Review: Turtles All The Way Down – A Must Read

Books that talk of mental illness have a special place in my heart. I cannot really say why, but books like Perks of Being a Wallflower, Norwegian Woods and now Turtles all the Way Down will probably always be on the ‘books I can read over and over again’ shelf.

Turtles All The Way Down, the latest by John Green was a brilliant read and a bloody fast one too. But before everything else, here’s a confession that I need to make: I have never read a John Green book before. So I won’t be able to tell you how the book compares with the other ones.

Turtles is the story of Aza, a girl carefully named for her father wanted her name to cover all the alphabets. Like most young adults, she has a best friend, Daisy, and a crazy love story going on in the background. Her love story with Davis Pickett has a mystery angle to it as well, in which Aza and Daisy go on to look for a runaway billionaire which has a promise to make them rich. All these stories run in the background of the central theme: Anxiety.

The book has an overall philosophical tone to it, which gets a little over-the-top sometimes. But otherwise when you’re done with reading and you lie on the bed thinking, it all makes sense. This is a book that makes you wanna think, really.

Among the many reasons as to why you should read th book, the prime one that strikes me is this : the characters are real. The people in the book are so real you’d think you could really meet one of them in real life. For instance, Aza has a car named ‘Harold’. Yes she has named it and she has a relationship with the car as if it were a person. Her emotions with the object are real. We all know at least one person who has real relationships with objects.

Another thing that’s commendable about the book is John Green’s knowledge about other things. Animals, stars, medicine, tech and so many other things. It is amazing to read so many new things.

This is a book you shouldn’t give a miss. It is a must read. Young or adult.

Oh and, the cover is beautiful.

Book: Turtles All The Way Down
Author: John Green
Publisher: Penguin Random House, UK
Pages: 286 (Hardcover)
Rating: 4.5/5

Three Thousand Stitches: There’s Still Good in the World

Sudha Murty is amazing. If you’re someone who likes to read a simple tale without the complications of long sentences and difficult words, then she is the author for you. Her book Three Thousand Stitches is another example of exemplary writing in the not-so-long a list of books this philanthropist has authored.

An introduction to the lady is a must… Murty is the chairperson of the Infosys Foundation, which is known for all the work they do for the development of the downtrodden and the outcast. Murty sits on top of that or rather walks the extra mile to bring comfort to the lives of the underprivileged. She is a strong woman, if being a chairperson wasn’t enough, hear this: Sudha Murty was the only girl in her engineering college B.V.B. College of Engineering and Technology, and instead of being ‘scared’, as the society would expect, Murty topped the college and was awarded a medal from the then chief minister of Karnataka.

Three Thousand Stitches is aptly shown in the cover image that will become clear to the reader once s/he reads the very first story of the same name. The colours on the cover probably depict the colourful life led by Murty and the different wonderful colours she has filled in the lives of the people around her.

The book of 256 fast-paced pages contains stories of some of the experiences in Murty’s life. Professional and personal. Some of them will warm your heart and moisten your eyes, while some others will bring a great smile. But all of the eleven tales will remind you of the good in the world.

Sudha Murty (Source: Indian Express)

While you read this book, the simplicity of Murty cannot be ignored, owing to her simplistic writing style and the ease with which she explains situations and people. For instance, the story ‘Cattle Class’, which is the fifth story, describes two women who are not good. They are mean and think of ‘class’ as an entity of the rich. But these are my words… Murty in her book just described the whole incident with such honesty, you will end up feeling angry by their ‘cattle class mentality’.

“Class does not mean possession of a huge amount of money…There are plenty of wrong ways to earn money in this world. You may be rich enough to buy comfort and luxuries, but the same money does not define class… Mother Teresa was a classy woman… The concept that you automatically gain class by acquiring money is an outdated thought process.”

In another story, Murty narrates the story of her father, an incident that happened about 75 years ago. Murty has picked up many such stories, from when she was a child to now when she is a grandmother and each story has something to give.

The stories are fast paced and can be read in a single sitting. Each story takes about 15-20 minutes to read, and that’s for someone who reads in an okay speed.

If you want to buy the book, hit a bookstore​ near you. Stop them from closing down. 🙃

Title: Three Thousand Stitches
Author: Sudha Murty
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Genre: Non-Fiction
Pages: 256 (Paperback)
Cost: 250 INR

5 life-lessons taught by a 13-year-old

Anne Frank, the diary of a young girl is a book that comes under ‘must-read’ in everybody’s list. It is not only an awesome book for historians, but an emotional roller coaster for everyone. As emotional as the book may be, it is also surprisingly uplifting and humorous.

What some readers will appreciate is the sheer wisdom that Anne Frank exhibits at an age so young. And through that wisdom and understanding, I’ve lifted five amazing quotes from the book that will really encourage you to look at life in a new light.

Just when you think you don’t have the time, remember this.

So many things, so often, make us so sad. But if only we remember that the world still exists and the flowers still bloom, and the birds still chirp, we’ll continue to be happy.

Life isn’t so easy, and people aren’t always kind. But just because they don’t care about your opinion, doesn’t mean you cannot have one.

Always be thankful. Always.

Even after a long lazy day I have felt tired and wasted and guilty. But a day full of work and production has often left me tired, sure, but so so satisfied.

Such wise words are worth every re-read of the book. If you’re someone who is still unaware of the blazing light that envelopes the reader, you must really really pick this book up as soon as possible. You won’t regret it.