Puffin Lives: Gautama Buddha


Book Description

Gautama's ideas went against the established beliefs of centuries. His teachings did not rely on the idea of a Supreme God or gods who could rescue humanity from its sorrows; instead he believed that nirvana lay within each person; and could be achieved by following the right path. Even though he was one of the most influential men who ever walked the earth; very little is known about the life of Siddhartha Gautama; the man we call the Buddha. His teachings were followed for 1;500 years in India; and became the guiding principles of life for both rich and poor; high born and lower caste. Today; the religion he founded is followed all over the world.Here is the fascinating story of his life-from his youth as a privileged prince to his renunciation and attainment of nirvana; how his teachings changed all those who came in contact with him; and the story of the tumultuous lives of people and kingdoms in ancient India.




Puffin Lives: the 14th Dalai Lama


Book Description

A biography of the current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, discussing the history of Tibet and the role of the Buddhist leader in this country's spiritual and political life.




Gautama Buddha (Junior Lives)


Book Description

Meet the heroes who changed the world! Young Siddhartha renounced all worldly things in search of the ultimate truth. This is the powerful story of his self-discovery and his path to enlightenment as he went on to become one of the world's greatest religious leaders-Gautama Buddha. Fourth in a series of illustrated books created for young readers to get to know our world heroes better, this engaging biography, peppered with little-known facts, takes the reader through the remarkable life of Gautama Buddha, who taught the world to look for peace and wisdom and to find happiness within themselves.




Sunita Williams: A Star in Space


Book Description

An Adventure of Intergalactic Proportions! Sunita Williams’s story is one of having to settle for second choices. She grew up wishing to be a professional swimmer. Then she wanted to train as a vet. Instead she went on to join the Naval Academy and serve as a pilot. Before long, however, space was calling. A new dream was born in Sunita. But it wasn’t all cakewalk. The path to becoming an astronaut called for resilience, patience and grit. Sunita had all this and more. As record holder for the longest spaceflight by a woman (195 days), Sunita’s story inspires one to look anew at the world of space missions. And even more than inspiration, she makes life as an astronaut seem thrilling and fun. Anecdotal, informative and pacy, this unputdownable biography, of one of the most famous astronauts of contemporary times, is packed with exciting facts and unusual trivia.




Guru Nanak


Book Description

There is only one God and all are equal before him.' The founding father of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev was born in a little village near Lahore in Pakistan in the year 1469. In an age of religious orthodoxy, hate and disharmony, Guru Nanak came to preach and convert, to blaze a new trail. Sreelata Menon traces the life and times of this spiritual master. She brings to life stories of the birth, childhood and the search for enlightenment of a little boy who, unhappy with the social conditions existing around him, sought to make a difference as he grew up. With Mardana, his best friend and companion, Guru Nanak spent twenty years and more travelling the world to spread his message of love, truth, compassion and One God. Come rain or shine, braving all odds, winning over all kinds of people and performing miracles through the power of prayer, he spread the word of God. This is the story of an extraordinary man, who was the very embodiment of the love and compassion that he preached




Swami Vivekananda


Book Description

Religion is not in books, not in forms, not in sects, not in nation; religion is in the human heart...It is love alone that can conquer hatred...'- Swami Vivekananda A genius, a visionary, a writer, a dreamer, a teacher and an inspiration for generations of Indians--this was Swami Vivekananda. Born into a family of lawyers, Narendranath Dutta was an exceptionally intelligent child, a natural leader among his playmates, who impressed his teachers with his scholarship. The spirituality of his mentor Shri Ramakrishna and his own study of philosophy and logic influenced Narendranath to join the monastic order. Vivekananda was the spokesperson for India at the Parliament of Religions in Chicago where the magic of his words held his audience in thrall. He also instilled among the Indian youth self-confidence and the hope of regeneration. Devika Rangachari's account of the life and times of Swami Vivekananda is both inspiring and absorbing. It is the remarkable story of a spiritual leader who worked against overwhelming odds to realize his vision of a free India.




The Puffin Factfinder


Book Description

Who was the first man to play golf on the moon? What was the name of the poet known as ‘The Parrot of India’? Where would you weigh less—Equator or the North Pole? Asia’s best-known quizmaster Derek O’Brien brings this ultimate reference book for students and inquisitive minds. Exhaustive and comprehensive, The Puffin Factfinder gives relevant information on everything you wanted to know. This handy book provides reliable and interesting information on a varied range of subjects, including history, geography, politics, science, literature, music, mathematics and more. Here’s your chance to get a lowdown on anything from historical anecdotes to global warming, the solar system to social networking. Comprising facts, figures, statistics and intriguing trivia, this indispensible reference book is ideal for schools, libraries and any quiz or trivia junkie.




Rabindranath Tagore


Book Description

‘The song that I came to sing remains unsung to this day. I have spent my days in stringing and in unstringing my instrument.’ Gitanjali Born in 1861 in one of the foremost families of Bengal, Little Rabi grew up to become a great nationalist, a gifted writer, a talented artist, a brilliant visionary and a reformer of education. He was also Asia’s first Nobel Laureate. His contribution to India’s freedom movement is forever immortalized in Jana Gana Mana, a song he wrote to inspire the nation. This wonderfully insightful biography, rich in anecdotesand little-known facts, brings alive this legendary figure to contemporary readers. Monideepa Sahu vividly recounts Rabindranth’s experiences at school that helped to formulate his vision of Shantiniketan. She also traces the evolution of his poetry from schoolboy rhymes in dog-eared notebooks to universally loved poetry, prose, novels and short stories. Explore the life and times of this remarkable personality in this compelling biography.




B R Ambedkar


Book Description

The story of the father of the Indian Constitution Born in April 1891into a poor Mahar family, Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was a victim of caste discrimination for most of his early life. And while India struggled against the oppressions of British Raj, Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, popularly known as Babasaheb, continued his struggle against the oppressions of the Indian caste system, the social discriminations against Dalits in India. He struggled so the underprivileged sections of Indian society could enjoy equal political rights and be treated with equal respect. An Indian jurist, politician, philosopher, anthropologist, historian and economist, Babasaheb was one of the earliest Dalit’s to earn a college degree. He grew to be the principal architect of Indian constitution. He published journals, periodicals, and launched active movements for social and political freedom for India’s Dalit community. Ambedkar, in the later years of his life, turned to Buddhism, preached it and finally made a formal conversion. This book explores the life and times of the independent India's first law minister who fought against the discriminations inflicted by his own countrymen, who lived his life acting only in the interest of people. Payal Kapadia is the author of the very popular Wisha Wozzawriter published by Puffin in 2012. She lives in Bombay




The Puffin History of the World


Book Description

How did the world become what it is today? How and when were the countries formed? Where did people come from? How did art, technology, science, language and literature begin? In The Puffin History of the World- Volume 1, Roshen Dalal traces the origin of human beings and the different aspects of their development and growth, right from the big bang and the origin of the universe, up to CE 1500. Well-researched and comprehensive, this book speaks of great civilizations and empires, epics, myths and legends, religions old and new, wars and conquests, clothes, food and lifestyle, trade, travel and adventure and much more. It packs in exciting trivia, numerous maps and illustrations that provide a breathtaking overview of global history. Ideal for students and young readers, this amazing reference guide helps to bring the past to life like never before.