Showing results by narrator "Raj Ghatak" in All Categories

In the feverish tropics of the Andaman Islands, a young Botanist tends to a fragile rose he has imported to welcome his bride. Hoping their marriage will bloom in this strange life, hundreds of miles from the East Coast of India, he is entranced by Chanda Devi's fierce nature and unusual gifts; speaking to trees and the ghosts of former colonialists. These islands, she tells her adoring husband, rest on a fault line, cracked so deep into the earth that spirits cross the boundary freely. But it is not this fracture that takes a tragic bite out of their happiness.

The narrative focuses on the imaginative and institutional structures that have successfully sustained and transformed India, first under British colonial rule and then, after 1947, as an independent country. Woven into the larger political narrative is an account of India's social and economic development and its rich cultural life. The final chapter charts the dramatic developments of the last 20 years, from 1990 through to the Congress electoral victory of 2009, and the rise of the Indian high-tech industry in a country still troubled by poverty and political unrest.

David Attenborough. Marcus Rashford. Diana Dors. Winston Churchill. Elizabeth David. Bob Geldof. Zaha Hadid. Frank Crichlow. Quentin Crisp. Dusty Springfield. Captain Tom. Who made modern Britain the country it is today? How do we sum up the kind of people we are? What does it mean to be the new Elizabethans? In this wonderfully told history, spanning back to when Queen Elizabeth became queen in 1953, Andrew Marr traces the people who have made Britain the country it is today.

After revolutions in America and France, a wave of tumult coursed the globe from 1790 to 1850. It was a moment of unprecedented change and violence especially for indigenous peoples. By 1850 vibrant public debate between colonised communities had exploded in port cities. Yet in the midst of all of this, Britain struck out by sea and established its supremacy over the Indian and Pacific Oceans, overtaking the French and Dutch as well as other rivals.

A surgeon working in a dilapidated clinic in the hinterland is visited in the dead of night by a family - a man, his pregnant wife and their eight-year-old son. Victims of a senseless attack, they reveal to the surgeon wounds that they could not possibly have survived. The surgeon is then issued a preposterous task: to mend the wounds of the dead before sunrise so that the family can return to life. But this is not the only challenge laid before him....

This collection contains more than 30 enthralling new retellings of favourite myths as well as some you might not have heard before! Including Theseus and the Minotaur, The Twelve Labours of Herakles and the escapades of Jason and the Argonauts, each myth is told in engaging modern language, which is easy for children to understand yet still retains the humour and intrigue of the original tales. Children will love exploring the tales by themselves or as bedtime stories.

Ozzy is perfectly ordinary - that is, until he finds himself hired as a nurse at Dr von Sichertall’s failing monster surgery. He has his work cut out helping to treat the extraordinary patients, and he has to find a way to save the practice.

Robin has made a powerful ally in the Duke of Lancaster. But he has made powerful enemies too: not only his childhood adversary Mortimer, but the sadistic knight Peter de Gray. Returning to England, he is awarded the fiefdom of Fernbrook in Lancashire, where he meets the beautiful noblewoman Joanna. But the wheel of fortune keeps turning and as the years pass Robin and his friends must face trials and tragedies: plague, war and political intrigue are never far away.

England in the 14th Century. Twelve-year-old Robin’s world is turned upside down when his father, the Earl of Waringham, dies in disgrace. His inheritance lost and his family name dishonoured, the penniless Robin must begin a new life as a peasant on his own estate. He soon makes an enemy in Mortimer, the spoiled young son of the new Earl. As the years pass and the boys enter adulthood, Robin flees Waringham to seek his fortune abroad.

The Book of Queer Prophets contains modern-day epistles from some of our most important thinkers, writers and activists: Jeanette Winterson tackles religious dogma, Amrou Al-Kadhi writes about trying to make it as a Muslim drag queen in London, John Bell writes about his decision to come out later in life, Tamsin Omond remembers getting married in the middle of a protest and Kate Bottley explains her journey to becoming an LGBT ally.

At the age of 30, Robin is an Earl at last - but not the Earl of Waringham, the ancestral title that he still hopes to win back one day from the evil Mortimer. England has seen other changes too: Edward III is dead and his successor, the boy king Richard II, is at odds with his uncle, the Duke of Lancaster. The introduction of a hated new poll tax brings about one of the most dangerous episodes in English history and Robin finds himself embroiled in the Peasants’ Revolt.

Since 2007, entrepreneur and philanthropist Vikas Shah MBE has been on a mission to interview the people shaping our century. Including conversations with world leaders, Nobel prizewinners, business leaders, artists and Olympians, he quizzes the minds that matter on the big questions that concern us all. We often talk of war and conflict, the economy, culture, technology and revolutions as if they are something other than us. But all these things are a product of us - people like you, who have ideas that matter.

When his dad disappears, Arun Lal is amazed to discover that he was secretly working on a classified project and has been kidnapped by people intent on stealing it. Along with his geeky best friend, Sam, and tough-talking Donna, Arun is plunged into a race to rescue his father and find his creation before the thieves can turn it into a destructive global weapon.

Everyone knows that democracy is in trouble, but do we know what democracy actually is? Political philosopher Jan-Werner Müller, author of the widely acclaimed What Is Populism?, takes us back to basics. In this short, elegant volume, he explains how democracy is founded on three vital principles: liberty, equality and also uncertainty. The latter, he argues, is crucial for ensuring democracy's dynamic and creative character.

This guide shares Tibetan Buddhist insight and tools that will benefit everyone in transforming their mind. Khenpo Sodargye, who has attracted hundreds of thousands of students worldwide with his concise, easy-to-follow teaching style, sketches the big picture of the Mahayana path in straightforward language with stories relevant to everyday life. He draws on authentic texts and teachings by renowned Buddhist masters to explain complex concepts and introduces a systematic approach to studying Buddhism.

Abi Allerton is happily married. She lives in a beautiful Victorian semi that she and her husband, Rohan, have lovingly renovated. Her past is firmly behind her. When her old university friend Grace gets back in touch, Abi is hesitant. Their friendship was intense and all-consuming. But with Rohan away for work, Abi could use some company, so she agrees to let Grace stay. Before Abi realises her mistake, it’s too late. Grace is back to her old ways, and Abi is losing grip on her calm, well-ordered life. Because Grace knows Abi’s secret - and she’ll never let her forget it.

Love is not a singular concept. In this collection, seven award-winning authors explore seven concepts of love: from philautia (self-love) to agape (love for humanity) and from storge (a natural affection for family) to mania (a frenzied, obsessive love).

Arun, Donna and Sam are hauled out of Science at 10:42 to be briefed on their next S.T.E.A.L.T.H. mission. They must rescue two British Intelligence operatives who are trapped on a train in an Austrian tunnel. By 11:41, the kids have activated MANDROID and are heading at hypersonic speed for the Alps. But at 12:55 comes the avalanche. S.T.E.A.L.T.H.'s mission just got a whole lot more complicated. And a whole lot colder.

Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed by feelings of panic that seem to come from nowhere and yet feel terrifyingly real? Do you avoid certain situations because you think you'll experience a panic attack? If so, this step-by-step self-help course can give you the necessary skills to overcome and prevent such attacks and the associated agoraphobia.

Tariq and his friends Livia and Artos have set sail to New Ethrial on a quest to find the Crocodile's Tear, a Spiritstone stolen centuries ago. Deep in the forest, Tariq encounters an old enemy and makes a powerful new friend - Imex, a shapeshifting seer. Imex takes Tariq to the Temple of Beasts, where he learns how to become different animals - from a panther to an eagle. Tariq's friends are worried - could Imex be using Tariq to reunite the long-lost Spiritstones and satisfy her own thirst for power?