Literally! It was hard work lugging them back!
Wrote this on the 16th.
Went to the Bangalore Book Festival. I had not really planned to go, as Mondays are usually a bit busy after the weekends. But the sun was shining outside, and it seemed a fine day, just right to go book browsing and book-shopping, without the worry of getting drenched on the way back. So around 11am I decided that I should go, got ready and went. Considering the commute, I had all of an hour there, as I had to be back before daughter came back from school. Seemed like just a few minutes to me when I look back.
I did find quite a few gems, though. Found a couple of wonderful books by Shanta Rameshwar Rao at the Orient Blackswan stall. Also found at the same place a beautiful hardbound and illustrated copy of the Ramayana by Lakshmi Lal, which strongly reminded me of another book on the epics, the Mahabharatha by Samhita Arni. We met the lady once when she happened to be at Crossword for another book launch, and A went and got a copy signed from her. We knew that she was going to be there, so we had taken our copy with us. She was very gracious, and spoke to A about her book without talking down to her- something I've seen in truly great persons- they are humble and do not patronise you, as opposed to those who are not really talented, and have a grandiose idea of themselves!
Also picked up at the same stall a copy of Silappadikaram Manimekalai by Lakshmi Holstrom, beautifully illustrated. This has been a tale I have heard much about from a former Tamilian neighbour, but have never come across a copy in English.
At another stall, I came across some amazing deals. Picked up three books by Barefootbooks, and a copy of "Wombat Goes Walkabout" by Michael Morpurgo, all for throwaway prices, in near mint condition. This last one brought to my notice by Utbtkids in a comment on a post I had written for ST. Actually I have much to thank my association with Saffrontree in terms of all the wonderful books I have learnt about. I even picked up at another stall a biography of Wangari Maathai, the 2004 Nobel Peace prize winner, thanks to the post "Wangaris trees of peace" by Sheela on ST.
Continued on the 19th.
Went again yesterday. Couldn't resist. How can you if you can get books at one-tenth of their original prices, if you really bargain? You do have to search a bit, but you are rewarded by gems.
And I had around two hours in which to do that. Planned my morning a bit better, so that I could start out earlier. The weather gods were good that morning too. Although it poured for some time that I was there, the skies had cleared a bit by the time I came out again to get home.
As expected, I met two Saffrontree contributors there. Almost all members of the local STers had made there way there. One of us made three trips, one on the last day, when she got books at throw-away prices.
What did I get at this trip? Beautifully illustrated, hard-bound copies of The New Way Things Work by David Macaulay, Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie, History of Art: from the Gothic to the modern era-with full page reprints of the paintings. The last one was picked up more to educate myself first, as I know very little about classical art forms, just the basics, and am often at sea during discussions regarding these on Saffrontree. So I learn something new. There is also a boxed set of 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'Through the Looking Glass' by Lewis Caroll, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, and one of 'The Chronicles of Narnia' in hardback in two volumes, illustrated edition.
And of course I picked up books from the NBT and Pratham stalls like they would disappear tomorrow. Imagine books @ Rs 8, Rs 15, etc.! At a 20% discount too!
On a tangent- I've been looking at picture books less at the sales now. Maybe A is slowly growing out of them. Or maybe I feel they should be read at the library as they give you less to bite upon considering the cost, in comparison to meatier books.
Also, I kept searching for books from CROCUS, but couldn't find any. :( Oh, well, there's always the library, good friends who lend you their books, or the next time!
4 comments:
I think Samhita Arni's book is fabulous. And hats off to that mom for getting her those kinds of inputs, huh? There was a time that I would only gift these books to NRI friends. And then they all have them now and I have to diversify! :-D Thanks to Saffron Tree, that's not a problem either.
I got the junior Alice in Wonderland book for daughter. These December holidays will be real cool and full of book reading! There is something about doing something you love with your kid, isn't there?
I have my spies, okay, so I KNOW you were there on two more days. No point trying to hide more goodies you got on those days - be a good girl and tell now.
Or else, send laddoos.
@Sangi: We knew that both Samhita Arni and Anita Nair were goimng to be there at Crossward for the book launch of an anthology, with many other writers. These two were the ones A was interested in meeting, as she has read both the Mahabharatha by Arni and a book on Magical Myths by Anita Nair. We took our copies with us, and got them signed. Anita Nair seemed a bit lost and a bit incredulous about A having read her book. I reassured her that she had, indeed! Samhita Arni, however, was very sweet. In fact we, as well as the staff at Crossword, had no clue who she was, and we sort of hung around trying to guess which one of the ladies she was. Finally we approached the nearest one of the lot, and very hesitantly asked her if she could tell us who it was. And it so happenned, that she was the one!. We had a very nice talk with her, and A asked her how she managed to write the book at that age- to which she replied that she would write a lot of stuff on scraps, and her mother saved all of them, and organised them together, and then they had to re-write quite a bit of stuff, to complete the whole thing. She spoke very easily with A, putting her at her ease, and not talking down to her, going down on her knees and holding A's hands while speaking to her. A nice lady!
And agree with you re doing things we enjoy with the kids. Nice, isn't it?
@Chox: Hey, hey, hold it! Spies or no spies, I'm admitting to wonly two trips- as there WERE wonly two trips. As for goodies, you are welcome to raid anytime!
And no blackmail- laddoos will be sent whenever they are made, lady. I know your kids loved them, so they'll come. Not to worry.
Post a Comment