Revisiting wars and the life of a young boy forced into adulthood (IANS Books This Weekend)

Revisit the two World Wars and take a look at the life of young boy who is forced into adulthood due to his mother's profession - the theatre. Also, catch up with some more yoga to stay fit. There's an assorted fare of books IANS has for you this weekend. Read on!

1. Book: Kidnap in Crete: The True Story of the Abduction of a Nazi General; Author: Rick Stroud; Publisher: Bloomsbury; Pages: 288; Price: Rs.350

On March 1 1944, a German Junkers JU-52 flew over the Mediterranean towards Crete. Among those on board, was 48-year-old Generalmajor Heinrich Kreipe who was to take charge from General Friedrich Wilhelm Muller - known as "the butcher of Crete".

Fate had something else in store.

Enter British officer Patrick Leigh Fermor and his fearless team, their audacious kidnap of the general, their escape from the island and their return to Britain.

Unlike the majority of the stories from Hitler's regime which speak only of Nazi atrocities, this book is a heroic tale audacity and escape from a tightly guarded island.

2. Book: The Valley: A Hundred Years in the Life of a Yorkshire Family; Author: Richard Benson; Publisher: Bloomsbury; Pages: 517; Price: Rs.399

Bertrand Russell is often quoted for his words on conflict: "War does not determine who is right - only who is left." This story tackles the family relations after a miner returns home from war, damaged in body and mind. The book follows four generations of a family as they try to recuperate after the First World War.

Set against the backdrop of war, mining disasters, rock and roll party politics and miners' strikes, the book chronicles the family's journey through ups and downs, hurt and loss, personal victories and disastrous love affairs. This is a personal account of working-class life over a century of profound social upheaval.

3. Book: The Firebird; Author: Saikat Majumdar; Publisher: Hachette; Pages: 233; Price: Rs.499

The book revolves around the life of 10-year-old Ori, and his mother's life as a theatre actress, the fascination he has for the profession and the fear he feels from it. Ori is haunted by his mother's nightly stage appearances while he approaches adolescence in an unstable home.

Political bullies, stage shows, set boys, actors and actresses make the world of this book, which is an exploration of a young boy pushed into adulthood far ahead of his years.

4. Book: Body Goddess; Author: Payal Gidwani Tiwari; Publisher: Random House; Pages: 255; Price: Rs.250

Although the the International Day of Yoga has passed, it is not the end of yoga as Bollywood's most celebrated yoga expert, Payal Gidwani Tiwari, brings this book that promises a healthier lifestyle. Through puberty, pregnancy, obesity, menopause and stress, women have a lot of changes to deal with. Designed for all age-groups, this book comes enriched with easy-to-follow exercises and invaluable tips.