Books published by publisher Hollywood Books International

Widely known for his humanistic outlook and social realism, Khwaja Ahmad Abbas invariably drew inspiration from real-life situations and characters. In An Evening in Paris And Other Stories, the storyteller charms the reader with aspirational tales of ordinary men and women, guided forward by a lifelong dream. With dabs of magic realism and tales of wishful travel to faraway lands coursing through the stories, this is a fascinating collection. Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, born in Panipat, Haryana, wrote stories and novels in Urdu, Hindi and English, which have been translated into several Indian and foreign languages. As a screenwriter, his most famous films have been Naya Sansaar, Saat Hindustani, Jagte Raho, the Palme d’Or winner Neecha Nagar, and well-known Raj Kapoor movies like Awara, Shree 420, Mera Naam Joker and Bobby.His column ‘Last Page’, holds the distinction of being one of the longest-running columns in the history of Indian journalism. Begun in 1935, in Bombay Chronicle, it was published by the Blitz after the Chronicle’s closure, until his death in 1987. In 1969, Abbas was awarded the Padma Shri by Government of India.Talking PointsIncludes some of the finest short stories by the author, journalist and film directorEach story provides a glimpse into the humanistic outlook of the writerEncompasses a variety of socially relevant themes that were close to the writer’s heartIncludes a milestone interview with Abbas about his views on cinema and filmmaking Worldwide readership/marketStudents of Literature, schools and colleges, libraries, journalism schools, story/screenplay writers, vintage book collectors and general trade

Charles Dickens’ inimitable classic, A Tale of Two Cities, is aheartbreaking tale set in London and Paris during the time of theFrench Revolution. It tells with great emotion, the plight of thepeasants and the grave injustices heaped upon them by the Frencharistocracy. And in the midst of it all are caught up the lives ofthe main protagonists, Charles Darnay, Sydney Carton and LucieManette – the woman they both love.An extraordinary saga of love, betrayal, loyalty and human struggle,this is a tale that must be read for its absolute perfection.

Sidelined by her vain father, Sir Walter Elliot, and her self-indulgent elder sister, Elizabeth, Anne Elliot has always been swayed by others in her life decisions.Tough times force the Elliots to shift from their beloved home, Kellynch Hall, to Bath and Anne uses this opportunity to visit her sister, Mary Musgrove.But this trip brings with it a fated meeting with the man she had once loved and rejected—Captain Frederick Wentworth. Confronted with each other again as they move in the same social circle, will Captain Wentworth get over the past? Will Anne step out of her shell and the boundaries set by her family’s false sense of pride to come to terms with her true feelings for the Captain?In Persuasion, Jane Austen uses a host of characters to string together a tale of love, while remarking on the societal facades and eccentricities of the English in the early 19th-century.

What was it like to travel on tour with a circus in the late seventies? Detour On An Elephant is the memoir of a ballet dancer, Barbara File Marangon, who traded her pointe shoes to ride an elephant with the Greatest Show On Earth for a year. Taking a detour from the world of ballet to the circus, she recounts her experiences performing in hundreds of shows, in twenty-four cities coast to coast, with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Blue Unit Show in 1978. Named Ringling's China Doll by a New York newspaper, she compares dancing at the Metropolitan Opera House to dancing at Madison Square Garden. Among her adventures she describes how Kevin, the lion that rode a motorcycle with his trainer, tried to break into the shower room while she showered. A stampeding elephant in Chicago is another memory. Then there is her love story on tour with a bareback rider. But most of all she remembers her love for Peggy, the elephant she rode all over the U.S.

When Arya Fell Through the Fault is the magical, coming-of-age tale of Arya, a twelve-year-old boy from San Francisco, who is ridiculed by bullies. Anything to do with his ethnicity—food, traditions or the fascinating mythological stories he has been raised with—has become the building block of unpleasant school experiences. In the wake of an accident that confines his once vibrant mother to a hospital ward—kept alive by tubes and machines— Arya clings to the only remnant of their bond: an old, battered copy of the Ramayana, India’s ancient epic story of Rama’s battle against demons. One night, Arya falls through a fault in the earth into the Wild Woods, where Ravana—the demon king—strategises to destroy his Ramayana—the last copy left—and threatens to rewrite history from his evil perspective. Will Arya be able to save the story of Rama, heal his motherand return home to tackle the demons in his ordinary world? “A swashbuckling adventure in the land of the Ramayana where Arya must escape the clutches of his inner Ravana. Absolutely enchanting, kids and grown-ups alike will love this fascinating new take on the battle of Good versus Evil.”—Kirron Kher, National Award-winning Actress