On Blogging...and a Book Review to boot

I seem to have taken a long break and am feeling really guilty about it. My last blog post was written some time back.....I am not only lazy in writing, but also in publishing it once done (The one on Madurai was written a few months back). In any case, I have been thinking quite a bit about why I want to write and the reasons for putting in all this effort and time in this endeavour in the first place. So here are my distilled thoughts.....and nuggets of wisdom?? ;-)

I want to write to get into the habit of putting my thoughts and ideas into words. Without being able to put my ideas in words, there is no way that I can explain it to others or put it into action myself. As I gain more experience in life (ie grow older), I am more and more convinced that the ability to write coherently is an essential skill to be able to achieve anything in life. So this blog is a kind of practice arena. And as they say, practice makes perfect. 

So, what do I want to write. In the last few months, this blog seems to have been developing into a kind of travelogue with historical leanings. Is that what I want this to be....not really. It kind of gets boring and repetitive after sometime. The tropes and writing flourishes (such as the *****Rant**** etc) that I use are in danger of getting boring, and maybe also irritating after a few times. And it gets difficult to come up with new and innovative writing techniques, just writing being difficult enough right now. The fact that a travelogue/ history lesson type blog further restricts the basic structure makes it more difficult. So I have now decided that I need to diversify. In this season of spring (metaphorically speaking), as change sweeps through nature, government, and everything in between, I too intend to make a new beginning.

In light of such noble thoughts, what are the new directions in which this blog will move? Well, I have decided that this blog is going to be a reflection of my interests. These interests include books, history, music, travel, science, computers, technology, etc, etc, etc.... So my intention (which are always good....and not necessarily followed) is to write at least one blog every week. It will be my thoughts on any issue that interests me.

Today we start with books. 


The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

Recently I finished reading a book by the name of 'The Book Thief' by Markus Zusak. My final verdict first. Is it worth reading? Yes, without a doubt. It is a great read and gets a score of 8/10 (Whatever that means). 

The Book Thief is a book in the mould of 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. I read TKAM when I was in school. It was a nice read, but I really did not understand why it was so so so famous and popular. It was a simple story of a girl in the American south describing her life and her view of certain events which took place in her small town. The event is the rape of a white woman by a black slave and the ensuing social and legal battles. Why am I talking about TKAM. Because I did not understand that book then. But I understood The Book Thief and this gave me insight into why I did not really enjoy TKAM. 

So what is that great insight? The Book Thief is one of those books which has many layers of meaning. You need to understand each layer before proceeding to the next to truly understand it. The deeper layers may need repeated readings to appreciate them.

The first layer - It is the story of a young girl, Liesel Meminger, growing up in the outskirts of Munich in the late 1930s and early 40s, the Nazi era. It can be seen a simple story of a girl growing up in a hostile world. It is an inspirational story about how words and reading books can bring meaning and joy, even in the darkest of times. The name of the book derives from the fact that the girl starts 'borrowing' books to read and how circumstances nudged her down that path. The cast includes her foster parents, friends, Jewish refugees, Nazi officials etc. The characters are well rounded, interesting and you can imagine them vividly from their description alone. No spoilers, so I wont say any more. But it does involve tragedy and death. For a person without knowledge of 20th century European history and the World Wars, this would be the level of understanding and appreciation of this book. 

The second layer - The events in Germany prior to commencement of World War 2, the rise of Hitler and the Nazi Party and the progress of World War 2 form the backdrop. These events are watched and interpreted through the eyes of a small girl. You need to know the events to understand this aspect of the book. It gives insight into historical events and how it affects the lives of ordinary people. It shows how adults get swept up by events on the canvas of time. It shows how we go along with totally unjustified and inhuman actions for the minor gains we may anticipate. It shows us how the meek and cowardly may behave in the most cruel manner, as they do not have the courage to raise their voice against injustice. And it shows us the cruelty of humans, seen through the uninitiated, innocent eyes of a child. The story at this level is a study of human nature and the societal changes in Germany as Hitler comes to power and the mistreatment and later extermination of Jews. 

The Third Layer - And finally, there is the layer where the story is just a prop to discuss larger philosophical issues of human frailties and failings....and of course the strengths and redeeming factors. A reader needs to read between the lines to gain from this and each reader would have his own understanding and derive his own message, depending on his thoughts and inclinations. It is a silent dialogue between the reader and the author and the readers interpretation of what is the larger or deeper message embedded in the text by the author, irrespective of whether the author even thought of any such message. 

This is the beauty of books. The interaction of the author's words and reader's thoughts can bring out totally new interpretations and ideas. This interpretation not only varies for different readers, but also for the same reader with every reading over time - a clear indication of the change in his/her psyche, attitude and knowledge.  

The narrative style of the book is very informal and light. The story is narrated in the voice of a third person, who has intimate knowledge of all the events in Liesel's life as well as of world events. I will not reveal his identity, though it is not exactly a spoiler (especially when you have seen the book cover :-) ). In any case, his identity is revealed within the first few pages of the book. But I guess it is still better to read it the way the author meant it to be read. 

The book has been made into a movie last year. I haven’t got around to seeing it yet and am looking forward to see if the makers have been able to portray the book on film the way I have imagined it.

So, read the book (....before seeing the movie, as it would bind your imagination to the film-makers when you read it later). It is a lovely read. Knowing about WW2, the treatment of Jews during this period, etc would further enhance your enjoyment and appreciation of the book.

Happy Reading.