"Had the act continued, the weight of the elephant would have pressed Reba’s body down onto the knife loosely stitched into the mattress\nplaced below her and killed her …As little Reba explored the wilderness with the rising sun lighting up her face, she knew she would chart her own path of endless adventures and daring feats someday. A few years later, the rapidly evolving society of early twentieth-century Calcutta, her adopted home, provided just theright launch pad for her dreams. She found a guru in the legendary BishnuCharan Ghosh. With her Bishtuda by her side and the stage to perform herdeath-defying stunts, Reba reached dizzying heights with practice, precisionand perseverance. Her petite frame belied the strength of her convictionand the power of her intent.Strong Woman Reba Rakshit is a captivating account of a daredevilwho courted controversies and movie stars with equal ease. A womanwho dared to dream and had immense courage, steely determination andenough ambition to fulfil it. The stuntmaster who worked shoulder toshoulder with men to give her country its first ‘strong woman’. She was thefirst Indian woman to lift an elephant on her chest. But the ‘Circus BeautyQueen’ was wearing a crown of thorns until one day she decided to takematters into her own hands … Reba’s is no ordinary story because shewas no ordinary woman.Ida Jo Pajunen’s well-researched narrative brings to life not only thelegend, but also the sights and sounds of Kolkata of a bygone era.WORLD"