Category Books

Why is ‘Calvin and Hobbes’ so popular?

It’s been 35 years since Bill Watterson’s “Calvin and Hobbes” first debuted in the newspapers. Known as the last great newspaper comic strip”, it ran between November 18, 1985 and December 31, 1995.

What it’s about

“Calvin and Hobbes” follows the amusing adventures of Calvin, an adventurous six year-old: and Hobbes, his cynical stuffed tiger. Set in the suburban U.S., the strip depicts Calvin’s frequent flights of fancy and friendship with Hobbes. To Calvin, Hobbes is a living anthropomorphic tiger, while all the other characters see Hobbes as an inanimate stuffed toy. The series explores contemporary issues such as environmentalism, education, and philosophical quandaries.

Who was Bill Watterson?

William Boyd Watterson started drawing cartoons from the age of eight. An introvert, he preferred to spend time alone in his room drawing Charles Schults “Peanuts” comics inspired him to become a professional cartoonist. When he was in Class V, Watterson wrote a letter to Schulz. To Watterson’s surprise, Schulz responded! This greatly encouraged Watterson. In school, Watterson honed his skills by creating high school-themed superhero comics and contributing cartoons and art to the school newspaper and yearbook.

Who were Calvin and Hobbes?

Calvin was named after the Protestant reformer John Calvin and Hobbes after the social philosopher Thomas Hobbes. Watterson decided to name his characters after these social reformers as a tribute to the Kenyon College’s political science department, from where he graduated.

Drawing from life

Watterson incorporated elements of his life, interests, beliefs, and values into his work. Like Calvin. Watterson too likes cycling. The personality and appearance of Hobbes is based on Watterson’s cat Sprite.

 Fun facts

Against merchandising

Watterson was against merchandising his comics because he felt it would compromise his creativity and cheapen his characters. For years, he fought against pressure from publishers to displaying “Calvin and Hobbes” images on commercially sold mugs, stickers, and T-shirts.

Recognition

Watterson was awarded the National Cartoonists Society’s Reuben Award in both 1986 and 1988, Watterson’s second Reuben win made him the youngest cartoonist to be so honoured, and only the sixth person to win twice.

The End

Watterson stopped drawing “Calvin and Hobbes” at the end of 1995 with a short statement to newspaper editors and his readers that he felt he had achieved all he could in the medium. In the years since the comic strip discontinued, he led a secluded life and avoided contact with the media.

 

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Which is the acclaimed comic book series by Neil Gaiman will be adapted into a web series in 2021?

Bestselling author Neil Gaiman’s Sandman comic series is set to be adapted into a Netflix series in 2021. The upcoming adaptation will take on a more modem approach to Gaiman’s best-selling graphic novel series, which ran for 75 issues from 1989 to 1996.

The fantasy series followed the adventures of Morpheus, or Dream, the Lord of the Dream World. The 11 episode series will focus on Morpheus after being imprisoned for 105 years as he sets out to restore order to his fallen kingdom and return to his realm.

Gaiman, who is co-creating the series, has been dropping hints on social media about what fans can look forward to in the series Gaiman will take on the role of co-creator for the series

Author bio

Hailed as the modem master of fairytales, Gaiman’s work spans across genres and formats. He has written novels, short stories, non-fiction, graphic novels, comic books as well as audio theatre and films. His books appeal to adults and children alike.

“Sandman” begins

Gaiman started his career as a journalist reviewing books, before timing to writing full-time. One day while riding a train in London, he noticed a co passenger reading a comic by Alan Moore. The quirky style sparked his interest in comics and he started writing “Sandman” comics.

Popular works

 “Coraline”: Published in 2002, this dark fantasy children’s novella by Neil Gaiman is popular with children and adults alike. It traces the journey of the protagonist and the many adventures that are thrown up once she moves into a new flat.

“Good Omens”: Written with acclaimed author Terry Pratchett, Good Omens is a comedy about the birth of Satan and the nearing of the end times. The apocalypse is near and so is the day of judgement. It is a delight to read the way things unfold thereafter.

“The Graveyard Book”: The novel traces the story of a boy who was raised by ghosts and vampires. It is up to the protagonist to gather the meaning of life living among the dead.

 

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Who is Meenakshi Gautam Chaturvedi?

With lives getting busier and attention spans getting shorter long meandering fiction is a luxury few can afford. This has increased the popularity of microfiction. Stories written with extremely short word counts, often as little as 50 words, “Microfiction is here to stay.” Meenakshi Gautam Chaturvedi, an internationally acclaimed author tells The Hindu In School.

Based in Mumbai, Chaturvedi writes across genres. Her new book The Moon Cake” is a read aloud picture book, a vividly illustrated fairy tale which introduces children to nature besides kindling their curiosity to ask questions. Chaturvedi is also the author of “The Runaway Moon”, “The Corporate Jungle Book”, “Tales from Bushland”, and Tales of Phoolpur.”

A graduate in Zoology from the Institute of Science, Nagpur, she won a University Grants Commission Junior Research Fellowship and took up research for two years, but she wanted to do more than just dissect animals. While in college, she wrote her first piece of fiction, which was published in a local newspaper. She relocated to Mumbai and began her copywriting career with Lintas.

Having written across varied media from television commercials and radio to novels, Chaturvedi considers microfiction to be the future of children’s literature.

In a candid chat the author talks about her love for writing and the rise of microfiction.

How did you get your start in writing? Were you a bookworm in school?

I guess I was born to write, only I discovered it much later. I remember reading up anything and everything that I could find including the writing on paper bags. When I was a child, I saw the “Adventures of Peter Pan” (by J.M Bamie) displayed in a showcase at a bookstore in Kashmir. I was in Class III. When my parents refused to buy it. I remember throwing a tantrum something I rarely did as a child. in school, I was a total bookworm. I would walk across from one end of the school to the other to spend the mid morning breaks in the library. I would finish reading all my English course books as soon as I got my hands on them.

However, coming from a family of doctors. (my great grandfather was a Rai Bahadur, a civil surgeon) I was supposed to opt for science and I did. Even won a UGC fellowship and spent two years on research. Later following my heart. I took up writing women’s and children’s fiction and started my professional career as a copywriter with Lintas. But continued to write on my Commutes to work.

What is microfiction? Is microfiction the future of literature, especially with attention spans shrinking?

To cut a long story short microfiction comes straight to the point giving the essence of the story or a life-changing experience. Microfiction is here to stay. As lives get busier and people are pressed for time, long meandering fiction is a luxury few can afford. So yes, microfiction is the future.

You write across multiple genres. Why did you choose to write microfiction?

In my early years of writing. I was always in a hurry to reach the conclusion of a story. So microfiction suited me best. It was much later that I began writing novels. However, literary microfiction is only one aspect of my writing. I mostly switch genres to overcome writers block. I feel I haven’t lived the day if I don’t write.

The current COVID-19 pandemic is sure to have far reaching effects on the human mind and behaviour. Has it affected the way you write?

I think authors are one of the few people who have been least affected by the pandemic Since writers are anyway used to staying indoors and writing, the lockdown didn’t make much of a difference to us. I am addicted to writing and I can write anytime, anywhere. I once came up with an idea for a story when I was in the Intensive Care Unit for dengue. In semi-conscious state, I heard the doctor say that my dengue could lead to a haemorrhage, but I was busy thinking about how terrorism is like young blood going into wrong places. The moment I was shifted to the ward I asked for my laptop and started writing

What are you working on currently?

After “The Moon Cake: A Fairy Tale”. I am currently working on another picture book titled “Corona and the Little Girl and I am planning to work on a graphic novel next.

 

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Which are some spine-tingling reads and memorable spook-tacular characters from fiction?

Ready for some Goosebumps?

RL Stine published more than 62 books in the eerily bizarre “Goosebumps” series. The stories follow child characters, who find themselves in scary situations, usually involving monsters and other supernatural elements. Each book is creepier than the next. Young adults can also follow the “Fear Street” series in which spine-chilling events unfold in Shadyside.

Dementors

The guards of Azkaban, dementors are among the most fearsome among creatures in the “Harry Potter series. They are able to drain all the happy memories out of a person, and even suck out the soul through their kiss And the only way to drive away these ghastly creatures is by producing a strong patronus.

Coraline

Neil Gaiman’s dark fantasy novel “Caroline”, will leave you spooked. A young, inquisitive girl when exploring her new apartment, Coraline discovers a tiny door that contains an alternate universe in which her parents and her life are exactly as she wants them to be – besides the buttons they have sewn into their eyes. It was adapted into an animated film in 2009 by Henny Selick.

Ghosts from the past

“Ghosts don’t require passports. They can turn up without papers in the most unexpected places,” reads the book jacket of Ruskin Bond’s “Ghost Stories from the Raj.” And indeed, Bond has found ghosts from as far back as the British Raj! Bond’s interest in the supernatural led him to collect ghost stories from different parts of the world, This book contains 19 short stories written by British officials and travellers during the 19th and 20th Centuries. It even includes tales by Rudyard Kipling.

Pennywise the dancing clown

Do you have a fear of clowns? Then you must read Stephen King’s “IT”- a cult classic. The story follows seven children who fight the evil entity that exploits the fears of its victims to disguise itself while hunting its prey. Other hair-raising stories from the horror meister are “Pet Semetary” “The Shining”, “Children of the Corn” and “Salem’s Lot”.

 

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What is special in Amazon’s new prequel series “The Lord of the Rings”?

Get ready to return to Middle-earth – the fictional setting of J.R.R. Tolkien’s legendarium. Amazon Studies is coming up with a new prequel series set thousands of year before the events of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Hobbit’. One of the most expensive television shows in history, it  will be based on Tolkien’s seminal series that regaled generations with books and later through Peter jackson’s iconic film adaptations. The billion-dollar project hopes to fill in the shoes of these giants by bringing to life new storylines around the franchise.

Orcs, trolls and wargs will return, but the series will not feature our beloved hobbits nor their faithful friends.

Instead, it will focus on the Second Age of the Middle-earth, much before Bilbo and Frado. The prequel is expected to chronicle the forging of the rings, Sauron’s rise to power and the destruction of Numenor, all of which occur during that era.

Here’s how the saga will continue….

The Second Age

There are four ages in Tolkien’s works. The new prequel series will take place in the Second Age, preceding “the Lord of the Ring” and “The Hobbit”, which were set in the Third Age.

Going to the source

Thought Tolkien’s did not write prequel series, he has written copiously about the history of Middle-earth, the world where the franchise is set. And the new prequel will use it as the source material.

Sticking to the canon

Part of the deal with Amazon includes a rider by the Tolkien estate to veto over any content in the series that doesn’t correspond with the author’s vision for the saga. The Tolkien estate retains the rights for the First and Third Ages.

No rangers and hobbits

Fans looking forward to seeing a young Aragorn, the dashing Ranger of the North, will be disappointed. The  King of Gondor, who played a major role in the ‘The Lord of the Rings” trilogy wasn’t born till the Third Age. It will also not feature hobbits.

The rise and fall of Numenor

Amazon released interactive maps of Middle-earth at the time when the series is set. They show Numenor, a mythical island akin to Atlantis. The island was home to the Dunedain, a race of man, some of whom fled before its destruction and established the kingdoms of Amor and Gondor.

Did you Know?

How Amazon upped the ante

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos was personally involved in acquiring the rights to Tolkien’s series. After a bidding war with Netflix in 2017, Amazon finally obtained the rights for $250 million, making it perhaps the most expensive show in television history. The deal included a commitment for five seasons and a potential spin-off series. The collective budget amounts to more that $1 billion.

Previous adaptations

Warner Bros and its sister studio New Line have already made Peter Jackson-directed, “The Lord of the Rings” and its prequel “Hobbit” films, even though the latter trilogy was not as much liked by critics as the former.

About Tolkien

Hohn Ronals Reuel Tolkien was English writer and poet best known for his “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” series. A philologist, he loved making up new languages. Tolkien coined over 15 Elvish languages for his  “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” series Among them two enough words and grammar to be considered functional. Tolkien died on September 2, 1973.

The Fellowship:

The first two episodes will be directed by J.A. Bayona of “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” fame. Actor Robert Aramayo, who played Eddard Starck in “Game of Thrones” will be the young hero of the series. His character is named Beldor. Morfydd Clark will play a young version of Galadriel, the royal Elf of both Noldor and Teleri. What’s more, Peter Jackson might also be involved in the series.

 

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What are the interesting facts about Dan Brown’s Wild Symphony?

When Dan Brown was growing up, his parents decided not to keep a television in the house. So he spent his childhood playing the piano, reading and solving puzzles. He started writing piano pieces when he was five, and aspired to become a musician before turning to writing. Brown’s first children’s book “Wild Symphony”, which released in September, is a combination of his love for music and his passion for storytelling and mysteries.

What’s the book about?

“Wild Symphony” is about a musical conductor-it’s a mouse named Maestro. At the beginning of the book, you learn that Maestro mouse is preparing to put on a musical concert with a motley team of wild animals from blue whales and kangaroos to ostriches and cheetahs. Each animal has a special secret, and readers have to guess what it is by decoding the jumbled letters hidden throughout the stunning illustrations in the book.

Accompanied by music

Scanning the QR code given in the book will lead you to a free, augmented reality app. You can listen to music by pointing your phone camera towards each page. The music has been composed by Brown himself. Each animal is accompanied by a musical score, which reflects its special personality – whether it is upbeat and fun like bouncing kangaroos or quirky like the buzzing bees. All the 21 musical pieces are performed by the Zagreb Festival Orchestra, Croatia.

Life lessons

In addition to playing a musical instrument, the animals offer a valuable life lesson to the readers don’t be afraid to be yourself and failure is a stepping stone towards success. This interactive musical picture book is a delight for the eyes and ears!

Did you know?

Like Brown, many famous authors have dabbled in children’s books. Here are some examples:

  • Salman Rushdie – “Haroun and The Sea of Other Stories
  • Ernest Hemingway-“The Faithful Bull”
  • Gertrude Stein – “The World Is Round”
  • Margaret Atwood – “Up In The Tree
  • James Joyce – “The Cat And The Devil”

 

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