“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”
― Mae West

 

Anita and Me
By Meera Syal

Fiction

 

It’s 1972. Meena is nine years old and lives in the village of Tollington, ‘the jewel of the Black Country’. She is the daughter of Indian parents who have come to England to give her a better life. As one of the few Punjabi inhabitants of her village, her daily struggle for independence is different from most. She wants fish fingers and chips, not chapati and dhal; she wants an English Christmas, not the usual interminable Punjabi festivities – but more than anything, she wants to roam the backyards of working-class Tollington with feisty Anita Rutter and her gang.

Blonde, cool, aloof, outrageous and sassy, Anita is everything Meena thinks she wants to be. Meena wheedles her way into Anita’s life, but the arrival of a baby brother, teenage hormones, impending entrance exams for the posh grammar school and a motorcycling rebel without a future, threaten to turn Anita’s salad days sour.
Anita and Me paints a comic, poignant, compassionate and colourful portrait of village life in the era of flares, power cuts, glam rock, decimalisation and Ted Heath. It is a unique vision of a British childhood in the Seventies, a childhood caught between two cultures, each on the brink of change.

(Rs. 750/=) Available at Serendib Bookshop (Pvt) Ltd Mount Lavinia

 

The 3rd Alternative
By Stephen Covey

Self-Help

 

The Third Alternative moves beyond your way or my way to a higher and better way - one that allows both parties to emerge from debate or even heated conflict in a far better place than either had envisioned. With the Third Alternative, nobody has to give up anything, and everyone wins.

To a world of escalating strife and contention, Third Alternative thinkers like those Covey profiles in this innovative and practical book, bring creative solutions, peace and healing. Through key examples and stories from his work as a consultant, Covey will demonstrate that Third Alternative thinking is the supreme opportunity of our times. Readers will learn how to create new and better results instead of escalating conflict, as well as how to build strong relationships with diverse individuals based on an attitude of winning together.

The Third Alternative represents a departure from material on conflict resolution, negotiation and mediation; the book represents a new way of thinking that will be embraced not only by the many fans that have flocked to Covey's prior books, but also by anyone who is seeking resolution in their professional or personal lives.

(Rs. 2,475/=) Available at Serendib Bookshop (Pvt) Ltd Mount Lavinia

 

Tiger Eyes
By Judy Blume
 

Fiction

 

Davey's father has been murdered and the aftermath is causing her family to fall apart. Her heartbroken mum plucks them up and takes them to stay with her prim and proper aunt in Los Alamos. Davey escapes the claustrophobic house by cycling up to the canyon, where she meets a mysterious older boy called Wolf: intense, brooding, and also about to lose someone close to him. But falling for someone won't make her dad come back - there are no easy answers when you need to stick your broken family back together ...

(Rs. 572/=) Available at Makeen Books, Col 3   

 

The Lover’s Dictionary
By David Levithan

Romance/Non fiction

How does one talk about love? We are all beginners when it comes to love, from those tentative first dates to learning how to live with, or without, someone. But how does one describe love? How does one chart its delights and pleasures, its depths and desolations? Do we even have the right words to describe something that can be both utterly mundane and completely transcendent, pulling us out of our everyday lives and making us feel a part of something greater than ourselves?

David Levithan's The Lover's Dictionary starts where we all once started -- with the alphabet. Constructing the story of a relationship as a dictionary, Levithan explores the intimacies and workings of love through his nameless narrator, to paint a moving portrait of love through everyday words. Cleverly using the confines of language to provide an intimate window into the great events and quotidian trifles of being part of a couple, Levithan gives us an indelible and deeply moving portrait of love in our time.

(Rs. 890/=) Available at Makeen Books, Col 3   

 

Napkin Origami: 25 Creative and Fun Ideas for Napkin Folding

Arts & Crafts

Why fold a napkin into an ordinary square when it can become a swan, bread holder, or pirates ship? Like magic, these amazing origami projects turn humble paper or fabric napkins into restaurant-worthy centerpieces that transform the table. There’s a napkin sculpture for any and every occasion: simple patterns, such as a leaf, fish, or heart; designs for those special moments, including a baby bootie for a shower or a bunny for Easter dinner; innovative creations like a peacock, dessert server and carousel; and complex shells, rosettes and pleated wraps for formal dining. All the traditional origami techniques, tips and symbols are beautifully explained; elegant photography throughout makes the process easy to follow and showcases the remarkable results.

Rs. 1400/= Available at Vijitha Yapa Bookshop

Power of the Blood
By Andrew Murray

Spiritual

 

In this classic exploration of the Scriptures, Andrew Murray leads the reader to a complete understanding of the significance and reality of the power of the shed blood of Christ. Astounding results can take place in your life once you have learned about the power of the blood of Jesus and how to use it in coping with life's difficult situations. This mighty weapon of spiritual warfare holds the secret to a victorious life.

(Rs 1390/=) Available at Pragna Publishers (Gte) Ltd, No 5 P.T De Silva Mw, Dehiwala. Tel-O777008997- 2712631

Calico Joe
By John Grisham

Fiction-Coming of age/Sports

 

A surprising and moving novel of fathers and sons, forgiveness and redemption, set in the world of Major League Baseball…In the summer of 1973 Joe Castle was the boy wonder of baseball, the greatest rookie anyone had ever seen.  The kid from Calico Rock, Arkansas dazzled Cub fans as he hit home run after home run, politely tipping his hat to the crowd as he shattered all rookie records.

Calico Joe quickly became the idol of every baseball fan in America, including Paul Tracey, the young son of a hard-partying and hard-throwing Mets pitcher. On the day that Warren Tracey finally faced Calico Joe, Paul was in the stands, rooting for his idol but also for his Dad. Then Warren threw a fastball that would change their lives forever…

(Rs. 1135/=) Available at Sarasavi Bookshop Nugegoda