Tuesday, February 11, 2020

Books I read in 2020 # 5

February Week #1  

The first week of February saw me reading a little less than I would have loved to. Yet, I read a couple of books and continued my tryst with the Ivory Throne.

Tell Tale – Jeffrey Archer

I had taken this book on loan from the library and loved reading it. I enjoy reading Archer because his writing is easy and enjoyable. Yet it stands out from the ordinary because of the way he treats every storyline/subject. I enjoyed almost every book I read and Tell Tale was no different. I particularly enjoyed the 100 word short stories and the three different scenarios he presented in the story – a holiday of a lifetime.

‘A Road to Damascus’ was a profound story and so was the ‘A Good Toss to Lose’. The way Archer portrays the characters in the story is wonderful and one can picture them in one’s mind. ‘A Gentleman and a Scholar’ made a unique read and ‘Who killed the mayor’ was intriguing, to say the least.

The beauty of Archer’s writing is the clarity and simplicity he brings to the board. And yet, the stories are captivating like a thriller or so. Needless to say, the flair and command over writing are excellent. I have enjoyed all of his books – except perhaps ‘First Among Equals’, which I read when I was too young to understand UK politics and the way it functions. Ironically, it was one of the books I took ages to finish and was relieved when I finally read the last pages. (I don’t remember the story well and so, I might re-read it one of these days). 

The Essential Collection For Young Readers – Ruskin Bond

I love to read Ruskin Bond. He is an amazing storyteller and I absolutely enjoy reading his stories. That’s why I re-read this book now. It has a lot of stories – The Room of Many Colours, Last Tonga Ride, The Girl on the Train, Coming Home to Dehra, Four Feathers, Blue Umbrella and many more. It fills a certain degree of nostalgia in the reader.

Again, the language and premises are as simple as they can be. The characters are portrayed vividly and the story is told in such an endearing fashion that the reader feels one with it all. Also, the agony of losing the only parent who cared for you, the pain of losing friends, and such things never fail to touch you deeply. Your heart aches for the little boy…

I particularly love the way he writes about the nature around him and also about the people in and around Dehra. A delightful read without any doubt. Ruskin Bond is one of the few writers even the children can read and enjoy. His language is simple and easy to understand. More importantly, it connects you with the story and the storyteller.  If you have a child at home that you wish to initiate into reading, gift a few books by Ruskin Bond. It is highly likely he/she would be hooked.

That’s more or less what I read this week. Apart from finishing the Dead Man’s Shoes and progressing very slowly through Ivory Throne, I haven’t read much. I hope to start Heads You Win by Jeffrey Archer sometime this week and finish it soon as well.

So, that’s all from me folks… until next time… enjoy reading! 

Image courtesy: Google 

2 comments:

© Mubi said...

Happy Reading Nisha :)

Nisha said...

Thanks Mubi! You have been an inspiration - both to read and to write :)

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