Customer Reviews

The Ninth Jewel of the Mughal Crown : The Birbal Tales from the Oral Traditions of India

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As an expectant mother, I am already thinking about how I will teach wisdom to my son. The Birbal Tales are not only chock full of wise and clever pearls, but are totally charming at the same time! I have ordered ten copies to give to other expectant couples and my friends who already have children! When will we see Birbal cartoons on TV or video???!!! Soon, I hope!

When I was younger, I had read some nice Amar Chitra books. Among them was the Birbal series. Now those books were really good, and I was looking to see if I could find them again. But I couldn't find that series anywhere, and I decided I would try out this book.

To be fair, this book is very well illustrated. And it gives a nice history into how Birbal and Akbar first meet (which I didn't know before). And the stories here are similar to what I remember reading as a kid. But after the first few stories, something seems to be lacking and it loses its appeal. There were so many other nice stories about Birbal that I was hoping to read. This book covers only a few of them.

Still, given that it's hard to find anything else, this book isn't so bad. But it is definitely way too expensive. For the price, I would rather have a lot more stories and less pictures.

I took a chance when I bought this book. I like hardcover books with beautiful illustrations and this definitely meets both criteria. I grew up with Birbal stories and they have a very fond place in my heart. He is the clever court council whom the evil ministers are trying to get rid of, but with his wit, he manages, not only to foil their attempts, but also impress Akbar the king with his clever mind. The stories are just like I remember them, but what makes this book priceless is the illustrations. I believe pictures help us transport ourselves into the time in which the stories are set and the stories remain with us through our lives. I am sure my son will love this book as much as I have.

My seven year old loved these tales about clever Birbal. A great way to introduce her to a different culture. Also good morals in the tales

This is one of those books that both parents and children will equally enjoy. My children are older now, but we still read together at night as a family "closing ceremony." An intelligent, funny book this like one just makes the experience so much more memorable. Our family reads a lot, but we've never read anything like The Birbal Tales. It is literally outstanding in its combination of history, world culture, cleverness, and surprise endings.