Teen Point of View

The most memorable book you’ve read

APRIL 2016 TOPIC: What is the most memorable book you have read and why?

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green is my most favoured book at present. Green’s eccentric use of words and phrases held me captive till the very end. This is not a “sappy sob story” as one may expect but a brilliant novelization of life, love and death. I fell in deep adoration with the protagonists, Hazel Grace and Augustus Waters, so much so that I started wondering about their lives after the end of the book and the very thought of them being fictitious scarred me emotionally. Phrases like ‘pain demands to be felt’ and ‘oblivion is inevitable’ left me in awe of how realistic this work of ‘fiction’ is. I never would have thought that a 313 page novel could revolutionize my thought processes to such an unfathomable extent. This book will remain etched in my heart forever.
Nathishia ChandyNathishia Rebecca Chandy (15)
Excelsior English School, Kottayam


The most memorable book I have read is The Language Of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. The book is based on spreading the message of love through flowers and plants. The story centres around an orphan, Victoria, and how misunderstandings made her life come to a standstill but also how love, understanding and trust can put the missing pieces of the puzzle together. The book is filled with tough yet tender moments of loss, regret and redemption, but above all, with second chances and happy outcomes.
Inica Celeste FernandesInica Celeste Fernandes (17)
Panaji, Goa


The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin Sharma is a wonderfully crafted fable on a life-changing odyssey to an ancient culture. This kind of a novel adds essence to our life and gives us direction, especially during hard times. It helps us become aware of the mortality of humans and how each day counts, in fact, each moment and each thought. Above all, it gives us the answer to questions like: What is the purpose of life? How can we attain happiness?
Rintu, SJRintu SJ
St Aloysius College, Mangalore


The most memorable book I’ve ever read is The Book Thief by Markus Zukas, a German writer, who portrays the struggle of a twelve-year-old communist girl in the Hitler era, as she loses all her loved ones as a repercussion of the Second World War. Narrated by Death, we are told that amidst these crises, she is taught to read and write by her German foster father, making her set out to steal books in order to quench her thirst for reading, thereby being named by her childhood friend and teen crush Rudy, as ‘the book thief’. As the Nazis’ activities continue the book makes one wonder how even after losing all, humans learn to survive. It makes Death exclaim, “I am haunted by humans.”
Vatsala SharmaVatsala Sharma (20)
Law College, Dehradun


“Be active! Take on responsibility! Work for the things you believe in. If you do not, you are surrendering your fate to others.” — Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. Dr Kalam is known for his zeal-provoking speeches and books, especially his autobiography Wings of Fire, a magnificently motivational work. Every word, emotional implication and the realistic plot contained in the book clarify convincingly, how a middle-class boy might have struggled to go from being a newspaper distributor to being the President of India. Wings Of Fire proves invaluable to make me keep my faith in the Almighty and work to the best of my abilities.
Alruba SheikhAlruba Sheikh (20)
IP College for Women, New Delhi


The Story Of My Life by Helen Keller is one of my favourites because it shows us the meaning of love. Young Helen, who was deaf and blind, understood the meaning of love from her greatest motivator — her teacher, Anne Sullivan. She said that love does not mean to see the good things but love comes through actions and it only needs to be felt in your heart.
Kryselle BarrettoKryselle Barretto
Our Lady of Rosary School, Goa


The book which filled my heart with genuine happiness is the Japanese bestseller Totto Chan. If the innocent laughing of a child captures your attention or if you are a person who cherishes your past school memories with lots of love, I am cent per cent sure that you will wholeheartedly appreciate this book written by former UNICEF goodwill ambassador Tetsuko Kuroyanagi. Each sentence of the book reveals the innocent view of a little heart about her school days. It provides many thought-provoking insights which have the unbelievable power to transform the present-day school system.
Jis JamesJis James, MCBS (22)
Jeevalaya Institute of Philosophy, Bangalore
The books that struck a chord in my heart were always the ones that I read beyond syllabus and prescribed readings of curriculum. The most memorable book that I ever read is The Powers Of Your Subconscious Mind by Dr Joseph Murphy, a wonderful self-help book that deals with proven, practical techniques to master your mind and unleash your hidden potential. Over the years, I grew up with the book and it has been my perfect companion. Lord Bacon famously said: “Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested”. Dr Murphy’s book is really worth assimilating into your blood.
Akshaya ReshmiAkshaya Reshmi (21)
Vimala College, Thrissur, Kerala


When it comes to books, I have a long list of favourites. But out of all I found Making India Awesome by Chetan Bhagat the best. It is a book of essays in which he analyzes and provides inspired solutions to the country’s most intractable problems — poverty, unemployment, corruption, violence against women, communal violence, religious fundamentalism, illiteracy and more. The main reason to grade this book as best, is that it will help you understand the most complex of problems facing the nation today and gives practical solutions on how you can do your part to solve them.
Sanjana AgarwalSanjana Agarwal (14)
St Anthony’s Junior College, Agra


Remember Me? is the story about a woman who loses her memory of the last three years and now remembers nothing about her multimillionaire husband and a life which is next to perfect. What if you woke up and everything seems to be magically perfect? I can feel myself experiencing excitement as well as fear. Excitement for being able to live a new life all together, fear for having forgotten all my happy and joyous moments with people whom I love. Losing your memory and then coping with it is a tough job which I realized after reading this book. It is the most memorable one for me because I was able to feel the pain, the anger and the confusion of forgetting everything and waking up to a life which you never thought you could live.
Moksha SharmaMoksha Sharma (17)
Chattarbhuj Narsee Memorial, Mumbai


The most memorable book that I have read is The Client by John Grisham. This book literally takes you to the streets of New Orleans and Memphis. Each character is sketched with such intensity and the plot is so gripping that you will never let go off the book. It is about an 11-year-old boy who is mentally and physically tormented in his futile pursuit to think like a wise adult, and pathetically caught between bloodthirsty criminals and the very demanding legal system of America. It focuses the spotlight on single parenthood, the life of not-so-wealthy citizens and the suffocating law.
B. HemavarshiniB. Hemavarshini (16)
Avila Convent M. H. S. School, Coimbatore


The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is special to me because it taught me the essential wisdom of listening to my heart. I learned to read the omens strewn along life’s path and above all to follow my dreams. I read the book four years back, I still have it and can never part with it because it has great emotional and intellectual significance for me.
Arohi PandeyArohi Pandey (18)
Mahatma Hansraj Modern School, Jhansi


The memorable book I’ve read is 5 Points Someone by Chetan Bhagat. It deals with the lives of three friends whose elation on making it to one of the best engineering colleges in India is quickly deflated by the rigour and monotony of the academic work. Most of the book deals with the numerous attempts by the trio to cope with and/or beat the system as well as one of the friends’ fling with the daughter of the domineering head of the mechanical engineering department. While the tone of the novel is humorous, it takes some dark turns every now and then, especially when it comes to the families of the protagonists. Most of the action takes place inside the campus with the boys frequently lamenting how the internationally lauded IIT system has stifled their creativity by forcing them to value grades more than anything else.
Shweta MhatreShweta Mhatre
ICLES Motilal Jhunjhunwala College, Vashi


I’ve read many books till date, but the one that remains etched in my mind is Malala Yousafzai’s autobiography I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood for Education and Was Shot by The Taliban. It made me realize that nothing in life is impossible to achieve. It enlightens us not by silence but by initiating constructive dialogue, education and affirmation of human rights, and tells us how violence and discrimination can be ended.
Agnes Fatima PintoAgnes Fatima Pinto (18)
St Xavier’s College, Vasco Da Gama


Last month I discovered a Louis Sacher book called Holes which is a page-turner that shows Sacher’s profound storytelling mastery. A juvenile boy Stanley, who is accused of a crime he didn’t commit, is sent to a camp which is said to be healthy for kids. But as it turns out, all that the kids are supposed to do is dig holes! The story revolves around Stanley’s ancestry, his friendship and the question as to why the digging of holes? The book takes you on a journey of friendship, hard work and courage.
Nikita ShuklaNikita Shukla (19)
Solapur


The Harry Potter series is more than a memorable book for me because it’s been a part of my life (and Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville… my best friends!). It helped me understand my childhood and teenage years a lot better. I can never refer to it as just the story of The Boy Who Lived; for me it’s an epic that taught me the power of love, sacrifice and friendship. J. K. Rowling has beautifully woven the story and created a world every child (or even adults) would love to belong to. Every time I feel low I pick up any of the Harry Potter books and start reading, all my tension and worries just vanish. That’s the impact the series has on me. If I continue to jot down all my thoughts on the series it will end up being like Hermione’s homework: 400 pages!
Shivangi Kashyap BorahShivangi Kashyap Borah
Cotton College, Guwahati


The unforgettable book which had an unwavering impact on my life is The Secret To Teen Power. Earlier I did not consider reading is important to me but now it is the heart and soul of my life. This is the book which changed my attitude and the way I think. The book proposes that whatever you think about you bring about; the law of attraction signifies ‘ask, believe and receive’ which is a powerful process for accomplishing your aspirations. It appeals to create thoughts of hope and optimism.
Tanvi Sanjay ShindeTanvi Sanjay Shinde (14)
Little Flower Convent School, Solapur


Those who read books live 100 lives before they die, because they imagine themselves in the place of the characters in the books. One of my favourite books is If It’s Not Forever It’s Not Love by Durjoy Dutta. He beautifully explains exactly what love, caring and loyalty are. Nowadays many teens take love as a game; these teens should read this touching and memorable story to learn what true love is.
Punitjoline ManePunitjoline Mane (16)
Novel International Junior College, Pune


The most memorable book that I’ve read is Life Is What You Make It by Preeti Shenoy. This book doesn’t just tell the story about a young girl and how she finds her way but it’s about almost every single person in this world who has at some time or the other felt lost or hopeless and has decided to give up. The story is so realistic and that’s what makes it a great read. From beginning to end, I see just one word — HOPE. As the title itself gives an impression of open-ended possibilities, the book justifiably made it so memorable for me.
Agnes ThomasAgnes Thomas (18)
Hindu College, New Delhi


The first novel I read, I Too Had A Love Story by Sir Ravinder Singh, created a deep impact on me. It made me cry, it made me feel super active when the lovers were on the verge of meeting each other and lastly it allowed me to grow up. But most importantly it helped my senses to work and to understand that whatever you see in movies does not resemble reality. That is simply reel life, not the real one. That was the day when I grew up and accepted the fact that life does not stop due to the presence or absence of anyone, instead it runs and runs in a better and dignified way making you stronger and stronger.
Ritika BhatiaRitika Bhatia (19)
Kanodia PG Mahila Mahavidhyalya, Jaipur