Books can have a deep impact on your life. While I was an avid reader till my college days, with the passage of time, I stopped reading novels but read only short stories or articles. But I admit that these books read during my formative days were instrumental in moulding my English and my way of communication. So here is my list of favorite books.

Beau Geste

What to say about this masterpiece written by P C Wren of Wren and Martin fame! My father told me this story, and I was amazed by the way he explained the characters. That made me to read the book line by line and underline those words which are close to my heart. The poignant sacrifice made by the lead character Micheal Geste for his aunt will definitely make an impact on the minds of the readers. The beauty of the writing is that there is not an overdose of drama regarding the sacrifice of Michael, and the depth of the noble gesture can be still felt by the engrossed reader. I am not sure why the book didn’t become popular during my times (those born after 75). I was the person who used to tell to others that it is indeed a great book.

PS: The meaning of Beau Geste (which is a French word) is noble gesture.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Well, though I learned that this classic by R.L. Stevenson was made into films several times, I am just an ardent fan of the book alone. Even now, I am not interested to see the movie adaptation. At this time, I can say that I don’t like this concept of a good doctor preparing a medicine, drinking it, and turning into another person. However, during my childhood days, I was very much affected by this book. The one thing that makes this book to join this list is the mastery of language by R L Stevenson.

PS: I learnt that R. L Stevenson had a dream and the result is Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Mill on the Floss

If you have a brother with whom you always quarrel and if you complain about the uncertainties of life, you will second me when I say that the Mill on the Floss novel by George Eliot (she is a woman) is a class apart. Though Tom and Maggie, the pivotal characters of brother and sister, quarrel with each other for several things during the entire story, “in death they never parted”.

Life is what you make it

This was one of the few books that I read during my youth. This book by young writer Preeti Shenoy revolves around the protagonist Ankita, her love life, and her struggles, I was carried away by the depression part. This is more so because I was suffering from depression then and could relate with certain aspects of the novel. When you are suffering from depression, taking baby steps is very important, and that is written very well by the author. I even wrote an email appreciating the author for her awesome work.

Frankenstein

Images can indeed have a great impact, and  the Frankenstein classic proved that to me. This even made me to appreciate the cartoonists who draw insightful cartoons to engage us. The very concept that Frankenstein is a monster who is created by a scientist was scary at that time, and Mary Shelley, the author of the book, writes about the strange relationship between the creator and monster in an engaging manner.

Now I read Whatsapp forwards and small articles on the internet. But the long-term benefit that I gained by reading the books listed above is something unparallel. I am happy that I selected the right books to develop my language, besides having a far-reaching impact on my perception towards literature. If you have some classic in your mind that you cannot give up like I do with these books, please share your views in the comments box.