"[A] remarkably crafted and imaginative debut collection of stories that span space and time" New York Times An interview with the last speaker of a language. A chronicle of the final seven days of a town that is about to be razed to the ground by an invading army. The lonely voyage of an elephant from Kerala to a princess's palace in Morocco. A fabled cook who flavours his food with precious stones. A coterie of international diplomats trapped in near-Earth orbit. These, and the other stories in this collection, reveal an extraordinary young storyteller, whose tales emerge from a tradition that includes the creators of the Arabian Nights, Italo Calvino, Jorge Luis Borges, Angela Carter and other ancient and modern masters of the fable. PRAISE FOR KANISHK THAROOR "It's a testament to the author's empathy, rich voice, and immaculate craftsmanship that the book succeeds in being all these things - even as it comforts, illuminates, and unnerves." NPR "Tharoor's collection is imaginative and relevant." Publisher's Weekly "...the short stories collected in Swimmer Among the Stars are so brilliantly bold and enchanting" The National "Tharoor's greatest strength is the elegant brevity of his writing" Indian Express