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Photo: Sandeep Saxena

Take your pick The annual Delhi World Book Fair returns to the city from this Saturday

To give a glimpse of what is on offer from some of the Delhi-based publishing houses, there is Katha which will launch its new trailblazer series titled Today’s Fiction during the event. Known for its translated works, Katha’s series comprises stories spanning the length and breadth of India, from Kerala to West Bengal to Orissa.

“The idea is to showcase some of the good authors from different regions. Their stories deserve special attention as they have the potential to attract a dynamic and young readership,” says Katha Editor Moyna Majumdar. The children’s book collection will have Chitrakala winning entries like “Kaleh and the Sing Song Castle”, “The Famous Smile” to fantasy stories such as “Pokiri Parrot and the Needle-nosed Ojha”. Katha will be launching Yuv Katha in Hindi – “Bhiku Ki Diary”, “Curfew” and “Pandreh”. For people who want to learn Hindi, there are Easy Readers.

The publishing house would also be showcasing its bestsellers such as Krishna Sobti series and noted Assamese author Indira Goswami’s “The Man From Chinnamasta”.

Also, for the first time, Katha will be displaying spin-offs based on its picture books — baby products like quilts, pillows, soft toys and games, etc. These have been produced by trained self help groups from its outreach project in the city’s Govindpuri area to make a living.

City-based Tulika Publishers will be launching four new titles: two new paperbacks in the Aditi series, a picture book “Birdywood” in nine languages, and “Dots and Lines”, an art resource book in the Tulika Teacher Resource series. “Picture Gandhi” and “My Gandhi Scrapbook” by Sandhya Rao will be part of the exhibition too. They would be displaying In Words and Deeds, an International Rights Exhibition on Books by and on Mahatma Gandhi. But they are avoiding book launches.

“We can’t afford to do book launches or author interactions at the Fair as it means more costs for us,” says Radhika Menon of Tulika.

Zubaan is also organising signings by some of its authors like Priya Sarukkai Chabria and Baby Halder. There will be a special release of Chabria’s latest novel “Generation 14” and Anjum Hasan’s “Lunatic in My Head”. Apart from this, they will be showcasing academic titles such as “Women and Mental Illness” by Renu Adlakha, another one on women in the Shiv Sena by Atreyee Sen, a title on feminism in development edited by Andrea Cornwall, and one on the matrilineal culture in the North East by Tiplut Nongburi.

Following the trend of displaying bestsellers, Harper Collins is focussing on its recent bestsellers like “Almost Single” by Advaita Kala, “Above Average” by Amitabha Bagchi, “Buddha” by Deepak Chopra, “India 60”, edited by Ira Pande, “Political and Incorrect” by Tavleen Singh, “Darlingji” by Kishwar Desai, besides super brands like Agatha Christie, Sydney Sheldon, Isaac Asimov.

Harper is also offering Valentine’s Day specials. “We will have a range of titles on the subject of relationships and romance, including non-fiction ones like “Why Mars and Venus Collide”, John Gray’s take on relationships in the 21st Century (after his super successful “Men Are from Mars…”), to fiction like “The Japanese Wife”, Kunal Basu’s latest, a collection of 12 short stories about the unexpected (the lead story is being made into a movie by Aparna Sen with Rahul Bose in the lead).”

For those who want a bit of history, walk up to the Niyogi Books’ stall. It is planning to showcase books like “Alipore Bomb Case” by Noorul Hoda, “Mutiny Memoir”, edited by Mushirul Hasan and “The Invisible City: Hidden Monuments of Delhi” by Rakshanda Jalil.

Full Circle, which would be celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, will be releasing two new Osho books. In Hindi, it is launching “Pran” by Bunny Rueben. A book on Paramhansa Yogananada, “Jaisa Maine Unko Jaana”, in Hindi again, will also be on display.Russia, being the guest of honour at the Fair this year, will fly in a handful of well-known literary figures. According to the NBT, some of the names in the list include science fiction writer Sergey Vasilievich Lukyanenko, philologist Alexey Nikolaevich Varlamov and Eduard Nikolaevich Uspensky, one of the most popular children’s writers of Russia.

Besides, the Russian pavilion will see activities like express quizzes on Russian history, literature and geography, a children’s drawing contest “Discover Russia” and a Russian literature lovers’ competition.

The Fair ends on February 10.

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