As the monsoon rains wash over the city of Kolkata, four women sit and read and talk in the kitchen of Kailash—the old mansion of the Chattopadhyays where Uma comes to live after her marriage in the summer of 1962. Her husband’s silence about his mother and the childhood tragedy that beckons him from the shadowy landing of Kailash, the embroidered handkerchiefs in an old soap box in her father-in-law’s room and the presence of the old, green-eyed Pishi intrigue Uma. But it is only as she begins to read aloud the traditional Chandimangal composed by her husband’s grandfather to celebrate the goddess that the smothered stories begin to emerge... The novel weaves in the history of the militant goddess recast as wife, the Portuguese in Bengal, the rise of print and the making of memories from the swadeshi movement to the turbulent sixties in Bengal as Uma discovers that the foundation of Kailash is not only very deep but also camouflages the stink of death. Published by Zubaan.
Fablehaven meets How to Train Your Dragon in this action-packed fantasy about a young boy and girl who become reluctant allies when caring for a baby dragon—the first in brand-new duology! Twelve-year-old Bryn has always dreamed of becoming a Seeker, just like her dad. Only the Seekers are allowed to journey from their small village into the fantastical, untamed wilderness of their island known as the Wild Realm. Once there, they obtain magical items for the village and use magic to protect and heal the incredible creatures native to the Realm. When one of the elderly Seekers retires, leaving a vacant position, Bryn knows this may be her chance. There’s just one problem: Only boys have ever been Seekers. And the training master makes it clear he will not be training a girl. But then Bryn’s biggest rival for the Seeker position, a boy named Ari, shows up at her door. He reveals the baby dragon he’s been hiding, and the two strike a deal—if Bryn helps care for the dragon, Ari will share all his training with her. Even as the two bond over their love of magical animals and their secret trips into the Wild Realm, Bryn doesn’t completely trust Ari’s motives. Especially as she suspects Ari may know more than he’s letting on about the enemy clan stirring up unrest in their village. When all these secrets come to a head and the stakes are at their highest, Bryn realizes it’s up to her to save her family…and the Realm.
Throughout history, from the time of Socrates to our own modern age, the human race has sought the answers to fundamental questions of life: Who are we? Why are we here? In his previous national bestsellers, The Discoverers and The Creators , Daniel J. Boorstin first told brilliantly how e discovered the reality of our world, and then he celebrated man's achievements in the arts. He now turns to the great figures in history who sought meaning and purpose in our existence. Boorstin says our Western culture has seen three grand epics of Seeking. First there was the heroic way of prophets and philosophers--men like Moses or Job or Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, as well as those in the communities of the early church universities and the Protestant Reformation--seeking salvation or truth from the god above or the reason within each of us. Then came an age of communal seeking, with people like Thucydides and Thomas More and Machiavelli and Voltaire pursuing civilization and the liberal spirit. Finally, there was an age of the social sciences, when man seemed ruled by the forces of history. Here are the absorbing stories of exceptional men such as Marx, Spengler, and Toynbee, Carlyle and Emerson, and Malraux, Bergson, and Einstein. These great thinkers still have the power to speak to us, not always so much for their answers as for their way of asking the questions that never cease either to intrigue or to obsess us. In this impressive climax to a monumental trilogy, Daniel J. Boorstin once again shows that his ability to present challenging ideas, coupled with sharp portraits of great writers and thinkers, remains unparalleled.
The iconic drummer of The Doors investigates his own relationship with creativity and explores the meaning of artistry with other artists and performers in this compelling and spellbinding memoir. Whether it's the curiosity that blossoms after we listen to our favorite band's newest record, or the sheer admiration we feel after watching a knockout performance, many of us have experienced art so pure-so innovative-that we can't help but wonder afterwards: "How did they do that?" And yet, few of us are in a position to be able to ask those memorable legends where their inspiration comes from and how they translated it into something fresh and new. Fortunately for us, this book is here to offer us a bridge. In The Seekers, John Densmore—the iconic drummer of The Doors and author of the New York Times bestseller Riders onthe Storm—digs deep into his own process and draws upon his privileged access to his fellow artists and performers in order to explore the origins of creativity itself. Weaving together anecdotes from the author's personal notebooks and experiences over the past fifty years, this book takes readers on a rich, thought-provoking journey into the soul of the artist. By understanding creativity's roots, Densmore ultimately introduces us to the realm of everyday inspirations that imbue our lives with meaning. Inspired by the classic spiritual memoir Meetings with Remarkable Men, this book is fueled by Densmore's abundant collection of transformative experiences—both personal and professional—with everyone from Ravi Shankar to Patti Smith, Jim Morrison to Janis Joplin, Bob Marley to Gustavo Dudamel, Lou Reed to Van Morrison, Jerry Lee Lewis to his own dear, late Doors bandmate Ray Manzarek. Ultimately, the result is not only a look into the hearts and minds of some of the most important artists of the past century—but a way for readers to identify and ignite their own creative spark, and light their own fire.
Celebrating the spirit of song In A Song to Sing, a Life to Live, Don and Emily Saliers help readers see the connections between Saturday night music and Sunday morning music by exploring the spiritual dimensions of music itself. They tell the stories of their own lives in music, and they share what they have learned and observed about the power of music in human life. They help us appreciate the joy of music and also how music carries us into places of sorrow, where we must go if we are to live with honesty about ourselves and compassion for others. This book is for churchgoers and spiritual seekers alike. Music is described in terms of spiritual practice; it has the power to embrace those who are deeply immersed in the life of Christian faith and speak to those who are spiritual but may question formal religion. The book explores a wide variety of musical traditions and offers an invitation to embrace a broader and deeper vision of the power of music and the spiritual dimensions of attentive listening. "This is a beautiful expression of music as many things--healer, gift, symbol of freedom and community, and agent of change" (Mary Chapin Carpenter).
This is the world's first Enseeklopedia' - a treasure trove of stories, music analysis and rare memorabilia. Moreover, it is a long overdue salute to Australia's Fab Four and their enduring recording catalogue. In tracing contemporary Australian music, history will recall the four young Melbourne musicians who started the ball rolling internationally for every big name Australian artist who would follow in their footsteps. Folk and gospel group The Seekers - featuring the golden voice of Judith Durham, Athol Guy, Keith Potger and Bruce Woodley - set sail for the UK in 1964 on a working holiday, totally unaware of the global fame and fortune that lay ahead. Chart-topping hits, gold and platinum record awards, soldout tours and record-breaking crowds in the 60s, and again in the reunion years since 1993. In this publishing first, renowned Australian authors Christopher Patrick (ABBA: Let The Music Speak) and Graham Simpson (The Judith Durham Story Colours Of My Life) have joined forces to produce the first-ever Seekers coffee table book an in-depth and highly informative look at the recording history of Australia's first supergroup. Their forensic analysis of every song The Seekers recorded in the 50 years between 1963 and 2013 sits comfortably with peeks behind the scenes, never-before-revealed facts, fascinating trivia, and a kaleidoscope of photos and memorabilia much of it never seen before. With a good tour guide, you see so much more when you know what it is you're looking at; Chris has approached The Seekers' song list from a musician's perspective, undressing every song the group ever recorded to reveal the vocal and instrumental craft at play. Graham has brought to the coffee table his penchant for fascinating Seekers minutiae, and an archive of memorabilia gathered from all over the world over five decades. The Seekers were the very first group to put Australia on the international music map, and they will be forever known for knocking The Kinks, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones off the top of the UK charts, and The Monkees from the Number One spot on the American charts with their global phenomenon, the Academy Award-nominated song "Georgy Girl." They were clean-cut, clean-living Aussie youths when the rollercoaster began; their music was wholesome and free of gimmicks. The Seekers came, sang and conquered in the Sixties, yet the footprint they left on the international music map is as indelible today as it was half a century ago. If you have a favourite Seekers musical memory, it's in this book. If you want to know who played what; or how they got that sound'; or who Pierrot and Columbine were this is the book for you. If you like the photography and artwork of the Sixties, then you'll love the images captured by some of the top pop photographers of the era, and the many obscure record covers from every corner of the globe. Why were there two different versions of several songs; how did a sad song called "Downhearted Blues" turn into the chart-topper "A World Of Our Own"?; and who sneezes at the end of the 1967 recording of "Myra"? It's in here.
In its 114th year, Billboard remains the world's premier weekly music publication and a diverse digital, events, brand, content and data licensing platform. Billboard publishes the most trusted charts and offers unrivaled reporting about the latest music, video, gaming, media, digital and mobile entertainment issues and trends.
August, 1968: Babo Patel arrives in London from Madras, with curly hair, jhill mill teeth and dreams of becoming a success. When he meets the beautiful, auburn-haired Siân Jones, he falls in love instantly. She, like him, is in search of something bigger than what the home she left behind can offer.But when Babo's parents learn of his intention to marry 'some girl from God knows where' he is given an ultimatum: he can only marry Siân if they agree to live in Madras for two years before returning to London. As the years pass by, the calamities, quirks and heartaches of first love, lost innocence, and old age unfold across cultures and generations of this mixed-up family in a topsy-turvy world.
