My Favourite Books

Who doesnt like flaunting his likes to the rest of the world ? It would be delightful if the world takes some time to listen to him. But the point is, the first initiative must be taken by the person himself. Here its me. And if you do have the time, do listen to the eloquence I have to pour over these wonderful pieces of literature that I have come across in my reading experience.
I have not attempted to order the books in any way. I just closed my eyes and wondered which would be the book I would like to read once more before I die - and jotted down all the books which leapt into my mind. I am sure I have missed many a more wonderful books - which I shall add another day.

Anne of Green Gables(L.M.Montgomery)
Emily's Quest(L.M.Montgomery)
The Convenient Marriage(Georgette Heyer)
Good Bye, Mr.Chips(James Hilton)
Pride and Prejudice(Jane Austen)
Wuthering Heights(Emily Bronte)
The Naughtiest girl in the school(Enid Blyton)
Random Harvest(James Hilton)
Frederica(Georgette Heyer)
Wives and Daughters(Elizabeth Gaskell)

Anne of Green Gables
Cant think of a better book to read as you breathe your last. You leave with your spirits high, with a smile on your lips and with a sense that all is right with the world - at least in some parts of the world. Miss Montgomery has woven magic around one of the finest creations in all literature - Anne Shirley. What is immediately captivating about the book is the ease with which the words seem to flow and create the most beautiful lands. No doubt it was not all imagination - there was a strong affinity which the author had with her beloved Prince Edward Island. But even then, it is not an easy task to make the place so desirable as she did in her tale. There is beauty permeating through every word of the book. The island, the small set of charming characters, the Lake of Shing Waters...everything is immersed in beauty - the beauty that only words can achieve. And of course, there is Anne.

Anne Shirley is a creature of Joy. There is a certain moving pleasure in whatever she does - for it is a very honest capture of childhood at its most chirping. It is not a luxurious childhood, but a most happy and comfortable one. Her words are probing - a ring of innocence yet astonishing depths wrap them.

"I do make a lot of mistakes - but just imagine the so many mistakes that I dont make but may." Such thought-provoking statements are scattered right through the book. Anne evokes both laughter as well as tears. The tears are not exactly for any tragic overtones but rather for the utter simplicity of the young lady which is too moving for words. The growth of the child into a lady is brilliantly conveyed. Her words, her tone - all reflect the change in the maturity of Anne. It is no mean task to convey it as simply and as artistically as Miss Montgomery does. I am sure that I am not the only one who feels sad at the growth. While Anne loses little of the beauty of her thoughts, there is that loss of simple innocence in her words which immediately attracts as a child. In short, Anne the child captivated me so much as to leave any other Anne disappointing.

I have not read all the sequels. I have read a couple - and the above reason hindered my progress. Imagine that darling child getting married and having children !! Yes, yes - this is quite idiotic, but still....
Anyway, read "Anne of Green Gables" - and you have found a treasure for life. My all-time favourite and one of the masterpieces of literature.

Emily's Quest
To a discerning reader, the Montgomery books may seem somewhat repetitive. But the fact is that Miss Montgomery's books are not meant meant to be radically different in theme and address. Where they differ is in the characters - the brilliance of her characterization, and remember it is the simple things which matter in a child's life. Simple things which become simple as we grow - they lose some of their lustre and it is only a few rare ones like Miss Montgomery who continue to remain charmed with those simplicities of life.

Emily Byrd Starr's chronicles commence with "Emily of New Moon" and continue in "Emily Climbs". While I certainly loved both the books, it is in Emily's Quest that I really found myself immersed into thge bewitching land of Miss Montgomery. Actually, I read "Magic for Marigold" and "Emily of New Moon" one after the other. Hence the first Emily tale struck me as being far too similar to the one of Marigold. "Emily Climbs" followed a little later, and I really enjoyed the book. There is very little to choose between "Emily Climbs" and "Emily's Quest". I would go for the latter simply because I found astonishing depths to Emily's character which Miss Montgomery has probed. It is not all-happy certainly. In fact, it is one of the saddest of all Montgomery's books. But as is a Hindi song lyric "Hain sabse madhur woh geet jinhe hum dard ke sur me gaate hain"(Sweetest are the songs which are sad in tune).

Where "Emily Climbs" focusses more on Emily and her writing, "Emily's Quest" dwells more on matters of the heart, though her writing is never ever in a second position. The book starts promisingly enough for Emily's romance - her friends are all leaving for higher education and she has a most romantic last night-chat with her childhood sweet-heart Teddy Kent. That is it - for a long while. The title "Pride and Prejudice" would fit the book very aptly indeed. It is a tale built around Emily's pride, which threatens to ruin her life away from writing and causes her no mean suffering.