Filled with serpent kings, long lost lovers, magical birds and seductive witches, The Legend of Himal and Nagrai is an enchanting collection of folk tales from a land as beautiful as it is misunderstood--Kashmir. In the title story, the serpent king Nagrai takes on human form to be with his one true love--the princess Himal. But despite Nagrai's warnings, when Himal doubts her lover's origins, all hell breaks loose. Will the star-crossed lovers ever be together? In 'Akanandun', having pined for a son for years, a couple is finally blessed with a beautiful boy--but on one diabolical condition. Will the couple be able to keep their word? In 'Shikaslad', a pauper goes on a quest to awaken his luck, which has been 'asleep' for years. Will he recognize good luck staring him in the face? These and twenty-six other delightful folk tales--painstakingly collected and retold by the author--bring to light the immensely rich, multicultural and largely undocumented tradition of storytelling in Kashmir. At a time when Kashmiri voices are being brutally silenced by an authoritarian state, this book is a vibrant tapestry celebrating Kashmiri life--in the words of its people.

From the million-copy bestseller Amanda Prowse, the queen of heartbreak fiction. Amanda Prowse is the author of The Coordinates Of Loss and the no.1 bestsellers Perfect Daughter, My Husband's Wife and What Have I Done? This is an unforgettable romance about what happens when two very different people fall in love. Theo Montgomery grew up in a rich family where he had all the toys and trinkets money could buy. But his childhood was full of neglect and he was bullied at school. Now he is an adult, he longs to find a soulmate. Someone who understands him. Someone who will love him unconditionally. Then, one day, Theo meets Anna Cole in a lift. Anna grew up in a care home, and has always wanted to create the noisy family life she never had. She brings love and laughter into Theo's life. But she wants a baby, and Theo can't imagine bringing a child into this cruel world... Theo and Anna are two damaged souls, from two different worlds. Is their love for each other enough to let go of the pain of their pasts? Or will Anna and Theo break each others' hearts? There are two sides to every love story. This is Theo's. Reviews for Amanda Prowse: 'Prowse handles her explosive subject with delicate skill... Deeply moving and inspiring' DAILY MAIL. 'Powerful and emotional family drama that packs a real punch' HEAT. 'A gut wrenching and absolutely brilliant read' IRISH SUN. 'Captivating, heartbreaking, superbly written' CLOSER. 'Very uplifting and positive, but you may still need a box (or two) of tissues' HELLO. 'An emotional, unputdownable read' RED. 'Prowse writes gritty, contemporary stories but always with an uplifting message of hope' SUNDAY INDEPENDENT.

Folk performances reflect the life-worlds of a vast section of subaltern communities in India. What is the philosophy that drives these performances, the vision that enables as well as enslaves these communities to present what they feel, think, imagine, and want to see? Can such performances challenge social hierarchies and ensure justice in a caste-ridden society? In Cultural Labour, the author studies bhuiyan puja (land worship), bidesia (theatre of migrant labourers), Reshma-Chuharmal (Dalit ballads), dugola (singing duels) from Bihar, and the songs and performances of Gaddar, who was associated with Jana Natya Mandali, Telangana: he examines various ways in which meanings and behaviour are engendered in communities through rituals, theatre, and enactments. Focusing on various motifs of landscape, materiality, and performance, the author looks at the relationship between culture and labour in its immediate contexts. Based on an extensive ethnography and the author’s own life experience as a member of such a community, the book offers a new conceptual framework to understand the politics and aesthetics of folk performance in the light of contemporary theories of theatre and performance studies.

Heir to a diverse array of traditions, the Indian subcontinent boasts customs that are distinguished by a constant juxtaposition of the ancient and the modern. The omnibus culture that has resulted from a rich history reflects an accommodation of ideas from across the globe and over time. This inviting narrative examines the tapestry of major events and beliefs that imbue everyday Indian life with vitality, and it presents the remarkable achievements in writing and the arts that have influenced individuals throughout the world.