The impact of letters
I have read many books but the best memoir I have read is “Letters From A Father To His Daughter. It is a collection of letters written by Jawaharlal Nehru to his daughter Indira Priyadarshini. He wrote these letters when his daughter was away. The letters were later published as a book in 1929. It is a memorable read because it tells us deeply about nature, science, great epics, geography and living and non living things. This book tells us how we can shape our life by hard work and regular practice. So, I love this book and I have read it many times.
Life in 19th-Century Bengal
The memoir I love reading is “Chelebela” by Rabindranath Tagore. It gives us a good insight into the life of a rich Bengali family in 19th-Century India. In the memoir, Rabindranath Tagore has given an elaborate account of his childhood from his point of view and also explained the difference between the society he grew up in and the society he lived in his old age. That is why I think it is the best memoir I have ever read.
The life of the First Lady
I have just finished reading ‘Becoming’ and have so much respect and admiration for Michelle Obama. She is inspirational and cool. What Becoming shows is the depth of her wisdom and honest self-reflection.
This memoir is full of moments of triumph, struggle, frustration as well as moments of humour and family bonding. I encourage you to dip into it and take away any insights you may wish to use. Michelle’s world view is deeply compassionate, genuinely honest and will instil warmth in your heart. This was so empowering and the best book I have ever read in my life.
Going Solo
The memoir I liked the best is “Going Solo by Roald Dahl. This book follows the author, who goes from England to Tanzania, becomes a fighter pilot in World War II and returns home as a veteran. His memoir is filled with action-packed times from fighting enemy bombers to surviving a plane crash. I like this book because it’s filled with action and adventure, which are the types of books I love. The author sometimes enters into near-death situations, which he describes beautifully. It clearly explains what happened during WW2 in Africa, Greece and other areas. This memoir also shows how life throws hurdles in bizarre situations, but by our willpower, and determination we can cross any barrier. These are some of the reasons I like Going Solo.
Lessons in history
My favourite memoir is “A Children’s History of India” by Subhadra Sen Gupta. This book contains text about all the important events and happenings of the past. It takes you through various periods in Indian history and life in those times. Spread over three parts – Ancient History, Medieval History and Modem history – it is written in simple, lucid prose and interspersed with striking illustrations. These factors in the book make learning and reading fun for readers of all age groups.
A young girl’s diary
The memoir I loved reading was “The Diary of a Young Girl” by Anne Frank. It is one of the most famous and memorable accounts of World War II and the Holocaust. The memoir is a journal by then Jewish teenager Anne Frank, where she records and narrates things happening around her when she and her family go into hiding as Germany takes over the Netherlands.
Her journal indicates that Anne was a very optimistic, positive, mature and strong girl despite facing so many hardships. I loved reading this memoir as it teaches me how to stay brave in critical times.
Birdman of India
I enjoy reading books. The memoirs I loved reading are “The Book of Indian Birds” and “The Fall of a Sparrow”. Both books are written by Indian ornithologist and naturalist Salim Ali, who is famously referred to as the “Birdman of India”. I like reading these books because they contain a huge amount of knowledge about Indian birds which we have neither read nor heard about. This book contains the author’s personal memories and by reading these books, I can learn many things.
Winds of change
I love reading “I am Malala”, the memoir of Malala Yousafzai as she is the one who brought the winds of change in education for girls. When I first read this book, I was overwhelmed by the enormity of it. I knew very little about the situation in Pakistan and the barriers faced by millions of girls seeking education. In this book, Malala describes the beauty of her homeland and also shares the prevalent social structure. This book has pricked my consciousness and given me resolve to fight against injustice. I would recommend every youngster to read this book.
Missile man of India
I loved reading the autobiography of Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam called “Wings of Fire”. He is called the Missile Man of India because he has contributed a lot to India’s missile development. In his book he tells about his life’s story. At first he helped his cousin in collecting newspapers but later went on to serve as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007. Reading the book, we learn that we can become anyone irrespective of who we are.
A Moveable Feast
One memoir I loved reading is ‘A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway about his years as a journalist and writer in Paris. He has beautifully portrayed his poor yet happy life as a writer who would write in cafes. Poverty, art and friendship are the values depicted here. During the entire course of his life Hemingway struggled with poverty and wasn’t ashamed of it. He was friends with the great writers of his generation and describes them in the book. In this book we see a hint of the sad, despairing and brooding self of Hemingway that he becomes in the latter part of life until his tragic end. Written during the last years of Hemingway’s life, his memoir is a lively and vibrant reflection of his younger self and his love for Paris.
The inspiration behind the chocolate factory
My favourite memoir is “Boy: Tales of Childhood” by Roald Dahl. His book describes his experience with chocolate companies during his school days. These companies would often send test packs of new chocolate variants to the school children and seek their feedback. The book goes on to explain how these experiences inspired Dahl to write the book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
‘A Princess Remembers’
The memoir I loved reading is “”A Princess Remembers: The Memoirs of the Maharani of Jaipur’. It is written by Maharani Gayatri Devi of Jaipur along with Santha Rama Rau. It has a detailed description of the lavish lifestyle of the Queen. In those days, when women had certain restrictions imposed on them, Maharani Gayatri Devi was an avid equestrienne and hunter who spent many days outdoors either for polo or hunting. She was also an influential politician who won the elections with the world’s largest electoral landslide victory in 1962 from Jaipur. She died on 17 July 2009 from lung failure. Maharani Gayatri Devi is, I think, one of the most influential Indian personalities of all time.
On a philosophical note
I love the memoir of Swami Vivekananda who is one of the most inspiring spiritual speakers and preachers of all time. I love to read his memoir very much because he has shared many of his interesting encounters and his personal experiences. Many of his stories have inspired me and taught me a lot about life’s philosophies.
All his stories have a hidden moral in them which helps me understand the real essence of his stories. I am sure his memoir will be an inspiration for every single child in the world like me. I will surely follow his advice and philosophies throughout my life.
To the stars
The memoir I liked the most is Scott Kelly’s “My Journey To The Stars”.
Scott Kelly did not know what he wanted to be when he was older. He battled in school and regularly crossed paths with his twin sibling. Mark.
One day, Scott found a book about aircraft testers and space travellers that set him on another path. This became his passion that drove him to initially become a pilot and later, a space explorer alongside his sibling. However, his most noteworthy achievement is spending a year in space aboard the International Space Station which set the standard for the longest spaceflight.
Remembering the isle
A memoir which left me wonderstruck is the twelve-lined poem, the “Lake Isle of Innisfree”. Penned by the famous poet William Butler Yeats, this chunk of literature drives its readers through the uninhabited island of Innisfree, which is real and located in Ireland. The poem was a spontaneous one, which was put down on paper when the poet remembered his exuberant childhood memories.
He has described the isle so articulately that the poem brought the images of the tranquil and fascinating panoramas in my mind. The poem talks about the wide sky, which puts on myriad shades as per the hours of the day. It also focuses on the high-pitched yet melodious song of the lark and the sounds of crickets in the dark. The poet further compares the city with the island and finds the isle to be so fit and calm to spend the rest of his life. He also speaks about the ways by which he would build a small house over there. Thus, this memoir which penetrates the memories cherished by the poet is a very good one and this is why I loved reading this memoir.
Jim Corbett’s India
The memoir I loved reading was “My India”, written by Edward James Jim’ Corbett, an Anglo-Indian hunter turned conservationist. The book is an amazing collection of Jim Corbett’s experiences as a poacher as well as a conservationist. There are many thought-provoking chapters in the book. One chapter explains how he was so poor for a period of time that he could eat only one chapati’ for lunch. As we advance into the book, we understand what the title of the story means. Jim Corbett turns the spotlight on the poor section of India, which consists of farmers who beat tin cans all night to drive away wild boars from their fields, construction workers, malaria-infected people and many others who are poverty stricken. The chapters are beautiful, and they are something I really relished. My India’ is a truly spellbinding book, and is a beautiful read, which I’m sure readers will never forget.
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