The Tales of the Serendip take place in a virtual pub that exists only in the minds of the fantasy writers who crafted the Tales of the Serendip. Its a place where, given a few rules and a common backdrop, writers can create small vignettes to explore new story lines, break writers block, or experiment with new characters. Plus it helps to keep them all out of the psychiatric ward. Where else would you go to sip fine Akuvian cinnamon wine and have a heart-to-heart with one of your more troubling characters? Or maybe you choose to sit in the Writer's Nook discussing magic spells and comma usage with other writers while slugging down mugs of Korone Dwarven Dark Ale. Bar fights, bad puns, a bouncer named Grendel (yes, The Grendel), and a bartender who can dispense advice and drinks simultaneously, all exist inside this fabulous place. The Tales of the Serendip will bring you inside to see the fabulous writing treasures fueled by the collective imaginations of people who are destined to become tomorrows Asimovs, Heinleins and Le Guins.

Cyril Siresena is an Oxford-educated attorney who heads the leading law firm in Colombo. Though his background is Sinhalese Buddhist, Cyril is westernized and secular. He has never regretted recruiting a Tamil Hindu partner into the firm. VK Sivaratnam is a hard-working lawyer who shares a close friendship with Cyril. As Cyril begins to rediscover his Sinhalese Buddhist roots and reject the identity of brown Englishman, he embarks on a quest for authenticity that is soon complicated when he falls in love with Sita, VK's wife. Meanwhile, the climate around them is one of growing ethnic conflict as tension increases between the Tamil minority and the Sinhalese majority. But when Sinhalese extremists begin launching violent attacks on the Tamils, suddenly VK and Sita are in fear for their lives. In the midst of the deadliest violence in Sri Lanka's history, Cyril must do everything in his power to rescue his partner and the woman he adores from those intent on destroying their world forever. Donald E. Smith's Cyril of Serendip: A Novel of Sri Lanka is an enjoyable and perceptive work of fiction that captures extremely well the sociopolitical atmosphere of the early years of political independence. The novel is an authentic portrayal of struggles, both individual and societal, to forge identity based on conflicting visions of the Sri Lankan past. The story impinges on the contemporary in significant ways. -Tissa Jayatilaka, Executive Director, United States-Sri Lanka Fulbright Commission

Serendip takes us on a rich and rewarding journey through Sri Lanka's traditional foods, its family-orientated culture and its colourful approach to life. Acclaimed chef Peter Kuruvita has reached deep into kitchen experiences with his grandmother and aunties, and has travelled the markets and stalls of the lush green island, to bring us this comprehensive collection of Sri Lankan recipes and a host of heart-warming stories. Offering Sri Lankan curries of every kind, as well as traditional snacks, breads and sticky sweet treats, Serendip is a treasury of spicy meals and tasty morsels.

This feast of Middle Eastern folklore from an award-winning Iraqi storyteller is paired with vibrant cut-paper art. The twenty fables and folktales in this illustrated storybook have taken a long journey. Many have roots that stretch across Europe, Asia, and Africa, but when award-winning writer and gatherer of tales Rodaan Al Galidi learned them in his homeland of Iraq, it was as Arabic folktales and as part of the Arabic storytelling tradition. When he migrated to the Netherlands, he shaped twenty of those tales into his debut book for children, which was translated to English by Laura Watkinson. Filled with wisdom about love and acceptance, and warnings against folly, these elegantly translated stories—many unknown in the United States—of donkeys and roosters, kings, sheikhs, and paupers are exquisitely illustrated by cut-paper artist Geertje Aalders. Beautifully packaged, The Three Princes of Serendip is a rich and varied introduction to the world of Middle Eastern folklore.

This feast of Middle Eastern folklore from an award-winning Iraqi storyteller is paired with vibrant cut-paper art. The twenty fables and folktales in this illustrated storybook have taken a long journey. Many have roots that stretch across Europe, Asia, and Africa, but when award-winning writer and gatherer of tales Rodaan Al Galidi learned them in his homeland of Iraq, it was as Arabic folktales and as part of the Arabic storytelling tradition. When he migrated to the Netherlands, he shaped twenty of those tales into his debut book for children, which was translated to English by Laura Watkinson. Filled with wisdom about love and acceptance, and warnings against folly, these elegantly translated stories—many unknown in the United States—of donkeys and roosters, kings, sheikhs, and paupers are exquisitely illustrated by cut-paper artist Geertje Aalders. Beautifully packaged, The Three Princes of Serendip is a rich and varied introduction to the world of Middle Eastern folklore.

Retelling of the a story of three princes from Serendip and their journeys.