Climbing the Mango Trees: A Memoir of a Childhood in India

Book Description

Today’s most highly regarded writer on Indian food gives us an enchanting memoir of her childhood in Delhi in an age and a society that has since disappeared.

Madhur (meaning “sweet as honey”) Jaffrey grew up in a large family compound where her grandfather often presided over dinners at which forty or more members of his extended family would savor together the wonderfully flavorful dishes that were forever imprinted on Madhur’s palate.

Climbing mango trees in the orchard, armed with a mixture of salt, pepper, ground chilies, and roasted cumin; picnicking in the Himalayan foothills on meatballs stuffed with raisins and mint and tucked into freshly fried pooris; sampling the heady flavors in the lunch boxes of Muslim friends; sneaking tastes of exotic street fare—these are the food memories Madhur Jaffrey draws on as a way of telling her story. Independent, sensitive, and ever curious, as a young girl she loved uncovering her family’s many-layered history, and she was deeply affected by their personal trials and by the devastating consequences of Partition, which ripped their world apart.

Climbing the Mango Trees is both an enormously appealing account of an unusual childhood and a testament to the power of food to evoke memory. And, at the end, this treasure of a book contains a secret ingredient—more than thirty family recipes recovered from Madhur’s childhood, which she now shares with us.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful Mirror of a Childhood spent in Delhi.......2007-08-13

This book brought back wonderful memories of a lovely 6 years spent in India. Her portrait of the lives of the wealthy and privledged of that era were hauntingly familiar. An excellent read.

Enjoyable.......2007-08-09

I know the author by her association with Said Jaffrey, an actor of some repute
in India, and her famous cookery show and books in the same domain.
Apparently, at one time the author was married to Mr. Jaffrey, but has since
divorced and is now re-married to a gentleman in New York and settled in the
same city. I presume she still writes books on Indian cooking. In any case,
the Jaffrey name and the title were enough of a ruse to get me to read the
book. What emerges is a tale of a priviledged childhood in pre-independence
India: her family traces its roots back to the time of emperor Aurangzeb
(the last Mughal ruler of India) in whose court Madhur's ancestors used to
ply their craft as writers. The emperor gifted land to her ancestors in what
would later became New Delhi, enabling Madhur a luxurious childhood by Indian
standards. Her family was well to do: grandfather was a barrister, father
owned mills, the family took trips to Europe and possessed two American cars -- and
this is in pre-independent India, mind you. The book itself is composed of short
chapters, each one detailing some memory of childhood: cousins, siblings, aunts and
uncles, grandparent, summer trips to Simla, train rides, traumas, first love, the
travails of a joint family, etc. A common thread that runs through all the chapters is
the association of food with the memories. Madhur (which means "sweet, honey-like" in
Hindi) draws upon her strength -- food -- to permeate each chapter. The writing
style is informal and colloquial, but enjoyable nonetheless. As an added bonus, the
last portion of the book contain her favorite recipes. (July 2007)

For anyone with an interest in India's complex history, culture, and cuisine........2007-02-06

Any fan of Indian cooking well knows the name of Madhur Jaffrey: in addition to hosting a TV show she's also published numerous cookbooks - and acted in many major motion pictures. Here's something different for the Jaffrey fan: a memoir of how she came to be equated with Indian cuisine in "Climbing the Mango Trees: A Memoir of a Childhood in India". Her memoir blends food memories with overall impressions of India's social and political changes, making for a wide-ranging coverage recommended as a pick not just for cooks, but for anyone with an interest in India's complex history, culture, and cuisine.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

A brilliant and delicious memoir.......2007-01-26

I have always loved Madhur Jaffrey's recipes and acting. This memoir, even for those who don't know her, is marvelous. She provides a beautifully-written glimpse of growing up in a large and well-to-do Indian family that mixed Muslim and Hindu traditions in an era that is now past. The description of family foods (and the recipes -- YUM)and the traditions of her family are wonderful. I was terribly sorry when I came to the end of the book, though I was thrilled to find recipes in the back. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in Indian food, Indian culture, or history -- and to anyone who just plain enjoys memoirs.

Delhi reminiscences and recipes.......2007-01-09

My family lived in New Delhi in the late 60s and I enjoyed many vacations with them there. Trips to Agra and the hill stations in the north, to Kashmir and Calcutta. Madhur Jaffrey writes of her childhood in an India before and during partition, a way of life in an India and Delhi that has long since gone. The departure of a huge Moslem community after partition, and the subsequent Punjabi influence created a tremendous change in Delhi's society and food. Her account of her childhood in a "joint family" home was enjoyable, as were her stories of a Delhi when it still held a strong flavor of its Moghul beginnings.

Her book is a light and entertaining read, but the gold is in the last chapter, her family's favorite recipes. I have made two of these dishes already and as usual her recipes produce tremendously authentic Indian taste and texture.

Tigers at Twilight (Magic Tree House, No. 19)

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Good Book
MY BOY LOVES READING IT
Tigers at Twilight
read this one.
A Really Good Book

Tigers at Twilight (Magic Tree House, No. 19)
Mary Pope Osborne
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0679890653
Release Date: 1999-08-17

Amazon.com

"This little dog is under a spell and needs your help. To free him, you must be given four special things:

A gift from a ship lost at sea,
A gift from the prairie blue,
A gift from a forest far away,
A gift from a kangaroo."

How would you feel if you found a note like this in your magic tree house? Eight-year-old Jack and his 7-year-old sister Annie love the funny, enchanted dog Teddy--and know they have no choice but to collect the gifts and break the mysterious spell. In Tigers at Twilight--the 19th adventure in award-winning author Mary Pope Osborne's popular Magic Tree House series--these brave, resourceful children have already found the first two gifts, and must find the third in "a forest far away." Knowing that the books in Morgan Le Fey's magic tree house have the power to transport them all over the world, they see their next destination on the cover of Wildlife of India. Once in the thick of the Indian jungle, it doesn't take them long to make friends with the monkeys, to see the huge gashes that tiger claws have made on the tree trunks, and to spot a python. This story is straight out of an episode of Wild Kingdom; the children spot animal after animal, with only a few close calls. When they find a rare tiger in a poacher's trap, however, the story turns around, and the children are eventually led to the third gift. A tribute to the disappearing tiger, and an animal-filled, action-focused adventure with plenty of cartoon-style illustrations, this slight book is sure to keep kids' attention. A generous layout combined with simple, short sentences promote quick reading that will build confidence in beginning readers. (Ages 4 to 8)

Book Description

Jack and Annie are whisked back in time to the jungle of India where they'll meet snakes and tigers and find ancient ruins.

Customer Reviews:

Good Book.......2007-06-11

I purchased this book in order to replace a damaged book and I had no problems with the transaction and the price was great.

MY BOY LOVES READING IT.......2007-01-07

My 1st grader hates to put it down, he would rather read Magic Tree House books, than play video games. He even reads them to his class and explains the story for show and tell. In his kindergarten class the teacher would also let him read the Magic Tree House books out loud, not to give her a break, but to promote reading out loud. Great books!

Tigers at Twilight.......2006-11-01

Magic Tree House: Tigers at Twilight # 19
by Mary Pope Osborne

Would you be excited if you had a tree house that could travel through time? That's what happens to 8 year-old Jack and 7 year-old Annie in the book Tigers at Twilight #19 by Mary Pope Osborne. So far this is the best book I read in the series because a tiger gets stuck in a bear trap and the kids try to rescue it. Then, the tiger is about to attack them, but I'm not saying any more. You should read the book to find out what happens.

Jared, 9
Cunniff School
Watertown, MA

read this one........2005-12-15

no one shuld read this book becuse I don`t like it so no one shuld. Do you want to know why? Becuse I read ALL the rest of them and they were good sooo if you want to read one don`t read this one.

A Really Good Book.......2005-03-20

Dear Reader,
Magic Treehouse Book #19 Tigers at Twilight is a really good book because Jack and Annie go to a forest in India with a dog named Teddy. This book is funny and scary!! I would recommend this book to kids that like all Magic Treehouse Books!
By, Jacob

Average customer rating:

a must have for every Baobab lover
Lively and wonderful celebratory descriptions and photos
Thomas Pakenham, The Remarkable Baobab (2004)
Nice

The Remarkable Baobab
Thomas Pakenham
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0393059898

Book Description

From the best-selling author of Remarkable Trees of the World, a celebration of the most extraordinary tree of them all.

Standing tall on the sunburned plains of Africa and Australia, baobabs may be the oldest life forms on the planet. Many of the specimens still standing today have been around for well over two thousand years. Tremendous in size and bizarre in appearance, they have provided food, medicine, and places of refuge and worship to countless peoples, even serving as prisons and tombs on occasion. Long before European explorers opened up the African continent, the news of these "gnarled upside-down giants" had astonished the world of science and stoked the imagination of naturalists everywhere. Thomas Pakenham chronicles his personal encounters with the baobabs of Africa, Australia, Madagascar, and America and shares the countless superstitions and myths, as well as the often-strange history, that surround these enigmatic trees. With 60 color photos and 144 pages with color throughout, The Remarkable Baobab will be a great, and reasonably priced, gift book for the Christmas season.

Customer Reviews:

a must have for every Baobab lover.......2007-04-17

If you're a succulent collector and want to find information about raising these trees, this book is not for you. But if you like seeing great pictures and information how the native people live with them and use them for food, water and shelter it has everything you're asking for.

Lively and wonderful celebratory descriptions and photos.......2005-06-10

The Remarkable Baobab deserves no singular audience mind: it will attract attention from naturalists, armchair travel readers, botanists, and adventure readers alike. Thomas Pakenham followed in the footsteps of an 18th century French naturalist who first brought baobabs to the attention of Westerners: his travels took him to the heart of Africa, to Australia's outback, and even to Hawaii and Miami as he traces the qualities and persistence of these ancient trees. Pakenham's purpose is to convey a sense of wonder and discovery, not to provide a technical scientist's botanical reference: in this purpose he succeeds, with lively and wonderful celebratory descriptions and photos alike.

Thomas Pakenham, The Remarkable Baobab (2004).......2005-05-25

In his introduction, Pakenham notes, "[h]ere's a book bursting with ripe baobabs .... It's a personal book like its predecessors. I have scoured the world for baobabs with shapely limbs and unusual characters" (at p. 8). Here's the reality. Of the eight species of baobab, Pakenham has only seen five (missing three in Madagascar because "one of my family was ill and I was on borrowed time" (at p. 30; see also p. 8). That trip was made back in 2001, suggesting that Pakenham may have a different concept of "scouring" than the rest of us. Nor are any pictures of the three missing species offered, although a large number of the photographs in this book come from Corbis (see p. 142), with one illustrating a baobab in the Comoros (at pp. [122]-[23]), an archipelago that Pakenham does not appear to have visited, while another picture prominently features a non-baobab (at pp. [122]-[23]). This volume appears to be an offshoot of the author's Remarkable Trees of the World (2002), although there is evidence that Pakenham has incorporated materials from recent trips to St. Croix (see p. 127) and South Africa (see pp. 14, 97, 134). Why did he not return to Madagascar when this meant leaving almost 40% of the world's baobab species uncovered?

The photographs of baobabs included in the book will mesmerize most readers; the trees are worthy subjects, and between his own photos, Corbis, Kew, and his British publisher, Pakenham has put together a wonderful collection of pictures. Those of us who have seen baobabs - my own first experience was in the Mozambique bush - find them unforgettable, and this excitement has been conveyed to potential readers. Fewer, though, will find all of Pakenham's chatty comments attractive. His description of his companion at Leydsdorp (apparently his wife- see the photograph at p. 94) as a "slip of a girl" (at p. 97), for example, seems a bit too much.

The author does, however, have the gift of a light touch, and is able to convey a mass of information about the trees to his readers. Several facts were new and interesting to me although I researched the topic over a quarter of as century ago at Yale. These included the pods' appearance in Cairo markets in the 16th century (at p.13) and the 15th and 16th century graffiti found by Adanson on baobabs in Senegal in the 1750's (at p. 55). Herbert Basedow, who investigated a baobab in Australia in 1916, found bleached bones and a skull with a bullet hole (at p. 117), but Pakenham has no reference to the explorer in his bibliography (at p. 137; the information may come from Pat Lowe's The Boab Tree (1998), which is listed). Equally interesting is the probable importation of the tree to the Caribbean by black slaves (see pp. 127-28) and the legend that a hollow in the tree, opening at the full moon, would lead children back to Africa (at p. 131). The "upside-down" nature of the tree is explained in several stories (see p. 14)- a version not given by Pakenham states that the Creator replanted the tree in disgust, with its roots sticking out, after it had complained several times about its surroundings and had been duly replanted. The author does a good job of describing both the baobab's utility to native cultures and the uses to which it has been put by colonists. Not only can one pound a nail into the trunk without a hammer (see p. 13), but I can personally testify that a sharp twig can pierce the trunk. It is unfortunate that the distribution of species given (at p. 139) is not accompanied by a map.

In sum, The Remarkable Baobab is a flawed, but ultimately fascinating, discussion of one of the world's arboreal wonders. One can but hope that other works will appear which deal more thoroughly with this genus.

Samuel Pyeatt Menefee

Nice.......2005-01-21

This book will make a really splendid gift to anyone who loves trees. A well-printed book with really lovely pictures, it presents some of the most famous trees belonging to the genus /Adansonia/, focusing on trees as "trunks with branches". The text is well-written, and makes for a light read. Noticeable weak points are that the author's wife is in quite a few photographs although she does not take a particular good picture and that the author adopts /Adansonia_gibbosa/ as the name of the Australian baobab, instead of the better known (and now protected) /Adansonia_gregorii/ (without even explaining why he does this).

Commentaries on the Vedas, the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita: The Three Branches of India's Life-Tree

Average customer rating:

Enlightening Commentary and Spiritual Revelations
A good book of social and religious meanings.

Commentaries on the Vedas, the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita: The Three Branches of India's Life-Tree
Sri Chinmoy
Manufacturer: Aum Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0884971139

Book Description

This book brings toge ther in one volume Sri Chinmoy's commentaries on the Vedas the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita three ancient Indian scriptures which are the foundations of Hindu spiritual tradition. His approach is clear and practical and at the same time profound and richly poetic. In a style unmistakably his own Sri Chinmoy makes direct and personal contact with the reader who joins him on a journey through the wisdom of these celebrated classics. This book is both an excellent introduction for readers who are coming to the subject for the first time and a series of illumining meditations for those who already know it well.

Customer Reviews:

Enlightening Commentary and Spiritual Revelations.......1999-11-20

Enlightening commentary on all 3 ancient Indian scriptures (Vedas, Upanishads, and the Bhagavad Gita) in one book. Sri Chinmoy transcends mere commentary by providing us with spiritual illumination on the inner meaning of these important works. Sri Chinmoy is a fully realised spiritual master (who conducts meditation for the United Nations), and his very words provide us with direct spiritual inspiration/enlightenment.

A good book of social and religious meanings........1999-08-14

The story and meaning of the Sacred Tree is related well in this book. The social and religious meanings, as well as symbols, are expounded on. This is a good book for grades 10, 11, & 12.

The Monkeys and the Mango Tree: Teaching Stories of the Saints and Sadhus of India

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Teaching Stories from India
Not good, not bad, depends on what else you've read
A Special Book

The Monkeys and the Mango Tree: Teaching Stories of the Saints and Sadhus of India
Harish Johari
Manufacturer: Inner Traditions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0892815647
Release Date: 1998-01-01

Book Description

These beautifully illustrated tales capture the mystery, enchantment, and profound spiritual teachings of India.Â

Story-telling has always been the way that India's holy men, the saints and sadhus, taught their students the vital lessons of life. Stories provide a living environment for the lesson of each story, and they can convey sophisticated concepts in simple language. Abounding with powerful genies, scheming gods, and wise mystics, The Monkeys and the Mango Tree can be read as an exotic Aesop's Fables, as a source of classic wisdom, or as a simple and memorable introduction to the stories of the most spiritual civilization on earth. These twenty-five beautifully illustrated tales capture the mystery, the enchantment, and the profound spiritual learning that is India.Â

Drawn from the great Indian epics?the Puranas, the Upanishads, and the Mahabharata?as well as from the author's own remarkable life, these tales put ageless Indian wisdom into the form of stories that are delights for young and old alike.Â

Customer Reviews:

Teaching Stories from India.......2002-01-24

The book comprises of 25 short stories from India. These stories are developed in the context of the saints and sadhus of this land of ancient religions. Each story has a clear moral message to the young people for whom these are targeted. The simplicity of the style and the language makes it easy for everyone to follow the events even if one is uninitiated in the cultural and religious complexity of India.

Not good, not bad, depends on what else you've read.......2000-09-21

The selection of tales in this volume is acceptable - if you've read little of this type of literature, you will probably be positively impressed with the variety of stories and with the fact that few of the stories are blatantly diadactic. If you have read much similar material, the stories will strike you as satisfactory in their retelling but you will have seen much of the material before, often with much more sparkle to the story.

The Bird of Prosperity tells of a poor family whose concern for each other gains them wealth and conpares their plight with the plight of a greedy family.

The Butter in the Milk is primarily an analogy of God in the universe compared to butter in the milk.

The Saint and the Scorpion is a story of the value in following your dharma.

The Merchant Who Would Not Go to Heaven is a story of a Merchant who has to many responsibilities to accept an offer to go to heaven.

Siva and the Demon, and Narada's Infatuation come from Hindu mythology.

The book contains about 25 such stories alone with etching style illustrations; the foreward is best left unread.

A Special Book.......1998-07-24

"The Monkeys and the Mango Tree" is a special book for people of all ages and religions. This large collection of Hindu wisdom tales, retold by Johari, are classic stories that still apply in the modern age. The stories are short but leave the reader thinking. A truly lovely book.

Average customer rating:

A celebration of India's trees

Trees of India
Subhadra Menon
Manufacturer: Local Colour
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Nature & Wildlife | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Trees | Field Guides | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 9628711121

Customer Reviews:

A celebration of India's trees.......2001-11-20

This beautiful book has earned a permanent spot on my coffee table. I originally saw a copy at a book trade show and was immediately enthralled with it. The book is really a celebration of the popular trees of India, where trees can be great objects of reverence as well as having numerous practical uses. I justified the purchase as a background reference work for writing my historical novels set in India (India Treasures and India Fortunes). But this is so much more than just a pictorial textbook. The photos are pieces of art worth admiring in themselves, and the narrative often describes the mythological/religious, medicinal, and historical importance of the trees.

Average customer rating:

Terrific

The People Who Hugged the Trees
Deborah L Rose
Manufacturer: Roberts Rinehart Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1879373505

Book Description

Beautifully retold, the story of how Amrita saves the village trees from the woodcutters.

Customer Reviews:

Terrific.......2000-07-22

In this story, people save some trees by hugging them, so they don't get chopped down. The pictures are like from a famous artist. They are magnificent. I know this story from a camp. I read it to another kid and myself. Also that other kid liked it too.But I loved it!

Average customer rating:

A Memorable Story
felt like I walked in in the middle
VERY confusing and hard to follow
Wow! Great Book!
A story within a story within a story...

TREE BRIDE, THE
Bharati Mukherjee
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1401300588
Release Date: 2004-08-04

Book Description

ational Book Critics Circle Award-winner Bharati Mukherjee has long been known not only for her elegant, evocative prose but also for her characters- influenced by ancient customs and traditions but also very much rooted in modern times. In The Tree Bride, the narrator, Tara Chatterjee (whom readers will remember from Desirable Daughters), picks up the story of an East Bengali ancestor. According to legend, at the age of five Tara Lata married a tree and eventually emerged as a nationalist freedom fighter. In piecing together her ancestor's transformation from a docile Bengali Brahmin girl-child into an impassioned organizer of resistance against the British Raj, the contemporary narrator discovers and lays claim to unacknowledged elements in her 'American' identity. Although the story of the Tree Bride is central, the drama surrounding the narrator, a divorced woman trying to get back with her husband, moves the novel back and forth through time and across continents.

Customer Reviews:

A Memorable Story.......2007-03-17

This is an enchanting tale of a young Indian woman's search for her roots in old Bangladesh. The search itself is like following the roots of a tree, a fantastical tree that is the husband of her old aunt. Each bit of knowledge takes you deeper into the narrator's past, India's past, the ambivalence of modern Indians whose ancestors had to find identity under the British Raj. How much is fact or fiction in the telling of this history doesn't matter. The story, myth, mystique take us deep into the soul of India, as deep as we can go not having experienced it ourselves.

This book is second in a trilogy (first was "Desirable Daughters). I look forward to experiencing the third.

felt like I walked in in the middle.......2005-08-23

Reading here for the first time that this is part of a trilogy, I see that there may be a reason why I felt a little let down at the end of the Tree Bride (not understanding, still, why the main character's life was threatened by a bomber). It's sort of like reading "The Two Towers" without knowing about the Fellowship of the Ring or the Return of the King. That said, I enjoyed this book immensely (I bought it in an airport and read it instead of Stephen Sears' "The Landscape Turned Red" -- which is not to say anything against the always excellent Stephen Sears). It is true that The Tree Bride has a large ensemble cast and one must be patient to understand the threads connecting the fabric of the story (the theme of which seems to be the conflict between artificial partition and natural connection) but if you are you will be rewarded. I thought the characters were well developed and interesting and I particularly enjoyed the micro review of Indian independence and partition -- so much so that I would like to read more.

And now that I know this was part of a trilogy, I am looking forward to reading "Desirable Daughters" and the third book.

VERY confusing and hard to follow.......2005-04-20

The writing was prose in this novel but the plot was SO confusing. I really don't know what I read most the time. The only thing I got from the book was the main character's pregnancy in later years and how she dealt with it's changing herself. Other than that, the story was mish mash!

Wow! Great Book!.......2004-09-08

This book is a continuation of the story started by the author in the novel Desirable Daughters (also a great read). It is the fascinating examination by the main character of the history of her great-aunt, Tara-Ma, who died in police custody during the struggle for Indian independence. Tied into the storyline is the main character's own life and the late-life pregancy she is experiencing as she gets back together with her ex-husband. There is an element of suspense as she and her husband try to uncover the location of the man who tried to kill them in the previous book. This book is excellent and I highly recommend it to anyone who can read!

A story within a story within a story..........2004-09-08

This book is easily one of the best fiction books I have read. Ms. Mukherjee weaves at least 4 stories together, connecting the lives of Tara Lata Gangooly (the Tree Bride); her great-great niece, Tara Chatterjee; Tara's OB-GYN Dr. V. Khanna; the Dr.'s grandfather Vertie Treadwell; John Mist, founder of Mishtigunj; and Abbas Sattar Hai, leader of the Indian Mafia.
These stories tell of the magic of "coincidence", how each person we meet can have an impact on our lives. An impact that is not felt, sometimes, for generations. As I read the magical history of the Tree Bride, interrupted to retell the adventures (worthy of any Robert Louis Stevenson novel) of John Mist and how he came from a foundling home in London to have a town in East Bengal named for him, I felt like I was hanging on to the sails of an "Indiaman" ship--or running from a tiger through a jungle. But I kept on, hardly able to wait to see how this story connected to the others when I reached the port or crossroads, panting in the sweltering Indian heat.
This book effortlessly takes the reader from modern-day California, to 19th century London, to India during the war for independence, back to England--post WWII, to India from native and English points of view during the British Colonial Period.
I was truly lost in the storm, and, when the ending did come, beautifully, I wanted to go back and delve deeper into each of the stories.
Magical, and highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

Tree huggers of the world, unite!

Aani and the Tree Huggers
Jeannine Atkins
Manufacturer: Lee & Low Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1584300043

Book Description

Based on true events in northern India, this is the story of a little girl's bravery. One day, Aani hears the roaring of the tree cutters. Hoping to get the workers to put down their saws and hatchets, Aani and the village women explain that the trees provide food, fuel, and homes for animals, but to no avail. Finally, Aani wraps her body around one of the trees, with surprising results. Distinctive color illustrations, inspired by Indian miniature painting, accompany the moving story.

Customer Reviews:

Tree huggers of the world, unite!.......2000-03-27

This book is a plea for an ecological consciousness in regard to the forest. India has its share of tree rustlers, in spite of strict laws, and much irreparable damage is done by irresponsible felling. This story is well written for younger people with good illustrations. It is the story of a girl's fight to save the trees of her village from tree-cutters, and illustrates her and the village's feeling of reverence for the trees upon which they depended. It does represent one aspect of Indian culture (unfortunately, the tree cutters are another aspect) and can well be used as an introduction to village life; it is also interesting from the point of view of the exotic. My own love of the exotic has led me to many places around the world, and I feel that this sense of wonder about the world is a valuable characteristic and very much worth nourishing; this kind of book can encourage dreams.

Book Description

In the belief of the Gond tribe, the lives of humans and trees are closely entwined. Trees contain the cosmos; when night falls, the spirits they nurture glimmer into life.

A visual ode to trees rendered by tribal artists from India, this handcrafted edition showcases three of the finest living Gond masters. This collection of their distinctive styles is enchanting-an excellent gift for those fascinated by trees, art or folk traditions.

Customer Reviews:

An amazing book for art lovers..........2007-05-14

I first saw this book at a local bookstore, which quickly sold out before I could get a copy. This book is a unique collection of the silkscreen prints of three separate artists from the same cultural tradition in India. Every image depicts a tree and is accompanied by a short myth about the creation or transformation of that tree. The art style is tribal, using intricate patterns of dots and lines. If you are a fan of tribal art styles and mythology, you will treasure this book for a long time to come. I would hesitate to recommend the book as a children's book for children under a certain age to more conservative parents, given references to suicide and drug use, in particular marijuana and alcohol.
On the whole, however, I found this to be an amazing and incredibly beautiful book. I look at it and read it often. The computer images do not do justice to the rich color and texture of the images.

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