When the child gets caught painting everything from the ceiling to the floor, Mama says "Ya ain't a-gonna paint no more!" But nothing will keep this artist from painting! Written to the familiar tune "It Ain't Gonna Rain No More," the text bounces alongside vibrant stylized pen-and-ink drawings, while page-turns offer up a fun read-aloud guessing game in which kids will delightfully participate. What will the child paint next? "So I take some red and I paint my . . . HEAD!" Silliness paired with the ruckus read-aloud appeal will have every reader begging for repeat reads.

    Kitty is not happy when she's told that her favorite foods are all gone and all that's left are Asparagus, Beets, Cauliflower, Dill...and 22 other equally unappealing vegetables. So she: Ate my homework, Bit grandma, Clawed the curtains, Damaged the dishes, and so on, through Z. Only when tastier things arrive (An Assortment of Anchovies, Buffalo Burritos, Chicken Cheesecake...) does she Apologize to Grandma.Now, Roaring Brook is proud to introduce a new edition so deliciously funny, someone's already taken a bite out of it. With two die-cut ñbitesî on its side, special endpapers, and a brand new piece of artwork within, this eye-catching novelty edition of a proven best-seller is sure to be . . . devoured!

    Luckily Safe Baby Handling Tips saves the day with its hilarious “do’s and don’ts” on baby care. Now incompetent parents everywhere can benefit from this indispensable guide, which also includes a unique Wheel of Responsibility™ to help moms and dads negotiate baby chores (and shirk diaper duty!) whenever they can. Makes baby-rearing a blast!

    Just see what their mothers have to say!"Dave is a nice, young man with a bright future ahead of him. I always knew he was a gifted boy who would go on to do great things. I hope he settles down with a nice, young woman and ****s the **** out of her."—Dave's mom"I don't know how to get computer pictures, so I'm glad Kris finally has a book out. I haven't read it yet, but I hope he gives me a quote on the back."—Kris's mom"I hope Robert's book does well so he can finally afford to move out. He plays his hip-hop music too loud."—Rob's momMatt's mom was unavailable for a quote due to being dead.

    Every night culminates in an epic bedtime battle.When the school year ends, however, Mom and Dad decide to harness some of their boys' apparently inexhaustible energy and buy some goats and chickens for them to take care of. While they are initially thrilled with the "responsibility," the boys soon learn that it's far tougher-and far funnier for the reader-than it appears.

    . . . Kirkman and Scott are virtuosi of the world of child-rearing." --Infodad.comUnder the sticky seats, next to the molten milkshakes, unreturned library books, and petrified french fries is where you'll probably find the hidden microphone. Those Baby Blues cartoonists undoubtedly planted it in your minivan, because how else could they come up with the ideas for their comic strip that mirror exactly what's going on in your life?Fans and critics have been alternately checking under their seats and raving about the realism of the parenting experience depicted in Baby Blues for years. That realism is no accident (nor the result of illegal wiretaps). Parents themselves, cocreators Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott have an infinite wellspring of material at their disposal. As writer Jerry Scott explains, "As long as kids keep having runny noses and wiping them on the drapes, we're in business."This colorful treasury, Driving Under the Influence of Children, not only contains over 240 pages of award-winning Baby Blues comic strips, but also contains Baby Blues stickers, including a bumper sticker that should be affixed to nearly every minivan on the road.

    The daily comic first appeared on-line at www.qwantz.com and now boasts over 300,000 unique readers each month. Fans "click in" to see the philosophical thoughts, rants and misgivings of T-rex, the neurotic main character played by, well, a house-stopming-0apparently-college-educated Tyrannasaurus Rex. He carries on regular dialog with Utahraptor and Dromiceiomimus while God and the Devil make regular off-screen cameos.

    But no matter what David does, his mother truly loves him--and children will, too. With the same irresistible humor and vibrant style as his award-winning No, David! books, David Shannon takes us back to the "early years" of his most beloved character. Perfect for beginning readers as well as for the youngest children and parents to share, the Diaper David books are sure to delight families everywhere.

    His darkly brilliant, addictively hilarious scrawls from the subconscious have already made him a star in the UK, with a growing legion of fans around the globe. The Book of Shrigley is the most extensiveand the first widely availableshowcase of his edgy but accessible off-kilter vision. Here are bad-tempered pets, strange attractions, work, S-E-X, knitting, wrestling, and a host of other everyday activities, dangers, and amusements laid bare in Shrigley's urgently illustrated panels and wickedly mischievous punch lines. Made up of almost entirely new work and bursting with color and unsettlingly funny truths, The Book of Shrigley is the ideal introduction to this comic genius and the book fans have been waiting for.

    When a stranger on a bus advises, "Say yes more," Wallace vows to say yes to every offer, invitation, challenge, and chance.In Yes Man, Wallace recounts his months-long commitment to complete openness with profound insight and humbling honesty. Saying yes takes Wallace into a new plane of existence: a place where money comes as easily as it goes, nodding a lot can lead to a long weekend overseas with new friends, and romance isn't as complicated as it seems. Yes eventually leads to the biggest question of all: "Do you, Danny Wallace, take this woman . . ."Yes Man is inspiring proof that a little willingness can take anyone to the most wonderful of places.

    And that's with no toilet breaks. And all you'd get to eat and drink would be giant buckets of coke and popcorn, and six inches of horrible pink gunk extruded on a bun. And your left hand will keep wandering down to that tacky gobbet of someone else's chewing gum under your seat. You know it will.Even if you saw one a week it would take three months: you'd miss all those trips down the pub and your friends would stop speaking to you and you'd be in danger of turning into Jonathan Ross. And no one wants that.Or perhaps you could watch them at home on DVD and never be able to get up out of your sofa ever again. Even when the pizza arrives.But then Hollywood Blockbusters are a guilty pleasure you'd really not want to be without. Never fear. Help is at hand. Well, in your hand actually. Ten of the biggest movies of the last thirty years. Condensed. Made (intentionally) funny. Made (intentionally) very funny. Simple really.

    Laxman’s Brushing Up The Years: A Cartoonist's History Of India: 1947 To The Present deals with the author’s cartoons that were regularly published in the Times of India. His cartoons were not just humorous but provided satirical comments on the political scenario of India during his time.Summary Of The BookBrushing Up The Years: A Cartoonist’s History Of India 1947 To The Present by R.K. Laxman is a compilation of cartoons by the author published over sixty years. These cartoons provide Laxman’s own satirical and comical perspective of the Indian common man, the politicians, and the state of the country.These cartoons were part of every Indian man’s morning ritual with the newspaper. The subjects of his cartoons ranged from common marital problems to complex issues like social injustice, corruption, financial crisis, and political power plays. Brushing Up The Years: A Cartoonist’s History Of India 1947 To The Present display cartoons that refer to specific events such as the wars between Pakistan and China, Indira Gandhi and the state of Emergency, Nehru’s Five Year Plan, and more. He even provides comments, through his cartoons, about the rise and fall of the Congress and the BJP.Laxman’s cartoons were philosophical and mischievous at the same time.

     Mrs. Millie has lots of fun teasing her kindergartners. She tells them to hang up their goats, eat gorilla cheese sandwiches, and to remember to wear their bats and kittens when they go outside for recess. Coupled with hilarious artwork that literally interprets each of Mrs. Millie’s "mistakes," this lighthearted read-aloud sets a typical school day on its ear, even as it teaches a subtle lesson on wordplay.

    Apartheid is crumbling. Nelson Mandela has just been released from prison. And Spud Milton?thirteen-year-old, prepubescent choirboy extraordinaire?is about to start his first year at an elite boys-only boarding school in South Africa. Cursed with embarrassingly dysfunctional parents, a senile granny named Wombat, and a wild obsession for Julia Roberts, Spud has his hands full trying to adapt to his new home. Armed with only his wits and his diary, Spud takes readers of all ages on a rowdy boarding school romp full of illegal midnight swims, raging hormones, and catastrophic holidays that will leave the entire family in total hysterics and thirsty for more.Winner of South Africa's Booksellers? Choice Award 2006

    Now in this beautiful keepsake edition, Bombeck's moving words are paired with original art that bring to life the warm portrait of motherhood contained within. An angel marvels at the detail and overtime that the good Lord is putting into his creation of mothers. Despite the six pairs of hands and the three pairs of eyes that every mother needs, the angel thinks she has discovered a flaw:"There's a leak," she pronounced. "I told you that you were trying to put too much into this model.""It's not a leak," said the Lord. "It's a tear.""What's it for?""It's for joy, sadness, disappointment, pain, loneliness and pride.""You are a genius," said the angel.The Lord looked somber, "I didn't put it there." Every mother will treasure this moving tribute, penned by America's most beloved expert on motherhood.

    When a thunderstorm knocks out the electricity, his tech empire comes tumbling down, and his whole world loses power.He needs batteries--FAST. But the only triple A's he can find are in his little sister's talking doll. Will he resort to desperate measures and cause his little sister to have a meltdown of her own? Or will be snap out of his computer craze long enough to realize he can have fun with her, even without batteries?Suzanne Collins, author of the bestselling Hunger Games trilogy, and award-winning illustrator Mike Lester team up for a hilarious and timely tale that will crack up young computer addicts and those who love them.

    Can they agree on who will live happily ever after? With a cool motorcycle dude and a beautiful princess the possibilities are endless! "Hilarious book, perfect for reading aloud." -Barnes & NobleOnce upon a time there was ... a princess who loved all her beautiful ponies, a cool muscle dude who rode an awesome motorcycle. But a giant came and started stealing them! The dude came to fight the ugly, smelly giant with his mighty sword. She turned gold into thread while she cried for Buttercup, her favorite pony. And he took the princess's gold thread for payment The end!Wait a minute! That's not how it ends!Oh no?Once upon a time there was a boy and a girl who had to tell a fairy tale to the class, but they couldn't agree on the story. Will everyone live happily ever after?

    Sure, the fat cat’s slobbering sidekick may be a few dog biscuits shy of a box, but he’s all heart – or is that all tongue? Odie’s fetched his favorite strips and quips for this comical canine collection, so enjoy! Just watch out for dog breath!

    Er, and so begins a very funny friendship. Using hyperbole, puns, slapstick, and silly drawings, bestselling author/illustrator Tedd Arnold creates an easy reader that is full of fun.This book is a Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor book!

    Stein, Mad Scientist series!Franny K. Stein is not your average girl—she’s a mad scientist. She prefers poison ivy to daisies and piranha to goldfish, and when Franny jumps rope, she uses her pet snake. Being a mad scientist is exciting, but it does have its drawbacks. From fending off giant monstrous fiends to getting a lab assistant to battling her own teenage self, Franny has her hands full! Join her on her first four wacky, weird, creepy adventures and find out why Franny is everyone’s favorite mad scientist. This collection includes: Lunch Walks Among Us Attack of the 50-Ft. Cupid The Invisible Fran The Fran That Time Forgot

    Choosing to ignore his many dubious achievements in the world of Australian show business (Martin/Molloy, The Late Show, a short-lived but torrid affair with Sharon on Kath & Kim), New Zealand-born Martin instead recalls dozens of tiny life-changing moments that, frankly, could have happened to anybody.In damning personal testimony spanning nearly forty years on both sides of the Tasman, Martin wreaks havoc as an apprentice props man in amateur theatre, attempts to corrupt his school’s ‘weird religious kid’, tries vainly to seduce an unwilling babysitter, turns an entire tour bus against him, battles an addiction to Donkey Kong, seeks to master the art of ‘kerning’ under the tutelage of a tyrannical Geordie, and is forced to donate an unfeasible amount of blood in an attempt to save his own life.Lolly Scramble is a light but flavoursome assortment from a man who appears to have learnt very little from his many mistakes. Tuck right in, but don’t eat them all at once or you’ll spoil your dinner.

    

    Although his friends are running scared at every turn, brave Simon is not afraid of anything. That is, until he finds himself taken by surprise.

    It's not her fault trouble seems to follow her around. Okay, it is her fault, but why quibble over details? When Brandy (a puff piece reporter for a local Los Angeles TV news station) returns to her hometown, after a four year absence, she is thrilled to be reunited with friends and family. But her joy is short-lived when her best friend, John, becomes the victim of a tragic accident. Brandy is alone in thinking that the death is no "accident," and as she sets out to prove her theory, she stumbles upon a political scandal of major proportions. Things begin to heat up when it appears that her former boyfriend, police detective Robert Anthony DiCarlo, is involved in sabotaging the investigation. The one thing Brandy knows for sure is that people keep turning up dead, and if she doesn't get some answers, fast, she could end up on the short list. As Brandy searches out the truth, she gains some unexpected allies, including sexy, dangerous, street-savvy Nicholas Santiago, and the now-married Bobby, who still holds a torch for his former girlfriend. With humor, guts and determination Brandy tackles each challenge, be it dodging a bullet or resisting that box of Tastykakes in the cupboard. Murder, mayhem and romance abound in Shelly Fredman's novel, proving there really is No Such Thing as a Secret.

    Yet too many parents allow their infant sons and daughters to lie about idly: napping, drinking milk, and whatnot. Why not put them to work? Observe how tots enjoy the shapes and colors, all the while learning how to mix a variety of basic cocktails. Thanks, Baby!

    As the book's editor, he includes rare interviews and materials--storyboards, sketches, never-before-seen artwork--about the making of The Heart of Gold, The Vogons, and the Guide itself.- Includes chapters on Earth, The Cast, The Vogons, The Heart of Gold, Vogon Command Headquarters, Viltvodle 6, Vogsphere, Magrathea, and Earth II.A must-have companion to the film, this is the book old and new fans of Hitchhiker's have been waiting for.

    Waldo Monk is 65 years old, a widower, and two months away from retirement after a lifetime at Roundly's pool-ball factory in Mattfield, Indiana. Enter Saifon, a twenty-something Lao-American girl with an attitude, who has come to the US under mysterious circumstances. She's just arrived at Roundly's, and it's Waldo's task to train her up for his job as pool-ball quality controller.Saifon hates just about everyone, and even though Waldo is tempted to strangle her at first, a friendship soon grows between them. Two personal disasters in Waldo's life lead to him 'adopting' Saifon instead. But Saifon's mission at the factory is to make enough money, by hook or crook, to get back to Laos - for she has sworn to discover the truth about her past.

    HartwellContains:Leech --Demons --Fool's mate --Monsters --Seventh victim --Shape --Untouched by human hands --Something for nothing --Accountant --Thief in time --Battle --Milk run --Ghost V --Laxian key --Skulking permit --Squirrel cage --Lifeboat mutiny --Necessary thing --Citizen in space --Ticket to Tranai --Skag castle --All the things you are --Bad medicine --Early model --Pilgrimage to earth --Native problem --Language of love --Deaths of Ben Baxter --Wind is rising --Gray flannel armor --Holdout --Prize of peril --Minimum man --Sweeper of Loray --Triplication --Store of the worlds --Prospector's special --Shall we have a little talk? --Sarkanger --Dukakis and the aliens.

    Five of Shakespeare's most popular comedies appear here, in one convenient and economical volume. Contents include:Much Ado About Nothing, in which a betrothed couple set a lover's trap for a confirmed bachelor and his sharp-tongued sparring partnerTwelfth Night; or What You Will, the tale of a shipwrecked maiden who disguises herself as a boy and assists a duke in wooing a recalcitrant sweetheartA Midsummer Night's Dream, in which the fairies of an enchanted forest employ a love potion to sport with four young loversAs You Like It, concerning the retreat of banished royalty to a greenwood, where the constraints of everyday life are loosened and the characters free to reinvent themselvesThe Merry Wives of Windsor, starring the jolly old rogue Sir John Falstaff in a madcap romp that gives his greed and vanity a humorous comeuppance.--back cover

    This superhero searches for the Lost Wreck of the Sieve as the boy makes a game of doing the dishes, and later in the bathtub, he conquers the Mysterious Toes that are stealing his pet, the brave little Scrubbing Brush. These are just a few of the action-packed adventures played out by the boy and his new toy that may not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but can vanquish all manner of villains lurking around the house. Mini Grey s story in words and pictures is an irresistible invitation to the private world of a child s play. Praise for "The Very Smart Pea and the Princess-to-Be" A rib-tickling U.S. debut for Grey, with plenty of sight gags to complement the chatty narrative. "Kirkus Reviews" "The Very Smart Pea and the Princess-to-Be" delivers an entertaining spin and a great deal of visual wit. "The Horn Book""

    Tales designed to thrizzle are about Jesus's half-brother Pagus, Private Eye Johnny Silhouette, Murder she didn't Write, Hercules the Public Domain Superhero, Mark Twain, the Thirties, and more. The Thrizzle tales will make their debut in 2009 on the Cartoon Network's Adult Swim as Snake 'N' Bacon, which is sure to catapult Thrizzle to new heights of popularity. The show, a mix of live action, pupperty and animation, stars David Rakoff (This American Life), Bill Hader(Saturday Night Live), Kristen Schaal ( Flight of the Conchords), James Urbaniak (The Venture Brothers), and Dan Bakkedahl ( The Daily Show), and is produced by Kupperman, Robert Smigel ( Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog), Scott Jacobson(The Daily Show), and Rich Bloomquist (The Daily Show).

    

    This creator pulls more material from the one-child Gumbo family than other cartoonists can with five times the number of characters and settings.   That magic comes through in Brady's seventh collection, Rose is Rose Running on Alter Ego. The lively series of daily and Sunday strips revolves around Rose—devoted wife and doting mother—who, try as she might, just can't keep her biker chick fantasies totally in check. Rose never knows, as she manages her blue-collar husband, Jimbo, and their energy-fired son, Pasquale, when Vicki the Biker may show up. But when the long-haired, short-skirted babe surfaces, it's always with a breath of fresh air and a fresh take on "normal" family life.  Besides appearing on the cover, Rose as Vicki shines throughout the collection, in six new full-page drawings created just for the book. Each shows the seemingly satisfied housewife's alter ego performing some mundane chore demanded by Rose's less adventurous life, while Brady's usual mix of family fun, frolic, and fancy gives Gumbo fans plenty of delight.

    The SImple Truth About Love matches his highly inspirational thoughts with his trademark adorable and irresistible wildlife images for a heartwarming book that readers will fall for.  What more can you possibly say about love? Leave it to Bradley Trevor Greive to cut through centuries of words that examine this universal emotion to present both the sum and substance of love in a way that will touch readers' hearts. As he's done in numerous other titles—from The Blue Day Book to Dear Dad—Bradley combines his uncomplicated wording and unique viewpoint in a way that appeals to readers everywhere.The Simple Truth About Love explores this driving sentiment throughout its many nuances, while recognizing the elements that make it such an incredibly wonderful part of our lives. Helping along the way, of course, are the individually selected animal photographs that perfectly convey the ideas that Bradley presents. From the chick sheltered beneath his mother's wing to the cubs locked in joyous embrace, the images make this book a delight on it's own.

    The story follows Goblin, a deformed young hermit who is perfectly happy haunting an abandoned gatehouse far outside of civilization with his pet dildo, Frog Strips, until two strangers named Nan and Mortician arrive at his doorstep with a crazy story that turns his quiet post-life existence upside-down. Goblin soon finds himself mixed up in a war between corporate punks and traditional punks that he really couldn't care less about. But without the help of Goblin, Mortician's sperm, and a blue-mohawked female assassin named Shark Girl, the utopian anarchy in Punk Land will surely be lost. Featuring cameos by famous punk icons and cartoonish illustrations in the tradition of Kurt Vonnegut's "Breakfast of Champions." This Bizarro novel is Carlton Mellick III's most fun and hilarious book to date.

    The world of superheroes is rocked by a murder of one of their own. What begins with a whodunit the World's Greatest Detective is meant to solve winds up revealing secrets that will test friendships, the trust between lovers and may just destroy the heroes from within.

    . . to the exciting world of Big Top! Rob Harrell's three-ring comic strip has already packed the house with fans eager for his hilarious take on the circus and those who bring it to life. The circus and its colorful cast-led by 10-year-old Pete and his happily reformed performing bear, Wink-are a perfect metaphor for life. It's not always what happens on the surface, Big Top reminds us, but what takes place backstage that delivers the lessons and the humor. Pete and Wink keep plenty of odd company, including Kingston, coolest king of the jungle; Stucco, a mute clown who still manages to make his point; Manfred, the bookish monkey; Dusty, the wisecracking tell-it-like-it-is trained poodle; Andrea, the new acrobat girl who's caught Pete's eye; and Hairy Mary the Bearded Lady, a mother figure to them all.Take this crew on the road and you get an endless array of situations and relationships, care and impatience, honesty and intolerance. It's like one big Big Top family . . . one that welcomes all readers for the mere price of a ticket.

    Its beautiful, funny, original thoughts--said simply and accompanied by stylish line drawings--will make hearts beat faster.

    

    Regular readers of Speed Bump will recognize the subtle ironies and the overlooked details we all take for granted, as well as the occasional wordplay and the gentle pokes at the absurd ways in which we live and love. Irregular readers might try bran. Much like his last book, this tome covers a wide range of topics: kids and parenting, love and relationships, work and business, and — as Dave is a regular contributor to PETA’s Animal Times — more than a few animal cartoons. The humour here comes from human traits we all have. Speed Bump has millions of readers on several land masses around the world. It has found its way onto refrigerator doors, church bulletin boards, and greeting cards, and into textbooks, tv programs, and even a U.S. Congressional hearing. But being the nice folks that we are, we’ve saved you the trouble of tracking the cartoons down yourself by binding them into this book.

    Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand modern academia. Available for free download at http://www.scs.stanford.edu/~dm/home/...

    All pages are intact, and the cover is intact (including dust cover, if applicable). The spine may show signs of wear. Pages can include limited notes and highlighting, and the copy can include "From the library of" labels.Some of our books may have slightly worn corners, and minor creases to the covers. Please note the cover may sometimes be different to the one shown.

    He is the younger brother of two overachieving siblings, has no idea of what he is going to do with his life and has just discovered that the girl he is in love with is going out with his best friend. His ex-best friend.

    Some of the online comics of Cyanide & Happiness have been collected into this truly depressing collection.

    In no other cat book will you find such riveting accounts as:The Great Cat Butt Wiping AdventureJingle Ball HorrorsThe Creature Under the FridgeYoga CatThe Big Brown Mouse & Other Toys Our Cat LoathesLessons In Stalking is the purr-fect gift for cat lovers!Dena Harris has been a humor columnist for Cats & Kittens magazine and contributor to Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul. Her newest book, "Who Moved My Mouse? A Self-Help Book for Cats (Who Don't Need Any Help)" is being translated into 5 languages. Visit www.denaharris.com or www.selfhelpforcats.com for more info.

    It was finally published in 1817, a year after Austen's death, in a single volume with Persuasion. Catherine Morland meets several suitors during her coming out season in bath. Henry Tilney distinguishes himself by his love of gothic novels, and his invitation to the family estate, Northanger Abbey. How could she refuse? An abbey! Gothic ruins! The fashionable novels have infiltrated our heroine's imagination to such an extent that she doesn't know which potential clue to investigate first. Perhaps the notebook hidden in her bedroom chest is a mysterious ancient manuscript? Did Tilney's mother die of natural causes? Is she even dead - old Tilney might be an evil torturer! And all these corridors, and locked doors, and whole wings to which entry is forbidden... reality and fiction blend to the reader's great delight, until finally reality gets the upper hand and our heroes find satisfaction in a happy ending. Austen's tender parody of the Gothic novel - and its devoted readers - is also a vibrant plea for the genre of the novel as a unique vehicle for the portrayal of feelings and imagination. (1765); Ann Radcliffe's The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794); Lewis's The Monk (1796); Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1818) and Maturin's Melmoth the Wanderer (1820). This is a brilliant parody of the sentimental novel written when Austen was fourteen years old. It opens with the legend Deceived in Friendship and Betrayed in Love, a revelation, if one was needed, of the satirical nature of the work, and the gift for irony characteristic of Austen's later writing. It is published here with the author's original spelling.

    

    

    Interviews with experts and lively writing deliver the accurate reporting you expect from TIME For Kids®. Historical reproductions and contemporary photographs capture the life of this ingenious man and show how he made life better and safer for Americans today.Read about more remarkable Americans:

    Not sure how to pretend you're holding the elevator for someone when you really just need to get going? Whip out Instructoart: Travel Edition and you'll be floating to the third floor in no time. Through art, humor, and vital advice for everyday living, this essential handbook makes our world a little less intimidating.Praise for Instructoart:"...an irreverently spunky collection."--Entertainment Weekly"[We] think we've found the funniest book-of all time."--HOW: Design Ideas at Work magazineInstructoart has been featured in award-winning promos for MTV, and recognized in Adweek, National Post, Esquire, and the New York Times.

    This book brings together a selection of these stories, along with fascinating historical details about the Mughal court, the emperor and his witty courtier. From the time that a chance meeting in the forest brought Akbar and Birbal face-to-face, the emperor and his minister together faced dilemmas that ranged from the ethical to the personal, from debates on the true nature of justice to the problems of hen-pecked husbands. An old widow is robbed of her bag of gold and Birbal nails the culprit. A thief runs away with the emperor’s royal seal but gives Akbar a surprise later. Birbal manages a miraculous escape when envious courtiers conspire to have him killed. The king asks his ministers how many crows there are in the city, and only Birbal has the answer.With well-researched introductions to each aspect of Mughal life, Amita Sarin recreates Akbar’s court in all its grandeur and vitality. The stories in this collection are both amusing and thought-provoking, both historical and timeless.

    Chapter One of Tender at the Bone .