Bookmarks

Book Reviews - #4 Anything For You Ma'am By Tushar Raheja

2010-06-16T00:50:00.000-07:00

Anything For You Ma'am

Reviewed by Bookworm Pulkit

I would rate this book as 7.5 on a scale of 10! It started off well, somewhere became really slow in between! Humor and pranks were not as good as that of the FPS (five point someone by Chetan Bhagat) ,a landmark in these campus books! Special highlight for me was the approach of the lead male character! His enthusiasm throughout the journey for his true love! The belief and faith in each other! The worth appreciating gesture of choosing long term better girl over short term date catches!
It could have been a little more pacer and thus lost the battle somewhere in between in comparison to FPS! Then too for the first time debut author Tushar! I would recommend you to read it once at least, if possible.

Bookmarks @ Bookworms Say:
The review doesnt say much, nonetheless it's crisp. Thankyou Pulkit!

Rating:

2 Bookmarks

(Rating is on a scale of 5)

Will The Real College Goer Stand Up Please?!

2010-06-11T00:15:00.000-07:00

Five point someone started it, and well, it's got to take the blame.
Four days ago, when I last visited a bookstore, it was the last straw for my patience. I was browsing through the bookracks and there it was, rack full of those low priced, college romances written by ofcourse college goers. No, don't get me wrong.
I am not against that genre, but someow, ain't it stifling to see 7 books with the same theme releasing every month!? It's so typical that one look at the bookcover and you can predict the story in 5 mintues flat. "Don't judge a book by it's cover" is passe in this case.

A small town kid with lot's of grey matter, fulfills his family's ambition a.k.a Madhavan in 3 Idiots, (Give me some sunshine, give me some rain, give me another chance to grow up once again!) of making it to an engineering college. (Preferably IIT/DCE/NIT).
He's obviously a total geeky nerd: obese or extremely thin, well oiled hair, no sense of style, bata sandals, and ofcourse the quintissential glasses!
Then put him in a big city, with a girls college in the vicinity (preferably DU) and make him meet a pretty girl from the same college who is OBVIOUSLY a big city junkie/gucci girl.And, a feminist.

Throw in some parties/socials/fests, some random conversations, exchanging of phone numbers, texting/chatting on Facebook, making out in public places, some historic torturous moment of the past, and VOILA! what do you get?

A two monthbestseller, until the next one tags along.

In all this ruckus, hasn't the real college goer vanished? The image has been so staunchly published that I cringe everytime I see an IITian. (no offense!) The engineering guy has been reduced to a mere desperado looking for a girl to please his desires. The DU girl has been shrunk to a girl who just wants to have fun and spend money on clothes!

Aren't we (the college goers) beyond this!? We do get into the colleges we are in to make our careers first. The fun and frolic are just the garnishings on the main dish! An engineering student can be good looking/rich/and possess a sense of style. A DU girl ca be geeky/into her studies!How hard is it to adjust to this?I just fail to understand the logic behid this.

To top it all, some of the writes don't even possess the basic writing skills. Some of the titles are so ridiculuous that I have to reread them to make sure that my eyes are not decieving me.

"Ofcourse I love you..until I find someone better!"

Sorry, WHAT? Call me old fashioned, but isn't love a one time deal?
Future authors, I'd like to make an appeal: We readers are done with IITian meets LSR chick stories. Please churn out something new. It's a humble request!

Until then, I'll skip the much discussed bookrack, when I visit the bookstore once again!

Favourite Character - #1 Howard Roark

2009-07-15T09:37:00.000-07:00

My Favourite Character

and

Is it possible to be like Howard Roark ?

Written By Bookworm RayMa Baxter

“I don’t wish to be the symbol for anything. I’m only myself.”~Howard Roark“The Fountainhead”

Ayn Rand’s “The Fountainhead” which was published in 1943 had a lot of new things to offer – from architecture to Objectivism, everything was lapped up the cult following it generated. For me, the best part of the book is its protagonist-Howard Roark – Architecture.

Roark is the kind who wonders why ineptitude should be allowed to exist. He is the sort who would rather struggle in obscurity than compromise on his artistic and personal vision. He is from the rare species who in shrugging off a compliment manage to keep their integrity and self-respect perfectly intact. He denies all references to his inherent selflessness, instead declaring himself as selfish as humanly possible and referring to Peter Keating a selfless man. He denounces his kindness while at the same time helping a man face through his most troublesome projects. It is the same man who later refers to him “a failure, a flop, an incompetent”.

Ayn Rand, in descibin’ the character of “Mike” Sean Xavier Donnigan,has given us an inside view of Roark as well-

“…People meant very little to Mike, but their performance a great deal. He worshipped expertness of any kind. He loved his work passionately and had no tolerance for anything save for other single-track devotions. He was a master in his own field and he felt no sympathy except for mastery. His view of the world was simple: there were the able and there were the incompetent: he was not concerned with the latter. He loved buildings. He despised, however, all architects.”

After reading the book I believe that each man has the moral obligation to defend what is good and true- to stand for every man, woman and child who can not be stood for.I believe a man should stand for himself.

To the sheep and the second-handers, I have only one thing to say – Learn to swim.

Bookmarks @ Bookworms say:

We can't say anything actually, havent read the book as yet! But your tongue-in-cheek article has left us gaping for the book.

Rating:

4 Bookmarks

(Rating is on a scale of 5)

Article -#1 Truly Twilightish

2009-06-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

Truly Twilightish

Written By Bookworm RayMa Baxter

First there were Tolkien and Lewis.
Then along came Rowling (after a looooooong while)
These writers who taught the world to read had one strand in common
-The genre of Fantasy Literature.
... and then Stephenie Meyer decided to write!

Meyer came forward with the most happening form of Literature ever seen - ChickLit!

Anyone who can dare argue against the apparent ChickLit factor of Twilight has to answer to the highly acclaimed critic, Ms. Zehra Kazmi's claim that if you take out the words "I froze","I cud smell his breath", "my heartbeat rose", "his gaze was intense","his touch was gentle and cold", "with icy fingers,he traced my collarbone/cheek/hair, "with his cold hand"... then only half the book would remain!
(Taken from her "YapYap with a Friend")

The book "Twilight", published in 2005, deals with the seventeen year old protagonist, Isabella Swan's never ending dilemma of How to date a Vampire?
(This work of art coming after my own umpteenth sincere effort to get over the charms of the "vegetarian vampire", Edward Cullen, may actually prove helpful if you somehow manage to land yourself in the town of Forks.)
Isabella, or Bella as she prefers to be known,has just moved from Phoenix to the rainy town of Forks where her stocks seem to have risen through the roof. She tries very hard to understand the wit-scrambling gorgeous hotties on the prowl at her new school. Her endeavours may vary from running bang in the middle of an oncoming truck (and hoping that a Cullen is nearby)or trying to date a Vampire on a non-liquid diet.
(Btw, when a Vampire says that she is on a strict liquid-diet, it would be saner to run a few baker's dozens kilometers in the opposite direction rather than commenting "Ooooo! What a coincidence? Same Pinch!"
... you might just save your family a bloodless-body funeral.)

The character of Edward can be said to be based on a Darcy-meets-Rochester imagination. Edward in the keeping with the Aristotlean tragedy is of a noble upbringing and tries very hard to keep his tragic flaw (of being a Monster) in check. Edward is constantly trying to warn Bella to stay away from him... not that he seems to take heed of it himself. He somehow manages to save Bella's life several times even leaving her with a crescent shaped scar near the end of the novel.

The book stars the impossibly pale looking brood of yum vampires lead by the charismatic Dr. Carlisle Cullen who loves playing Baseball. And in what is arguably the film's most dramatic moment, vampire heartthrob Edward takes Bella to play baseball with his family, only to draw the attention of some visiting vamps who challenge the coven to a game, realize Bella's a human, attempt to take a bite out of what they believe to be an after-game snack and kick off the film's violent climax. Not that being saved by a vampire who completely adores you though lusts for your blood is a thing to be missed - not even in a hundred years!

P.S.- You don't see any mention of Jacob Black because I do not like him. Period.

Bookworms @ Bookmarks say:

Why? Why hate Jacob? ;) Miss Sunshine likes him! and well, even though we personally disagree, we cant help but admire your logics!

Rating:

3.5 Bookmarks

(Rating is on a scale of 5)

Book Reviews - #3 The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari By Robin Sharma

2009-06-22T03:29:00.000-07:00

The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari

Hmmm..Finally The Blessed One (cool name :P) gets some time in his hands to write for Bookmarks. You guys might have been wondering why the blog is only monopolised by Miss Sunshine (not that any one would mind considering how good she is at it, but still, wasn't the blog by both of us?) Well then here it comes! First of all I'd like to mention that the books I like to read are polar opposite to those of Miss Sunshine. :) ..

So the first book that I'm reviewing is The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari By Robin Sharma. This book is distinctly different from a few other Self-Help books that I've read in the sense that it has a spiritual core in it. It has also left a lasting impression in my mind. The book has been crafted very intelligently with a fable which conveys the full intent and meaning this book stands for. The fable's imaginative and thoughtful descriptions take you to a different world, a breath-taking and awe-inspiring world. The book makes you want to reconsider your goals and think! Beautifully written and at a comfortable pace leaves you with a happy feeling after you finish the book. Lots of meaning and well crafted, at gives you a glimpse into the meaning of life and makes you want to live your life to the fullest in the very literal sense. The best thing about this book is that it is not rigid in its advices and very simplified and gives a clear sense of living in harmony with yourself and nature. The book does not anywhere suggest about giving up luxuries and living with the bare minimal or become sage like to achieve enlightenment, but its all about balancing your lifestyle and slowing down and smelling the roses, feeling the breeze on your face, spending time with your family and friends..you know, the people and things that really matter the most to you, not pseudo happiness. It gives you very real and useful tools in The Secret Of The Lake, Heart Of The Rose.
In short the book gives you great wisdom highly simplified. If you are lacking in motivation and perhaps want to rethink your priorities this book might well be what you need.

Robin Sharma

Poem - #1 Books

2009-06-20T00:06:00.000-07:00

Books

By Bookworm Anushka Desai

Books
The thing ‘book’,
Is a friend of mine,
It has many words,
That are arranged in a line.

There is a saying that,
“You should not judge a book by it’s cover” ,
But many people do this,
Saying that I am a “book-lover”.

They have a lot of knowledge,
From science to history,
They have many stories,
From fairytales to mystery.

It said to be that,
It is a good friend,
When you’re alone,
And think that the world has come to an end.

The author is a 6th grader.

Bookworms @ Bookmarks say:

It's a really thoughtful poem for a 6th grader, as it explores the fake book freaks! We personally don't like such people. :) Being published by the renowned Children's World magazine, I dont think we can say much!

Rating:
4 Bookmarks

(Rating is on a scale of 5)

Book Reviews -#2 A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

2009-06-18T06:01:00.000-07:00

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Reviewed By Bookworm Ice Maiden

Khaled Hosseini's 2003 novel "The Kite Runner" arrived at the perfect post-9/11 moment, bringing into glaring spotlight the suddenly notorious Islamic nation of Afghanistan & then slowly weaved a rich, deeply affecting & painfully heart wrenching story that spoke of friendship, treachery, Taliban cruelty, and redemption. Next, Hossieni presents before us, a brisk heart breaking follow-up “A Thousand Splendid Suns", set once again against the backdrop of recent violence of Afghanistan, which literally reveals the bruises beneath the burqa.

“The Kite Runner” got off a gripping start & later stumbled into sentimentality. Like a stark contrast “A Thousand Splendid Suns,” starts off subtly, slowing unfurling, progressively gaining speed & emotional power. Hosseini, a professional doctor as well, who was born in Kabul and moved to the United States in 1980,is a gifted storyteller who creates characters deftly, colored with simplicity & rudimentary boldfaced emotions, intertwined expertly with melodramatic plotlines. The story gives an intimate look at a nation that is quite literally torn apart by war, in a way that speaks to a vast majority of the world's readers. Because inspite of his writing being vivid & descriptive, it remains balanced & shockingly real, which gives you a distinct feeling that you are right there watching it all happen.
A Thousand Splendid Suns offers a harrowing insight into the lives of Afghan women spanning over the last 3 decades, alternating between the points of view of the two main protagonists of the story – Mariam & Laila, who are women born into very different circumstances. The story set primarily in Kabul starts in 1964 with a five-year-old Mariam, & finally ends in 2003, spanning over the Russian invasion of Afghanistan, the defeat and withdrawal of the Russians that led to the warlords in-fighting, followed by the rise of the Taliban, and ends with the beginning of democratic rule.
Mariam is the abandoned illegitimate daughter, result of a wealthy businessman’s sexual dalliance with a washerwoman. At 15, curious about the outside world, & the remainder of her blood ties, she decides to take her life’s course into her own hands… & it isn’t one she always desired. Her mother commits suicide and she is forced to marry Rasheed, a shoemaker in Kabul, who apart from being 3 times her age, is a coarse, lecherous, violent man who effectively turns Mariam’s already disheveled life into a living hell. The way in which the Hossieni reveals the casual way in which Mariam’s destiny is taken from her hands, gives an insight to his natural storytelling talents, which pulls the readers heartstrings in just the right way.
The life of the novel’s other heroine, Laila, takes an even sharper trajectory toward ruin. Though she is the cherished daughter of an intellectual, Laila finds her life literally shattered when first her brothers fall martyr for the country, & then a rocket —a result of the mujahideen running riot in the country— lands on her house and kills her parents. Alone in a war torn country, half deaf by a bomb blast & terrified that she is pregnant by her childhood sweetheart Tariq, who has already left Afghanistan, Laila is forced to take cover with Rasheed and his wife. Soon her life starts to resemble the one that countless Afghan women live each day, & she finds herself, at 14, Rasheed’s new wife.
There is no joy in this grotesque union, only humiliation & servitude, but the slow-growing friendship between the 2 women, against all expectations, sustains and transforms them over the increasingly gruesome years that come. The romantic twists in the story may seem fairytale-like but all in all the story remains a sadly accurate version of what many Afghan women have experienced.
At its best, the novel is a view into all the big events of Afghan history, through a veil: daily mundane household chores, the way the family treats each other, their daily life – we see nothing except through their eyes, & that is what makes the novel a stirring read. The novel never feels like a history lesson or a window on human rights issue, all of the best elements of fiction are present right there: love, betrayal, crisis, scandal, the best and worst of human behavior. What's unmistakable though is how much war -- be in the Soviets, the Americans or the Taliban and various factions -- have gutted the country. This is a story of a country in which there are roughly 2 million war widows & almost as many beggars as there are burqa’s. Nearly every family who stayed had someone who was murdered, raped and tortured and sometimes entire families were massacred.
Someone who keeps track of international news will be well exposed to the atrocities of war & the suffering of women, but as fiction, it devastates in an unflinchingly real way, that will force each reader to imagine the consequence of facing such a grim fate. All in all there are the lessons to be learnt: true love never dies; justice will be done; sisterhood is powerful. It’s a novel that will keep u on the edge till u read the last line, well worth a read, impossible to resist. Speaking of his countrymen in “The Kite Runner” made Khaled Hossieni a well known name among the new genre of writers, but it is the plight of Afghan women in “A thousand splendid suns” that has brought him to realize his full powers as a novelist.

Khaled Hosseini

Bookworms @ Bookmarks say:

What a stirring review. Outstanding. The brilliant vocabulary lights up the imagination of every reader and catches everbody's fancy. Surely a hit, if you say so, Ice Maiden.

Rating:

4.5 Bookmarks

(Rating is on a scale of 5)

Libraries Around The World - British Council, New Delhi

2009-06-11T03:52:00.000-07:00

British Council is located on K.G. Marg , New Delhi. It's a bit in the corner sorts, and maybe if you blink for too long, you might just miss it. ;) It was designed by Indian architect Charles Correa and opened in 1993. It is a visual delight, from the inside as well as the outside, with the outdoors being done up in a refreshing sandstone colour with bold black and white design.
The Library stocks only British and Indian Authors, so if you just want a book by any other author, chances are you might not find it! It's indoors was recently re-furnished, with the new look, wee bit more comfortable than the older one! It's more spacious, for starters. There's a CCD outlet inside, the work-stations are aplenty, the new upholstery, classification, all deserve 5 stars.
The library, is a haven for kids. It's like a magic land. You have bean bags, stuff toys, computer games, bright carpets, and ofcourse, useful books. The books are placed in low-lying shelves, so that it is easy for the kids to access all the books.
The books available, cover various areas of interest, from fiction, to chick-lit, to fitness, to English literature, Shakespearean plays, computer books, cookery, magazines. You name it, they have it. I am never ever disappointed when I go there. If a certain book is not there,you can request the library to stock it, and they do it. Really. You can issue DVDs, kids educational CDs too.
Technology wise, the BCL is at par with NASA. Jokes apart, the library has a fully functional automated issue-return system, with attendants, to help you out. There are approx. 20 computers, Internet enabled, for your personal use. The online catalogue, is, I must admit, a blessing. With crystal clear codes for everything, it's a delight to use it.
BCL also hols various events, like Summer programmes for kids, English Learning classes, UK Education Information, Human Rights discussion, Art, Media, Competitions. All in all, it's buzzing all the time.
There is a canteen too, but I really didn't warm upto it. The standards should be raised, to the BCL level.
Last but not the least, the ambiance is top-class. With pristine clear water, sparkling washrooms, comfortable air-conditioning, it's surely a boon in the chaotic K.G. Marg.

For Further Enquiry: mdelhi.enquiry@in.britishcouncil.org

Rating, of the Library:
4 Bookmarks
(Rating is on a scale of 5)

Book Reviews #1 - Twilight Series by Stephanie Mayer

2009-06-08T10:01:00.000-07:00

The Twilight Saga

Reviewed by Bookworm Princess Caspian

The sensation of the year and if any of the book-a-holics have not read it I say ‘shame on you’. One of the best chick-lit ever written and I can say that with confidence because I love chick-lits and I’ve read loads of them! The Twilight saga has been categorized as ‘suspense, romance, horror, comedy’. Each book in the series was inspired by and loosely based on a different literary classic: Twilight on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, New Moon on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Eclipse on Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights, and Breaking Dawn on a second Shakespeare play, A Midsummer Night's Dream. Meyer also states that Orson Scott Card and L. M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables series are a big influence on her writing. Stephenie Meyer says that the idea for Twilight came to her in a dream.

Twilight
Bella Swan moves from Phoenix, Arizona to live with her father in Forks, Washington to allow her mother to travel with her new husband, a minor league baseball player. After moving to Forks, Bella finds herself involuntarily drawn to a mysterious, handsome boy, Edward Cullen. She eventually learns that he is a member of a vampire family who drink animal blood rather than human. Edward and Bella fall in love, but James, a sadistic vampire from another coven, is drawn to drink Bella's blood. Edward and the other Cullens defend Bella. She escapes to Phoenix, Arizona, where she is tricked into confronting James, who tries to kill her. She is seriously wounded, but Edward rescues her and they return to Forks.

New Moon
Edward and his family leave Forks because he believes he is endangering Bella's life. Bella falls into a deep depression, until she develops a strong friendship with werewolf Jacob Black. Jacob and the other wolves in his tribe must protect her from Victoria, a vampire seeking to avenge her mate James' death by killing Bella. A misunderstanding occurs, and Edward believes Bella is dead. Edward decides to commit suicide in Volterra, Italy, but he is stopped by Bella and Alice, Edward's sister. They meet with theVolturi, a powerful coven of vampires, and are released on the condition that Bella be turned into a vampire in the near future. Bella and Edward are reunited, and the Cullens return to Forks.

Eclipse
The vampire Victoria (James's mate from Twilight) has created an army of "newborn" vampires to battle the Cullen family and kill Bella. Meanwhile, Bella is forced to choose between her relationship with Edward and her friendship with Jacob. Edward's vampire family and Jacob's werewolf pack join forces to successfully destroy Victoria and her vampire army. In the end, Bella chooses Edward's love over Jacob's and agrees to marry him.

Breaking Dawn
Bella and Edward are married, but their honeymoon is cut short when Bella discovers she is pregnant. Her pregnancy progresses rapidly, severely weakening her. She nearly dies giving birth to her and Edward's half-vampire-half-human daughter, Renesmee, but Edward injects Bella with his venom to save her life by turning her into a vampire. A vampire from another coven sees Renesmee and mistakes her for an "immortal child", whose existence violates vampire law, and informs the Volturi. The Cullens gather vampire witnesses who can verify that Renesmee is not an immortal child. After an intense confrontation, the Cullens and their witnesses convince the Volturi that the child poses no danger to vampires or their secret, and they are left in peace.

Midnight Sun
This one is not out yet. It’s from Edward’s point while the other four were from Bella’s point. Half the text was released by Stephenie Meyer on her official web site due to some copyright reasons.
Here's the Draft:
http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/pdf/midnightsun_partial_draft4.pdf

Her first book titled simply “Twilight” was made into a feature length movie and The Twilight Saga became one of the most talked about book series in the world.The second book is ready to release this winter-19th November2009.
Many fans of The Twilight Series compare Stephenie Meyer to J.K. Rowling. As a matter of fact, when the third installment in the Twilight saga named Eclipse was released in Summer of 2007, the sales of the book sky-rocketed to the point that it matched, and then exceeded the sales of Harry Potter book.

I hope I’ve convinced all the readers. So what are you waiting for? Go grab your copy, and read the story of how the lion fell in love with the lamb.

Bookworms @ Bookamrks say:

Although it's an understatement to call the Twilight series "chick-lit", it's the deepest love story, ever read. Nonetheless, a very crisp review.

Rating:

3.5 Bookmarks

(Rating is on a scale of 5)

Favourite Authors - #3 Charlotte Bronte

2009-06-05T08:47:00.000-07:00

Charlotte Bronte

Favoured By Bookworm Princess Caspian

Charlotte Brontë (21 April 1816 – 31 March 1855) was a British novelist, the eldest of the three famous Brontë sisters whose novels have become standards of English literature. Charlotte Brontë, who used the pen name Currer Bell, is best known for Jane Eyre, one of the most famous English Novels.

LIFE
Charlotte was born in Thornton, Yorkshire, England, in 1816, the third of six children, to Patrick Brontë , an Irish Anglican clergyman, and his wife, Maria Branwell. In April 1821, At home in Haworth Parsonage, Charlotte and the other surviving children — Branwell, Emily and Anne— began chronicling the lives and struggles of the inhabitants of their imaginary kingdoms. Charlotte and Branwell wrote Byronic stories about their country — Angria — and Emily and Anne wrote articles and poems about theirs — Gondal. The sagas were elaborate and convoluted (and still exist in part manuscripts) and provided them with an obsessive interest in childhood and early adolescence, which prepared them for their literary vocations in adulthood.
Charlotte continued her education at Roe Head, Mirfield, from 1831 to 1832, where she met her lifelong friends and correspondents, Ellen Nussey and Mary Taylor. During this period (1833), she wrote her novella The Green Dwarf under the name of Wellesley She finally returned to Haworth in January 1844 and later used her time at the pensionnat as the inspiration for some of The Professor and Villette.
In May 1846, Charlotte, Emily and Anne published a joint collection of poetry under the assumed names of Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell. Although the book failed to attract interest (only two copies were sold), the sisters decided to continue writing for publication and began work on their first novels. Charlotte continued to use the name "Currer Bell" when she published her first two novels.
Her novels were deemed coarse by the critics. Much speculation took place concerning the identity of Currer Bell, and whether Bell was a man or a woman.
The main character, Jane Eyre, in her novel Jane Eyre, was a parallel to herself, a woman who was strong. However, she never left Haworth for more than a few weeks at a time as she did not want to leave her aging father's side.
In June 1854, Charlotte married Arthur Bell Nicholls, her father's curate, and became pregnant very soon thereafter. Her health declined rapidly during this time, and according to Gaskell, her earliest biographer, she was attacked by "sensations of perpetual nausea and ever-recurring faintness." Charlotte died, along with her unborn child, on 31 March 1855, at the young age of 38.
The Life of Charlotte Brontë, the posthumous biography of Charlotte Brontë by fellow novelist Elizabeth Gaskell, was the first of many biographies about Charlotte to be published.

JANE EYRE
Jane Eyre is a first-person narrative of the title character, a small, plain-faced, intelligent and honest English orphan. The novel goes through five distinct stages: Jane's childhood at Gateshead, where she is abused by her aunt and cousins; her education at Lowood School, where she acquires friends and role models but also suffers privations; her time as the governess of Thornfield Manor, where she falls in love with her Byronic employer, Edward Rochester; her time with the Rivers family at Marsh's End (or Moor House) and Morton, where her cold clergyman-cousin St John Rivers proposes to her; and her reunion with and marriage to her beloved Rochester at his house of Ferndean. Partly autobiographical, the novel abounds with social criticism and sinister gothic elements.

Themes such as morality, religion, social class, gender relations, disability, the gothic, disguise, symbolic names of people and places.

Bookworms @ Bookmarks say:

What an overview. Never knew so much about her. The language, aspects covered, is outstanding.

Rating : 4 Bookmarks

(Rating is on a scale of 5)

Favourite Author - #2 - Enid Blyton

2009-06-03T10:21:00.000-07:00

Enid Blyton

Enid Blyton or Mary Pollock was born on 11 August, 1897 in London, England. She is the author of over 700 books for children, including the well-known Noddy, Famous Five and Secret Seven, Malory Towers series.
Enid Blyton first started to study music, and then trained as a teacher! She did not teach for long, though. . (Thank god she did not continue, or what a shame it would be, for the writing world.) She then became an educational journalist, and that’s how our beloved books came into existence.
Enid’s style can truly be called a classic, because the way she connects with the kids is stupendous. She reaches out to kids of every generation! Her stories still hold good. (I personally still like them.) Her first book for children was a collection of poems called “Child Whisperers” in 1922! You know what? The Noddy Series were published in 1930s. Can you believe it? The deep, futuristic, imaginative thinking of hers? Everyone loves Noddy. Even my grandma used to watch it, (the T.V. series) with my li’l sister and, me of course.
She had a very strong sense of the need to educate her young readers. She’d always strived to give them a clear picture of what’s right and wrong. She, through her short stories, aimed to educate the young ones about proper behaviour. Her stories always have a moral, even if it is a trivial one.
Even though teachers and librarians have often said that they felt the plots were too simple and the style of writing was very flat and uninteresting, her publications have been enjoyed by a great many students, over the years.
My personal favourite was the Famous Five series. I absolutely adored Julian, and George was my ideal. Perhaps, Timothy or Timmy, made me discover the dog lover in me! ;) The beautiful Kirrin Islands make me sigh even now. How she explains each and every little nuance! How smart and intelligent those kids were. I loved those whenever-you-please picnics, and yep, the amazing food, especially the gingerbeer. (I still ache to taste it.) and those mysterious, adrenalin pumping adventures. Sigh..
Oops, I got carried away!
That’s what she does to you! She mirrored the fantasies of children, very seamlessly. I have never read the “Naughtiest Girl in the School” series, because I could not have enough of Famous Five. Do you remember Mr. Goon?
Wasn’t she brilliant!? I cannot think of creating such an character in her times. Her flawless narrations, un-ending imagination sets her a class apart. Even though I am obliged to J.K. Rowling for the beautiful world of Harry Potter, nothing can beat the magic, the aura, the environment Enid Blyton created.

She diedof extreme illness in 1968, aged 71.

Blyton's life is set to be turned into a BBC movie for the first time later in 2009. Academy Award nominated actress Helena Bonham Carter will be portraying Blyton in the movie.. Bonham Carter is set to star alongside Matthew Macfadyen and Denis Lawson who will be playing Blyton's first husband Hugh Pollock and Blyton's second husband Kenneth Darrell Waters respectively.

Her Works:

The Famous Five series
The Adventure series
The Noddy books
The Secret Seven series
The Malory Towers series
The St. Clare's series
The Wishing-Chair series
The Magic Faraway Tree series
The Barney Mystery series
The Circus series
The Five Find-Outers
The Mistletoe Farm series
The Naughtiest Girl series
The Amelia Jane short stories
The Secret series

Favourite Author #1 - Ruskin Bond

2009-06-02T09:31:00.000-07:00

Ruskin Bond

The Midas Touch. Yes, that is what he possesses, because there is no other explanation for the mysterious way he transforms the mundane, dull things in our everyday life to something really exotic! I am hooked to Ruskin Bond since I read that poem of his "Grandma Climbs A Tree". It was such an captivating poem, with simple things made larger than life, and so vibrant. I mean, we all have grandmas', who have some or the other peculiar taste, but whose grandma wants to have a tree house and drink sherry? Tell me? Doesn't it all sound so fascinating? The way he describes everything around me, makes me want to live his life, even if it is on a shoe-string budget!

Ruskin Bond was born in Kasauli in 1934. He lives in Mussourie right now. Ruskin Bond, born 19 May 1934) is an Indian author of British descent. He has lived in Landour, Shimla, Jamnagar, Mussourie, Dehradun and London. That explains the heavy usage of hills, mountainous terrains as backdrops for all his stories.

"Like an Indian bazaar itself, the book is filled with the smells, sights, sounds, confusion and subtle organization of ordinary Indian life."

This is how his first book, The Room On The Roof, is described. It was written by him when he was just 17, and published when he was 21. His style of writing has always been influenced by his lifestyle and surroundings. I have never seen a more unique and simple writer than Mr. Bond. His works can be read and grasped by anybody! I mean the non-readers too! Ruskin Bond is smitten by the mountains. Even now, if you happen to go to Mussourie, you can find him, taking a stroll, just like any other old man. He doesn't have those airs, like the other famous authors. He's even won the Padma Shri in 1999. The mysterious, mellow, yet strong sense of writing is what captivates me. The stories "The Woman on Platform 8" and "The Train at Deoli" import you into some other world. The delicate woman, the way she mesmerises Arun in the story, is well, out-standing. The Train at Deoli, leaves you gasping for more, wanting to ask, "Hey, what happened next?". I personally think, it's a very mean task to make the plot enticing, in a short story. You have to give the detalis, yet not make it long, you have to keep in mind the concentration of your readers, not make it boring, and to top it all, make it dazzling. His tales are finely crafted, memorable and leave an imprint in your mind forever.

Nobody has achieved it more than him. That's what makes him Bookmark's Favourite Author No. 1! ;)

Ruskin Bond's Works:

Short Stories:
The Woman on Platform 8
The Eyes Have It
Cricket for the Crocodile
The Blue Umbrella
Ghost Trouble
Angry River
Dust on the Mountain
A Guardian Angel
The Photograph
Death of a Familiar
The Coral Tree
The Kite Maker
The Window
The Monkeys
Chachi's Funeral
The Prospect of Flowers
The Man who was Kipling
A Case for Inspector Lal
The Story of Madhu

Essays and Vignettes:
Life at my own pace
The old gramophone
A little world of mud
Adventures of a book lover
Upon an old wall dreaming
Landour days
Funny Side Up
A town called Dehra

Travel Writings:
Tales of the open road
Ganga descends
Beautiful Mandakini
On the road to Badrinath
Flowers on the Ganga
Roads to Mussoorie
The Road To Bazaar

Songs and Love Poems
Lost Love lyric for Binya Devi
It isn't time that's passing
Kites
Grandma climbs tree

AutoBiography:
Scenes from a Writer's Life
It was published in 1997. In this book Ruskin Bond describes his life till its 21st year.

The Bookworms Behind Bookmarks:

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Miss Sunshine:

Like those rich and famous, who are born with a silver spoon, Miss Sunshine was born with books! Being an avid and addicted reader, her first memory of books goes back to the Enid Blytons. (Who hasn't read them?)

Says she, "Enid Blyton used to fascinate me because of the various magical lands, the pixies, talking animals, and ofcourse the food described. It increased your apetite like c-r-a-z-y!"

Even though she reads all genres, Harry Potter remains her all time favourite.

The Blessed One:

He wasn't a bookworm until he hit Noddy, (Enid Blyton Fans we are!) at the age of 6. Then there was no looking back, and as they say, the rest is history.

Says he, "Motivational books really pump me up. I am open to other genres, but these ones are my weakness. (Pardon the pun).

The pain, the sufferings, the repentance shown in the books really charge me.
Really, tell me, how else can you experience a first hand encounter, say, with a tiger, and still manage to breathe? You know exactly what happened, sitting in the coziness of your couch!

Now that's what I call c-a-p-t-i-v-a-t-i-n-g."

Sure it must be, if he says so. ;)

Contact Us

2009-05-02T05:22:00.000-07:00

Why Bookmarks?

2009-05-02T04:51:00.000-07:00

Because it's different! =))
Jokes apart, what makes Bookmarks a class apart is that it is a mantle for free discussions about anything and everything about the captivating books. Be it some bloopers, (in the library , with the cute guy), your first book, (Yes the nursery rhyme one) and SO much more.

We as book lovers have always wanted to have a book club sorts, where we could discuss books and more books with some genuinely passionate readers!

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with us @ bookmarks.bookworms@gmail.com and we'll share it with all other bookworms too :)

Whatcha waiting for? Hop along the crazy book ride!