Fellow Rhetoracles and guests, good evening! The splendid Seattle
summer is officially over and we are left with limited indoor options for
recreation. As the raindrops create music against my window pane, I like to
cozy up with a book and a steaming cup of tea. I’m sure a lot of you would
agree with me that there is no greater pleasure than reading a good book and
those of you who have not discovered this magic yet would at least be tempted
to read one of my recommendations today!
15 year old Christopher Boone knows all countries in the world
along with their capital cities; he also knows every prime number! Genius isn’t
he?
He finds his neighbor’s dog killed and lying in the garden one
night and runs to hug the dog fondly when get arrested on suspicion for
murdering the dog. Poor child – gets released soon as the cops realize their
mistake. But his love for the dog doesn’t let him sit quiet. This young
Sherlock Holmes fan decides to investigate the case himself. And from there
begins a roller coaster ride! What does he discover about his mother’s death?
How does he travel alone to London? Does he really find out the dog-killer?
Wait let there is one more trouble here – Christopher is a special child – he
suffers from Asperger’s syndrome a form of autism. Now aren’t you all curious
to know what happened? Then you must read this novel “A curious incident of the
dog in the night time” written by Mark Haddon as Christopher would have
narrated himself!
If you thought such adventures existed only in fiction then you
have to meet Marjane Satrapi or Marji as she is fondly known. Marji grew in as
Iran was going through a political turmoil when at war with Iraq. She was
fortunate to be part of a well-to-do educated household with parents protesting
against the government and Uncle Anoosh an actual revolutionary. Seeds of
revolutions were sown in her mind at a young age.
As Iran went through political transformation teenager Marji’s
mind also went through an ideological transformation. Her idols changed from
the Shah of Iran to legendary revolutionists like Fidel Castro and Che Guevera
Her discussion with friends revolved around socio-political reforms and led to
her believing that revolutions are like bicycles – if they are not in motion
they will stop. She could not see her dream of being a scientist fade away
under the tyranny of the Shah. How did she achieve her dream? How her life
changed when she went to Vienna for her education? How Iran had changed when
she returned? All this is illustrated literally in this one-of a kind graphic
novel – yes you heard it graphic novel just like a comic book called Persepolis
Our adventurous ride is just about to get more adventurous
Young Sabriye Tenberken’s contribution to the world is unmatched
to say the least. She is a German scholar. She was 26 year old when she was
drawn to the absolute neglected condition of the blind children in the far away
eastern land of Tibet. In this Holy land of the Buddha, these kids were not
only deprived of education but treated as cursed and segregated from the
society as lepers and untouchables. Sabriye was courageous and selfless to
single handedly go to remote areas in Tibet, convince the parents of these kids
to send them to a school that she established, taught them Braille in Tibetan
that she invented and successfully opened the gates of knowledge. She truly lit
up their otherwise dark world. She had numerous challenges – geographical,
social, financial, and cultural and above all- physical – Sabriye is herself blind!!!
She narrates her inspirational story
In ‘My Path leads to Tibet’
3 books – 3 lives – 1 common thread – being different, being
challenged.
Christopher from ‘the curious incident of the dog in the night
time’ was mentally challenged. Marji from Persepolis was socially challenged
and Sabriye from ‘My Path leads to Tibet’ was physically challenged’. We
interpret the world based on our circumstances and to the best of our
capacities. We all just have different points of views. None right, none wrong.
People say these books are inspirational, adventurous, thrilling. For me above
everything else these books are about ‘embracing differences’
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