2022- The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure For Writers (2007)

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It is a popular screenwriting textbook by writer Christopher Vogler, focusing on the theory that most stories can be boiled down to a series of narrative structures and character archetypes, described through mythological allegory. Vogler based this work upon the writings of mythologist Joseph Campbell, particularly 'The Hero with a Thousand Faces', and holds that all successful films innately adhere to its principles. The book was very well received upon its release, and is often featured in recommended reading lists for student screenwriters.

Summary of Content:
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The first part of the book describes eight major character archetypes in detail. Those are:
(1)Hero- someone who is willing to sacrifice his own needs on behalf of others
(2)Mentor- all the characters who teach and protect heroes and give them gifts
(3)Threshold Guardian- a menacing face to the hero, but if understood, they can be overcome
(4)Herald- a force that brings a new challenge to the hero
(5)Shapeshifter- characters who change constantly from the hero's point of view
(6)Shadow- character who represents the energy of the dark side
(7)Ally- someone who travels with the hero through the journey, serving variety of functions
(8)Trickster- embodies the energies of mischief and desire for change
Stages of the Journey:
The second part describes the twelve stages of the Hero's journey. The stages are:
(1)The Ordinary World- the hero is seen in his/her everyday life
(2)The Call to Adventure- the initiating incident of the story
(3)Refusal of the Call- the hero experiences some hesitation to answer the call
(4)Meeting with the Mentor- the hero gains the supplies, knowledge, and confidence needed to commence the adventure
(5)Crossing the First Threshold- the hero commits wholeheartedly to the adventure
(6)Tests, Allies and Enemies- the hero explores the special world, faces trial, and makes friends and enemies
(7)Approach to the Innermost Cave- the hero nears the center of the story and the special world
(8)The Ordeal- the hero faces the greatest challenge yet and experiences death and rebirth
(9)Reward- the hero experiences the consequences of surviving death
(10)The Road Back- the hero returns to the ordinary world or continues to an ultimate destination
(11)The Resurrection- the hero experiences a final moment of death and rebirth so they are pure when they reenter the ordinary world
(12)Return with the Elixir- the hero returns with something to improve the ordinary world
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1812- Commemorative issue of 'Frontline' (30 years between 1984 & 2014) Journey of memories!

Nice attempt in compressing 30 years into a single issue of 212 pages! So many memories -

 

 

1708- "50 writers, 50 books: The best of Indian fiction"

Edited by Pradeep Sebastian and Chandra Siddan
(Rs.499 priced book got at a bargain price of Rs.149 on purchase made on Amazon.in)

1274-A prize for weighty prose

The decision to award this year’s Man Booker Prize to the virtually unknown 28-year-old New Zealand writer Eleanor Catton for her door-stopper of a novel, The Luminaries, is as much a recognition of a new voice as proof that the Booker judges’ capacity to surprise remains undiminished. In a year when the critics and bookies were rooting for one of the shortest novels in contention — the British writer Jim Grace’s Harvest — they went and chose the longest (The Luminaries clocks in at 832 pages) and the most formally structured contender. Yet in the past they have gone for novels that were so brief (Ian McEwan’s On Chesil Beach and Julian Barnes’s The Sense of an Ending) that many questioned whether they could be considered as novels at all. Two years ago, there was a huge row when one of the judges suggested that for him a book needed to “zip along” to pass the selection test, prompting criticism that the prize had dumbed down with “readability” taking precedence over “artistic achievement.” This year’s choice is a riposte to critics on both counts. Good literature transcends considerations of structure and size. Robert Macfarlane, chairman of the judges, described The Luminaries as a “dazzling book, vast without being sprawling.” Hailed as a “compelling’’ thriller, it is set against the background of the 19th century New Zealand gold rush. The story is told through a complicated plot structure divided into 12 zodiac-themed chapters, each decreasing in length in conjunction with the lunar cycle. Judges acknowledged that readers needed to make a “huge investment” in getting to grips with it, but the effort was worth it.

At 28, Catton is the youngest ever writer to win the Booker, beating Ben Okri, who was 32 when he won it for The Famished Road in 1991. It is after 28 years that a New Zealander has won the prize since Keri Hulme got it for The Bone People in 1985. That was a controversial choice, still cited after so many years as an example of the Booker’s “eccentric’’ ways. Perhaps no other literary prize is scrutinised as closely as Booker amid persistent rumours about its imminent death. Consistently, however, it has always proved its critics wrong, demonstrating that even after 45 years, there is still life left in the old beast. In India, there will be disappointment that Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Lowland missed out and elsewhere too, critics will carp that their favourite was ignored. But that’s the beauty of Booker — its unpredictability. From next year, the prize will be open to American and other writers with British publishers, making the competition tougher — and adding to the drama that has become so much a part of one of the English-speaking world’s most storied prizes for writing. 

(The Editorial, The Hindu, 17:10:2013)

(‘The Luminaries’, set in 1866, contains a group of 12 men gathered for a meeting in a hotel and a traveller who stumbles into their midst; the story involves a missing rich man, a dead hermit, a huge amount in gold, and a beatenup whore. The multiple voices take turns to tell their own stories and gradually what happened in the small town of Hokitika on New Zealand’s South Island is revealed.
The novel was up against Indian-American writer Jhumpa Lahiri’s ‘The Lowland’— a story of a young man’s tryst with the Naxalite movement at the cost of his family. Set in Kolkata, ‘The Lowland’ was among six books shortlisted for the prize.) 

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1157- Around the world with books

 

SUNEETHA BALAKRISHNAN talks to British blogger Ann Morgan about her extraordinary journey of words that touched 196 countries.

 

When the world came to London in 2012, for the Olympics, Ann Morgan, a Londoner, wanted to reciprocate the gesture. She decided to travel the world too, but through books.

Her plan was simple. She intended to read a book each from the 196 U.N.-recognized countries and throw in a 197th from ‘the rest of the world’ for good measure. But it wasn’t as easy as it looked. The numerous dots on the map offered more than Morgan bargained for. Plus, she did not foresee the unprecedented interest that her blog (http://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/) would create. But Morgan says the choice of the book was itself the most difficult of tasks. Morgan lives in the U.K., where only three percent of the books published each year are translations. Elsewhere, there are countries with only oral traditions and have next to nothing by way of books, and there are yet others who frown at art going outside borders. And then what defines national literature; is it a book by a resident, about the country, or one by a person born there? In a country with multiple languages, how does one choose? In case of a single language spoken, does one choose a classic or a contemporary work? A daunting task, Yet Morgan persisted. Her experience of a ‘year of reading women writers’ plus help from her blog readers stood her in good stead. The guideline was: the books should be ‘the literature’ of a country and a ‘good’ read.

Morgan adopted a sensible method to avoid the ‘danger of a single story’. “As I intended to read only one book from each country this year, I couldn’t make the mistake of thinking that I have gained a rounded insight into any particular nation. I’d be annoyed if someone assumed they knew all about Britain just from reading Great Expectations ! For me, the project was more about exploring and accessing voices than garnering complete pictures of life in other places. I was careful never to read a book as a reflection of national characteristics or mindsets.”

She also paid attention to the opinions of readers from those countries and checked out regional book prizes. Sometimes the story behind a book was so fascinating that she had to read it. “My Bhutanese choice, for example, The Circle of Karma by Kunzang Choden, stood out from the recommendations sent to me by the Writers Association of Bhutan because it is said to be the first book by a Bhutanese woman to be published outside the country. That intrigued me.”

Her target was to read a book in 1.85 days, and blog about it, while she went about her normal routine. “I decided the only way to approach it was to break it down. To stay on track, I needed to aim to read four books a week. That’s reading one book every two days and then one short book in one day once a week, with a little give and take for very long and very short works. As most books are between 200-300 pages, this meant reading 100-150 pages a day, around three hours. My daily commute — when I got a lot of reading done — was an hour each way, so this necessitated finding an extra hour or two at lunch and in the evenings after work. I then had to write the blog posts and do all the research into the books, so I got up early and spent a couple of hours on that each day before I left for work.”

Morgan bought all the books herself except when people, especially those following the blog, gave her their copies. Even authors and publishers sent her their work — at times unpublished — to read. “It was a great privilege to be one of the few people, sometimes ever, to read the English versions. A couple of the books, such as my Belarusian choice – King Stakh’s Wild Hunt by Uladzimir Karatkievich – were also available free online. Still, it was rather an expensive year!”

Morgan says the project is nothing like her previous book blogging endeavours. Now she questions things that she once took for granted, from what the word ‘country’ means to what we talk about when we call something a ‘book’. “It has also brought me into contact with people all over the planet, and for that I’m very grateful. My world is a much richer place for it.”

A single incident that she would call the defining moment of the project? “In October 2011, less than three days after the blog post went live, Rafidah from Malaysia liked the project and told me she wanted to buy me a book to read. That was the moment I knew the project was really happening. Somewhere, 6,000 miles away, a person I had never met was going to a shop to buy a book on my behalf. I owed it to her and to all the other people supporting me to give it my best shot.”

Morgan finds it impossible to pick the best/favourite reads in 2012. There are some books that are just so beautifully written that they stand out in her mind. “Galsan Tschinag’s The Blue Sky from Mongolia is one, as is Andrei Volos’s Hurramabad from Tajikistan. My Burundian book, Weep Not, Refugee by Marie-ThérèseToyi is special because it was sent to me by the author from Africa after a search that involved many Burundians around the world.”

There were also books that changed her thinking. “Of these, Abdul Aziz Al Mahmoud’s The Corsair stands out. It is one of the first Qatari novels to be translated into English and is set during the early 19th century during the struggle for control of the trade routes through the Persian Gulf. The picture, the novel presents, of the role Britain played in the region during that time, is far from flattering and forced me to confront some of the darker stories attached to the British Empire, which many people in the U.K. prefer to forget.”

So her most prominent discovery of 2012 in reads? ‘Perhaps my Mozambican read, Ualalapi by Ungulani Ba KaKhosa. It was named one of Africa’s 100 Best Books of the 20th Century by an African jury in 2002, but is unavailable in English translation. I was lucky enough to be given an unpublished manuscript by a publisher who had been going to launch an English version but sadly went out of business before he could do so.” It is an extraordinary book, full of startling imagery unlike anything I have come across before and with a towering legendary hero who stands alongside great tragic figures such as Oedipus, King Lear and Okonkwo from Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart .

Morgan also mentions A Casa do Pastor by Olinda Beja. “This collection of short stories by a writer born in Sao Tome and Principe, the second-smallest African nation, was specially translated for me by a team of Portuguese speakers in Europe and the U.S. after I struggled to find anything I could read in English from the country. It was very humbling to have such a talented group of people give up their time to help me complete my quest.”

Her most difficult choice? “India, without question. I could easily have spent 10 years reading Indian literature and still not have scratched the surface of the rich and diverse stories the country has to offer. But an Indian journalist stopped by the blog and pointed out a key omission in the nominations: all the books were written in English. This was second-best to the literature on offer from the many languages spoken across the country. I was struck by the comment, particularly as translation was a big part of my project, so I found a translation of Malayalam writer M.T. Vasudevan Nair’s classic Kaalam and enjoyed it immensely.”

“Reading is a great way to stand next to someone in a situation you have never been in and look at the world through their eyes. .”

She is also conscious of the amazing moment in history we live in. ‘The internet makes it possible for us to build links with one another as never before. Twenty years ago it would have been impossible to read the world in a year. I hope that as Internet law and the monetisation of social media take hold we are able to preserve the incredible freedom of communication that we have at the moment in most parts of the planet.’

The natural progression of a blog of these dimensions would be a book, and it is happening. “ Reading the World: Postcards from my Bookshelf will come out in early 2014 and will tell many of the stories behind the stories that I read that year.”

Her next project is ifwomenruled.com and an attempt to gain an insight through fiction of what the strengths, challenges and problems of a women-led society might have been.

Happy reading, Ann Morgan!

Reading is a great way to stand next to someone in a situation you have never been in and look at the world through their eyes.

For me, the project was more about exploring and accessing voices than garnering complete pictures of life in other places.

(The Hindu, Sunday magazine, 05:05:2013)

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1112- 'Ganesha on the dashboard' by V. Raghunathan and M.A. Eswaran

'Ganesha on the dashboard', successfully takes apart the many superstitions and myths that we Indians happily subscribe . 

 

Review by Maitreyee Chowdhury (Women’s Web)

 

Ganesha on the dashboard is an uncommon but likely name for a book which deals with “scientific temper” and how Indians are somewhat deficient in the same, outside the realms of the classroom and professional world. Our approach to most things is largely fatalistic and the common man is resigned to his destiny. The invisible hand of Karma hangs over us like the sword of Damocles, rendering us a little reactive. 

Ganesha on the dashboard, the title, succinctly sums up how we put blind faith in the Almighty, unmindful of the simple precautions we ought to take. For instance, we take great pains in consulting a purohit and identifying the muhurat while purchasing a vehicle, so that  it gives us hassle-free service but shy away from wearing the seat-belts unless compelled by law. No amount of statistics proving why wearing helmets are useful can convince us that wearing helmets could save our lives. Interestingly, less than 20 percent of Indian motorcyclists wear helmets when not under legal compulsion.

The authors V. Raghunathan and M.A. Eswaran are undoubtedly erudite and have gained considerable credibility from their other successful book, Games Indians Play. The intent here is to critically examine some commonly held beliefs and ideas in India, where superstition and blind faith reigns supreme. This is contrasted with very real and illustrious examples like the incident of Neils Bohr, who refused to comply his teachers with the traditional method of understanding physics in measuring the height of a skyscraper and tells them instead, ‘I just don’t like people telling me how to think’.

Some 450 years ago, Francis Bacon was very apt when he observed that “the root of all superstition is that men observe when a thing hits, but not when it misses.” This book does precisely that. One case at a time, it tries to dispel myths and show the reader, the misses “also.” Vaastu, the rain God, roadside places of worship are among the many ideas and practices that the book attempts to debunk and does convincingly, at most times. Does Science have an answer to everything, is a challenge which is oft put up by the superstitious-minded. Well, no, but at least Science makes an attempt.

The language is lucid, thus making it an easy read. The ideas are rather complex and some chapters may require more than one reading to comprehend the line of argument. For instance, the chapter on Astronomy vs. Astrology is one which derives its premise by leveraging mathematical concepts like Probability, Permutation and Combination.

The only area the book falls short on is delivering to a clear target audience. For someone who is a casual reader of Science and scientific ideas, the book does get a bit dense at times. For someone who is already steeped in Science and has a natural inclination towards the subject, it may seem rather simplistic. What is commendable about the book is its size. Almost nowhere does it get didactic and retains its brevity throughout. It was never going to be easy to argue against age-old beliefs and challenge ideas which are sacred to us. As a primer, this book does wonders and certainly creates an avid sense of interest, to read up further on any of the designated topics.

The appendices in the end are noteworthy because the authors are able to capture millions of years of development of major scientific ideas in a tabular form restricted to a few pages.

Not a book that your grandmother or even your mother might agree with or even those who believe that there are things in this universe that are beyond a scientific explanation, or maybe for many of those Indians who still relish an unexamined life that allows them the adrenalin rush of not wearing a helmet while cycling downhill!

Publishers: Penguin Books

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1111- Children! Celebrate the world of books!

April 23 is World Book Day or World Book and Copyright Day. We asked readers to send in reviews of their favourite classics. Some of them sent in reviews of great books that are not technically classified as "classics". Since they are good reads, we have decided to feature those reviews too.

 

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

A ten-year old orphan, adopted by her uncle, leads a miserable life in her aunt’s house, after her uncle dies. Of course, it’s Jane Eyre. The book is a storehouse of values, and took the world by storm when it was first published.

Though written in 1847, it is a good read even today. Jane Eyre, the protagonist, fights her way out of difficult circumstances with a great deal of courage. First, it is the ill-treatment meted out to her by her aunt, then it is the death of her best friend Helen Burns, and finally it is the revelation that her lover Mr. Edward Rochester is already married.

She completes her studies and then works as a teacher. Yearning for change, she applies for a job as a governess for a little French girl, Adele. It is here that she falls in love with Mr. Rochester. They plan their wedding meticulously, but at the deciding moment, it is revealed that Mr. Rochester is already married and his wife is still alive. From this point the story takes many twists and turns. It is for you to read and find out: Does Jane Eyre marry Mr. Rochester?

This novel tells readers about the need for boldness, courage and adjustment contributing to a prosperous life. It is both an entertaining as well as a realistic novel. It is a must read for everyone, young and the old.

Simran, X, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Tirumalgiri, Secunderabad , Andhra Pradesh

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

A funny and unique children’s story of Alice's confrontation with an eccentric world. The events that take place in a bizarre “Wonderland” are spontaneous and fantastically unplanned. The characters are remarkably amusing and entertaining. The language is figurative that takes the reader to the realm of true imagination. Enchanting!

Anand Mishra, X, Jindal Vidya Mandir, JSW Township, Bellary, Karnataka

The Room on the Roof by Ruskin Bond

This is the story of Rusty, a 16-year-old Anglo-Indian boy who is orphaned and has to live with Mr. Harrison, his guardian. He lives in the European part of Dehradun. But he wants to embrace the Indian culture and lifestyle.

He is enchanted by the festivals, people and the bazaar. He meets many people and develops a liking for Meena, his friend Kishen’s mother.

This story keeps you hooked with the many unexpected incidents. The story is a bit similar to that of the author himself. One incident in Rusty’s life is when he goes to the unkind Mr. Harrison after playing Holi with his Indian friends and shows him what he really wants — his friends and the culture.

It’s a book worth reading! It will be enjoyed by readers greatly. This book is also the winner of the “John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial Prize”.

Nivedya S.,VI A, Devagiri CMI Public School, Kozhikode, Kerala

The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling

It is the story of a boy named Mowgli and his friends Bageera, the panther and Balu, the bear.

Mowgli grew up in the jungle with a wolf family. They called him the “Man-cub”. Once a tiger named Sher Khan came to the jungle. He wanted to eat Mowgli . So Bhageera thought that he will take Mowgli to the man-village to keep him safe. At night, they climbed a tree and fell asleep. A snake called Kaa came to eat Mowgli but Bageera saved him. That morning they heard trumpeting of elephants. Mowgli didn’t want go to the man-village because he thought that his house was in the jungle. So he walked away. Then he met a bear named Balu and they became friends. When they were swimming in the river some monkeys took Mowgli away to their king. Balu dressed like a big monkey. He fooled all the monkeys and saved Mowgli. That night Sher Khan saw Mowgli and was about to eat him. Smart Mowgli tied a branch full of fire to Sher Khan’s tail and he ran away. Bageera and Balu took Mowgli to the man-village. Mowgli saw a little girl taking water from the river into a pot and became friends with her. Mowgli and the girl went to the man-village. Bageera and Balu returned happily to the jungle.

My favourite character in this story is Mowgli because he is very cute and very naughty.

Muhammed Saleel, Grade -1, Al-fajr International School, Chennai

Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome

Main Characters: Harris, George and Montmorency

Description of a main character: Harris is the funniest of all three men and he is the only one who is not pleased with any work except his own. He misses the boat in the dark. He tries to cook for his friends using a sack full of vegetables and falls into the Thames. He tries to speak in monotone forever.

Setting/Theme of the story: Three men decide to travel in a boat in search of rest and a change of scene.

Part I enjoyed the most: When Harris is compared to Uncle Podger as he is ready to take the burden of everything upon himself and put it on the backs of other people. He says: “Now, you get a bit of paper and write down, and you get the grocery catalogue, George, and somebody give me a bit of pencil, and then I will make out a list.”

Sandhya Varadharajan, VIII, PSBB, Chennai

Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift

This imaginative book is set on two islands, Lilliput and Brobdingnag. The main character is Gulliver; the other characters are the Lilliputians and the giants of Brobdingnag. Gulliver sets sail to the South Seas for adventure. He gets lost at sea because a storm wrecked his ship. First he finds himself in a land of little people and then in a land of giants. I like the story and characters because they are creative and original. I love adventure stories and this is a very interesting one.

Ishaan Trivedi, V, Primus Public School, Bangalore

Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe

I enjoyed reading Robinson Crusoe. This story tells the hardships of a man who finds himself in an unknown land and how he struggles to live there, his courage and determination. It is an inspiring story of one man’s struggle to make a living.

Arya Murali, X, MMARS, Chengannur. Kerala

The Coral Island by R.M. Ballantyne

Shipwrecked, three teenagers, Ralph Rover, Jack Martin and Peterkin Gay, find themselves on a remote island in the Pacific Ocean. Ralph is the narrator and he recounts some extraordinary adventures as the teenagers become accustomed to life on this remote Coral Island. What begins as a paradise idyll soon becomes harsh reality as the boys encounter both pirates and Polynesian tribes.

A story of survival and dependence. A story that is full of adventure.

Gopika. G, XI, Carmel School, Thiruvananthapuram

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy March are four sisters living with their mother in New England. Their father is away serving as a chaplain in the Civil War, and they struggle to support themselves and keep their household running despite the fact that the family recently lost its fortune. They become close friends with their wealthy neighbour, Theodore Laurence, known as Laurie.

In the end all the loose ends are tied up and the story ends on a positive note.

Anjali. P. Nair, XII, Bhavans Vidya Mandir, Eroor, Tripunithura, Kerala

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

This book, which provoked the sophisticated Victorian society, was released in 1890. In our present day world, it is widely acknowledged as Wilde's masterpiece, his unparalleled Magnum Opus. It centres around three characters, the noble Lord Henry Wotton, the artistic Basil Hallward and the handsome Dorian Gray. It is about how society is obsessed about the way they look to the rest of society. It focuses on how Dorian is obsessed with his beauty, who is indeed the Narcissus of our age. The story begins with Basil introducing Dorian to Henry. From there onwards, it soars into magnificent heights of indescribable literature. Basil paints Dorian’s portrait on his wish so that he may remain youthful and his picture may grow old. What this brilliant book reflects is the mind of society and indeed, it deserves to be called a great work of art.

Rohan Gopakumar, VII D, St. Thomas Residential School, Mukkolackkal, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Life is complicated and mysterious. No, wrong. It is simple and wonderful. This is what The Alchemist taught me. By Brazilian author Paulo Coelho, this book has been on the best selling lists since it was written over 20 years ago. It has been translated into many languages too. Through a story of a young shepherd on a quest for treasure, it tells us the importance of following our dreams and writing our own destiny. It is an inspirational book and is written in rather simple and easy to follow language. Even after two reads, I couldn't get the most of it. Every time I read it I learn something new. A life changing book, definitely worth a read, if not two!

Shashank Rao Palety, XII, Delhi Public School, Vijayawada

Geronimo Stilton by Elisabetta Dami

My friend told me about this book, and I wanted to read it. I was waiting for this book to come.

I felt sad for Geronimo Stilton because nobody came to help him. I was surprised when Trap brought all Valentine's things to his friends. Trap made me laugh at the silliest things. I liked the jokes and the way the story is written. This book was easy to read. Geronimo Stilton reminds me of a friend of mine. My favourite part is when Benjamin hugs Geronimo. I wish I could meet Geronimo Stilton.

I loved this book and asked my father to buy more books of Geronimo Stilton!

Zarah Mathew, III, Trivandrum International School, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala

Thomas the Tank Engine by Rev W. Awdry

The book is about an engine named Thomas. It is a cheeky little engine. He pulls coaches for big engines. But what Thomas really wants is his own branch line. Thomas always plays tricks on other engines. He helps his friend James and finally he gets his own branch line.

The line I like the most in this book is “Wake up Lazy bones! Do some hard work for a change”. I say this whenever I get an opportunity.

I gifted this book to many of my friends and cousin and they also like it very much.

Gozan Zerlinda, LKG C, Alpha Matriculation School, Chennai

1000 Great Lives by Plantagenet Somerset Fry

The book is exhaustive. It contains the illustrations of 1000 great lives which include not only British but also Indian rulers. I was interested in this book because it gives a life history of great people who made history and their achievements were recorded for posterity. The entries were arranged in the order of date of death because in the lives of famous persons great importance is given to the date of death. This arrangement makes it possible to find nearly all the great lives of one period in history together and place them more accurately in relation to other prominent figures of that age.

This book is a treasure for all history lovers.

M. Sreekar, VII, Narayana E Techno School, Varadaraju Nagar, Tirupati

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

Written over a span of about two years, The Diary of a Young Girl is full of thoughts and expressions of a young, ordinary Jewish girl living in extraordinary conditions. She starts her diary when she is 13 and called it Kitty — her ever patient and understanding friend who stood by her through good and bad times. Anne wrote about her daily activities and also about the changes taking place around her during World War II. The diary provides a vivid historical and social background to her life and thoughts. The diary reveals Anne’s innermost thoughts, feelings, frustrations and ideas. The diary records all that happened in the 25 months that Anne and her family were in hiding. Her recordings of her emotions and moods are touching. In August 1944 their hiding place was discovered by the Gestapo, the German Secret Police. All the eight members in hiding were sent to concentration camps in Germany where all, except Otto Frank, died in the hands of Nazis. When Otto Frank came back to the hiding place after war, he found Anne Frank’s diary and letters. He circulated the diary in memory of his family. The book is a major piece of world literature and brings home the excesses of the Nazi regime. The book is easy to read and can be completed in a couple of sessions.

M. Vasudha, X A, Kendriya Vidyalaya No1. Tirupati

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Last week we asked readers to send in reviews of their favourite classics. Most of the entries were not reviews, but simply retelling of the story. Here are some tips on how to write a review.

Writing a review is like taking a person to a place he or she has not been to before. It is up to you to paint a picture that not only appeals but also evokes an interest.

Begin with a description of what the book is about. But make sure you do not tell the whole story and spoil it for other readers. So keep it brief. If the book is a part of a series then mention that too.

Discuss why you liked the book. What appealed to you the most. Your favourite character? Suspense? Descriptions? What emotion did the book evoke?

Make a mention of what you did not like about the book. Did you find the ending too tame or did you think the protagonist was not powerful enough? 

Summarise your opinion of the book, making suggestions as to what kind of person the book would appeal to – like young adult, or those who love mystery or romance or drama and so on.

 You could also grade the book on a scale of ten.

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Children's books:

Look forward to the holidays with these fantastic titles at hand.

THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ by L. Frank Baum

Dorothy lives in Kansas and has great dreams. One day a cyclone lifts her and drops her in the enchanted land of the Munchkins. Here she meets some fantastic characters — the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodsman, the Cowardly Lion and the Wicked Witch of the West. A book full of adventure and fun it has brought joy to generations of readers since its first appearance in 1900.

JUST SO STORIES by Rudyard Kipling

Have you ever wondered about the nature of things? Like the elephant’s trunk, the leopard’s spots, the song of the whale and oh! so many more things? This book will answer most of those questions. It is best to read the Just So Stories aloud, because the prose is lyrical, sing-song and sometimes even with made up words. These 12 stories were written for Kipling’s daughter and they were so named because she wanted them “just so”.

KING ARTHUR AND HIS KNIGHTS by Howard Pyle

The world of King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table are magical. It is a chronicle of the adventures of King Arthur as he draws the sword Excalibur from the anvil and proves his claim to the throne. It is a story of love, treachery, scheming but also of victory, chivalry and drama. Pyle tells a forceful tale bringing alive the past vividly.

THE CALL OF THE WILD by Jack London

The story is set in the late 1800s. Buck, a large dog, lives a comfortable live on an estate in California. One day, he is kidnapped and transported to the Yukon to be a sled dog during the gold rush. He tries to rebel but is beaten into submission. This is a story of survival, of a call to the roots and also of finding your inner dignity and what it takes to be a leader. It is interesting to read how Buck reverts to his Wolf ancestry when the need for survival kicks in.

PETER PAN by J.M. Barrie

The Darling nursery gets a visitor one night. It is Peter Pan. He meets the Darlings — Wendy, Michael and John. He becomes friendly with them, and teaches them to fly and takes them to visit the Lost Boys in Neverland. They have a lot of adventures and get into a fight with Captain Hook, the evil leader of the pirates. But they also have a friend in little Tinkerbell, the fairy.

Interestingly written, Barrie takes you into a world hitherto unknown. You fly in the night sky with a wonderful friend and get to meet exciting characters. Barrie’s prose is a mix of wit, sadness, excitement and poetry. A fantasy story that you would love to read.

THE RAILWAY CHILDREN by E. Nesbit

Roberta, Peter and Phyllis live a happy life with their parents in a villa in London. Then one day everything goes topsy turvy when their father leaves them to “go on business” as their mother tells them. They have to leave the home they love and move to the countryside to a much smaller house. They discover a railway track that runs behind their new home. Everyday they wave at the 9.15 train, as that is the train that goes to London, and they believe their father works there.

A lovely story that revolves around the small happy family – always hoping that the father would come back. There is adventure when they discover stones on the track, a house on fire and an accident in the tunnel. It is beautiful, told in simple language and sure to touch your heart.

THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS by Kenneth Grahame

The story opens with Mole who is doing some spring cleaning. He makes friends with a few others who live by the riverside. There is Toad, Ratty and Badger. The four friends have a wonderful time living as they do on the banks of the river. Toad has an obsession. He loves to race in his horse and cart. And then one day his obsession gets him arrested. Portraying typical English humour this is a wonderful story of friendship and how friends make a difference in one’s quality of life. It is the very epitome of British, Gregorian upper middle class and though the characters are completely humanised, they still retain some of their animal characteristics. Be ready to laugh aloud every few pages.

CHARLOTTE’S WEB by E.B. White

A lovely story of friendship and love. An inspiring story for all as it tells us the importance of friends and how we should be treating one another. A tinge of sadness sets in at the very end but then there is still the message of hope.

Charlotte is a spider and with the help of a rat, they manage the save Wilbur the pig from the knife. A must read for every child.

 

(The Hindu, Young World, 23:04:2013)

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