In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Spinning Yarns.”
Story telling is an art that is special – it is a God given gift.
As a kid I heard stories about Indian Mythology and Epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana from my grandmother.We used to visit her during the summer vacations and she would tell us stories every single night. They became a part of my life forever. My mother would tell me stories of the novels she would be reading at that point in time or of movies.
Having said that, I have loved and will always love stories that came to me from books.
I grew up on a diet of Enid Blyton’s books and she was my favorite author in childhood. Whether Fairy tales or stories of the Famous Five or Fatty and the 5 Findouters, or my favorite Naughtiest Girl, they were all real to me. St Clare’s and Malory Towers were as familiar as my own St Mary’s !! I did read Classics, autobiographies and magazines but my idea of holidays , friendships , loyalty were shaped by Enid Blyton, I would think. As also my lifetime love affair with books.
As I graduated to Wilbur Smith, Robert Ludlum, Fredrick Forsyth and other bestsellers -as well as the omniscient Mills N Boon along the way- I saw new places and my horizons widened. Leon Uris, Hemingway,William Golding and Colleen McCllough rubbed shoulders on my teenager bookshelf.
I could devour any words, be they in books, magazines, newspapers or even “comics” ,from Archies to the Superheroes to Indian Amar Chithra Katha, I loved all the stories they told.
Then came the movies. To me they are as important storytellers as any book. A well directed adaptation of heavier stories and books are a way of reaching out to the youth and children.
Stories allow us to dream. They give us wings to fly. The strong characters we meet in them or even the unsavory ones can shape our attitude to life itself. They can motivate, they can inspire – they can inspire revolutions or an entire generation, in fact. They allow us to visit places we never may in our entire lifetime. They introduce us to new ways of thinking or even living.
I can go on and on about books and movies and so I will put a stop to my rambling on this prompt!I still have “bucket lists” of books I would love to and want to read.
A storyteller is a gift that God gives us to help us live our dreams. May their tribe ever increase.
Cheers!
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Ripples N Reflections 
So true.. 🙂 I was introduced to caravans and Amazon…my bucket list items by these books 🙂
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Which ones Saya? ?
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I will add ‘Chanda mama’ and Champak stories in Indian books. Today’s prompt has been dedicated to grand parents….lol
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Yes definitely! Had wanted to include them too but was worried about the post getting too long. ….Thanks for reminding..😀
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Sounds to me you explored incredible worlds and places, Right from the comfort of your home over the years! 🙂
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Yes I did and still do! Had a busy Sunday?
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Oh it’s still Sunday here, So far it’s relaxing ^.^
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Have a fabulous Sunday!
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Hi, we read the same Enid Blyton books, I loved fatty and the five findouters and my absolute favorite was the enchanted wood and faraway tree. I used to read her books everyday – weekends and holidays. Sadly now I hardly ever read, the last time I finished a book was January holidays.
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Oh that’s good to know….. I loved reading then and now .. but the avidity has decreased now…. The net is a huge distraction..
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Annie Dillard and Maya Angelou, I learned to love in college. And of course, Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald, Steven Crane, oh I can’t think of them all! I learned to read very young…The Cat In The Hat books. Still love them, and could probably quote them verboten! Thanks for your post! Such beautiful memories!
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Thank you… memories are very important – to create and revisit… what say?
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So true! And so much fun in books where you can do so over again as much as you want, or have time! 🙂
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I LOVE your post! Every word so true. I love how books and movies take us places and evoke feelings in us. Your post was full of new treasures for me to find. Thanks for mentioning them! Teaching allows me to take my favorites and spin them for my students. I love watching their eyes light up and having them participate. I make up a comeback line and some actions so they can be part of the story. It’s one layer more to getting students to love stories.
Have a most beautiful holiday. Namaste my friend, Marie
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Namaste Marie….great to hear from you after a long time…loved your poetry collaborations! Books can be one’s best friend….. I don’t read as much as I used to or would like to any more…love the way you make the stories more personal for kids..😊
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I have largely grown up on Enyd blyton and ruskin bond books …and in comics…twinkle 🙂
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