A rich and dramatic story of a poor young Indian boy who fights like a tiger to achieve fame and fortune.

A wide-ranging look at the loss of meaning in the West, and a gripping guide for how to retrieve it.

A lady once casually remarked on British public broadcasting that a third of society is depressed but no one ever speaks about it. Perhaps, in all seriousness, it is to this third of the population that this book is addressed. However you don't have to be depressed to read it. Potentially it is both amusing and instructive, light and deep. Shocked by the approach of his fiftieth year, an English bachelor makes a desperate attempt to become inwardly aware of his given circumstances. The attempt is sustained as a trial over a complete seven-year cycle in his life, leading virtually to the constitution of a new self. Occasionally enlivened by humour, what is particularly valuable in this account of Hero's manoeuvrings in time is its honesty and sustained sense of hope.

In a realm beset by natural disasters, only the magical abilities of the bonded Pairs—Source and Shield—make the land habitable and keep the citizenry safe. The ties that bind them are far beyond the relationships between lovers or kin—and last their entire lives… Whether they like it or not. Since she was a child, Dunleavy Mallorough has been nurturing her talents as a Shield, preparing for her day of bonding. Unfortunately, fate decrees Lee’s partner to be the legendary, handsome, and unbearably self-assured Lord Shintaro Karish. Sure, he cuts a fine figure with his aristocratic airs and undeniable courage. But Karish’s popularity and notoriety—in bed and out—make him the last Source Lee ever wanted to be stuck with. The duo is assigned to High Scape, a city so besieged by disaster that seven bonded pairs are needed to combat it. But when an inexplicable force strikes down every other Source and Shield, Lee and Karish must put aside their differences in order to defeat something even more unnatural than their reluctant affections for each other…

Shakespeare in Jest draws fascinating parallels between Shakespeare's humour and contemporary humour. Indira Ghose argues that while many of Shakespeare's jokes no longer work for us, his humour was crucial in shaping comedy in today's entertainment industry. The book looks at a wide variety of plays and reads them in conjunction with examples from contemporary culture, from stand-up comedy to late night shows. Ghose shows the importance of jokes, the functions of which are remarkably similar in Shakespeare’s time and ours. Shakespeare's wittiest characters are mostly women, who use wit to puncture male pretensions and to acquire cultural capital. Clowns and wise fools use humour to mock their betters, while black humour trains the spotlight on the audience, exposing our collusion in the world it skewers. In a discussion of the ethics of humour, the book uncovers striking affinities between Puritan attacks on the theatre and contemporary attacks on comedy. An enjoyable and accessible read, this lively book will enlighten and entertain students, researchers, and general readers interested in Shakespeare, humour, and popular culture.