The Storyteller's Tale by Omair Ahmad
While Afghan warlord Ahmed Shah Abdali plunders 18th century Delhi, a wandering storyteller fleeing the carnage happens across an isolated casbah a day's ride from the city. When the beautiful and lonely lady of the manor invites him to stay and share a story, his grief at the destruction of his glorious city spills forth in a story of two brothers, Taka and Wara - wolf and boy - a tale of love and loyalty, hurt and distrust. The storyteller is amazed when the lady, or Begum, responds with a tale of her own, of Aresh and Barab, and a friendship that transcends death. Transfixed by their storytelling duel and shocked by the discovery of forbidden love, the pair draw out their stories in order to delay the moment of their parting. Part fable, part fantasy, The Storyteller's Tale captures the twilight of the Mughals and transports the reader to the stunning setting of an unforgettable brief encounter. Adapting ancient traditions of storytelling, skilfully weaving history and the lives of ordinary people in a landscape of war and devastation, Ahmad's finely drawn tale draws from the great folklore traditions of One Thousand and One Nights and the Tales of Genji.
Brilliantly conceived, exquisitely written, The Storyteller's Tale enthralls and amazes with its magical exploration of the art of creating fiction -- Manil Suri, author of the Age of Shiva and the Death of Vishnu
Omair Ahmad studied at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, and Syracuse University, New York. He has worked at the Central & South Asia Division of Voice of America, as Political Adviser at the British High Commission in New Delhi, and is the author of one previous novel, Encounters.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780143063131 |
| ISBN 10 | 0143063138 |
| Title | The Storyteller's Tale |
| Author | Omair Ahmad |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Penguin Books Ltd |
| Year published | 2010-01-07 |
| Number of pages | 132 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |