Tales of a Talking Parrot

The once affluent Empson family is forced to make drastic changes when Mr Empson announces that he is deplete of funds and leaves his cheating wife and pampered children destitute, while he travels to the Middle East to gain the business of wealthier clients.

Having denounced his family’s spoiled and selfish behaviour, he entrusts Ashoka – an immortal talking parrot – to look after his family while he is away and, to report on any wrongdoing upon his return.

It is Ashoka’s personal mission to set each individual family member onto a path of good and to correct their selfish and wayward ways. He goes about this task by reciting a series of gory and outlandish cautionary tales; one tailored to each member of the family in their hour of need.

But will he be successful in transforming a hedonistic household into one of frugality and self-restraint? Will they ever learn from their mistakes? Can people ever really change?

Ultimately, ‘Tales of a Talking Parrot’ offers the reader a very blunt reflection of contemporary society and its values and is an exposition of how easily we forget the lessons of our past.