as his clashes and controversies! This is a remarkable portrait leaving no stone unturned!

Inspiration

“The Novice: A remarkable Story of Love and Truth” by Thich Nhat Hanh @ Rs.450/- (pgs 144)

Zen master, poet and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh retells here an ancient Vietnamese Folk Tale. The Story of Kinh- a devoted student and diligent worker at the temple monastery, whose fate, will transform our lives and offer hope is waiting to enlighten you! Read and be inspired!

“The Animator’s Survival Kit: A Manual of Methods, Principles and Formulas for Classical Computer Games, Stop Motion and Internet Animators” by Richard Williams @ Rs. 1295/-

This definitive working manual on animation from the triple Academy Award winning Director of Animation ‘Richard Williams’ provides the underlying principles of animation that every animator from beginner to expert, classic animator to computer animation whiz needs! Illustrating his points with hundreds of drawings the book is a standard work on all forms of animation for professionals, students and fans!

Food:

“Jamie’s Great Britain: Over 130 Reasons to Love Our Food” @ Rs.899/- (pgs 407)

So here is Jamie; wanting to share with you the real essence of British Food, done properly! With 130 of his favorite recipes; some indisputable classics, some versions of classics and others made up by simply picking from the great bounty of regional produce, Jamie’s Great Britain is simply Tempting! Come Indulge!

“Good Food Good Living” by Karen Anand @ Rs.250/- (pgs 188)

The Foodie’s Bible is here; set to satiate the palate of even the most exacting connoisseur. So get set to discover the stories behind those delightful recipes, along with their rich history, with the all important health angle of the food you eat with Karen Anand who brings it out uniquely with her very own original techniques! Slurp!

“Awakening: The Story of the Bengal Renaissance” by Subrata Dasgupta @ Rs.299/- (pgs 480) (History)

Here is a gripping, well researched narrative about the Bengal Renaissance recounted through the lives of its players from Rammohun Roy to Rabindranath Tagore. Well begun with a chronology, ‘Awakening’ tells with colour, drama and passion transporting you into that Golden Era of intellectual flowering!

Fiction
“Gods without Men” by Hari Kunzru @ Rs.599/- (pgs 383)

Here is a journey full with twists and turns of a handful of human lives set in the background of the Californian Dessert- a four year old autistic boy, a British Rock star on the run, a member of an extraterrestrial worshipping cult and a teenage Iraqi Refugee. Characters quite casual; yet wholly complex give Hari Kunzru’s new book that pacy, un-put-down able mysterious plot!
Hari Kunzru is the Best selling Author of ‘The Impressionist’, ‘Transmission’ and ‘My Revolutions’.

“B.T.Road/ The Hollow: Two Novellas” by Samaresh Basu @ Rs.350/- (pgs 294)
(Translated by Saugata Ghosh)

Presenting one of the stalwarts of Bengali Literature to a new readership this translation portrays two rich novellas. The first concentrates around the slum life at the jute mills of Bengal and the consequent trade union movement that grew around them. The second one is a portrayal of society and its mores through the eyes of ‘Biresh’ and his struggle to free himself from the confines of love, family, profession and politics. Absolutely Gripping!

“The Song of Achilles” by Madeline Miller @ Rs.499/- (pgs 352)

Reviving the Heroes of Greece and the classic story of the Helen of Troy Madeline Miller has woven this narrative in a contemporary and startling fashion! The story journeys Friendship, love, fear and tests all which one holds dear!

“Far from my Father’s House: Survival is Hard in a Land where No Woman can Live alone” by Jill McGivering @ Rs.299/- (pgs 311)

After the stupendous success of The Last Kestrel, Jill McGivering is now on to her second novel, on a terrain she knows best. As BBC’s senior news correspondent with assignments in Afghanistan and Pakistan, she is best placed to write on this region with some level of intimacy. It shows again with “Far from my father’s house” which is based in the Swat Valley of Pakistan. Touchingly written and achingly told, this is one of those books that give you an insight into what havoc can be caused if we let extremist elements control our politics.

Young Adults

“The Secret Diary of the World’s Worst Cook” by Subhadra Sen Gupta @ Rs.199/- (pgs 163)
By stumbling upon the secret diary of the world’s Worst Cook, discover how Rohin a boy of fifteen who wants nothing to do with Science realizes what it is that he wants to do with his own life. In a family full of MSc- ies, PhD-ies and Doctorates who have taken it for granted that Rohin is to take ‘the Science Stream’ after class ten, come be a part of Rohin’s journey of self discovery; unearthing on the way some hilarious stories of spotted eggs, lots of khanna and other culinary disasters!

“Really Daft Ideas” by D.I Saster @ Rs. 250/- (pgs 157)

I am sure that you shall roll off onto the floor laughing when you set your humble hands onto this book! ‘Really Daft Ideas’ is just Hilarious! Some ideas that should never have made it further than the half witted minds they originated from are here to make you laugh out loud and cringe!

“Stage a Poetry Slam” by Marc Kelly Smith with Joe Kraynak @ Rs.399/- (pgs 275)

Well its showtime! And ‘Stage a poetry Slam’ explains how to get the stage prepared for groups both large and small! Covering everything from finding an appropriate Venue, to Lighting and Sound, managing Performers and getting Publicity; this book puts it all together proficiently coming from the Father of Poetry Slam himself- ‘Marc Kelly Smith’!

“Take the Mic: The Art of Performance Poetry Slam and the Spoken Word” by Marc Kelly Smith with Joe Kraynak @ Rs. 399/- (pgs 295)

If you have ever climbed up the stage and struggled with the words in your mouth or felt apprehensive staring at that mic; fret not. As it’s here! - Your book, which will teach you everything you need to be a confident performer! From writing a powerful Poem to stage techniques ‘Take the Mic’ is carefully filled with lots of insider tips, backstage advice and tons of examples of slam poems that will surely wake an Audience and leave you inspired!

Other new books at the Store:

“The Tailor of Giripul” by Bulbul Sharma @ Rs.299/-
“The Shadow Market: How Sovereign Wealth Funds Secretly Dominate the Global Economy” by Eric J Weiner @ Rs.399/-
“Football- Bloody Hell: The Biography of Alex Ferguson” by Patrick Barclay @ Rs.399/-
“Crushes, Careers & Cell Phones: Quick Notes from a Mum to a Teenager, Rejoinders from 10 to 25-year olds across the World” by Manjiri Gokhale Joshi @ Rs.195/-
“Chapter Eleven” by Amit Shankar @ Rs.245/-
“TOI Bloggers’ Park” @ Rs.199/-
“Beyond the MBA Hype: A Guide to Understanding and Surviving B- Schools” by Sameer Kamat @ Rs.250/-
“Celebrate Dussehra & Durga Puja: Super Sories, Fab Folktales, Myths and Legends” @ Rs.195/-
“Revolution 2020 – Love, Corruption Ambition” by Chetan Bhagat @ Rs. 140/-
“The Best of Cadbury Bournvita Quiz Contest: 1000 Quiz Questions, 100 Fun Facts!” by Derek O’ Brien @ Rs.175/-
“Doing Business in India” by India Briefing (Dezan Shira and Associates)” @ Rs.299/-
“Constant Craving: What your Food Cravings mean and How to Overcome them” by Doreen Virtue @ Rs.350/-
“Time Riders: The Eternal War” by Alex Scarrow @ Rs.299/-
“The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Twelfth Grade Kills” by Heather Brewer @ Rs.250/-
“How did That Happen: Holding People Accountable for Results, the Positive, Principled Way” by Roger Connors and Tom Smith @ Rs.550/-
“The Obamas: The Untold Story of an African Family” by Peter Firstbrook @ Rs.399/-
“1888 Dial India” by Anuvab Pal” @ Rs.150/-
“The Arty Farty Party: 100% Proof High Spirits” by Pratik Basu @ Rs.295/-
“Birds, Beasts and Bandits: 14 Days with Veerappan” by Krupakar and Senani (Translation by S.R Ramakrishna) @ Rs.250/-
“Hive: Aftershock” by Mark Walden @ Rs.299/-
“You Can Create an Exceptional Life” by Louise Hay and Cheryl Richardson @ Rs.250/-
“The Path of Tibetan Buddhism: The End of Suffering and the Discovery of Happiness” by His Holiness the Dalai Lama @ Rs.299/-
“Wisden on India: An Anthology” Edited by Jonathan Rice @ Rs.599/-
“Babies From the Heart: A Complete Guide to Adoption” by Nandini Sengupta @ Rs.299/-
“The 3rd Alternative: Solving Life’s Most Difficult Problems” by Stephen R. Covey @ Rs.799/-
“Solving the Ice- Cream Dilemma: Help Your Child Choose the Right Career” by Steven Rudolph @ Rs.299/-
“Late for Tea at the Deer Palace: The Lost Dreams of my Iraqi Family” by Tamara Chalabi @ Rs.399/-
“Mothers Work: How to get a Grip on Guilt and make a Smooth Return to Work” by Jessica Chivers @ Rs.799/-
“Ithaca” by David Davidar @ Rs.499/- (pgs 276)
“The Fatal Eggs” by Mikhail Bulgakov, translation by Roger Cockrell @ Rs.299/-
“The Kite Runner: Graphic Novel” by Khaled Hosseini @ Rs.699/-
“The Death Relic” by Chris Kuzneski @ Rs.299/- (pgs 502)
“Shadow of the Moon” by M.M. Kaye @ Rs.399/- (pgs 614)
“Tattoo Nation: Portraits of Celebrity Body Art” by Rolling Stones @ Rs.695/-
“Garden Getaways: Havens at Home” by Michael Glassman @ Rs. 495/-
“Simply Stunning Beaded Jewelry” by Donatella Ciottic @ Rs. 495/-
“Ideas for Great Decorations” by Scott Atikson, Christine Barnes, Barbara J Braasch, Susan Lang @ Rs.995/-
“The Billboard Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music: From Rock, Pop, Jazz, Blues and Hip Hop to Classical Folk, World and More” edited by Paul Du Noyer @ Rs.1995/-
“Pilots, Man your Planes: The History of Naval Aviation” by Wilbur H Morrison @ Rs. 995/-
“Gross Me Out: 50 Nasty projects to Disgust your Friends and Repulse your Family” @ Rs. 399/-
“The World of Flowers in Wool” by Lily Simon @ Rs.495/- (pgs 128)
“Books: The Little Black Book; A Century of the greatest Books, Writers, Characters, Passages and Events that rocked the Literary World” edited by Lucy Daniel @ Rs.995/- (pgs 800)
“Management Tips” by Harvard Business Review @ Rs.395/- (pgs 214)
“The Sense of an Ending” by Julian Barnes @ Rs.499/- (pgs 150)
“India Inside: The Emerging Innovation Challenge to the West” by Nirmalya Kumar and Phanish Puranam @ Rs.795/- (pgs 177)

Happy Reading and see you at the Store,

Wishing all of you and your families a very happy, safe and prosperous Diwali,

From the team at


twistntales

Friday, September 30, 2011

Navratri and Dasera Greetings !

Hi all,

Greetings of Navratri and the festive season!

Lots of new books to read and enjoy … with a few days break for the festive season, here’s a chance to catch up on your reading!

We are a little short of working hands, and some of you have found us closed in the afternoons. Hopefully, it’s a temporary phenomena and before the Diwali break, we should be back to full day working (10.30 to 2030 hrs).

Kindly join us on Dassera day (thurs), 6th Oct for our Annual Saraswati Puja at twistntales. Hope to see you then.

So many many new books, so lets get on with it!

Grassroots Comics – a tool for democracy and others

There are five comic books from World Comics India. World Comics India (WCI) is a collective of grassroots activists, cartoonists, artists, development journalists and students using comics as a communication tool as well as medium for self expressions.

The titles in this series:

“Grassroots Comics – a tool for democracy” @ Rs. 75/-

Here’s a rather different book and a novel idea! These comics are the voices of commoners from all over the World raising their voices to fight corruption. This Silent majority tell stories affecting their day to day lives which they are extremely passionate about! And their passion is clearly reflected in these comics developed on A4 sized papers with simple, lucid illustrations coupled with the local language which make it an absolute WOW!

“Understanding Gandhi through Cartoons” @ Rs.75/-

These Cartoons are an attempt to provide an easy and effective insight into the making of the Mahatma! The Focus is on Gandhiji’s social concerns and the impact he made on the History of India and the World. Resurrecting Gandhian Values, these pages truly seek to inspire and rekindle in us the hope to a brighter future!
This collection of cartoons are an outcome of a workshop conducted by Shri Sharad Sharma of World Comics India, as part of the Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti’s Annual Gandhi Summer School.

“Half World Four Frames” @ Rs.150/-

The Comic strips produced here are on Gender. Views on Gender as perceived in different parts of the world- respected and put forth without being Opinionated! Again a creation of a number of Workshops conducted in South Asian Countries by WCI.

“Whose Development???” @ Rs.100/-

These Stories collected from Jharkhand, Assam, Kashmir, Rajasthan, and many other parts of the country present a reflection of the ‘accomplishments’ of development there. The caricatures herein are crude and endeavor to portray the picture as realistically as possible. Come, walk along the path of development, which is the magic word for politicians, as much as it is for us!

“Parallel Lines” @ Rs.100/-

The ongoing Bodo movement in lower Assam, the ugly truth behind the Beautification of Delhi in lieu with the commonwealth games, the legal victory of farmers over BT cotton in Madhya Pradesh and other such contemporary issues has been voiced here, simultaneously resulting in interesting, moving and engaging Comics!

Other New Books:

“A Tangled Web: Jammu and Kashmir” Edited by Ira Pande @ Rs. 699/-

A series of essays by noted social commentators like Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Meghnad Desai, Jagmohan etc. familiarize us with the tangled views on History, Politics, and autonomy pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir, thereby examining the various political, cultural, economic and social issues at play. Accounts by various ordinary men and women who have borne the brunt of decades of unrest bring to life the whole picture! Adding to this is the portrayal on the beauty, art and food typical of the area, which flavours this book just perfectly!

“The Book of Answers” by C.Y. Gopinath @ Rs. 499/-

Would’nt it be just perfect to lay hands on a book which will provide you with answers to all of your Problems? That’s just what Patros, the protagonist got his hands onto, or rather inherited! This book is an irrepressible satire about manipulation and corruption in governance! And what all does this ‘Book of Answers” contain and what all trouble does it lead onto, to find out, read this humorously woven narrative!

“Reach For the Skies: Ballooning, Birdmen and Blasting into Space- a Personal History of Aviation” by Richard Branson @ Rs.399/-

It’s a story of Pioneers. From the World Famous Montgolfiers and the Wright Brothers, to the lesser known trailblazers who are today bringing outer space within our reach, Sir Richard Branson explores the History of Flight through the Stories and People who have Inspired Him! It’s a Thrilling tale with a motivational message- ‘Aim for the Stars. Atleast you will have reached the Skies!’

“Partitions” by Amit Majmudar @ Rs.299/-

The Countries- they parted in 1947. And that year the people did too. This book is the story of the people, their unforgettable account of separation and how they stood up, shaped themselves up again and moved on in the journey called - Life! ‘Amit Majmudar’ interjects three story lines here in his Debut; writing poetically with piercing beauty and great Human Dramatization.

“The Bad Boy’s Guide to the Good Indian Girl or the GOOD INDIAN GIRL’S Guide to Living, Loving and Having Fun” by Annie Zaidi and Smriti Ravindra @ Rs.295/-

Who is this ‘Good Indian Girl’? Is she for real? Does she even exist? Yes, yes- here are stories based on real events in Real Women’s lives! Come, discover her, in all her marvelous complexity with Annie Zaidi and Smriti Ravindra as they look around the subcontinent into the lives, limits and longings of Girls who have been born and raised to become - “The Good Indian Girl”!

“The Google Guys: Inside the Brilliant Minds of Google Founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin” by Richard L Brandt @ Rs.399/-

‘The Google Guys’ skips past the well- known Google story and focuses on what really motivates the company’s two Founders- ‘Larry Page’ and ‘Sergey Brin’; thereby examining Google’s Business decisions in light of it’s founders’ ambition and beliefs. Through interviews with Current and Former Employees, Competitors, Partners and Senior Google Management plus conversations with the founders themselves, Richard L Brandt demystifies the World’s most powerful Internet Company for us Illiterates! Read it!

“Noon” by Aatish Taseer @ Rs.499/-

Set in the background of a difficult period in India and Pakistan- Join Rehan Tabasssum, the Protagonist in this journey of political upheavals, danger and most importantly ‘Change’! A Compelling, elegantly crafted read!

“Trouble at Taj” by Sonja Chandrachud @ Rs.199/-

There’s some serious trouble at the Taj. The Chief Detective of the Taj Mahal, Ustad Ahmed Lahauri had been kidnapped and the DOA detective agency is out to solve this out–of–this–world mystery. Will they be able to ensure that the magnificent Taj gets built? To Find Out, Read this Witty, suspicious, adventure story, going back into History; by our very own ‘Desi Rowling’- Sonja Chandrachud! Pick your signed copies from twistntales!

After ‘Potion of Eternity’ and ‘Pearls of Wisdom’ this is Sonja Chandrachud’s first book in her New Series- DOA Detective Files. The book makes good reading for children above 9 yrs of age.

“Pilgrim’s India: An Anthology” edited by Arundhathi Subramaniam @ Rs.399/-

‘Pilgrim’s India’ is about Journeys and Destinations; Wanderers, Pilgrims; their trails and the idea of the sacred! It brings together Essays and Poems from the Katha Upanishad, Fa- Hien, Basavanna and Kabir to Paul Brunton, Richard Lannoy, Amit Chaudhuri, Arun Kolatkar and others- about various aspects of trips undertaken in the name of God! It’s Revelation, both Mystical and Magical!

“The Fish on your Plate: Why we Eat what we Eat From the Sea” by Paul Greenberg @ Rs.399/-

Here’s a rather interesting book! Paul Greenberg takes us on an eye- opening Culinary Journey through the Oceans, traveling from fair trade Eskimo Outposts to Norwegian mega Salmon Farms and Down to the Depths of the South Pacific in search of the story behind - the Fish on Our plates! Along the way he feeds us with incredible facts about Fish and why we take, what we take from the Sea!

“Uncommon Ground: Dialogues between Business and Social Leaders by Rohini Nilekani @ Rs.499/-

‘Uncommon Ground’ brings together titans of Industry and Leaders of Civil Society to explore highly relevant themes like Livelihoods and Job Creation, Food Security, Energy, Business and Environment Sustainability and more, and will thereby provide you with a rich, nuanced understanding of the Key Social and Economics Challenges facing India today. Based on Rohini Nilekani’s 2008 show on NDTV, these conversations explore the middle ground between the ideological divisions that often polarize the Business and Voluntary Sectors.

“Three Satires from Ancient Kashmir” by Kshemendra @ Rs.250/-

Corruption in Governance, Hypocrisy in Religion, Superstition, Anomalies in Education and a host of other ills of one thousand years ago in Kashmir are the targets of Kshemendra’s Satires. These find Resonance amongst our lives in India even today.

‘Kshemendra’ is an important Name in Classical Sanskrit Literature and is a prolific, multi faceted writer on a wide variety of Subjects. This book is a translation from Sanskrit by A.N.D Haksar.

“Welcome to Americastan” by Jabeen Akhtar @ Rs.499/-

Thoughtful looking at the Pakistani Community in America through the eyes of the Protagonist ‘Samira’ the story investigates the Double Lives led by the Young who debate the significance of animal sacrifice while sipping Cocktails; Atheists who agree to having a ‘Maulvi’ perform at their Wedding just to please their Parents; and Parties with an Open Bar but Only for the Goras! It’s Hilarious! Come aboard the Ship to “Americastan” and be delighted!

Other new books!

“Undercover Muslim: A journey into Yemen” by Theo Padnos @ Rs.599/-
“Table for Four” by K.Srilata @ Rs.250/-
“Rajiv Gandhi: The Flight of the Scion” by Benny Aguiar @ Rs.299/-
“The Fat Years: The Notorious Thriller they Banned in China” by Chan Koonchung @ Rs.550/-
“The Bourne Dominion” by Robert Ludlum @ Rs.299/-
“The Spy” by Clive Cussler and Justin Scott @ Rs.299/-
“The First Women in Love” by D.H. Lawrence @ Rs.399/-
“Spud: Learning to Fly” by John Van De Ruit @ Rs.299/-
“Gift in Green” by Sarah Joseph @ Rs.350/-
“My Boyfriend Wrote a Book About me” by Hilary Winston @ Rs.399/-
“Flight of the Alone to the Alone: Talks on the Kaivalya Upanishad” by Osho@ Rs.499/-
“Release and other Stories” by Rakhshanda Jalil @ Rs.299/-
“The Spirit of the Buddha” by Martine Batchelor @ Rs.250/-
“The History of Tipu Sultan” by Mohibbul Hasan @ Rs.300/-
“Joothan: A Dalit’s Life” by Omprakash Valmiki (tr. Arun Prabha Mukherjee) @ Rs.220
“Lose your Mother: A journey Along the Atlantic Slave Route” by Saidiya Hartman @ Rs.350/-
“Heroes, Gundas, Vamps and Good Girls: Hindi Pulp Cover Art” by Shelle @ Rs.295/-
“Waking is Another Dream: Poems on the Genocide in Eelam” edited by Ravikumar @ Rs.180/-
“The Rani of Jhansi: Rebel Against Will” by Rainer Jerosch @ Rs.295/-
“Mumbai’s Dabbawala: The Uncommon Story of the Common Man” by Shobha Bondre @ Rs.300/-
“Making Ideas Happen: Overcoming Obstacles between Vision & Reality” by Scott Belsky @ Rs.399/-
“Malabar Mind: Poems” by Anita Nair @ Rs.199/-
“What to Ask the Person in the Mirror: Critical Questions for becoming a more Effective Leader and Reaching your Potential” by Robert Steven Kaplan @ Rs.750/-
“The Innovator’s DNA: Mastering the Five Skills of Disruptive Innovators” by Jeff Dyer, Hal Gregersen and Clayton M. Christensen @ Rs.995/-
“A Tale of Two Indians” by Maharshi Patel @ Rs.250/-
“The Vintage Sardar” by Khushwant Singh @ Rs.250/-
“I’m Not Stressed: Secrets for a Calm Mind and a Healthy Body” by Deanne Panday @ Rs.199/-
“Egyptian Dawn: Exposing the Real Truth Behind Ancient Egypt” by Robert Temple @ Rs.499/-
“Berlin at War: Life and Death in Hitler’s Capital, 1939-45” by Roger Moorhouse @ Rs.499/-
“Man of a Thousand Chances” by Tulsi Badrinath @ Rs.395/-
“Songs of Kabir” translated by Arvind Krishna Mehrotra @ Rs.350/-
“The Art of Stress- Free Living” by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar @ Rs.299/-
“Bartimaeus: The Ring of Solomon” by Jonathan Stroud @ Rs.299/-
“Our Lady of Alice Bhatti” by Mohammed Hanif @ Rs.499/-
“Aleph” by Paulo Coelho @ Rs.325/-
“A Night in London” by Sajjad Zaheer @ Rs.299/-
“Kiss, Kiss” by Roald Dahl @ Rs.350/-
“The Spell of the Flying Foxes” by Sylvia Dyer @ Rs.299/-
“Sorrows of the Snow” by Upendra Nath Ashk @ Rs.250/-
“Bernie Madoff: The Wizard of Lies” by Diana B Henriques @ Rs.399/-
“Madame Tussaud” by Michelle Moran @ Rs.299/-
“I Never Thought I Could Fall in Love: My journey from Lust to Love” by Chanchaldeep Singh Sandhu @ Rs.99/-
“The Girl in the Garden” by Kamala Nair @ Rs.495/-
“The Language of Flowers” by Vanessa Diffenbaugh @ Rs.499/-
“The CIO Edge: 7 Leadership Skills you Need to Drive Results” @ Rs.995/-
“Secrets” by Ruskin Bond @ Rs.250/-
“Upwardly Mobile: Behaviour and Business Skills for the New Indian Manager” by Ranjini Manian @ Rs.250/-
“A Monsoon of Music” by Mitra Phukan @ Rs.450/-
“The TCS Story…and Beyond” by S.Ramadorai @ Rs.699/-
“That Used to be US: What went wrong with America- And how it can Come Back” by Thomas L. Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum @ Rs.599/-
“Jamie’s Great Britain: Over 130 Reasons to Love Our Food” @ Rs.899/-
“The Song of Achilles” by Madeline Miller @ Rs.499/-
“Water: Asia’s New Battleground” by Brahma Chellaney @ Rs.699/-
“The Tailor of Giripul” by Bulbul Sharma @ Rs.299/-
“The Shadow Market: How Sovereign Wealth Funds Secretly Dominate the Global Economy” by Eric J Weiner @ Rs.399/-
“Football- Bloody Hell: The Biography of Alex Ferguson” by Patrick Barclay @ Rs.399/-
“Crushes, Careers & Cell Phones: Quick Notes from a Mum to a Teenager, Rejoinders from 10 to 25-year olds across the World” by Manjiri Gokhale Joshi @ Rs.195/-
“Chapter Eleven” by Amit Shankar @ Rs.245/-
“The Secret of the World’s Worst Cook” by Subhadra Sen Gupta @ Rs.199/-
“Good Food Good Living” by Karen Anand @ Rs.250/-
“The Novice – A remarkable story of love and truth” by Thich Nhat Hanh @ Rs. 450/-
“Beyond the MBA Hype: A Guide to Understanding and Surviving B- Schools” by Sameer Kamat @ Rs.250/-
“Awakening: The Story of the Bengal Renaissance” by Subrata Dasgupta @ Rs.299/-
“B.T.Road/ The Hollow: Two Novellas” by Samaresh Basu @ Rs.350/-
“The Best of Cadbury Bournvita Quiz Contest: 1000 Quiz Questions, 100 Fun Facts!” @ Rs.175/-“Doing Business in India” by India Briefing (Dezan Shira and Associates)” @ Rs.299/-Constant Craving: What your Food Cravings mean & How to Overcome them” by Dorren Virtue @ Rs.350/-“Time Riders: The Eternal War” by Alex Scarrow @ Rs.299/-
“Tit For Tat to Treat for Tat: A Holistic Journey- No One loves you, you make yourself Lovable” by Dr. Pal @ Rs.250/-
“The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Twelfth Grade Kills” by Heather Brewer @ Rs.250/-
“Gods without Men” by Hari Kunzru @ Rs.599/-
“Bishan: Portrait of a Cricketer” by Suresh Menon @ Rs.299/-
“Knocking on Heaven’s Door: How Physics and Scientific Thinking illuminate the Universe and the Modern World” by Lisa Randall @ Rs.999/-
“How did That Happen: Holding People Accountable for Results, the Positive, Principled Way” by Roger Connors and Tom Smith @ Rs.550/-
“Controversially Yours” by Shoaib Akhtar @ Rs.499/-
“The Obamas: The Untold Story of an African Family” by Peter Firstbrook @ Rs.399/-
“Far from my Father’s House: Survival is Hard in a Land where No Woman can Live alone” by Jill McGivering @ Rs.299/-
“Capitalism 4.0: The Birth of a New Economy” by Anatole Kaletsky @ Rs.399/-
“1888 Dial India” by Anuvab Pal” @ Rs.150/-
“The Arty Farty Party: 100% Proof High Spirits” by Pratik Basu @ Rs.295/-
“Birds, Beasts and Bandits: 14 Days with Veerappan” by Krupakar and Senani (Translation by S.R Ramakrishna) @ Rs.250/-
“Hive: Aftershock” by Mark Walden @ Rs.299/-
“You Can Create an Exceptional Life” by Louise Hay and Cheryl Richardson @ Rs.250/-
“The Path of Tibetan Buddhism: The End of Suffering and the Discovery of Happiness” by His Holiness the Dalai Lama @ Rs.299/-
“Wisden on India: An Anthology” Edited by Jonathan Rice @ Rs.599/-
“Babies From the Heart: A Complete Guide to Adoption” by Nandini Sengupta @ Rs.299/-
“The Magic of Reality: How we Know what’s Really True” by Richard Dawkins @ Rs.1099/-

Young Adults

“To the Blue King’s Castle: Adventures in the Underground Forest” by Prasenjit Gupta @ Rs.199/-
“The Magic Thief Found” by Sarah Prineas @ Rs.299/-
“The 39 Clues: Vespers Rising” (book 11) @ Rs.475/-
“Dear Dumb Diary: My Pants are Haunted!” by Jim Benton @ Rs.199/-
“BigNate Boredom Buster” by Lincoln Peirce @ Rs.199/-
“Celebrate Dussehra & Durga Puja: Super Sories, Fab Folktales, Myths and Legends” @ Rs.195/-

Have fun reading and see you at the Store!

From the team at,

twistntales