“We must not think of the things we could do with, but only of the things that we can’t do without.”
Nostalgia is a true gift of life, the ability to relive warm and happy moments through memory is a true joy. Three Men in a Boat, is a delightful and humorous novel about an endearing friendship and all that makes life worth living.
A journey through the Thames River, the story follows three friends – Jerome, George, and Harris – as they embark on a boating expedition to escape the pressures of everyday life. The fun banter between the three friends and their ability to uplift each other adds to warmth of the story.
Their getaway is a reminder to take a break with those that make them smile and find joy in simple pleasures; follow the three men through their journey, in this charming story, and take a trip down the memory lane.
“Know your own happiness. You want nothing but patience – or give it a more fascinating name, call it hope.”
Does one love from the heart or see the merit of someone’s love through their mind?
Elinor and Marianne Dashwood are two sisters navigating the challenges of romance and societal expectations. Elinor represents the ‘sense’, personifying rationality and practicality. Marianne, on the other hand is governed by her emotions and spontaneity. The sisters’ differing approaches to life and love make a heartwarming narrative through which the story explores relationships, love, family and the idea of self.
Elinor’s practicality is tested as she conceals her true feelings for Edward Ferrars, while Marianne’s open-hearted sensibility leads her into a passionate and potentially risky romance with the dashing John Willoughby.
Which will prove to be the best route to love, caution and mindfulness, or complete abandon and surrender to one’s feelings?
“You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope… I have loved none but you.”
The power of sincere love often brings miraculous second chances.
Anne Elliot, a thoughtful and introspective woman initially rejects the marriage proposal of Captain Frederick Wentworth eight years earlier. Anne, secretly harbouring affection for Frederick, regrets this decision taken under the influence of her family.
One fine day Frederick re-enters Anne’s life as a successful naval officer, now she grapples again with her desires and the opinions of others.
Captain Frederick Wentworth an honourable man, has hopeful and lingering affection for Anne, but won’t persuade her with tricks but only his character.
Will the power of Frederick’s love and sincerity win? Will Anne be able to look past society’s expectations and follow her heart?
“I know not all that may be coming, but be it what it will, I’ll go to it laughing.”
A reflective Ismael is the lens through which maniacal Ahab’s quest comes to life. Ahab is the captain of the whaling ship Pequod, and Moby Dick, the giant white sperm whale bit off his leg on the ship’s previous voyage. What ensues is a mad quest against the whale and the perceived dangers of wildlife.
Through this journey Ismael raises many thoughts about man versus nature, and the nature of obsession with one’s own purpose. Ismael’s perspective creates an out of body experience for the reader, as he himself is an observer of man’s passionate extremes.
Will Ahab come out more enlightened about fate, the human struggle, and the forces of nature? The witty, thrilling and adventurous reads gives immense chances to laugh and look within!
“She wanted something else…something better. Passion and perfection were out there somewhere. All she had to do was find them.”
Emma Bovary is a young woman who wants a life complete opposite to that which she lives, every day for her is a reminder of that perfection seeking her elsewhere. Her marriage to Charles Bovary, a kind but dull country doctor, falls short of her fantasies.
As Emma becomes increasingly depressed with her reality, she embarks on a series of adulterous affairs, seeking the fulfilment that eludes her. The elegant prose of the writing perfectly shows Emma’s inner turmoil and the stark contrast between her illusions and the harsh realities of life.
Will Emma be proven right in her quest? Or will she ultimately learn that satisfaction only comes from within, and our circumstances are ultimately nothing but perception.
‘I learned to look up to heaven, and to fear none but God.’
Robinson Crusoe is a young Englishman who embarks on a fateful journey to a deserted island in the Caribbean. After a shipwreck and some misadventures, Crusoe finds himself stranded on the uninhabited island, without any human being in sight.
The only tools he had were his determination, and presence of mind; armed with those he begins to adapt to his new environment, building shelter, growing crops, and taming animals. Soon he realised, that ultimate peace is in connecting with the environment around you and striving hard to build the life you deserve, irrespective of the circumstances.
Is will power and strong mindset enough to conquer the most challenging circumstances? This gripping tale of Robinson Crusoe is a testament to the human knack for survival, resilience, and the importance of self-discovery.
“The soul, fortunately, has an interpreter – often an unconscious but still a faithful interpreter – in the eye.”
Jane Eyre, a simple and solid young woman, grew from an orphaned child to a responsible adult with an immense sense of independence and self-worth. With the ambition to work as a house manager she reached Thornfield Hall.
As fate would have it, she falls in love with her handsome, quiet and intimidating employer Edward Rochester. Jane brings to Edward a sense of calmness and being at home, which his mansion could never give him. But their happiness is threatened by a terrible secret that Rochester is hiding. Edward Rochester passionately in love with Jane, is haunted by his past.
When the truth comes out will Edward be able to save their love, keep Jane from leaving? Can Jane learn to trust the love, and that newfound home will be hers forever?
“With twice his wits, she had to see things through his eyes — one of the tragedies of married life.”
Life is made up of countless mundane moments with seldom anything special happening. Yet, it is the reflections and feelings contained in those moments that hold the power to transform anyone. This is a story of such moments, a deep look into a day in the life of Mrs Clarissa Dalloway.
She performs the perfect homemaker, while her mind runs over a sea of memories, suppressed emotions. On that day, a tea conversation with an ex-lover and unexpected flowers from her husband pushes her over the edge. With every fold of the napkin, she re-examines the choices that brought her there.
Touted as Woolf ’s best novel, the story takes a deep look into an ordinary women’s feelings, choices, and dreams.
Through a heartfelt and engaging story, the reader realises how we truly live a new life everyday through our feelings.
“There is a wisdom of the head, and… there is a wisdom of the heart.”
The Industrial revolution was the era, when society thought that the correct way to function was with practicality, logic, focus on profits and material success; the tangible human emotions and imagination would just be in the way.
Thomas Gradgrind a wealthy banker raises his children, Louisa and Tom according to these rigid principles. He instils in them a belief for constant hustle and achievement, without any room for imagination.
Louisa grows into a woman devoid of self-expression, struggling with finding her place in society with her high ambitions.
Tom, on the other hand, succumbs to the temptations of the society, turning to dishonesty and manipulation to achieve his own ends.
Their journey to finding their purpose and internal peace, makes the reader question if happiness can be achieved solely through material gain? Is imagination, empathy, and compassion what gives the true meaning to life?
“With twice his wits, she had to see things through his eyes — one of the tragedies of married life.”
Life is made up of countless mundane moments with seldom anything special happening. Yet, it is the reflections and feelings contained in those moments that hold the power to transform anyone. This is a story of such moments, a deep look into a day in the life of Mrs Clarissa Dalloway.
She performs the perfect homemaker, while her mind runs over a sea of memories, suppressed emotions. On that day, a tea conversation with an ex-lover and unexpected flowers from her husband pushes her over the edge. With every fold of the napkin, she re-examines the choices that brought her there.
Touted as Woolf ’s best novel, the story takes a deep look into an ordinary women’s feelings, choices, and dreams.
Through a heartfelt and engaging story, the reader realises how we truly live a new life everyday through our feelings.
