Tamil: A Biography
Rs. 2,690.00
David Shulman
Spoken by eighty million people in South Asia and a diaspora that stretches across the globe, Tamil is one of the great world languages and one of the few ancient languages that survives as a mother tongue for so many speakers.
David Shulman presents a comprehensive cultural history of Tamil language, literature and civilization emphasizing how Tamil speakers and poets have understood the unique features of their language over its long history. Impetuous, musical, whimsical, in constant flux, Tamil is a living entity and this is its biography.Two stories animate Shulman s narrative. The first concerns the evolution of Tamil s distinctive modes of speaking, thinking and singing.
The second describes Tamil s major expressive themes, the stunning poems of love and war known as Sangam poetry and Tamil s influence as a shaping force within Hinduism. Shulman tracks Tamil from its earliest traces at the end of the first millennium BCE through the classical period, 850 to 1200 CE, when Tamil-speaking rulers held sway over southern India and into late-medieval and modern times, including the deeply contentious politics that overshadow Tamil today.
Tamil is more than a language, Shulman says. It is a body of knowledge, much of it intrinsic to an ancient culture and sensibility. Tamil can mean both knowing how to love in the manner of classical love poetry and being a civilized person. It is thus a kind of grammar, not merely of the language in its spoken and written forms but of the creative potential of its speakers.
Only 1 left in stock
“This love letter to Tamil, in the guise of a ‘biography,’ by one of the world’s foremost indologists, is both welcome and long overdue. David Shulman is an able and enthusiastic biographer. He treats his language as a living, breathing organism, devoting considerable attention to its sounds and rhythms, and to its rich poetic tradition…Shulman judiciously combines critical scholarship such as we find it in the West with a sustained account of a 1,500-year-old indigenous tradition of grammar and commentary…[Tamil] deserves a wide readership: it breathes fresh life into the study of one of the world’s most enduring languages.”―Balaji Ravichandran, Times Literary Supplement
“Tamil is spoken today by approximately 80 million people…To attempt to give a comprehensive vision of the language within the compass of a brief book intended for nonspecialists might seem an impossible task. Yet Tamil: A Biography succeeds at this remarkably well…The book traces a chronological sequence from the prehistory of the language up to modern times. Shulman draws together a wealth of contemporary scholarship, but the perspective that commands the book is uniquely his, as is the authorial voice. Gently humorous, frequently lyrical, and wearing great learning very lightly, the book’s prose admirably summons up what it might be like to listen to a series of lectures by a gifted teacher.”―Whitney Cox, New York Review of Books
“The poet Bharathidasan declared that Tamil was born with the sun, the moon, the sky, the stars and the seas. Few would dare to attempt the biography of such a language. But when the world’s foremost Tamil scholar gives it his best shot one cannot but take notice. David Shulman does not disappoint; he dazzles us with his labor of love… Tamil: A Biography is both synthesis and interpretation, a must-read for anyone interested in the world’s great languages and literatures.”―A. R. Venkatachalapathy, The Hindu
“David Shulman’s Tamil is akin to a delightful and elevating musical composition. Spanning centuries and capturing minute details, this book reveals the inner energy of Tamil. Tamil is lucky to have such an erudite ‘biographer’ to tell its story.”―S. Ramakrishnan, editor of Cre-A: Dictionary of Contemporary Tamil
About the Author
- Paperback : 416 pages
Related products
Intentional Integrity: How Smart Companies Can Lead an Ethical Revolution
Rs. 2,290.00Add to cartRobert Chesnut
- * An Inc. Magazine Top 10 Business Book for 2020 *
“Stop talking about bringing your values to work and learn how to actually DO it!” ―Kim Scott, author of Radical Candor
“The ethical expectation for companies is wonderfully changing from ‘do no evil’ to ‘do good.’ Companies and their leaders need to put ethics and integrity at the center of their mission and culture. Rob is an insider who’s combined doing good with doing business well in two iconic Silicon Valley companies. His book contains smart, practical advice for anyone looking to do good and do well.” ―Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn and author of Blitzscaling
“No one has wrestled with more difficult business integrity challenges over the last 20 years than Rob. His insights will instruct you how to drive integrity into your culture. Now, more than ever, we need someone to lead a constructive, direct conversation about integrity in business―Rob delivers.” ―Meg Whitman, CEO of Quibi, former CEO of HP and eBay Inc.
“Rob and I were peers at Airbnb and together we helped build a culture and public-facing brand with integrity as a core value. Not only was the work strategically brilliant but under Rob’s leadership, it was embedded into the very heart of the company. Rob brings creativity, empathy, credibility and a great sense of humor to this important topic ― he makes ethics human and fun.” ―Jonathan Mildenhall, cofounder and CEO, TwentyFirstCenturyBrand
“Drawing on considerable experience with the nuances and circumstances of integrity violations at Airbnb, Chesnut offers plentiful examples of common integrity issues… He is especially good on such matters as enforcing consequences and handling situations involving violators who are high-performing employees. Valuable reading for companies that want to get serious about workplace ethics.” ―Kirkus Reviews
A Short History of Humanity: How Migration Made Us Who We Are
Rs. 2,790.00Read moreJohannes Krause & Thomas Trappe
A highly readable, personal guide to the twists and turns in unravelling ancient DNA: Krause and Trappe expertly unravel the story of ancient DNA to reveal how the new field of archaeogenetics has utterly transformed understanding of our deep past. ― Rebecca Wragg Sykes, author of Kindred: Neanderthal Life, Love, Death, and Art
A Short History of Humanity is an eloquent and timely reminder that viruses and other pathogens of infectious disease are merely fellow-travellers in an epic journey that began when the first human migrants left Africa around 200,000 years ago. The solution to pandemics is not to close borders in the hope of keeping viruses out but to recognise that we are a fundamentally peripatetic species united in our shared genetic inheritance and common humanity. ― Mark Honigsbaum, author of A Pandemic Century
A valuable contribution to our understanding of who we are and how we got here. ― Tim Marshall, bestselling author of Prisoners of Geography
One of those books that stops you dead in your tracks and makes you say out loud – why didn’t I know that before? So easy to read. So logically argued. So satisfyingly sensible and thought-provoking. Read it, think about it, and then read it again. An absolute revelation. ― Professor Sue Black, bestselling author of All That Remains
Extremely enriching. Rarely, have I been able to learn so much and get such radically new insights over 250 pages ― Süddeutsche Zeitung
The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
Rs. 2,490.00Read moreMalcolm Gladwel
‘Hip and hopeful, THE TIPPING POINT is like the idea it describes: concise, elegant but packed with social power. A book for anyone who cares about how society works and how we can make it better’ — George Stephanopoulos
“A wonderful page-turner about a fascinating idea that should affect the way every thinking person looks at the world.” —Michael Lewis
“A fascinating book that makes you see the world in a different way.”―Fortune
“Gladwell has a knack for rendering complex theories in clear, elegant prose, and he makes a charismatic tour guide.”―San Francisco Chronicle
“Undeniably compelling. . . terrifically rewarding.”―Claire Dederer, Seattle Times
“As a business how-to, The Tipping Point is truly superior, brimming with new theories on the science of manipulation.”―Aaron Gell, Time Out
The tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire. Just as a single sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a small but precisely targeted push cause a fashion trend, the popularity of a new product, or a drop in the crime rate. This widely acclaimed bestseller, in which Malcolm Gladwell explores and brilliantly illuminates the tipping point phenomenon, is already changing the way people throughout the world think about selling products and disseminating ideas.
Gladwell introduces us to the particular personality types who are natural pollinators of new ideas and trends, the people who create the phenomenon of word of mouth. He analyzes fashion trends, smoking, children’s television, direct mail, and the early days of the American Revolution for clues about making ideas infectious, and visits a religious commune, a successful high-tech company, and one of the world’s greatest salesmen to show how to start and sustain social epidemics.
Beyond Good And Evil
Rs. 1,790.00Read moreFriedrich Nietzsche
Beyond Good and Evil: Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future is a book by philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, first published in 1886. It draws on and expands the ideas of his previous work, Thus Spoke Zarathustra, but with a more critical and polemical approach. In Beyond Good and Evil, Nietzsche accuses past philosophers of lacking critical sense and blindly accepting dogmatic premises in their consideration of morality. Specifically, he accuses them of founding grand metaphysical systems upon the faith that the good man is the opposite of the evil man, rather than just a different expression of the same basic impulses that find more direct expression in the evil man. The work moves into the realm “beyond good and evil” in the sense of leaving behind the traditional morality which Nietzsche subjects to a destructive critique in favour of what he regards as an affirmative approach that fearlessly confronts the perspectival nature of knowledge and the perilous condition of the modern individual.
Speeches that Shaped the World
Rs. 1,890.00Add to cartAlan J. Whiticker
53 Speeches from great leaders M. K. GANDHI, NELSON MANDELA, STEVE JOBS, STEPHEN HAWKING, MALALA YOUSAFZAI, BARACK OBAMA and others. The passing of time allows many speeches to take on a deeper meaning and poignancy. Others have become an iconic part of our times.
Alan J. Whiticker’s Speeches that Shaped the World is a collection of the most potent and memorable speeches throughout history. These speeches highlight recurring themes such as politics and power, war and peace, civil rights and human rights. What they all have in common is the power to inspire—emotionally, politically and socially.In this brilliant collection, many of history’s greatest orators and pivotal moments are featured. These speeches shaped and changed the world. Different eras and many nations are represented, with several speeches from famous women—speeches of clarity and hope. Along with famous names like John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Margaret Thatcher and Hillary Clinton there are also lesser known orators who are remembered for making their mark on history.
Turning Points : A Journey Through Challenges
Rs. 1,190.00Read moreA.P.J. Abdul Kalam
The inspiring sequel to Wings of Fire. Over 3 lakh copies sold.‘It was like any other day on the Anna University campus in Chennai. As I was returning to my room in the evening, the vice-chancellor, Prof. A. Kalanidhi, fell in step with me. Someone had been frantically trying to get in touch with me through the day, he said. Indeed, the phone was ringing when I entered the room. When I answered, a voice at the other end said, ‘The prime minister wants to talk with you.’ Some months earlier, I had left my post as Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India to return to teaching. Now, as I spoke to the PM, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, my life was set for an unexpected change.
‘Turning Points takes up the incredible Kalam story from where Wings of Fire left off. It brings together details from his career and presidency that are not generally known as he speaks out for the first time on certain points of controversy. It is a continuing saga, above all, of a journey – individual and collective – that will take India to 2020 and beyond as a developed nation.
Seven Pillars of Wisdom
Rs. 2,690.00Add to cartT. E. Lawrence
Seven Pillars of Wisdom is the autobiographical account of T.E. Lawrence – also known as ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ – of his service in the Arab Revolt during the First World War, published in Penguin Modern Classics. Although ‘continually and bitterly ashamed’ that the Arabs had risen in revolt against the Turks as a result of fraudulent British promises of self-rule, Lawrence led them in a triumphant campaign that revolutionized the art of war. Seven Pillars of Wisdom recreates epic events with extraordinary vividness.
‘Round this tent-pole of a military chronicle, Lawrence has hung an unexampled fabric of portraits, descriptions, philosophies, emotions, adventures, dreams’ — E. M. Forster
‘I am not much of a hero-worshipper, but I could have followed T.E. Lawrence over the edge of the world’ — John Buchan, author of The Thirty-Nine Steps
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
Rs. 2,990.00Read moreYuval Noah Harari
- Royal Society of Biology General Book Prize Nominee (2015)
- **ONE OF THE GUARDIAN‘S 100 BEST BOOKS OF THE 21st CENTURY**
- **THE MULTI-MILLION COPY BESTSELLER**
- #1 New York Times Bestseller
- J. A. Hollon palkinto (2017)
- The Summer Reading Pick for President Barack Obama, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg.
“I would recommend this book to anyone interested in a fun, engaging look at early human history… You’ll have a hard time putting it down” –Bill Gates
Interesting and provocative… It gives you a sense of how briefly we’ve been on this Earth ― Barack Obama
Jaw-dropping from the first word to the last… It may be the best book I’ve ever read ― Chris Evans
Tackles the biggest questions of history and the modern world… Written in unforgettably vivid language ― Jared Diamond
Startling… It changes the way you look at the world ― Simon Mayo
One of the best books I’ve read recently… Gives an excellent overview of how our species has developed ― Lily Cole
Sweeps the cobwebs out of your brain… Radiates power and clarity, making the world strange and new ― Sunday Times
Sapiens is packed with heretical thinking and surprising facts. This riveting, myth-busting book cannot be summarised in any detail; you will simply have to read it — John Gray ― Financial Times
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
Rs. 4,390.00Read moreJames Clear
Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Nonfiction (2018)
Atomic Habits is a step-by-step manual for changing routines . . . Inspiring real-life stories. — Books of the Month ― Financial Times
You may have heard the key to habit formation is starting small. But you’ve likely never considered starting as small as James Clear suggests in his new book Atomic Habits. ― New York Times
A supremely practical and useful book. James Clear distils the most fundamental information about habit formation, so you can accomplish more by focusing on less. — Mark Manson, author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
James Clear has spent years honing the art and studying the science of habits. This engaging, hands-on book is the guide you need to break bad routines and make good ones. — Adam Grant, author of Originals
A special book that will change how you approach your day and live your life. — Ryan Holiday, author of The Obstacle is the Way
If you are someone looking to gain some knowledge about creativity, happiness, health, productivity, picking this book is the right choice. [Clear’s] book is the proper blueprint that tells how to form some good habits, let go of your bad ones and what little changes one needs to bring to become better. And in case you thought it is all talk, let us tell you the book is packed with evidence-based strategies. Clear’s book actually has the potential to change a lot of things. ― Entrepreneur
Illuminating . . . The attractive message . . . is that life doesn’t have to be a chore or a bore . . . The first move toward order might be a step as small as putting on your exercise clothes. ― Wall Street Journal
Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty
Rs. 3,990.00Read moreDaron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson
Buy why nations fail and get it delivered to your doorstep.
“You will have three reasons to love this book. It’s about national income differences within the modern world, perhaps the biggest problem facing the world today. It’s peppered with fascinating stories that will make you a spellbinder at cocktail parties—such as why Botswana is prospering and Sierra Leone isn’t. And it’s a great read. Like me, you may succumb to reading it in one go, and then you may come back to it again and again.” —Jared Diamond, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of the bestsellers Guns, Germs, and Steel and Collapse
“For economics and political-science students, surely, but also for the general reader who will appreciate how gracefully the authors wear their erudition.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Why Nations Fail is a wildly ambitious work that hopscotches through history and around the world to answer the very big question of why some countries get rich and others don’t.” —The New York Times (Chrystia Freeland)
“Why Nations Fail is a splendid piece of scholarship and a showcase of economic rigor.” —The Wall Street Journal
“This is an intellectually rich book that develops an important thesis with verve. It should be widely read.” —Financial Times
“Why Nations Fail is a truly awesome book. Acemoglu and Robinson tackle one of the most important problems in the social sciences—a question that has bedeviled leading thinkers for centuries—and offer an answer that is brilliant in its simplicity and power. A wonderfully readable mix of history, political science, and economics, this book will change the way we think about economic development. Why Nations Fail is a must-read book.” —Steven Levitt, coauthor of Freakonomics
“Some time ago a little-known Scottish philosopher wrote a book on what makes nations succeed and what makes them fail. The Wealth of Nations is still being read today. With the same perspicacity and with the same broad historical perspective, Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson have retackled this same question for our own times. Two centuries from now our great-great- . . . -great grandchildren will be, similarly, reading Why Nations Fail.” —George Akerlof, Nobel laureate in economics, 2001
“It’s the politics, stupid! That is Acemoglu and Robinson’s simple yet compelling explanation for why so many countries fail to develop. From the absolutism of the Stuarts to the antebellum South, from Sierra Leone to Colombia, this magisterial work shows how powerful elites rig the rules to benefit themselves at the expense of the many. Charting a careful course between the pessimists and optimists, the authors demonstrate history and geography need not be destiny. But they also document how sensible economic ideas and policies often achieve little in the absence of fundamental political change.”—Dani Rodrik, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
