I was on an official trip to Chandigarh when my friend Saahil handed me the book ’’To Kill a mockingbird’’ to kill boredom. I had no time to read in the last two years as my job demanded me to work nights and I spent the days sleeping.
It was Friday and I just stared at the cover and read the title again. The book was by ’’Harper Lee’’. I didn’t recall reading or hearing about the author or the book. Hence was wondering what could be the story. Feeling tired after work I went to sleep. Weekend was coming and I could read the book.
Saturday came and I sat with a cup of hot coffee reading the book. The simple presentation, the typical english of the good old American countryside, the innocence of the kids, were enough for me to be totally involved in the book. The last books I read were ’’Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance’’ and ’’Jane Eyre’’. Both were beautiful books and the ones I loved reading the most. Now this one was closer. The children in the novel brought back good old memories of my own childhood where we lived in a village in Coorg , discovering the world, nature and the people around us. I have a sister and we were just like Jem and Scout relishing those beautiful moments and fist fighting once a while, building sand castles, , making vessels out of clay and the imaginary world that we built around it gave us the happiness that no other accomplishment could.
Be it Boo radely who triggered the Childrens’ imaginations and curiosity, or Maudie who always gardened and cared for her flowers, or the Aunt who bossed over them, each character makes one feel part of the very story that is being read. The thoughts , the beliefs and the impact of the talk and ways of the older folks on the kids is described very well and it makes one read the novel all over again. It is just simple, down to earth and natural.
It is a novel to be read to take one back to the childhood and live the life again for a while. Its just fabulous!!