Saroo Brierley's 'A Long Way Home'

Five-year-old Saroo and his elder brother worked as sweepers in local trains to help their struggling mother. One day, the exhausted little boy fell asleep in a train and when he awoke, he was in Calcutta, surrounded by a crowd of unknown faces. Saroo, poor and illiterate, neither knew his last name nor the name of the town he came from. In a single night he had lost his entire family and joined the countless children who had nowhere to call home in the teeming metropolis. Saroo was eventually adopted by an Australian couple and brought up in Tasmania, but he never forgot his mother. Twenty-five years later, with the help of Google Earth he found her again.

Aren't you tempted to read further??? Actually you would be, I know! 

A media sensation when it was reported, this will be the first time Saroo writes about his life, from his childhood in Khandwa, in Madhya Pradesh, to his days on the streets of Calcutta and his ultimate reunion with his mother. Moving and inspiring, this is an unforgettable story.

Two years ago, Saroo Brierly made waves when he located his mother and siblings after 25 years using Google maps. Saroo, had grown up in a small village in Madhya Pradesh and when he was about 5 years old, he had boarded a train to Calcutta accidentally, and got separated from his family.

The poor and illiterate boy didn’t know where he lived and wandered about Calcutta. Eventually he was placed in an orphanage and adopted by an Australian couple.  Growing up in Australia, he remained haunted by his real family. Two decades on he found them. A Long Way Home is his story – told by him in detail for the first time. Its part Oliver twist, part Slum Dog Millionaire with a digital twist. But mostly its extraordinary! Go and grab you copy!! Do remember to share your reviews here...

'Warriors of Kurukshetra' by Debutant Authors Mamta Bhatt & Tripti Sheth

Hon’ble Governor of Uttarakhand – Shri Dr. Aziz Qureshi unveils “Warriors of Kurukshetra” by Debutant Authors Mamta Bhatt & Tripti Sheth

……Occasion blessed by Shri Satpal Maharajji (Member of Parliament) and the proud presence of Shrimati Amrita Rawat (Minister Tourism, Horticulture, Culture, women Empowerment & Child Welfare and Renewable Energy).

Shri Satpal Maharajji,  Dr. Aziz Qureshi, Shrimati Amrita Rawat, Author Mamta Bhatt & Author Tripti Sheth 

Dehradoon: The dynamic city and capital to the state which is “God’s Abode” saw the coming together of several dignitaries comprising of H.E. Dr.Aziz Qureshi – Governor of Uttarakhand,  Shri Satpal Maharajji (Member of Parliament), Shrimati Amrita Rawat (Minister Tourism, Horticulture, Culture, Women Empowerment & Child Welfare and Renewable Energy).

Penned in simplistic beauty by both the authors Mamta Bhatt & Tripti Sheth,
the book is an easy to read, complete and running, action-packed, illustrated story of the Mahabharata. The main objective of the authors is to bring back the unraveling mysteries of Mahabharata back to life of youngsters. The book is specially created for children of age 12 and above and it can be enjoyed by all age groups.

A visibly delighted Mamta who hails from the Pahads of Garhwal exclaimed, “We are honored to have been blessed with such an important platform for our first book.  The main idea is to grab attention of the younger clan so the new generation is aware of the evergreen tales of Mahabharata as they grow and we are sure, with this launch in the Devbhoomi of Garhwal – ours will be our an auspicious journey bringing together all people by means of our rich mythological saga.”

Resonating Mamta’s enthusiasm, Tripti adds, “As mothers and as book worms we wanted to connect our youngsters with our rich historical mythological past, and not only in India but we plan to take Warriors of Kurukshetra (WOK) to all possible parts of the world soon. We wanted to commence our journey in this holy state and are hoping all readers will thoroughly enjoy our books” (WOK is a set of 4).

The event took place at the Raj Bhawan and began by the National Anthem followed by the auspicious lighting of lamp by all dignitaries, post which the book was unveiled to all present and respected media personnel. The event beautifully culminated by Saraswati Vandana by the kids of Shemford Doon School. Shri S.N. Joshi – Educationist & Director of Shemrock & Shemford Doon Schools presented his valuable review of the book.

Author Mamta Bhatt, Shri Satpal Maharajji, Dr. Aziz Qureshi, Shrimati Amrita Rawat, Author Tripti Sheth & Mr. S.N. Joshi

The book will be available in a Set of 4 and will be available at all leading book stores at an introductory price of INR 999/- (complete set).

Generations of kids have grown up reading the Mahabharata and watching it on television. And yet, the evergreen story still has takers as is evident from the latest version of the mythological saga. The four-book series covers the story of the Pandavas and the Kauravas as well as the many sub-stories. Also, there are colourful illustrations within and the book has an antiquated finish, which makes you feel as if you have stumbled upon a lost book. While some of the sub-stories have alternate ending and sequences, in their defense, there are several versions of the tale itself. The language is fairly simple and sub-stories are narrated in an engrossing manner. The focus is also on the lesser-known tales within the Mahabharata like the stories of Dronacharya’s past. The book puts a lot of emphasis on the lessons that can be learned from the text and how certain virtues will help you in all walks of life and across the passage of time. 

Authors Profile: Mamta Bhatt & Tripti Sheth.
Mamta works as the Director - Legal with the BJN Group for the last 8 yrs and has been closely involved in the expansion of the group hotel chains all over the country. Having a total corporate experience of over 18 yrs and having worked with several law firms prior to this and being a practicing advocate, Mamta completed her graduation from the University of Mumbai with dual degrees in B.A, LLB. Mamta hails from Uttarakhand and Rishikesh is her hometown and she is proud to have spent all her spiritual vacations there. Mamta’s introduction to great spiritual literature began early. While growing up, she loved reading, until life’s demands took over. As a mother, Mamta always wanted her son to have exposure to the rich cultural heritage our country offers and to the great Indian Epics such as the Ramayan, Mahabharata. But nothing that was available in the market could satisfy the author’s requirement…….This turned out to be ‘The Reason” that fuelled the birth and form of “Warriors of Kurukshestra.”

Tripti Sheth
Tripti too hails from a legal background and it is the Government Law College that she met and got friends with Mamta. Post that Tripti spent 9 years working in Mumbai, Bangalore and Dallas in the legal framework of the respective cities. Tripti strongly feels that being an avid reader, a lawyer and a mother; she exactly understands the value of a good book. Some books influence our thoughts, how we see ourselves and our world.  But it’s those kind of books that resonate with us, even years, after we have read them that find a special place in our lives. They help shape our expressions and give us comfort and direction in our difficult moments. The author in the mother feels that when she started reading to her lil daughter Bhoomika shortly after she was born, she became even more concerned about the way books were losing the battle to television, Ipads and other moving media. And the realization that getting her child interested in ancient epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana, as she grew up, would be quite a challenge.

'Lost and Found in India' by Braja Sorenson

Penguin Books India is proud to announce the release of 'Lost and Found in India' by Braja Sorenson published by Hay House. "Lost & Found in India is the least pretentious diary of life in India I have ever read. Sorensen describes her adopted India with no analytical or spiritual pretenses: the book doesn't analyse India, it suffers and enjoys it. It is breezy, light, and descriptive, with funny meditations of a voluntary citizen of India." ~ Farrukh Dhondy, Award-winning Author/Playwright/Screenwriter •Despite how entertaining or exotic one may find other books on India to be, they share the trait that they are all written by foreigners on a brief journey, an adventure, a fantasy-type break away from ordinary life, and they all deliver a somewhat superficial and often incorrect view of a country that is impossible to understand from the surface. Sorensen moved in, set up house, became a resident on the banks of the Ganges River, and eventually called India “home.” A dozen years later, she's still here. · Lost & Found in India is aimed at Indians who are tired of foreigners writing inaccurate diaries of India; travellers of all ages and anyone in an airport headed for India; anyone with even the smallest interest in the spirituality and culture of India; anyone who thought Eat Pray Love promised but didn’t deliver; anyone who has ever stopped to think “there must be more to life than this.” There is…and Lost & Found in India shows you where it lives. Her writing swings from the depths of ancient culture, spirituality, and philosophy, through to drunk bathroom repair men, Indian wedding season, truck drivers and Communist governments, the philosophy of the sound of Krishna’s flute song and electricity in short supply due to India’s festivals, and wraps it up with direction, grounding, reality, and a strong sense of what makes India home. It’s funny, outrageous, controversial, deep, witty, spiritual, philosophical, and damned entertaining: in other words, it’s India. The first moment I arrived in 1993, India kicked my senses awake, laughed its way into my heart and delighted me with its intoxicating array of colour, tradition, celebrations, festivity...life! I was in the land where transcendence had been living for thousands of years as everyone’s next door neighbour. Everything about my surroundings drove me towards introspection, depth, and the beginnings of peace. Even the weather seemed to conspire against the possibility that I might abandon this decision and take flight, back to the familiarity of my former life. Through the drenching rains of the monsoon, with its steady drumming like background music to my days, I started to find what it was I was seeking: shelter. The thing is, I belong to India. The first time I smelled it all those years ago in Delhi airport at 1 am on a cold December morning, a torrid cocktail of scents that seeped in through my pores, the first time I slid into the back seat of an Ambassador taxi, booked into a true-blue Indian dharamshala, sipped chai from a roadside stall, got gut-wrenching dysentery, cried in a temple because I found myself, laughed with a crazy local villager who insisted he was Krishna and dressed like him every day, put my back out on a rickshaw ride from hell, slid into the purifying waters of a holy pond at Govardhan Hill, and bent down and touched the soft, powder-like dust on the ground of the spiritual centre of the universe, Radhakund, all these things claimed me and made me their own. Those holy towns left images in my memory; as I paid my obeisance in temples, the ancient floors left impressions in my body that leaked into my heart and remain there still. And so I let it wash over me, allowed myself to be smothered in the healing balm, soothed by the feather-soft touch of India’s soul heritage. It had its way with me, this country, and I let it. It was then I started to call this place ‘home.’ And then the fun began... ‘Why?’ “I had no idea that the script was written by a cosmic comedian. And I think he still lives in India…” Despite how entertaining or exotic one may find other books on India to be, they share the trait that they are all written by foreigners on a brief journey, an adventure, and consequently they all deliver an often incorrect view of a country that is impossible to understand from the surface. Sorensen moved in, set up house, became a resident in a village on the banks of the Ganges River, and eventually called India “home.” Her writing swings from the depths of ancient culture, spirituality, and philosophy, through to drunk bathroom repair men, Indian wedding season, and ties it all together with direction, grounding, and an easily-digested reality. It’s funny, outrageous, controversial, deep, witty, spiritual, philosophical, and damned entertaining: in other words, it’s India. "Braja Sorensen describes her adopted India with no analytical or spiritual pretenses. A funny, committed book." BRAJA SORENSEN Braja Sorensen is originally from Australia but has spent most of her adult life living and working in London, Europe, and the United States. In 2002 she decided life must have more offer than what she’d experienced so far, and moved to a village on the banks of the Ganges. Over a decade later she’s still there, waiting for Vogue Magazine to see the light and give her a damned column. A published author in the Vaishnava-bhakti field, Lost & Found in India is Braja's first book in the mainstream genre.

'Fault in our Stars' by John Green shortlisted

FAULT IN OUR STARS by JOHN GREEN

Short listed for Children’s Fiction Prize 2013

 In January 2012 The Fault in Our Stars debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list in the US and has been in the charts there ever since, mostly at #1

TIME Magazine’s #1 Fiction Book of 2012!

Currently #2 on New York Times Best-seller List and #7 on Amazon Bestseller list

Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning author John Green's most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love

Praise for The Fault In Our Stars

Electric . . . Filled with staccato bursts of humor and tragedy (Jodi Picoult)

Damn near genius . . . Simply devastating . . . Fearless in the face of powerful, uncomplicated, unironized emotion (TIME)

A novel of life and death and the people caught in between, The Fault in Our Stars is John Green at his best. You laugh, you cry, and then you come back for more (Markus Zusak, author of The Book Thief)

Funny . . . Poignant . . . Luminous (Entertainment Weekly)

About the story:

When Hazel, just 17 but already a terminal cancer patient, meets Augustus at a support group, both their lives are about to change. She persuades him to read her favourite book, ‘An Imperial Affliction’, and together they set out to find the reclusive author. But as the two grow closer to one another, they are forced to confront the stark reality that their relationship can only end one way. United by one inspirational story and the desire to live life to the full, they set out on a journey that will redefine everything you think you knew about life.

'Diary of Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck': New Title Cover Revealed

India— Puffin revealed the cover, title and colour of the eighth book in Jeff Kinney’s blockbuster Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck, will be lime green, which follows the red, blue, green, yellow, purple, ice blue, and chocolate brown of the preceding seven #1 bestselling books. On sale 6.11.13, it will be the biggest book of the year! Today’s reveal is the culmination of a global month-long multimedia “Uncover the Colour and Much More” fan engagement campaign that yielded more than 800,000 shakes of Greg Heffley’s crystal ball. “Greg’s Heffley’s life outlook has always been a gamble,” says Jeff Kinney, creator of the Wimpy Kid series. “In this book we’ll see if luck has anything to do with how things turn out.” “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck is set to be another great milestone in this incredibly popular and long-lasting series which remains a permanent fixture at the top of the UK’s children’s book chart and bestseller lists worldwide.” In Hard Luck, Greg Heffley’s on a losing streak. His best friend, Rowley Jefferson, has abandoned him, and finding new friends in middle school is proving to be a tough task. To change his fortunes, Greg decides to take a leap of faith and turn his decisions over to chance. Will a roll of the dice turn things around, or is Greg’s life destined to be just another hard-luck story? The Most Loved Series Diary of a Wimpy Kid is once again poised to be the biggest book series of the year, as book 8 hits stores on November 6, 2013. Jeff Kinney’s seventh Diary of a Wimpy Kid book, The Third Wheel, released in 2012, was Penguin’s fastest selling children’s book since records began, with one copy selling every 3.7 seconds and the series continues to dominate the bestseller lists worldwide. The books have been sold in more than 44 territories in 42 languages. Kinney’s work has been widely praised for its ability to turn reluctant readers on to books and Jeff Kinney was named one of Time magazine’s most influential people in the world. Three movies based on the book series have grossed more than $250 million internationally. Books in the series have won numerous awards voted on by students and teachers around the globe. In 2012, Diary of a Wimpy Kid was voted by UK kids to be ‘The Best Children’s Book of the Last Decade’, beating Harry Potter to the top spot. Books in the core series by Jeff Kinney include Diary of a Wimpy Kid (2008), Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (2009), Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw (2009), Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (2009), Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth (2010), Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever (2011), Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Third Wheel (2013). Jeff Kinney has also written and illustrated The Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book and The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary. The series is a fixture in the Nielsen Bookscan Charts, the USA Today, Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. It has also remained consistently in the top spots on the New York Times lists since publication of the first book in the series in the US in 2007.