Books, movies and I

Is there anything more satisfying than bullying a bully? For that pleasure alone, if I had to choose a film character to play, I would pick Matilda Wormwood from Matilda. You know her, right? From Roald Dahl’s novel, if not from the film of the same name? I fell in love with the idea of this little …

Tweaking the tales

If I had a wish to wish for me I’d go on quite a wishing spree. I’d ask to get into my favourite tales Just to make sure they stick to the rails. A little tweak here, a gentle twist there And I’d save people from much despair. When I’d see Romeo at Juliet’s grave I’d jump right there …

Z is for Zoya Singh Solanki

Though Z is the last letter of the alphabet this is the first post I wrote for this series only because I completely love Zoya Singh Solanki. It was love at first read. If you haven’t bumped into her go pick up a copy of The Zoya Factor by Anuja Singh Chauhan – one of …

Yertle the Turtle

Do you know Yertle the Turtle? That self-centred turtle who made his throne out of his fellowmen.. err fellow turtles? If you don't, well here's his story: Yertle was the king of turtles, king of all he could see. One day he decided that from his seat on a stone he couldn't see too much hence his kingdom was too …

Who is Mr X?

X is the letter of the week and I have a Quiz today. Here are a few clues. Can you figure out who Mr X is? And also the book he appears in? (Just to clarify: His name does not begin with the letter X) Although the book is named after him, X's name doesn't appear in …

The Bear of Very Little Brain

There once was a little boy who had a favourite teddy bear. He named him after a real-life black bear he'd seen in a zoo and went on to add a surname borrowed from a swan. He spent many happy hours of play with the bear and a bunch of other stuffed toys. Although he lived in London his vacations were …

He-who-must-not-be-named

My mother's husband left me when I was an unborn child in her womb. What kind of a man does that? Isn't much of a man at all. Does it matter that he was tricked into matrimony? My mother's love for him must have been real for she lost the will to live when he …

The Unnamed Heroine

This protagonist has no name - she's the unnamed heroine of Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca - an old old book. Rebecca is the story of 42 year old Maximillian de Winter who bumps into a girl half his age, a paid companion to the the snobbish gossip Mrs Van Hooper. A quick marriage lands her at Maxim’s …

An unlikely love story

She - Mary Horton - a 43 year old straight-laced spinster with two houses but no space for love or friendship. He - Tim Melville - a 25 year old young man with Greek God looks and the brain of a child. Tim by Colleen McCullough has to be one of the most unlikely love-stories. In this debut novel McCullough crafts …

When the Help need help

You’ve read ‘Gone With the Wind’? That’s rhetorical, right? You have. So you must remember the wonderful relationship between Scarlett O hara and Mammy. Mammy is the loveable help - the one who dresses Scarlett, pulls her up for each tiny breach of etiquette and is always at hand to keep her dignity intact. Did …