‘Right is right and wrong is wrong, and a body ain’t got no business doing wrong when he ain’t ignorant and knows better.’
Along the Mississippi River, in the pre-civil war days, lived a mischievous and independent little boy Huckleberry Finn. The American Society in that era was brimming with policies that were discriminating and little boys like him who were oppressed.
Huck seeking freedom runs away from his abusive father and fakes his own death to escape the constraints of civilization. On his journey, he befriends Jim an escaped slave who is also on the run, seeking freedom from the shackles of slavery.
Huck and Jim form a strong friendship, stemming from their boyish innocence and the glimmering dreams they hold in their eyes. Their adventures take the reader back to the bittersweet years of growing up.
Will these little boys grow up to build the lives they dream?
This collection offers a selection of short stories by Fatimah Busu, one of the foremost Malay women writers of the past century. A master of the short story form, Fatimah Busu is known for her bold subject matter, fresh approach to language, and idiosyncratic style. Her short stories offer an acute portrayal of the inner contradictions of Malay society, particularly the realities of women and men in rural Malaysia grappling with the forces of tradition and modernity, and the frailty of the human condition. The strong subjectivity and agency of women characters in her stories, as well as the unique perspective of children, offers a powerful counter-narrative to the literary landscape of Malay fiction dominated by male writers. Many of Fatimah Busu’s stories are set in her hometown of Kampung Pasir Pekan, Kelantan and are imbued with the vivid peculiarities of Kelantanese dialect, sensibility, and everyday life.
Translated from Malay by Pauline Fan, the ten short stories gathered here span from Fatimah Busu’s early work in the 1960s and 70s, to the height of her creative powers in the 1980s, into her mature period in the 1990s. This collection features a few of Fatimah Busu’s iconic short stories and several lesser known stories which underscore her distinctiveness of style and subject matter. Fatimah Busu’s evocative fiction blurs the boundaries of social realism, dreamscapes, apocalyptic visions, reimagined mythology, and magic realism. The stories gathered here have been translated into English for the first time.
‘I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.’
Their father is at war, no one knows when he’ll be back. The four sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, with their Marmee set out to live a life which is full of gratitude, love, compassion, and family.
Jo March is rebellious and creative, Meg longs for a marriage and home of her own, Beth has the softest heart whose tunes can be heard in the angelic music she plays, and Amy dreams of a refined existence and home.
They face trials on the daily basis as women living alone in the 19th century, but with compassion, love and the spirit to find joy in the smallest chores, they make every day a celebration.
Marmee fills their lives with wisdom as underneath the joy they are all nursing a deep ache.
Little women is a heartwarming, sensitive and inspiring story of female strength, compassion and their ability to spread love.
‘The sea is everything…Its breath is pure and healthy. It is an immense desert, where man is never lonely, for he feels life stirring on all sides.’
Fascinated with the wonders of the sea, Professor Pierre Aronnax, a marine biologist, along with his loyal servant Conseil and the harpooner Ned Land, embarks on an expedition to search for a sea monster.
Their missions lead them to discover a technologically advanced submarine called the Nautilus, commanded by the enigmatic Captain Nemo.
The further Professor Pierre travels into the depths of the sea, his inner conflicts surface to life, as he releases ultimately his soul was seeking refuge from a world, he believed had wronged him.
The mesmerizing underwater world with exotic marine life and breathtaking landscapes is the perfect getaway for both Professor Pierre and the reader. The silence and calm invoke reflection into what is one’s purpose in life; and how must nature and humans share the planet. A thoughtful and cathartic read for all ages.
‘Science, my boy, is made up of mistakes, but they are mistakes which it is useful to make because they lead little by little to the truth.’
In a thrilling adventure follow the intrepid Professor Otto Lidenbrock, his young nephew Axel, and their Icelandic guide Hans Bjelke on an extraordinary expedition into the depths of the Earth itself, to explore the world beneath our feet.
Inspired by an ancient manuscript, Professor Lidenbrock believes that a passage to the Earth’s core exists within a volcano in Iceland. The trio descends into the unknown, facing treacherous landscapes, underground seas, and encounters with prehistoric creatures.
Their adventures spark an imagination and curiosity for the unknown, making the reader wonder about the endless possibilities that lie beyond the realms visible to us.
“Undoubtedly philosophers are in the right when they tell us that nothing is great or little otherwise than by comparison.”
Lemuel Gulliver was an ambitious and naïve ship surgeon, who believed people were heroes at heart with an inherent goodwill. All his beliefs shattered when he set out on an unusual adventure on remote islands inhabited by people and creatures of different sizes.
On the first Island, the Lilliputians only six inches tall, represent the dangers of petty partisanship. The Brobdingnagians, who are giants, show him the dangers of absolute power and the importance of humility. And the Houyhnhnms, the intelligent horses, show how important it is to have reason and virtue.
However, he eventually comes to realize that the none of them are perfect, and he begins to miss his own kind.
Will Gulliver’s travels make him realize that the human race has more vices than virtues? After a thrilling and endearing journey, will Gulliver return as a changed compassionate man?
“We must not think of the things we could do with, but only of the things that we can’t do without.”
Nostalgia is a true gift of life, the ability to relive warm and happy moments through memory is a true joy. Three Men in a Boat, is a delightful and humorous novel about an endearing friendship and all that makes life worth living.
A journey through the Thames River, the story follows three friends – Jerome, George, and Harris – as they embark on a boating expedition to escape the pressures of everyday life. The fun banter between the three friends and their ability to uplift each other adds to warmth of the story.
Their getaway is a reminder to take a break with those that make them smile and find joy in simple pleasures; follow the three men through their journey, in this charming story, and take a trip down the memory lane.
“Know your own happiness. You want nothing but patience – or give it a more fascinating name, call it hope.”
Does one love from the heart or see the merit of someone’s love through their mind?
Elinor and Marianne Dashwood are two sisters navigating the challenges of romance and societal expectations. Elinor represents the ‘sense’, personifying rationality and practicality. Marianne, on the other hand is governed by her emotions and spontaneity. The sisters’ differing approaches to life and love make a heartwarming narrative through which the story explores relationships, love, family and the idea of self.
Elinor’s practicality is tested as she conceals her true feelings for Edward Ferrars, while Marianne’s open-hearted sensibility leads her into a passionate and potentially risky romance with the dashing John Willoughby.
Which will prove to be the best route to love, caution and mindfulness, or complete abandon and surrender to one’s feelings?
“You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope… I have loved none but you.”
The power of sincere love often brings miraculous second chances.
Anne Elliot, a thoughtful and introspective woman initially rejects the marriage proposal of Captain Frederick Wentworth eight years earlier. Anne, secretly harbouring affection for Frederick, regrets this decision taken under the influence of her family.
One fine day Frederick re-enters Anne’s life as a successful naval officer, now she grapples again with her desires and the opinions of others.
Captain Frederick Wentworth an honourable man, has hopeful and lingering affection for Anne, but won’t persuade her with tricks but only his character.
Will the power of Frederick’s love and sincerity win? Will Anne be able to look past society’s expectations and follow her heart?
“I know not all that may be coming, but be it what it will, I’ll go to it laughing.”
A reflective Ismael is the lens through which maniacal Ahab’s quest comes to life. Ahab is the captain of the whaling ship Pequod, and Moby Dick, the giant white sperm whale bit off his leg on the ship’s previous voyage. What ensues is a mad quest against the whale and the perceived dangers of wildlife.
Through this journey Ismael raises many thoughts about man versus nature, and the nature of obsession with one’s own purpose. Ismael’s perspective creates an out of body experience for the reader, as he himself is an observer of man’s passionate extremes.
Will Ahab come out more enlightened about fate, the human struggle, and the forces of nature? The witty, thrilling and adventurous reads gives immense chances to laugh and look within!
