A woman hides from her husband in a fish tank and another absently bakes sponges inside her tarts. Appliances drop from the sky, men grapple with chainsaws, women struggle with hormonal violence, and abandoned boys beg on doorsteps. Enter into the territory of broken people and the folks that love them. Sensitive and unruly, sincere and absurd, Stefanie Freele's Feeding Strays is a collection of fifty short stories, both slipstream and modern, about children, family, relationships, and oysters.

Meet The Changemakers Who Are Blazing A Trail And Inspiring Others Often, all it takes to bring about positive change is a small spark in the mind, a germ of an idea that has the potential to grow into something big that offers benefits few knew existed. In our Cover Story, we catch up with some individuals who are leaving an indelible mark through some pioneering work in their chosen fields. From farming and education to music and films, they have carved out their own unique identity. And then there are those who have taken the road less travelled by. These are stories that inspire and give renewed hope for the future. It’s been many months since India rolled out what has been described as the world’s largest vaccination drive. Availability of Covid 19 vaccines has grown steadily. Unfortunately, so has vaccine hesitancy. Breakthrough infections, or infections in fully-vaccinated people, have only added to doubts in many people’s minds. In our City Health section, we dispel some of the myths surrounding vaccines by breaking down the issue into simple questions and getting you the answers. The bottomline, according to a top health expert, is that vaccination reduces the severity of Covid 19 and cuts the mortality risks associated with it. There is perhaps nothing more exhilarating than exploring nature and heritage when they come together seamlessly. In this edition, we explore one such destination, located in Dhenkanal. A heritage property, this is a palace located on a hill overlooking dense forests. It’s not just humans who bore the brunt of the pandemic-induced lockdowns since last year. It also took a toll on stray animals. These trying times have seen the emergence of some good samaritans who have come to their rescue. Our City Lights section catches up with some of them as they describe what motivated them to step forward and help. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 aims at changing the system to bring it in sync with global realities and requirements while building on traditional practices. City Interactive takes a close look at the inportance of teachers in this endeavour. In City Lights, we connect with an entrepreneur who has been trying to make a difference through something that is intrinsically linked with health diagnostics. Debaditya Dutta discusses a new device that does away with the need to use needles for routine tests. The Fashion & Lifestyle section brings you some cool hair and skin tips to beat the summer blues.

"Finally, a book that deals with stray cats; a how-to guide to trapping and dealing with a stray cat. As a pet owner, animal lover and director of a humane organization that deals with stray cats every day, this book gives us one more tool to offer to people who want to help the thousands of strays that wander our streets. Bravo!" Joseph J. Sprague, Jr., Executive Director, Tree House Animal Foundation "Tamara Kreuz cares about the plight of stray and feral cats and gives practical ways to help them. Individuals and shelters can benefit from this book. If those who find stray animals can themselves set about to help by finding homes for domestic strays, or by creating safe havens for feral cats, this will make life a lot easier for shelter personnel, who are all too often overburdened by the number of animals they receive. We highly recommend The Stray Cat Handbook." Louise Holton and Becky Robinson, Co-founders, Alley Cat Allies: The National Feral Cat Network "This is a must read for those considering animal rescue work. The information and suggestions provided are first rate and are based on actual experiences." Linda A. Heller, Division Manager, Orange County Animal Services (Florida) A Howell Cat Book of Distinction

Building a lifelong, loving relationship with a cat can be a challenging task. Whether you're thinking of adopting a cat or already live with one, The Humane Society of the United States Complete Guide to Cat Care offers authoritative and practical advice that will help you make the best decisions for your pet along the way. This comprehensive guide includes sections on choosing a healthy cat or kitten, feeding and nutrition, training, grooming, disease, vet visits, caring for an aging cat, feline first-aid kits and emergency care. Unlike other books that endorse breeding and promote novelty or purebred cats, The Humane Society's Guide to Cat Care stresses making life better for the millions of cats already here. It provides information on rescuing and rehabilitating homeless cats, finding a stray's owner, and helping an outdoor cat make the transition to a safe indoor environment. The guide also encourages animal advocacy and offers a list of ways to get involved.

When Homo sapiens sapiens met Canis lupus lupus millennia ago, the result was Canis lupus familiaris, the domestic dog. Since that fateful encounter, the dog has become, arguably, humankind’s greatest creation. The domestic dog is the most widely distributed species (other than ourselves) in the world, being found virtually wherever people live, and is also the most diversified of species, with literally hundreds of recognized breeds. While we have shaped the dog, it, too, has helped shape human history in innumerable ways. Our Debt to the Dog is a critical historical and cross-cultural examination, through the use of case studies, of this most improbable 15,000-year relationship and an exploration of how this relationship shaped the history of the world. It is also very much an apology to the dog because over the course of the partnership horrific acts were perpetrated against it intentionally and otherwise. Our Debt to the Dog enriches our understanding of the dog and extends our appreciation for the profound complexity of past and present human-canine relationships and the dog’s contributions to our lives and our world.

Amazon Best Seller in Spiritual, Self Help & Personal Transformation category Finalist for the Foreword Indie Awards for the best book in the category of body, mind and soul in 2018 “This book is a must-have for anyone wanting to drink deeper into the fountain of yoga, spirituality, self-realization and wellness. Written by a modern-day Deva, this is an inspirational and enlightening book. The love, devotion and passion that Vivianne has invested into Becoming the Light is humbling. It’s a treasure trove of spiritual wisdom – a modern day classic.” – DR. YOGI MALIK, YOGA MAGAZINE From untruth to truth, darkness to light, ignorance to enlightenment, this is Vivianne Nantel’s journey. Intimately chronicling Vivianne’s quest to overcome a battered childhood, survive depression, advanced breast cancer, and near-death experiences, along with her journey seeking in India Becoming the Light is more than a compelling spiritual memoir; it is a moving odyssey. You can join the author as she walks the spiritual path with several enlightened masters such as Yogiraj Gurunath Siddhanath, His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and Vasudev Sadhguru Jaggi. Becoming the Light: Realize Your True Enlightened Nature can be a gateway to unleashing your true and blissful nature. Filled with wisdom and spiritual knowledge, it is a narrative of duality and transcendence expressed in all its nuances. Vivianne shares invaluable knowledge about— • the science of yoga • consecration and mysticism • the many forms of love • transcendence in the pursuit of self-realization Whether you are already on a journey for well-being and enlightenment or just at its threshold, may this book provide the insights, inspiration, and courage you need in order to find your way.