Once upon a time by the sea, there was a story - and another and another - and some wandered into these pages to make up a city. So meet, among others, a travel guide who falls for a French tourist, a rice merchant with Kollywood dreams, a god whose editor proves elusive, a portly musical lawyer caught in a noir plot, and a man in search of family in the Great Madras Flood.Find yourself, among other places, in Town, at that gastronomic oxymoron, the Udipi cafe, in Velachery, looking for pot or maybe for love, on Kaanum Pongal day all across Madras, even in a fast car on East Coast Road, fleeing the city - till it lures you back with its lovely lies.It's all here: the salt in the breeze, the eternal summer, the swing of the sea. It's Madras on your mind.

If the title of the book kindled your curiosity, you will understand very soon about its contents. That first step is the most important action that you would have to decide on, as you stand at the crossroad of life. Life is all about risks. If you shy away from the opportunities that knock at your door, you are bound to miss the bus. The next bus may come too late or never at all. One has to look for the change, and this book explores the way in which the change in fortunes was inextricably intertwined with the very first steps. Are you ready to step?

"This scientific-historical biography explores the influences that shaped the spirituality of Amy Carmichael of Dohnavur. J. (Hans) Kommers investigates the historical background of Amy's childhood in Millisle and Belfast and provides new and more scholarly information than existing biographies. He researched a variety of Keswick-related literature in order to provide a fuller picture of Amy's connection with the Keswick Convention and their teaching. The descriptions of the life of the millworkers in Belfast, the happenings on the worldwide stage and Victorian missionary work and methods round out the picture to give the reader a greater understanding of Amy Carmichael. These new facts are most enlightening." --Dr Jackuelin Woolcock MB BChir MRCP (Lond), Director Dohnavur Fellowship Corporation, Shoreham by Sea, UK, and Doctor in Dohnavur India 1969-1987 "Triumphant Love: The Contextual, Creative and Strategic Missionary Work of Amy Beatrice Carmichael in South India provides the msot extensive biography thus far of Amy Carmichael (1867-1951), a major figure on the missionary landscape of the late 19th and the first half of the 20th century. She is seen by some as the Protestant mother Teresa (both women worked in India and devoted all of their time and energy to the poor). The book is very well researched. The author states that the purpose of the extensive research he undertook 'was to get a closer and clearer picture of Amy Carmichael as the founder off the Dohnavur Fellowship.' Also, he wanted 'to give a balanced account of her dealings with people and especially her life with God.' He does this. It provides the most comprehensive picture of this remarkable woman. It is the definitive source of reference. J. (Hans) Kommers's view of the life of Amy Carmichael is that of a fellow evangelical. He explains that not only Amy, but many missionaries of her time were inspired by the ideal that all people should have the opportunity to hear of Christ's salvation. According to him, her inspirational work is still relevant today." --Prof. Dr Gijsbert van den Brink, URC Professor for Theology and Science, Faculty of Theology, Free University Amsterdam, the Netherlands