Last thursday, I got a call from a friend, Choxbox, who had an incredible request for me. She had been entrusted to set up a library for an orphanage, by her husband's office under their CSR scheme. And we had - hold your breath - close to half a lakh rupees to buy books, and just two days left to do it. She had already done one day's worth of book-shopping, and would I be interested in going book shopping with her for the next two days?
Would I be able to do what? As they say in hindi- "Neki aur poochh poochh?" (translated loosely- why ask if something good can be done? Just go do it!)
So I put anything else I wanted to do on hold, and joined her post-haste to do some book browsing and shopping. True food for the soul! And boy, did we have fun!
Choxbox is one person I love going out book-shopping with. Our tastes are so similar, and we always learn so much together. I would credit her completely with my discovery of Michael Morpurgo, a wonderful writer I had not earlier encountered.
So there we were. We went to Sutradhaar, a book shop belonging to an uncle of Chox, who gave us some chocolates along with our bill for the books, and of course, Landmark, on the next day. At Landmark, we had the kids along too, my one and her two. They were as thrilled to be able to spend some time together at their favourite place- a book shop, as we were. They sat in a row on the stools, browsing and reading, and just having plain fun, while the mommies did the same. Any guesses on who made the more noise? The mommies of course!
And how can one be expected to visit a book shop for the express purpose of book shopping, and not pick up stuff for oneself. As Chox rightly put it, the collateral damage was to be expected. So what did I pick up? Here's the list.
1. Amazing India- A state-by-state guide. Anita & Amit Vachharajani. Scholastic.
2. Math Alive series. Set of 6. Brainworks.
3. Explosive Tales for children. Conn Iggulden Tollins. Harper Collins children's books.
4. Under the Poetree. Lakshmi Shanker. Virgin Leaf books.
5. Aladdin and the Enchanted Lamp Retold by Phillip Pullman. Scholastic.
6. Travellers of India. Amar Chitra Katha.
7. Usborne Young Reading-
The Story of the Olympics.
The Story of Football.
Wuthering Heights.
The Impressionists.
The story of Toilets, Telephones & other useful inventions.
The firebird.
The Story of Slavery.
8. What is a Girl? What is a Boy? Kamla Bhasin. Jagori.
9. The Story of Physics. T. Padmanabhan. Vigyan Prasar.
10. Granny knits. Uri Orlev. NBT.
11. On the tip of a pin was... Geeta Dharmarajan. Katha.
12.A lion in Paris. Beatrice Alemagna. Katha.
13. The Story of Ram and his friends in the forest. Pratibha Nath. Rupa.
14. The invention of the Silicon Chip. Heinemann Library.
That's it. Along list, now that I look at it. Half of it already devoured.
About 5% spent as collateral damage. Next time, I should look for a sponsor, too!
Would I be able to do what? As they say in hindi- "Neki aur poochh poochh?" (translated loosely- why ask if something good can be done? Just go do it!)
So I put anything else I wanted to do on hold, and joined her post-haste to do some book browsing and shopping. True food for the soul! And boy, did we have fun!
Choxbox is one person I love going out book-shopping with. Our tastes are so similar, and we always learn so much together. I would credit her completely with my discovery of Michael Morpurgo, a wonderful writer I had not earlier encountered.
So there we were. We went to Sutradhaar, a book shop belonging to an uncle of Chox, who gave us some chocolates along with our bill for the books, and of course, Landmark, on the next day. At Landmark, we had the kids along too, my one and her two. They were as thrilled to be able to spend some time together at their favourite place- a book shop, as we were. They sat in a row on the stools, browsing and reading, and just having plain fun, while the mommies did the same. Any guesses on who made the more noise? The mommies of course!
And how can one be expected to visit a book shop for the express purpose of book shopping, and not pick up stuff for oneself. As Chox rightly put it, the collateral damage was to be expected. So what did I pick up? Here's the list.
1. Amazing India- A state-by-state guide. Anita & Amit Vachharajani. Scholastic.
2. Math Alive series. Set of 6. Brainworks.
3. Explosive Tales for children. Conn Iggulden Tollins. Harper Collins children's books.
4. Under the Poetree. Lakshmi Shanker. Virgin Leaf books.
5. Aladdin and the Enchanted Lamp Retold by Phillip Pullman. Scholastic.
6. Travellers of India. Amar Chitra Katha.
7. Usborne Young Reading-
The Story of the Olympics.
The Story of Football.
Wuthering Heights.
The Impressionists.
The story of Toilets, Telephones & other useful inventions.
The firebird.
The Story of Slavery.
8. What is a Girl? What is a Boy? Kamla Bhasin. Jagori.
9. The Story of Physics. T. Padmanabhan. Vigyan Prasar.
10. Granny knits. Uri Orlev. NBT.
11. On the tip of a pin was... Geeta Dharmarajan. Katha.
12.A lion in Paris. Beatrice Alemagna. Katha.
13. The Story of Ram and his friends in the forest. Pratibha Nath. Rupa.
14. The invention of the Silicon Chip. Heinemann Library.
That's it. Along list, now that I look at it. Half of it already devoured.
About 5% spent as collateral damage. Next time, I should look for a sponsor, too!
7 comments:
Yoohoo!
Copy-pasting your list on my blog - okay?
Go check my blog!
:-) Yes, bookshops are dangerous places!
I absolutely love On the Tip of a Pin was... and blogged about it here.
Especially if two plus three book mad people go together!
Wow!!! All of these sound very very interesting. Why not start a library?! Then P&I would get to enjoy all these wonderful books with minimal effort on my part ;)
Thanks, Arundhati.
I don't have to open a library for that equally book-mad friends who I know will treat my books gently are always welcome to borrow. I'm always happy to spread the joy further. A library will attract undesirable characters who do not know how to take care of books too! These are my babies!:)
sandhya
must say you have been generous with sharing books!!
Lion in Paris, Granny knits and Amazing India- we like all of those here
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