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City Classifieds – Book Search for Shakespeare

by The Delhi Walla - 11

The Delhi walla‘s pretension in writing makes me want to lodge a bullet in his balls – Blogger Nimpipi, the woodchuck chucks
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I Me Myself

The Delhi Walla needs a special copy.

[Text by Mayank Austen Soofi; picture by Marina Bang]

I’m looking for The Complete Works of Shakespeare. Not just any copy.

I spend most of the day and night walking around in the city, armed with a camera, a notepad and, usually, a book. Unfortunately, when it comes to Will, I could either carry him or handle my camera, not both.

To get rid of this Catch 22 situation, I seek a small paperback edition of the Complete Works. It should ideally be tiny enough to fit into my jeans pocket, light enough for the shoulder bag not to be weighed down by it. The pages must be thin, the font size reasonable.

The Shakespeare editions I have (mostly picked from Daryaganj’s Sunday Book Bazaar) are almost all beautiful but they are either too old or too rare or too delicate or too huge or too pricey to be carried around Delhi’s dusty haze with a certain detachment. While commuting in autos and bluelines, I get worried for Will’s well being as he toss and turn in the shoulder bag.

What I need is not very different from the copies of leather-covered, black-coloured King James Bible I have often spotted in Paharganj’s second hand bookstores. I have also seen those in the hands of Malayali Christians at the Cathedral Church of Redemption in North Avenue. These Bibles might not be designed aesthetically but they are user-friendly: paperback, small size, big fonts, onionskin paper – the entire volume giving a really light feel.

I want such a Shakespeare. So the next time when I’m walking in Mahipalpur or Rohini, and feel an urge for Macbeth or King Lear, I don’t need to look for a place to sit down, unzip my shoulder bag, take out a heavy heartbreakingly beautiful Shakespeare, and sink so deep into the demanding ritual of balancing it, opening it, swooning over it that I ignore the amazing street scenes and miss out on a really good Kodak moment.

The ideal Shakespeare must be ready to suffer abuses and yet remain serviceable. It’s like I’m reading As You Like It in Matia Mahal, suddenly there is a cow coming in a saree, I immediately drop the book, click this amazing sight, and then go back into the book.

If, dear reader, you have such a Shakespeare and don’t mind parting with it or if you have spotted such a Shakespeare at somebody’s place or at some bookstore in Delhi, please let me know at mayankaustensoofi@gmail.com.

If you are a Delhiite looking for a book you can’t trace anywhere, please write to The Delhi Walla explaining just why you want that book and he will put it up on this blogsite.

Related posts:

  1. City Life – Shakespeare in Pandemic-Era Delhi, Hauz Khas Enclave
  2. Delhi Events + Delhi Classifieds
  3. Photo Essay – Shakespeare’s World, Around Delhi
  4. City Walk – Playing Footsie at Sunday Book Bazaar, Daryaganj
  5. City Sighting – Arundhati Roy, The Book Shop
The Delhi Walla

11 thoughts on “City Classifieds – Book Search for Shakespeare”

  2. Hhhmm..i thought these kinda postings were materials for your ‘other’ blog. the more intimate one. the ‘ruined’ one. which, not that very recently, has been locked up, and the key thrown away. at many times, your that blog was more interesting, Austen.

  3. This book’s originally in Russian and I’ve seen the hindi translation,but obviously I am not the lucky owner.It’s called “Jahan Chah,Wahan raah” and “Papa jab Bacche The”…um in Hindi and won’t mind either the same or english translation.
    Don’t remember the author but he was Russian as well.
    Please spread the word.

  5. Hey Mayank,

    I am a fan of your blog and dont miss a single post. Great job.

    By the way, can you correct the spelling of ‘Hindu’ in the adjoining picture caption of the God.

    – Arunabh

  7. Well, I saw hardbound Complete Works of Jane Austen, and Alice in Wonderland (with original illustrations) once at the Wordsworth Bookstore in Janakpuri District Center (near Janakpuri West Metro Station). You could call: 25527792/ 25527793 to enquire. Or better still, visit.

    If you do decide to come, you could email me at DragonflyThirty@gmail.com. I will treat you to coffee!

    – Female Fan

  8. Yes, I think a Shakespeare styled along the Bible (with all the wonderful qualities) would be a fantastic edition.

    But it seems that the spiritual God has much more money going for it that the literary god.

    Kindle books are cheaper, but the initial outlay is expensive. Piaw’s blog, a book lover among many other things, gives a detailed review of Kindle, which he bought with many reservations

    http://piaw.blogspot.com/2008/03/review-kindle.html

    followed by a long-term review after he had it for 6 months.

    http://piaw.blogspot.com/2008_10_01_archive.html

    A totally honest and knowledgeable user’s review and I hope any planning to buy Kindle will find it as useful as I have.

    Still love my paper books although maybe they are not very good for the planet.

  9. sorry..can’t help you with the Shakespeare….but would like to say that you have an absolutely amazing blog…and equally amazing photographs….as somebody from Delhi, and now studying in far far land, your blog just made my day! Thank you! and keep posting!

  10. i got it. i found a harvard classic edition of marlowe and shakespeare for just rs 50 in chennai.
    hope u get lucky too.

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