Dear Veena

This is an open letter to you. I have never met you. But I feel, since you are a friend of a friend, and fellow book lover, I can take this liberty. This is also a pretty longish letter, so please make yourself comfortable while you read it. 

pic courtesy goodreads

First, this has been a wonderful read. A book tailor made for the likes of me. Ever since Sangi recommended this book, I had wanted to lay my hands on it. I ordered it from flipkart. None of the book stores I visited had it on stock. They still don't. It is their loss, in my opinion.

Spoiler alert for readers other than the author: Do not read this post if you would rather read the book first.

You had me at chapter one. To Kill a Mockingbird is a favourite here too. I must have first read it around the age of 12. I got it out of the school library. (I wonder now, why I was not prevented from issuing it out in my 6th grade!) Sure, some of it went over my head at the time, but I loved it for the holiday 'adventures' of Scout and Jem. Something about it intrigued me, though, and I picked it up again when I was older, in my late teens. I understood the nuances much more then. I have revisited it a few times since, and each time, I have learnt something new, noticed something I had missed earlier. Actually, I could say this about many books I have had the good fortune to read. As it is truly said, “A classic is a book that always remains fresh, and yields something new at every reading.”  But that is more relevant to your last chapter- Read. Rinse. Repeat.

The latest in these are the Harry Potter books- books that have fascinated my daughter as much as me, and which, I am sure, we will be re-visiting many times over.

Of course, it goes without saying, as far as To Kill a Mockingbird is concerned, that I have watched the movie many times, too. As much for Harper Lee's story as for Gregory Peck, I must confess!

Let me now go from chapter to chapter. Completely agree with the curiosity about the birds and bees in chapter 2. All I came across in my innocent past were the books that a college student who would come to our house every day to oversee our homework, as my parents would not be at home in the evenings. She was an ardent fan of all things Mills & Boon, along with the auxiliaries- Barbara Cartland, Danielle Steele, and the like. She was also big-time into best sellers like Sidney Sheldons, Perry Masons, etc. Not what I'd pick up now, but then- I was fascinated by the stuff she read. I was in my 9th then, and I must admit that she was not the most scrupulous of persons, and she would let me borrow her books. I would then read them behind my school books. Curiosity did kill the cat to an extent, colouring my world-view for a long time. Somehow, I regret reading those books then. I should have put my time to better use- there were so many more wonderful books to choose from in my world. But then I was unfortunate at the time, in that I did not have much guidance on the subject.

Paper v/s Pixel? Yes, any visitor to my home will vouch for my leanings. My home is drowning in books. They are everywhere. Somehow I have never been able to adapt myself to digitized versions of books. They might have the same stuff on them, but they are just not the same. As even my 11 year old know, (thanks to Inkheart) books and characters are made up of paper and printer's ink. I agree completely with Hermione Granger when she says that one of the smells that comprise her perception of the love potion is that of freshly printed books!

Have to admit that we, too, wonder sometimes about the erstwhile owners of some of the books we pick up at used book shops. Inscriptions like- "Dear Jenny, Hope this book is something you always wanted. Love, Walter." - bring to mind The Wonder Years.

Love in the aisle- Wonderful. Escapism at its best. OK, I'll admit to being a bit different on this one. Of course I had my fantasies, but they were always, always, about having my book up there on the shelves. Mundane, I know, but true. I still have these.

The chapter about books read in Mumbai trains tickled my funny bone the most. I was laughing uncontrollably as I read it. Why? First-hand experience. As a true blue Mumbaikar, I have done my share of travelling by the local trains in amchi Mumbai.

The running on to the platform as the 7.13 fast local thundered on to the platform, dodging the oncoming crowd, to be straightaway swallowed up by the motley group desirous of getting into the already packed ladies compartment. The split second pause to allow for the commuters being regurgitated from the compartment and the rushing in to fill up the vaccum created. Quick, practiced movement towards potential seats, and asking those seated where they would be getting off- I know it is an irksome practice, but I look at it as a necessary evil. Necessary in a city where survival of the fittest matters, and I think most people living in it understand this. I look at the journeys in a Mumbai local train as an environment of networking that works wonderfully well in maximum city. Complete with friends, friends of friends, social updates, status updates, pokes and multitasking.:) 


Have been there, done that, however. Rushed, pushed, been the social climber up to the window seat, sat/stood with a book in hand, (yes!) getting lost in a book in the midst of the enveloping chaos. Yes, laughed and giggled, too, much to the chagrin of co-travellers. Made friends over the books read- much like in the blogosphere. Hidden books, too, covering the clandestinely read ones with newspaper. Actually, the covers served only the purpose of hiding the title; the very fact of having the book covered screamed out the inappropriateness of the book being read.:)


And the story about Belfast- very Brysonesque indeed!

I won't say much about chapters 6, 7 and 9, except that they sent shivers up my spine, and that I can fully understand the paranoia. When I was expecting my baby, I was in my mid-30s, and everything that I had learnt about complications of late pregnancies kept playing on my mind. I drove my obstretician- who is also a dear friend- up the wall with my worries, until she had to threaten me with dire consequences if I did not shut up and stop being such a worry wart till the end of my pregnancy.

The joy of reading- that has been a project in progress since the past 11 years. 11 wonderful years, in which i have tried every variety of rhyme book, story book and every other kind of book. As Maria says in 'The Sound of Music', I must have done something right, because, gloriously, happily, thankfully, I have managed to pass on my love of reading the printed word to my daughter. I am content.

Ah- the whodunit! Love, love, love the books by Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle and Wilkie Collins. Would love to read books by Henning Mankell and Dorothy L Sayers. But the one I started off with as a young teen was Alfred Hitchcock with his Three Investigators- oh, that is nostalgia!

Cookbooks and books by food writers- I don't agree with you on the point that only men can stir our senses with their descriptions of all things culinary. I can name one kitchen goddess at least, whose books and shows are to die for- Nigella Lawson. More than can be said of her non-dessert recipes, though. We didn't like a single one we tried out in the throes of our gustatory desires. I would like to recommend one book to you here. Try Eat Cake by Jeanne Ray. I can guarantee you'll love it.

Arabia- the land of a Thousand and One Nights. I would fantasize in my Mills and Boon days about Arab sheikhs and such, but the adult me is completely disillusioned. Combine the reading of books like Not Without My Daughter, In the Land of Invisible Women, and the horrifying books by Jean Sasson with the media coverage of the Gulf War over the years, and Arabia no longer has me in its thrall.

Hide the author- yes, sometimes there is something called too much information. I have always regretted reading the biography by Barbara Stoney of my favourite childhood author- Enid Blyton. My idol had feet of clay, and I didn't like it one tiny bit. It hasn't stopped me from reading the biographies or autobiographies of favourite authors, however. I like to know what makes them tick, and what is it that drives them to pen their particular kind of books. So I tried to undo some of the damage to my psych by reading this newer biography of Enid by Duncan Mclaren, in which he discusses the whys and hows of her life as it is reflected in her books. Portraying her as a human being capable of mistakes just as much as you or I, instead of the villian of the piece!

And re-reading-? What do I say of that? Yes, I do love to go back again and again to my favourite books. Love all of them!

A wonderful read, Veena, full of a lot of nostalgia for me. I hope to meet you someday, though it is likely that like most readers who write, you'll find me quite tongue-tied at first. I express myself better in writing, of course. I hope you will see beyond that, and maybe find a kindred reader.

Also hoping to read much more from you.

warmly,
Sandhya

On the love of books - and a giveaway!

First: My friend Zoe, over at Playingbythebook has a fabulous new giveaway that I would love to get my hands on. It is a children's movie, Eleanor's Secret, a must-see for those who love books, and those who would love to see a movie which promises some lovely 'un-adult-rated' fun (Zoe's word, not mine!) You may go over to her post to view details of the giveaway! I have put in my claim, too, and am keeping all fingers (and toes) crossed!



Pic courtesy flipkart.com

Talking about love for books, I recently came upon this wonderful book that I would love to share with fellow book lovers.

THE GROANING SHELF
and other instances of book love
Written by Pradeep Sebastian
Published by Hachette India

This is that ultimate fantasy for me- a book about books and about love for books- that explains a lot about my inexplicable book-lust:

Why I need to explore every book shop there is in any place.

Why I need to visit every book sale.

Why I need to own every book that I feel A or I would love to read.

Why I have more books in my house than an average person would need in her/his life, lying around in piles.

Why I need to read and re-read many of my books.

Why I need to shuffle my books around on shelves periodically, taking them off the shelves, sorting through them, opening those that I haven't looked at in a while, losing track of time, and then putting them all back over a period of weeks, by which time it is again time to sort through them!

Why I do not consider the above described work as a chore, but enjoy it thoroughly, spinning it out.

Why I start the work with an intention to clear clutter, (shame on me for considering books clutter, but an excess of even books takes up space.) but end up putting most of the books back, as I cannot bear to give them away. Yeah, Sangi, I need the Serenity Prayer too!

Why reading a well-loved book, caressing the pages and breathing in the fragrance of paper and ink is the ultimate sensual experience.

"This pleasurable, absorbing ritual of rearranging books, even trying to downsize one's library, now seems to be really about getting to know these books all over again. To pick up one from the shelves, remember where and when you bought it, and recall the pleasure that finding the book gave you - this is why a book collector gets all her books off and on the shelves every year."

Pradeep Sebastian speaks of the collecting of books, even of first editions, and brings to our notice the difference between a bibliomaniac (...has a rage for collecting and possessing books) and a bibliophile (a book collector of refined judgement, the quality of whose library reflects his or her exacting bibliographical standards). Where do I stand? Somewhere in between.

We come to know of the different reasons we buy a book - not just for its content. The edition, the cover design, illustrations, paper quality, the font used, the whole look and feel of the book, too matter. Ask me- I often buy whole lots by a favoured author, and favour certain publications which add to the overall experience of reading.

First editions, especially if in a pristine condition with their book jackets, and if they are signed or inscribed by the author, could become valuable additions to one's collection par with rare pieces of art by masters.

We have chapters on rare books, history of books in the world, and in India.

A whole section on notable works by his favourite authors, which include works by Pico Iyer, J.D.Salinger, Arthur Conan Doyle, Ayn Rand and Ira Levin. He discusses both the life and works of these writers, giving us a peek into how their creative energies worked.

A whole section on noteworthy bookshops in India, book museums and a chapter on books in movies. Yes, 'You've got mail' is one of the movies discussed, as are '84 Charing Cross Road', 'The Name of the Rose', 'The Mystic Masseur', 'Fahrenheit 451' and 'The Jane Austen Book Club'. There is also a real story, about how a documentary about an out of print classic, the only book by that author (The Stones of Summer by Dow Mossman) resurrected that book in print.

Some of the chapters on the actual experience of reading gave me an eerie sense of 'he's reading my mind'!.

"The books we read make us part of a larger (invisible) community of readers. Could the opposite be true as well? That our reading makes us lonely. Wrapped up in a book, we shut the world out, cutting ourselves off from those who cannot share in our private world."

Maybe. But then I find that my reading can also open up a world of like-minded friends, where we can share our mutual love of, and impressions of different books, enriching us all. I think the reading-aloud of books shared by A and I is a part of this process, as is this compulsive sharing of a book I loved with all of you in my reviews. I want to convey what I loved about a book, maybe compel you to pick it up!

There is an interesting chapter on re-reading. I'll quote - "What a commited reader has with a book is a relationship. And like most relationships, it is sustaining, volatile, vulnerable...the question is - does the book remain the same book the second time around? Are we even the same readers when we revisit these books?...it seems to me that our experience alters the book even as the book alters our experience."

Very true. A book that I have loved reading could not be read just once. One reads it rapidly at first, then mulls over what one has read for a while- which could be anything from a few hours to a few years. One then HAS to return to the book and read it over and over again, finding things one has not noticed or noted at the first reading, somehow managing to internalise the book, until it becomes a part of one's self.

As J.K.Rowling said while announcing PotterMore: "the experience of reading requires that the imaginations of the author and reader work together to create the story."

There is obviously more to reading than just a pastime, just a gleaning of information or learning of something. It is a whole experience that has to be, well, experienced. Even books that one has loved and lost, or books that one has encountered in a store or library, found interesting, but not gotten around to really reading through, never to find them again, are part of this experience.

Let me end with one more quote from this wonderful book by Pradeep Sebastian. This one for non-readers, too!

"I often envy non-readers for all the wonderful books out there that they have never read. Imagine the number of books that await them and the joy of encountering these great works for the first time. A favourite literary fantasy of mine has been to turn amnesiac for a year and read all my favourite books as though for the first time." 

I am entering this review for the 2011 Global Reading Challenge under Asia and in the 2011 South Asian Challenge at S.Krishna's books.

My own Why-Why girl

Conversation between A and me today.

"Aai, was Ruskin Bond Indian or British?" A.

"Why?" Me.

"His name sounds British, but he does not write like Enid Blyton or J.K.Rowling. He writes about Indian people who are like the people in Indian folktales." A.

"You're right, A. Ruskin Bond was a British man, but he was born in India. He grew up in India, and has lived here most of his life. So naturally he writes like an Indian." Me.

"But he still doesn't write like the lady who wrote Younguncle. That is even more Indian." A.

"Because she was born to Indian parents and had learnt Indian customs at home." Me.

"So because Ruskin Bond's parents were British, they taught him British customs? So he ate British food?" A.

"Very likely, A." Me.

All this while watching (for the nth time) 'The Sound of Music'  on DVD. We watched in silence for some time. Till we came to the part where Rolfe delivers a telegram and Lisel goes out with him. We then have the song 'I am sixteen-going on seventeen'. At this point, A asked me to pause because she wanted to ask me something.

"Aai, Rolfe likes Lisel very much. Then why does he help the soldiers hunt for them at the end of the movie?" A.

"Because he has joined the Nazi party. You remember I told you about Hitler and the Nazis." This was during a discussion when we were watching the movie 'Life is Beautiful'. We had spoken then about Jews and Anne Frank and Hitler.

"Yes." A. "So even if he had joined Hitler's party, how can he do this if he likes Lisel?"

"That is exactly what the Nazis did. They influenced even young boys and girls who believed that what they said was right. That they were superior to the Jews, and that everyone who was not a Jew should join the Nazi party. These young boys and girls spied on their neighbours, friends, and even family members who did not side with the Nazi party and reported them. Then they would get into trouble like the von Trapps." Me.

"But why did these people not ask if it was right? Why did they accept that what Hitler was saying was right?" A.

"A, Hitler had a way of speaking that convinced people that whatever he said was right. And people believed in him. And remember I had told you that the Jews were a very small number compared to the total number of people? And even then they were richer or smarter or more educated than the others? So the people were jealous, and even this made them want to believe Hitler." Me.

"So Hitler had the power to convince people about what he believed and he used it to kill so many people? That is a wrong use of his power. It would have been better if he had used this power of convincing people to do good things, na?"

Way to go. I need to read up more, though.