Even though I follow a lot of reading blogs and enjoy marking posts with great book suggestions, I seldom remember to pick these up when I go to a library or a bookstore. For the last year or so, I have noticed that the Persephone Books come highly recommended. These are mostly wartime novels written by woman authors that for some reason or the other had gone out of print. I was a little hesitant…
Book Reviews
On the road, I have often passed little towns with fenced houses, some glossy and new, just as in magazine ads and some falling apart as if they have seen decades of rain. I have often wondered about the lives of the people inside. On reading the opening story “The World Around Us” from John Cummings’s collection of short stories, I knew that I was going to find some answers and get a glimpse into…
Gullible Governesses, Gothic Manors, and Ghosts The Turn of Screw still giving the chills more than hundred years later. If there was ever an award for a book that builds fear just by its atmospheric set up, then Turn of the Screw would be a strong contender. Old Country house manor -check. Angelic, golden haired, creepy children- check. Conspiring servants – check. Floating shadows – check. Unhinged potentially misunderstood heroine – check. The Turn of…
Every once in a while, you come across a book that makes you uncomfortable by its sheer unfamiliarity. I have been staring at the screen for the last fifteen minutes trying to find words to describe my reaction to the national-award nominated novel ‘My Dreams Out In the Street. What does that mean? Did I like it, hate it or just didn’t get it. The dilemma indicates it was worth my time, but I will…
Why L.M Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables Remains A Favorite Let me start with a confession. Writing about classics is daunting. Classics are books that have stayed in print for many years, studied and analyzed and dissected every which way. As a critic, I am nervous about what can I add to the narrative. But as a reader, I simply want to share my personal joy of reading them. What do you think about classics?…
I love a novel based in a boarding school setting. The story can go so many different ways — a mystery (Picnic at Hanging Rock), childish hijinks (St. Malory Towers), horror stories (Never Let Me Go), coming-of-age philosophical novels (The Catcher In The Rye) or even fantasy (Harry Potter Series). The list is endless and as a reader there are endless novels to explore. As a writer, I can only imagine the joy of writing…
During the pandemic, literary guides seemed quite the rage or at least that’s what seemed to be the case in our local library. I discovered a few gems myself, notably Sarah Baxter’s Literary places. A beautifully illustrated book, where Baxter Sarah Baxter, a travel writer, compiles a list of famous books that are defined by the places they are set in. Baxter’s list touches upon both traditional yet global collection of classics, acting as literary…
Do we question mortality only when faced with imminent death? A literary memoir by a dying man raises questions on the very meaning of living. Most of us go through life without contemplating about our existence. Death is inevitable, but it doesn’t feature largely in our daily thoughts. We spend our time thinking about what our day is going to be, what our year is going to be, and our hopes and dreams. Paul Kalanithi…
