Memorable books

MAY 2017 TOPIC: Which is the most memorable book you’ve read and why?

The best book that I have read is The Fault In Our Stars by John Green. What makes the book special is how well the author connects us to the narrator, Hazel. It just feels personal. Other than that, there were some bitter truths about life; we got to feel the pain cancer patients do and above all, it showed love in a different form — that it doesn’t have to always be a ‘forever’. And let’s not forget the amazing quotes!
Karishma Wadia (18)
Mithibai College of Arts, Mumbai

I will never forget I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up For Education And Was Shot By The Taliban by Christina Lamb. This book is about a fearless girl’s journey in fighting for education. Reading this book left me with infinite questions about the evil world we live in. Females were restricted from going to school in that region of Pakistan. Despite all this she continued her studies. It takes a lot more than guts and self-motivation to live in a world where you are discriminated against. I was in tears when I read the last chapters of this book where she was shot by the Taliban while heading to school. Malala Yousafzai is an inspirational girl who taught us that education is beyond all fear.
Bhakti Makwana (20)
Nagindas Khandwala College, Malad

The most memorable book I’ve ever read is The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown with its mysterious and thrilling plot headed by protagonist Robert Langdon. According to the book, “Nothing is hidden that will not be made known, nothing is secret that will not come to light”. It was about hidden knowledge which could change every belief. God is not above us, but within us and our knowledge is the ultimate power. That’s why our head is also called ‘temple’. The book does not only open your eyes but also puts you in gripping and jaw dropping scenarios.
Harshita Rawat (17)
MSS, Bangalore

The most memorable book I’ve ever read is A Little Book Of Life by Ruskin Bond. The author puts together his favourite sayings, aphorisms and quotations in this delightful little book on life and living. With its wit and gentle common sense, this is a book you can dip into anytime, and come up with something that will make you smile or think. If all the tiny nuggets of wisdom could be encapsulated into a lovely hardbound book, this would be the one. It’s a must-read and a must-have for a bibliophile.
Sukanya Basu Mallik (18)
Auxilium Convent School, Bandel

The best book I have read till now is If Tomorrow Comes by Sidney Sheldon. Irrespective of being an international bestseller, there is a deep mystery which binds me till the end. It is based on how we respond to our present and future. It is about a teenage girl Dory who is afraid to see the future when her present unexpectedly worsens after her mother commits suicide. But still she prepares herself for the toughest time life would bring to her.
Sanjibonny Konwar
Gurukul Sikshayayotan Jr College, Jorhat

Noughts And Crosses by Malorie Blackman. A story about self-sacrifice. Agape. Selfless love. If there was a type of love that I would want it would be the kind of love shown by Sephy and Callum. This is one of my all-time favourite books, a story that really touched me. It’s filled with action, emotion and passion. It also encompasses themes of segregation, discrimination, racism and love which gives many moral messages to us and sometimes makes us question our consciences. As a romantic myself and a teen passionate about moral issues, I would definitely recommend this book. A narrative about forbidden love. A modern day chic version of Romeo and Juliet. What’s not to love?
Riya Regi Peruvelil (16)
St Paul’s School for Girls, Birmingham, U.K.

The Perks of Being A Wallflower, published in 1999, is as relatable to a teenager of today just as much as it was then. The book justifies the fact that it does not take fancy words and plot to make a bestseller. It is like your favourite song; you can listen to it repeatedly and not get bored. Stephen Chbosky beautifully portrays what goes on in a teenager’s mind and how it is absolutely okay for it to be messed up. The book tells you how you can feel thousands of paradoxes dancing in your head, but also makes you believe that everything is going to be okay. There were many instances where the words were so powerful that I had to close the book and stare at the wall for a minute to make sense of what I read.
Manisha Agarwal (15)
DPS Agra

The Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett is a beautiful book that made me believe in the magic and luck that surrounds every little child and which needs only a bit of imagination to be activated. Everyone is faced with tough challenges but not everyone has the courage to fight back. Sara’s kindness, self-reassuring powers and never-give-up spirit make her a true heroine for this generation. It is an inspiring book which everyone should read at least once.
Adeen Wagle (14)
Mary Immaculate Girls’ High School, Kalina, Mumbai

Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner is a book close to my heart. The story explores the human capacity for evil by loss of innocence, jealousy, manipulation, betrayal and revenge, and good through the values of friendship, love and forgiveness. It developed in me social awareness by intricately weaving in religion and philosophy in a culturally rich, realistic setting. The inspirational words spoken by the characters and universality of themes caused me to redefine my life based on new perspectives.
Kimberly Rowe (22)
EMDI Institute of Media & Communication, Mumbai

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho has beautifully forged a special abode in my heart. It is a brilliant amalgam of mystery and philosophy. It revolves around a shepherd boy and his hunt for a treasure. The theme of the novel is: ‘Treasure lies where the heart lies’. It stresses on our perception of life and happiness and convinces the readers to reflect on their definition of happiness. The book also coaches you to be resolute and fearless. Paulo Coelho writes, “There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.” The boy learns at every point during his journey, highlighting the fact that ‘life is a school’. With our inner power and determination we can change our lives. The author wonderfully educates us that love never holds us from achieving our dream, rather it pushes us towards success. No matter how many times you read this book, you will always be offered a new impression regarding life.
Palak Arora (17)
St Luke’s Sen. Sec. School, Sola

Handle With Care by C. P. Varkey, SJ, focuses on the theme “you can make (or) break your child”. If a child grows in positive (or) negative way that depends upon the parents’ care. It may be repression of a child, corporal punishment, and unconditional love; we can see the result of parents’ care and love in a child’s behaviour. Today, how many youngsters fulfill their dreams? If there is not much support from the parents that child may break up from his dream. To quote from the Bible: “What you sow you will reap”.
L. Rufus (24)
Holy Spirit College, Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu

It’s the description of the book that had my attention: “An exhilarating and heart-wrenching love story about a girl who learns to live from a boy who intends to die.” I expected All The Bright Places to be like other teenage-romance fiction. But I was so very wrong, for the book was phenomenal. I fell in love with the main characters of the book with all their flaws and perfections. The two have highly contrasting personalities, both having unique and distinct voices, as they alternately narrate chapters.  I love that it addresses many issues that are present in modern day society. Many teen novels touch on similar themes, but few do it so memorably.
Najat Hazra (15)
Stella Maris High School

Tuesdays With Morrie is the most memorable book I’ve read so far. The story revolves around life’s greatest lessons given by an old professor (Morrie) to his student (Mitch). The professor is a wise and patient man suffering from ALS who accepts the news of his coming demise with a challenge when he says: “Do I wither up and disappear or do I make the best of my time left.” He desires to spend his remaining time with passion and peace. His philosophy is: “Death should not be embarrassing”. The young man meets his professor after seeing him on TV and the professor receives him warmly after 16 years. Every Tuesday Mitch visits his professor to talk about the world, regrets, death, family, emotions, love, marriage, culture and forgiveness. After teaching the young man the meaning of life and ways of rediscovering it he bids goodbye to the world.
Roopal Gupta
Sophia Girls College, Ajmer

Asking a book lover about his/her favourite book should be a crime! But if I had to narrow down one of the best books that has made an impact on me, it would be The Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling which teaches us about bravery, love, friendship, fear, wisdom and so much more. They enhance readers’ imaginations and make them believe that anything is possible. The stories are vivid and enthralling with interesting twists and leave the reader spellbound.
Jill Shah (16)
S.S. Junior College, Vashi

So many books but so little time. I read The Diary Of A Young Girl by Anne Frank in class 10 and thought that was “the book”, but then I read I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb, and believe me that is “the book”! Malala is a girl my age and I myself would have never thought of doing something for others. Malala was an ordinary girl but one incident changed her life. She taught me to not to wait for some “accident” to occur but just to go on, work towards success and live my life to achieve it. Success is not a destination but a journey.
Twinkle Jain (18)
SGND Khalsa College, Delhi