Dehradun, Sept. 25 -- The Books from My Shelves

I will let this piece flow naturally .

It all began with the much-awaited hour, an integral part of my childhood. In the huge, rambling matrilineal home in Shillong my mother's unmarried sister was the story teller. When she was little there was a professional story teller who would travel all the way from the border town close to Bangladesh She would spend a few nights relating stories from her impressive repertoire. She was simply known as Kong Majai, after the name of her home town.

My world of books began with Enid Blyton, when I was old enough to opt out and be on my own, reading. I went on to read Georgette Heyer, two Barbara Cartlands and a Mills and Boon. At this stage Daphne du M...