AKBAR AND BIRBAL: TALES OF HUMOUR

by Monisha Mukundan

Stories about Mughal Emperor Akbar and his witty and intelligent prime minister, Birbal, have delighted readers since time immemorial. In this lively collection, learn how an ordinary young man, Mahesh Das, became the beloved Raja Birbal we all know today, and how he uses his famous wit, time and again, to build a ‘celestial palace’ for Emperor Akbar, order a census of crows, trap a thief using a magic bamboo, and much more.
Replete with wisdom and wit, and brought to life by Tapas Guha’s beautiful illustrations, this clever collection of stories also offers valuable life lessons hidden beneath its humour.

Genres: Fiction, Humor, Classics

102 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2015

Reviews

[Srikar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading Akbar-Birbal stories after a decade is refreshing and delightful. Not many new stories to relish if you are an Indian. Nevertheless, a great trip down the memory lane!

[Manjri Gopalan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is always fun to read the tales of Akbar and Birbal. The witty mind and answers of Birbal does not only bring smile to your face but also makes you think of the situations.

[Pranjal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masterpiece.

[Dinesh Kudtarkar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Completed it within. Hour. Had heard this stories in childhood. Good to revisit again. Recommended book for all age group.

[Yarsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A better book couldnt have been written. This review is a defining era. 😩

[Arti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Akbar-Birbal stories are always fun to read and bring a smile... I read the book with my nephew and although most of the stories in the collection are common and well known, we still enjoyed them once again...

Birbal’s witty remarks and his approach to challenges are as relevant today as they were when they were originally written... the stories are not just amusing and entertaining, but show how situations can be turned around simply by looking at the picture differently... it brings out the importance of staying calm and unfazed when faced with challenges and using your presence of mind to find a way out...

A quick read - takes just an hour or two... some of the stories are very short and the narrative is a bit business like - capturing the key points and not spending enough time in the scene setup... while I got the feel by knowing the question and final answer, I missed the story teller charm... I remember reading (as a kid) most of the stories as part of the Amar Chitra Katha series and I think the graphic comic style and the details in the buildup leave a richer (and visual) memory... or for that matter nothing can beat (for me) the story telling experience of hearing the stories from my father...

[Vinay Leo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review @ A Bookworm's Musing: http://wp.me/p2J8yh-38Q

The book has some of the more famous stories of wit that I've read in my childhood. The author has narrated it in her own style, which is good. These tales have been retold so many times, that's part of the magic. It’s a book I’ll return to when I want to remember my childhood, and for that reason, I feel this book is a gem.

[Rekha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stands the test of time (centuries, at this point!). Good lessons even for very young kids and their parents, too. The stories are short but the ensuing conversations you’ll likely have with your kids make it good for bedtime stories. One interesting thing is that at first my son thoughtt Birbal was the “bad” guy because of his witty answers which my four year old perceived as being a smart Alec at times. But I explained that Birbal is a teacher who teaches Akbar with words.

[Saifuddin Merchant · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've seen/read to many stories of Akbar / Birbal / Tenalirama to find a novel story in the collection. The stories were the regular popular stories associated with these characters.
There were some places where the illustrations were too early in the story and gave the story plot away, so the book could do with better organization!

[sreelalitha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome , keep posting book s like this

Awesome , keep posting book s like this
Awesome , keep posting book s like this
Awesome , keep posting book s like this
Awesome , keep posting book s like this

[Vaishnavi Varma · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read

As a kid, I was very fond of the Akbar Birbal tales, and reading this book again took me to nostalgia. Really enjoyed reading the stories. However, a request to the writer. Could you please do an editorial review? There are many spelling mistakes. Thank you!

[Nutan Pagadala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book

It's a very humorous and interesting book..
I enjoyed the reading experience
But it's a little tiny bit boring ..
Almost all the stories are almost well known

[Melville Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classical Indian Folk Tales

This is quite good. However, I was expecting more stories, an unreasonable expectation, I guess. I am familiar with all the stories in the book.

[Priyank Jammar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

It is the best book on Birbal.I'm very proud on having Kindle app that give me so many books.It's a very

[Roshan Jha · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too many typing mistakes

There were too many typos in the book. The stories were rather short too. Needs to improve a lot on story telling. The are better books available.

[Shaunak Rane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

[Abinash Patri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written .. Enjoyed a lot. 👌

[Vismay Sriram]

very good

[Harry Duff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the census of crows. I laughed a lot and it was like reuniting with an old friend. So glad to be reacquainted with this witty delight!

[Anand Virat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well made

[Sameer Khan Brohi · Rating 3 out of 5]

The notorious Birbal of Delhi, Lahore and Agra, Nah! But the whole subcontinent. His witty dialogues and intelligence had won over the heart of the mogul king Akbar along with the every people till today. Birbal’s tales were heard in childhood and this book is actually the summed up version of all tales. So this won’t make your head turn in the excitement of the stories but also rewind the nostalgia and the book has a lot of twists and turns too. I spent a good time reading this book.

[Aarti Bharadwaj · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome work

I like all the stories of Akbar and birbal. That's why I am fond of this book. Thanks a lot.

[Prasad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Throwback