Was king Ashoka fond of chewing paan? Mulligatawny was a soup, but what was pish-pash? Did they design jewellery in Harappa? Who played pachisi, chaupar and lam turki? Find the answers to all these weird, impossible question in this fascinating book about how people lived in the past. Go time travelling through the alleys of history and take a tour through the various ages—from Harappa to the Mauryan, Mughal to the British. Through short snapshots and wacky trivia, this book gives you a glimpse into the vibrant culture of India, as you learn about the life and times of kings, queens, viceroys and even ordinary children! Spend a day with Urpi as she tries selling pottery in exchange for a few beads at Mohen-jo-daro; step back into King Ashoka’s kingdom where Madhura prepares to be a warrior; watch Adil harbour hopes of becoming a khansama in British India.
India Through the Ages is a book that takes the reader on an unforgettable journey, exploring a fascinating country. The book brings alive India’s growth from an ancient to a modern, strong democracy in a vivid and detailed manner. It introduces readers to a panoramic view of her history and civilisation. It presents the saga of her sages and scientists, warriors and vagabonds, poets and philosophers, who at various periods in time scripted the destiny of the Indian subcontinent.
A much-awaited follow-up to the bestselling Let's Go Time Travelling How did Indian mulmuls make it into Cleopatra's wardrobe? Who popularized the Mahabharata in households across the country? Did our ancestors really identify Jupiter and Saturn without even a telescope? Find the answers to these and many other unusual questions about the India of yesterday. Go time travelling through the alleys of history and explore the many occupations that have existed through time-from dancers and playwrights to farmers and doctors. Sift through snapshots of the rich life led by ordinary Indians and discover unexpected titbits about language, food and culture. Told through portraits of children growing up in the villages, towns and courts of our country, this sequel to the award-winning Let's Go Time Travelling is a vivid glimpse into our past.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A worthy heir to Isak Dinesen and Beryl Markham, Alexandra Fuller shares visceral memories of her childhood in Africa, and of her headstrong, unforgettable mother. “This is not a book you read just once, but a tale of terrible beauty to get lost in over and over.”—Newsweek “By turns mischievous and openhearted, earthy and soaring . . . hair-raising, horrific, and thrilling.”—The New Yorker Though it is a diary of an unruly life in an often inhospitable place, Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight is suffused with Fuller’s endearing ability to find laughter, even when there is little to celebrate. Fuller’s debut is unsentimental and unflinching but always captivating. In wry and sometimes hilarious prose, she stares down disaster and looks back with rage and love at the life of an extraordinary family in an extraordinary time. From 1972 to 1990, Alexandra Fuller—known to friends and family as Bobo—grew up on several farms in southern and central Africa. Her father joined up on the side of the white government in the Rhodesian civil war, and was often away fighting against the powerful black guerilla factions. Her mother, in turn, flung herself at their African life and its rugged farm work with the same passion and maniacal energy she brought to everything else. Though she loved her children, she was no hand-holder and had little tolerance for neediness. She nurtured her daughters in other ways: She taught them, by example, to be resilient and self-sufficient, to have strong wills and strong opinions, and to embrace life wholeheartedly, despite and because of difficult circumstances. And she instilled in Bobo, particularly, a love of reading and of storytelling that proved to be her salvation. Alexandra Fuller writes poignantly about a girl becoming a woman and a writer against a backdrop of unrest, not just in her country but in her home. But Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight is more than a survivor’s story. It is the story of one woman’s unbreakable bond with a continent and the people who inhabit it, a portrait lovingly realized and deeply felt. Praise for Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight “Riveting . . . [full of] humor and compassion.”—O: The Oprah Magazine “The incredible story of an incredible childhood.”—The Providence Journal
Colin Crankshaw is looking forward to a fresh start in life. After years watching his wife become, quite literally, twice the woman he married, his divorce has come through. No longer will Babs get to relish making his life a misery. He's moved into his new bachelor pad in Wimbledon; a new man has been born. The field is waiting and he intends to play it. But then it all goes wrong. He's mistaken for someone called Richard, a beautiful woman tries to kill him, twice, and he attracts the wrath of a billionaire, television celebrity. Before he knows it, he finds himself ensnared in the brutal race to be the first to conquer human time travel. And guess who the guinea pig for the deadly experiments is going to be? Colin! Not exactly the new beginning he was looking for...
When 12-year-old genius Hugo Wells invents a real working time machine for his school science fair, he has no idea how much it will change his life. Soon, he's using it to go back to the Civil War to get an "A" on his history assignment. And that's just the beginning...or the ending...or maybe it's the...time travel can be very confusing, but it's also really exciting in "How NOT To Time Travel!"