Indian Readers discussion

I want to read soon Panchatantra and I have seen on amazon an Italian edition which is very very cheap.
The problem is that this edition has only 143 pages and has 70 tales. I have compared it to other English editions and they have all 200 or more pages.

My question is: which is the best and most complete edition of Panchatantra? It doesn't matter if it is in English because in Italian I could find only the edition mentioned before.

Thanks!

No idea,Dely.
I had a children's Malayalam edition with illustrations at home which was pretty big.

Panchatantra: The Complete Version by Vishnu Sharma

and

Tales from the Panchatantra by Anant Pai

are the most reliable ones, I've read both. The latter person was (he passed away recently) a well-known children's comic-books editor besides being much more. The first one has been a common name for many households when it comes to these tales. Pick any of these, I trust both.

Although the second book is for children, rather than adults, and has only 20 stories, so I guess the first one will be closer to your needs.

Lit Bug wrote: "Panchatantra: The Complete Version by Vishnu Sharma

and

Tales from the Panchatantra by Anant Pai

are the most reliable ones, I've read both. The latter person was (he passed away recently) a wel..."


Thanks to both!
I have found the first one on amazon, ebook edition. Couldn't find the second one but it's not a big problem.

Great! Let us know how you find it...

Point us to some good Italian fairytales/ kid's tales, dely - we'd love to read some.

Lit Bug wrote: "Point us to some good Italian fairytales/ kid's tales, dely - we'd love to read some."

I don't know them :/

I have heard good things about Italian Folktales by Italo Calvino but I have never read it.

This too has good reviews: http://www.amazon.it/The-Panchatantra...



Perhaps I will first read the Italian translation (it is soooo cheap!) and then I will buy the one by Vishnu Sharma.

Aha! I look forward to reading what Calvino does with folktales - I read his If on a Winter's Night a Traveler in English and couldn't make head or tail out of it, each of the ten chapters has a different story, and I wonder if you've read him... I'm rather afraid of reading him if he's written the folktales in a similar postmodern bizzare way. Thanks!

dely wrote: "This too has good reviews: http://www.amazon.it/The-Panchatantra...



Perhaps I will first read the Italian translation (it is soooo cheap!) and then I will..."

I only hope you have a good translation, whether English or Italian - I once had to read one with a bad translation, it was so clumsy, the stories bored me to death until I picked up a better-written one.

dely, the editions from 'amar chitra katha' publications are pretty good. have read those years ago.

Amar Chitra Katha publications was headed by Anant Pai, so well, they'll be similar, and hence to be trusted, but I think, like all of Uncle Pai's works, they'll be directed at the kid audience, not the adults.

Lit Bug wrote: "Aha! I look forward to reading what Calvino does with folktales - I read his If on a Winter's Night a Traveler in English and couldn't make head or tail out of it, each of the ten chapters has a di..."

No, I don't think he has written the tales; he has looked for them, elaborated and put them all together in a single edition. But I'm not sure!
I have never read Italo Calvino except The Baron in the Trees more than 20 years ago and I remember only that I didn't like it. But I had to read it in highschool and perhaps we were too young to appreciate such books.

Thanks Poornima, will keep it on mind!

Lit Bug wrote: "Aha! I look forward to reading what Calvino does with folktales - I read his If on a Winter's Night a Traveler in English and couldn't make head or tail out of it, each of the ten chapters has a di..."

I was so curious that today I've bought If on a Winter's Night a Traveler. I will start it surely today so if you will have questions when I will be finished, you're welcome! Perhaps I could start a cozy-read discussion; will see!

Let's do so! I want to read it again, I don't know if it will make sense to me now - and I suggest you to read a bit about it on the web, I'm afraid you'll dump it midway because it is too difficult. Its a complete chaos.

Lit Bug wrote: "Let's do so! I want to read it again, I don't know if it will make sense to me now - and I suggest you to read a bit about it on the web, I'm afraid you'll dump it midway because it is too difficul..."

I prefer to start it without knowing anything. If I will leave it midway it means that Calvino isn't able to catch the reader :D

That might be the case because it is a novel about writing novels - but in a fictional form. It is postmodern, and not a conventional narrative. LOL I'm already afraid you'll drop it soon!

Lit Bug wrote: "LOL I'm already afraid you'll drop it soon!"

This could be possible, I don't like a lot Italian authors though there are some I like.

Ok, we'll see... As a note to let you enjoy more, just keep an eye on the title of every chapter ;)

Lit Bug wrote: "Ok, we'll see... As a note to let you enjoy more, just keep an eye on the title of every chapter ;)"

Ok, thanks!