List of Top Books Continued

11. One Thousand and One Arabian Nights by Scheherazade

I have always enjoyed the magic and Oriental wonders of Arabian Nights. Arabian Nights is about a very wise and scholarly minister's daughter, Scheherazade who marries a king and tells him an unfinished story each night to prevent herself from being executed, as the king has done to his former wives on their wedding night. I started reading Arabian Nights when I was about eleven years old. Now I own the complete fine, unexpurgated Richard Burton translation set by Easton Press, which has Arabic writing on the cover and many beautiful illustrations. Each story of Arabian Nights is outside-the-box and has its own unique moral. I love that there are many layers of story within Arabian Nights. I have developed a fascination for the Middle East from Arabian Nights. The Arabian Nights celebrates the power of storytelling.
12. Childcraft

One of my fondest memories growing up was reading Childcraft! The collection is a must-have for any child's library (and adult's library as well), and I am very fortunate that my parents so generously bought it for me and my brother when I was about five or six years old. It has volumes covering a range of topics in a delightful way, from fairy tales to children's books to mathematic to birthdays and horoscopes to countries of the world. I cherished reading the fairy tales in the first volume, Once Upon a Time. I also remember reading selections from children's books, such as Pippi Longstocking and Ramona and her Father from the second volume, Time to Read. I was delighted to find that they were now illustrated in color! I also enjoyed reading Holidays and Birthdays, which provided an introduction to horoscopes for the child! And I remember reading a selection of The Phantom Tollbooth in Mathemagic. I love that they put the magic in math in the title, "Mathemagic." In one of the books, I read about dreams and how they are formed. I believe that in anther book, I read about names and what they mean. I need to dig up my Childcraft collection from my attic! I know that I will love revisiting old memories of innocence and wonder. The Childcraft collection is also a great way for an adult to look at and learn things through the eyes of a child.  
13. The Diary of Anne Frank

I was first introduced to Anne Frank in third grade by my favorite teacher ever. It was by reading The Diary of Anne Frank that I became inspired to keep my own diary! Anne Frank's diary reminds us of how important it is to archive the precious moments of life and share our heartfelt feelings. When looking over the book again recently, I skimmed the bits of Anne's birthday in the beginning. It is sweet to see how Anne's birthday was celebrated, and in Europe. I grasped from that how during the birthday, everyone makes the one celebrating feel special and how Anne seems to have a lot of friends. I thought when reading the book when I was young that Anne really wrote in a mature tone even though she was just thirteen years old and imagined a mature voice when I was reading the book. Recently, my friend, Carly was mentioning to me how she looked over the diary and particularly noticed how Anne was boy-crazy and liked a lot of boys! I would like to buy the revised, critical edition of the diary. It is amazing how critics can annotate even the simplest of books and even a diary!

I learned in middle school that Anne wanted to be a writer, something that she would definitely be good at, as is evident from the explicit narration and sophisticated tone of her diary.
14. Highlights

My family subscribed to Highlights regularly when I was a child. Like Childcraft, every child should have access to this delightful magazine full of wonder! I remember that there were new stories illustrated in color in every issue. Since I love stories, I loved reading all of them in each issue. One story that I particularly cherish is about catching falling stars and how a princess finds a star in an apple and maybe even in soup. I always think of that story whenever I have soup and imagine that there are falling stars in the soup. I also would love to catch a falling star!

Highlights also educated students on general knowledge in an enjoyable way. I particularly remember that when I was ten years old and in fifth grade, reading a section about how people made up nursery rhymes about current political events and paralleled real life figures in characters to avoid being arrested. One such character that commented on a current event was Humpty Dumpty.

15. Mother Goose's Nursery Rhymes

I have always loved nursery rhymes, just as I have loved fairy tales. One of my favorite nursery rhymes is "Wee Willie Winkie." I guess that I just liked the idea of a little boy going out into the night and enforcing bedtime.

I also love the rhyme, "There was an Old Woman who Lived in a Shoe." I find it cute and outside-the-box that the woman lived in a shoe. I love the idea of a madhouse full of children!
"Jack and Jill" is probably the most popular nursery rhyme. I was ecstatic to find that Louisa May Alcott wrote a book based on the rhyme.

16. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Little Women was officially my favorite book as a child. I think that I mainly loved it because I enjoyed the story and its position as a children's classic. Out of the four sisters, I could relate most to Jo and Beth and feel that I am a mixture of both of them. Like Beth, I am sweet, soft, and shy and love music. I relate to Jo in her hot temper, fiery spirit, and love for books and writing.

17. What Katy Did by Susan Coolidge

My Mom introduced me to What Katy Did, saying that it was another book that she liked to read over and over again, like Little Women. I think that Coolidge is ingenious in starting off the story with katy-dids! I would love to emulate that style! I appreciate that the children in the book have a classic childhood. Just like Katy, I had a ton of resolutions, which I could not keep. I love the poem about the School of Pain and all the poetry that Katy writes for her brothers and sisters for Valentine's Day. I also once again love the madhouse of the big family. I think that I was most like Elsie in the family, as I was a loner that was rejected in a group and Clover, being sweet and good-humored.
18. Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll

I first came across Alice in Wonderland while watching a movie sometime in elementary school. I believe that I must have read the book when I was about nine years old since I clearly remember reading a pretty edition of Through the Looking Glass that year. I reread both books a few years ago before going to watch Tim Burton's movie with my friend, Leslie. It is only when I grew up that I really began to understand what it was about. Alice in Wonderland has been said to be one of the hardest children's books to interpret scholastically. I observe that the book is about having a wonderland in your imagination, something that I always do. I loved entering into the wonderland of Alice with all of the different magnificent characters. I need to keep rereading the book to understand more about how to have a dreamy wonderland. I love that book ends up being a dream sequence! So I would like to also interpret it psychoanalytically as a dream. When I was young itself, my Dad told me that the books are paralleled to the game of chess. I actually discovered that Alice in Wonderland is about a game of cards while Through the Looking Glass is about a game of chess. I love the medieval game of chess! I need to reread Through the Looking Glass so that I can get some excellent chess tactics! I love how Alice becomes a queen, Queen Alice, after going through one full round as a pawn!

One of my favorite places to go is Alice's Tea Cup, based on Alice in Wonderland. I went there just before seeing Tim Burton's movie. I also celebrated my birthday there just now.
I would like to interpret more of Alice's influence on literature and culture.
19. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

I first heard of The Secret Garden in third grade when our teacher told us that it was her favorite book. I also think that she said that we were not ready to read it yet so of course I went to read it, always wanting to prove to myself I was advanced for my age. ;) I really like the element of secrecy in the book. I need to interpret it more closely now. I have the glossy hardcover version above, which also, like A Little Princess, came with something in the paperback edition--a key pendant! My friend, Gen said that this is one of the children's classics that she cherishes. I think that it is interesting that there is an Annotated Secret Garden available. So then I guess that it can be interpreted scholastically.
20. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

I first read Jane Eyre in sixth grade, a time when I also felt like Jane Eyre, ostracized and lonely with no one to love her, as my ungrateful sixth grade classmates always excluded me and made fun of me. I would often compare my life to Jane Eyre and think that only she was comparable to me in misfortune. I like to reread Jane Eyre for the many references to literature.
21. Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

I read this book in seventh grade Enriched English class. The tagline for the book is "Don't judge a man until you've walked two moons in his moccasins." As I grew older, I found that the book is replete with symbolism for a children's book! In the book, the main character, Salamanca Hiddle keeps finding anonymous messages with slogans at her doorstep. I guess that the messages could be relevant to the lesson that she is learning at that point in time. Salamanca is very mature for her tween age. I love her! Possibly the book tries to mainly teach us not to judge anyone, a very important lesson.
22. Matilda by Roald Dahl

My aunt presented me with Matilda for my eighth birthday. It quickly grew to become one of my favorite books as a child. I liked that it was about a genius and English culture. I tried to read all of the books that Matilda read to prove that I was also a genius! I was elated to find that there was a selection of Matilda in color in The Book of Children's Classics. 
23. A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson

My friend, Nora presented me with a beautiful illustrated edition of A Child's Garden of Verses for my tenth birthday. I found in there a lot of delightful children's poetry! As you can see from my comments on the other books, I love experiencing English culture. Some of the poems that I liked were "At the Sea-Side," "Pirate Story," "Good and Bad Children," "Fairy Bread," "The Unseen Playmate," and "The Land of Storybooks." The poetry explores the marvels and wonders of life!
24. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Lord of the Rings is the trademark of modern fantasy. I read this trilogy when I was twelve. I love the magic and the battle between good and evil and the many magical creatures. I wish that I could write more about the trilogy, but since I read it so long ago, it deserves a reread now.
25. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

I read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in fourth grade. I also fondly remember reading part of the story of Digory and Polly in The Magician's Nephew in fifth grade. Years later, I bought the complete Chronicles, as displayed above, and read all of them. I love the glossy color illustrations of the children in their boarding school uniforms! I also like how, in The Horse and his Boy, there is an Oriental-like setting. The Chronicles of Narnia have many allusions to Chaucer, the Bible, and Christianity. I particularly remember a chapter entitled, "Parliament of Owls," a reference to Chaucer's Parliament of Fowls.
There are many important lessons from that book. One lesson that I remember is Aslan's advice that he can never tell us how it would have been, he can only tell us how it is and is going to be.
Lewis and Tolkien were good friends and collaborators at Oxford and conversed regularly with a group of scholars at the Eagle and Child Pub in Oxford. That makes me definitely want to visit that pub when I go to England.
26. Phantastes: a Fairy Romance by George MacDonald

Phantastes is known as a "fairy tale for grown-ups" and is the first modern fantasy. It is in the form of a medieval romance. The book is about the dream sequence of the protagonist, Anodos on his twenty-first birthday as he enters into Fairy Land through a door. I look forward to interpreting the dream psychoanalytically and analyzing the quest and Fairy Land.
27. Telling the Time by Lynne Bradbury

I think that we got this adorable book in London, when I was nearly five, right before we moved from India to the United States. Telling the Time shows pictures of what children and grown-ups do in each hour. I have looked over this book for years as I have tried to relate to these activities. Each picture tells its own story of life in England. I have always wished that I could disappear into the book where life is so delightful!
28. The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough

The Thorn Birds is about a charming, emotional girl, Meggie who falls in love with a priest. My Mom recommended the book to me. She particularly related the beginning of the book of "the little girl on her fourth birthday." Indeed, I love that the book starts with Meggie getting a beautiful doll on her fourth birthday! I love dolls and how McCullough illustrates the importance of a doll in a girl's life:
"So perched in the buggy beside her mother, on her best behavior, she had been too excited to see or remember much. Except for Agnes, the beautiful doll sitting on the store counter, dressed in a crinoline of pink satin with cream lace frills and over it. Right then and there in her mind she had christened it Agnes, the only name she knew elegant enough for such a peerless creature. Yet over the ensuing months her yearning after Agnes contained nothing of hope; Meggie didn't own a doll and had no idea little girls and dolls belonged together."
Meggie is a very fascinating, colorful character. I think that her left-handedness represents that she is right-brained and emotional and imaginative. I like the theme passage of the book, which would make a great monologue:
“There is a legend about a bird which sings only once in it's life, more beautifully than any other creature on the face of the earth. From the moment it leaves it's nest, it searches for a thorn tree, and does not rest until it has found one. Then, it impales it's breast on the longest, sharpest thorn. But as it is dying, it rises above it's own agony to outsing the Lark and the Nightingale. The Thornbird pays it's life for that one song, and the whole world stills to listen, and God in his heaven smiles, as it's best is brought only at the cost of great pain; Driven to the thorn with no knowledge of the dying to come. But when we press the thorn to our breast, we know, we understand.... and still, we do it."
I would like to find such a passion that brings out the beauty in me and brings me such joy.
29. My Antonia by Willa Cather

I read this book for sophomore English class. I enjoyed it because I liked the charming Bohemian girl, Antonia. I remember when we were analyzing the Latin quote at the beginning of the book, "Optima dies prima fugit." It translates to, "The good days are the first to flee." I felt like that quote was very apt to my feelings at that point in life. I had many friends whom I cherished earlier in my life. They had deserted me, but I still cherished the memories. I also feel that childhood is the best time in life, yet fleeting.
30. The Three Princes of Serendip

The Three Princes of Serendip is a charming Persian fairy tale, which has been adopted in many cultures. It is about the quest of three brothers. I like that the book is all about serendipity. I actually made a serendipitous discovery of Princess Padmini within the book!
31. Lisa and Lottie by Erich Kästner

I first heard about this book when I read that The Parent Trap, one of my favorite movies, is based on it. So I knew that I had to read it. The particular above edition that I read it, with its pretty illustrations, contributed greatly to the feeling of the story. The book is about twin girls separated at birth who try to reunite their divorced parents. It was in this book that I learned about the delight of opera and wanted to explore that area further. I like how in the book, it is narrated something about the performing world in opera. I also got to appreciate Hansel and Gretel, which makes an appearance as an opera, better. I think that fairy tale is particularly relevant to the story of Lisa and Lottie.
32. Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar

I read this crazy book in elementary school and reread it after a heartbreak in college. I love how crazy the school is and how all the students are united as a family. My favorite character is Alison, the sweet girl. I am so touched by the passage, "She was very pretty so a lot of boys teased her, especially Jason." I particularly like it since my first elementary school crush was on a boy named Jason and my first crush also teased me because he liked me.
33. The Chicken Soup for the Soul Series by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen

These series feature heartwarming, inspirational real life stories. I look to these books for inspiration and motivation on living my dream.
34. Enid Blyton books

As I said in the previous blog entry, Enid Blyton was my favorite children's author. Everything was just right in her stories. She wrote everything from school stories to mystery stories to adventure stories to toy stories to fairy tales. I loved the school stories, which gave me a taste of English boarding school life. In the St. Clare's series, my favorite characters were the twins, Alison, and Mirabel. I liked the twins for their cleverness and kindness. I liked Alison for her good heart. I liked Mirabel for her talent in music and rebellious nature. In Malory Towers, I related most to the shy Mary-Lou. I like to look over Miss Grayling's advice to the new girls:
One day you will leave school and go out into the world as young women. You should take with you eager minds, kind hearts, and a will to help. You should take with you a good understanding of many things, and a willingness to accept responsibility and show yourselves as women to be loved and trusted. All these things you will be able to learn at Malory Towers—if you will. I do not count as our successes those who have won scholarships and passed exams, though these are good things to do. I count as our successes those who learn to be good-hearted and kind, sensible and trustable, good, sound women the world can lean on. Our failures are those who do not learn these things in the years they are here.
I really hope that I can follow that advice and keep an eager mind, a kind heart and show myself to be a lady to be loved and trusted.
I also liked the fairy books and the toy stories. They really show that Blyton had a rich imagination! I would also like to imagine that all my toys have secret lives of their own when I am not looking!
35. The Rainbow Fairy Books by Andrew Lang

Last, but definitely not least, the Rainbow Fairy Books are a compilation of the classic fairy tales across cultures. I have this collection in both the Easton Press and The Folio Society editions. Before Easton Press actually published the books, I actually wished to see them by Easton Press!
As I have expressed over and over again, I love fairy tales. I think that it is important to keep tales of wonder in your life, no matter what age you are, and hope for a "happily ever after."

My Top Ten Books

            Today I came across a Facebook chain of listing ten top books that have impacted me. It was very tough and painful to narrow down to just ten as well as to just list the books without commenting on how they have influenced me. So in this blog entry, I will comment in depth on the impact of those ten books. In a later entry, I will list and comment on all of the books that have left footsteps on my heart.  

1. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

 

The Alchemist is subtitled “a fable about following your dream.” So it is a guidebook for a complete dreamer, with a lot of castles in the sky, like me. I have the glossy hardcover edition above. I read this book nearly ten years ago after it was recommended by my parents. The theme quote from the book is “When you want something, the entire universe conspires to help you achieve your dream.” This book is about a boy from Andalucia, Spain that seeks treasure and travels to Spain and falls in love with a beautiful Arabic girl along the way. I like those parts as I like Spain, Arabic culture, treasure and would like to visit Andalucia. I love This book is even referenced in Eleven Minutes, another book by the same author! I love how Coelho subtitles many of his books, “A Novel about….” I would like to buy all of Coelho’s books in the hardcover edition and line them up straight in my bookshelf. Coelho is philosophical, and all of his books convey messages. I think that I need to reread The Alchemist now to get inspired to follow my dream!

 

 

2. The Little Prince by Antoine Saint-Exupéry

When I was little, I used to ask my Dad to read The Little Prince to me and my brother at bedtime every night. I remember that the reason that I was attracted to the book was because I thought it was a fairy tale about a prince, and I loved and continue to love fairy tales about princes and princesses. When I started to listen to the story, I found that it was quite different than what I imagined. It was quite complex. The main moral that I remember from the book is that children know everything while adults do not. In a sense, I do agree with that theory and cherish the bliss of childhood. I know that The Little Prince is replete with philosophy. It has been a long time since I read the book although I do own the hardcover color edition. The last time that I read it might have been for Enriched English in seventh grade. I think that it is time for a reread. However, I do love the beloved quote from The Little Prince: “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” That quote is so warm and touching. It is completely true as well. I would like to explore the intricate poignancies of the heart.

3.     A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

 

Notice that A Little Princess is listed right after The Little Prince? Well, that was deliberate! I remember when I was a child, once or twice seeing the two books listed next to each other, maybe in Childcraft, and wondering whether they were related to one another. It turned out that they were not related and were by completely different authors. I have the above book in the glossy color hardcover edition, although the same paperback edition came with a beautiful princess locket. I first started the book as a child and then left it. I finally took it up again and finished it when I was eighteen. I ended up really liking the book since the moral is that every little girl can be a princess and deserves that dream. I particularly like the quote by Sara Crewe, “"Yes," said Sara, "and I was thinking what would happen if I were a princess and you boxed my ears—what I should do to you. And I was thinking that if I were one, you would never dare to do it, whatever I said or did. And I was thinking how surprised and frightened you would be if you suddenly found out.” That quote could be a dramatic monologue for me since it really turns a chord in me. That quote really gives me comfort and hope. I secretly like to apply the same theory to myself whenever someone is not giving me the importance that I deserve. Just like the Little Princess, I dream of being a beautiful princess in a fairy tale and am the fairy princess of my own imaginary realm.

4.    La Princesse Lointaine by Edmond Rostand

 

I have always idealized the romantic archetype of the princesse lointaine, a breathtakingly beautiful maiden in medieval romance that the hero is lovestruck upon at first glance and embarks on painstaking quests to attain. So I thought that I should definitely read La Princesse Lointaine by Edmond Rostand, the namesake. I use the play as a Bible on how to showcase the princesse lointaine dimension of my persona. The play is based on the real life story of Jaufre Rudel, who fell in love with Hodierna of Tripoli from just hearing descriptions of her. In the play, Rudel also appears, but in love with an Oriental princess, Melissinde. The title role of Melissinde was written for Sarah Bernhardt. The play is all about beauty, love, and poetry. I have worked on the dramatic monologue by the title character in order to bring out the princesse lointaine aspect into my stage personality. I chose a signature monologue of the character, which exemplifies her beauty that has inspired poetry and the romance of her character:

MELISSINDE:

It is because the humble people sang

That I am today the dearest of the dear.

The Lady of Rudel the Troubador

The object of a love miraculous!

This poet mine who lives away in France,

Began to love me for a random song;

And well you know the welcome heart that's lone

Reserves to love that fame has brought to us!

The common-place that binds us down to earth

Has made me thirst for love's sublimity!

These pilgrims, think! will wander over France,

And they will say of me, my eyes, my brow,

Poetic things that lead the youths to dream....

(Another character shortly comments)........................................................................

Perhaps, indeed, Rudel will hear of it.

An easy manner for a distant soul

To reach, beyond the vastness of the sea,

A sympathetic soul. 

(Another character shortly comments)........................................................................

.....................I would exalt in him the pride

Of thus adoring me. And that is why

I hailed these people thus. No kindness great,

But simply care to keep my legend bright!

(Another character comments)....................................................................................

I love his love, I love his soul, I love....

The monologue was cut at the part above, an appropriate part to shorten it. However, when I first presented the monologue, I included the proceeding part, which displays the dreaminess of her character, something that I also cherish within myself:

In my gardens that are moonly pale,

I hear the breeze among the myrtles sigh....

I sail along the green and placid lake

In which my galley, rich in ornaments,

Sheds rippling streams of flowers, or of light.

And, as the lute resounds, by plectra wooed,

I send on wings the verse I recite.

Then, in this palace seeking solitude,

I'm saddened,--and my sadness has its worth!--

Or else I wander here where lilies scent;

And dream, oping wide its labyrinth,

Compels me to desert reality;

And reason slumbers, as, unceasingly,

Unceasing fountains softly spout and splash! 

  

5.    A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is my favorite Shakespearean play and a play explored in my dissertation. I always liked the play since it has fairies in it. I first read the story of A Midsummer Night’s Dream when I was ten and then read the unabridged play when I was eleven. I remember when I was twelve, the time that I was most scholarly and wise, my favorite line was Puck’s “What fools these mortals be.” I like the fairies, magic, dream, love, and summer elements of the play. I love the quote at the end of the play, "'Tis fairy time." It represents the Elizabethan English belief in fairies during the evening. I plan to visit the fairy sites in England during fairy time! I also studied the play in Freshman English class in high school. There was a nice text edition of it, which I am still trying to find. I have also studied and written about the play many times in my higher education studies. I have come to understand the subtleties of the play. There is a lot of metatheatricality in the play, which I like. I still need to explore the metatheatrical elements. Shakespeare conveys in A Midsummer Night’s Dream that magic is a kind of theatre and theatre is a kind of magic and that life is a dream and the world is a stage. My favorite character is the fairy queen, Titania. Titania has natural charm and charisma and is magical. Titania, as a fairy queen, is a response to Spenser’s The Faerie Queene.

6.    The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser

 

The Faerie Queene is another literary work that is explored in my dissertation. Again, the fairy queen in it, attracted me to it. It is a behemoth poem about different quests of different knights. The Faerie Queene, as a fairy tale in its comprisal of fairies, magic, dragons and setting of Fairy Land, was one of the precursors to modern fantasy. The Faerie Queene, as a romance, was also a precursor to romance. My favorite book is Book III, the book of Chastity, which is about the love stories of the three fairies, Amoret, Belphoebe, and Florimell. In the poem, there is a response to the contemporary belief in magic, which I am still trying to explore.

7.    Don Quixote by Miguel Cervantes

Don Quixote is listed as one of the books that changed the world! I first read this novel, which is the third novel in my dissertation, when I was twelve years old. However, it was only when I studied the novel in graduate school that I really began to grasp the complexity. On the exterior, it appears to be about a gentleman that tries to become a knight in an age when chivalry is starting to decline and thus on the surface a satire on medieval romance. However, below the surface, there is a lot more to it. Don Quixote is celebrated as the world’s first novel. There is also the element of metafiction and metaidentity. One of the main themes is that everyone creates an identity and life based on fiction. As a fan of puppetry and theatre, I also really like Maese Pedro’s puppet show, and my dissertation explores theories of puppetry. I visited a Maese Pedro puppet exhibition in Cervantes’s birthplace when I went to Spain. There is also a lot of enchantment and response to Spanish beliefs in magic in Don Quixote, a topic that I explore in my dissertation. My dissertation also analyzes Don Quixote in the realm of the fairy tale, interfaced with J.R.R. Tolkien’s “On Fairy Stories.” Don Quixote approaches many additional genres, such as the medieval romance, the picaresque, the pastoral romance, etc., even the drama although it is not technically a play. There is also a lot of philosophy within the novel. Don Quixote makes a very wise statement about playacting in real life, that in real life, everyone also plays roles, just like the actors. This belief has been illustrated in many Renaissance texts, including those of Shakespeare. As I said in my last blog entry, when I visited Spain, I came to realize the extent to which Don Quixote is a part of Spanish pride and identity.

8.    Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

Romeo and Juliet has been celebrated for centuries as the ultimate love story. It makes me wonder whether the word, “romance” was derived from “Romeo!” Of course, a hopeful romantic at heart like myself, would be enamored of this play! I first read the play when I was about twelve years old. I was amazed to discover then that Juliet was not even fourteen years old, yet experienced such a love story. I have studied this play in depth in English classes as well as in acting classes. My acting teacher said that at the beginning of the play, Juliet is less than fourteen, but by the end of the play, through her experiences, she has aged to twenty-eight. As I wrote in an earlier blog entry, Juliet is my favorite Shakespearean classic ingénue. My acting teacher said that she is a wise innocent, something that I aspire to be, and I was when I was twelve and had my first crush. I love that Juliet has all of the characteristics of the classic ingénue—she is innocent, sweet, shy, educated, romantic, and virginal. Juliet is another of my role models. I have studied the following monologue, which exemplifies Juliet’s innocence, youth, shyness, and romance:

Thou know’st the mask of night is on my face,

Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek

For that which thou hast heard me speak tonight.

Fain would I dwell on form. Fain, fain deny

What I have spoke. But farewell compliment!

Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say “ay,”

And I will take thy word. Yet if thou swear’st

Thou mayst prove false. At lovers' perjuries,

They say, Jove laughs. O gentle Romeo,

If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully.

Or if thou think’st I am too quickly won,

I’ll frown and be perverse and say thee nay,

So thou wilt woo. But else, not for the world.

In truth, fair Montague, I am too fond,

And therefore thou mayst think my 'havior light.

But trust me, gentleman, I’ll prove more true

Than those that have more coying to be strange.

I should have been more strange, I must confess,

But that thou overheard’st, ere I was 'ware,

My true love’s passion. Therefore pardon me,

And not impute this yielding to light love,

Which the dark night hath so discovered. (II.ii.85-106)

I love the blush in the monologue, which as I had written earlier, showcases shyness and represents the dichotomy between sexual desire and the need to hold onto chastity and female honor.

9.    The Naughtiest Girl series by Enid Blyton

 

When I was a child, Enid Blyton was my favorite author! I remember saying when I was ten years old, that I wish that I could disappear into the land of Enid Blyton—a land where everything is ideal and the good are always celebrated and the bad are always frowned upon. I even found later that there was a Facebook group dedicated to those that wish that they were in the land of one of Enid Blyton’s books! The Naughtiest Girl series is my favorite of the Blyton books. It is about a charming, delightful girl, Elizabeth Allen who has a naughty nature and hot temper, but a heart of gold and is very clever and talented. In the books, is discovered by her classmates that Elizabeth can be both kind and unkind, foolish and wise, and impatient and patient and that they all know that she always tries to be fair, just, and loyal. Her friend, Julian says at the end of The Naughtiest Girl is a Monitor, “Funny person, aren’t you? The naughtiest girl in school, the best girl in school. Worst enemy, best friend. No matter, who you are, you’re always our Elizabeth, and we’re proud of you!” I liked the books a lot because I related a lot to her. I also am full of complexities and polarities like Elizabeth. I always wished to have such a strong presence as her, but unfortunately in my school days, I had a very low profile. I also like that I learned a lot about English boarding school in these books. It made me wish to go to boarding school.

10. The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes

 I first came across an adaptation of The Hundred Dresses in an American Girl magazine when I was a ten year-old fifth-grader. However, when I read the actual book that same year when I was staying at the library while my parents were at work, it made a big difference. I particularly remember fondly the title of one chapter, “A Bright Blue Day.” The story is about a poor girl, Wanda, who is mocked by her classmates for her claim that she has one hundred dresses at home, but in the end, she ends up being the winner of a contest where she designs one hundred dresses!

I really liked that book a lot because throughout my childhood, I was like Wanda—a painfully shy misfit who was made fun of. I love that the book has a surprise at the end where Wanda excels in something! I always wish that I could have excelled in something and shone as a star.

Spain

I just returned from a trip to Spain so I am writing a blog entry on Spain while I am still in the mood.
Spain is a beautiful, fascinating country in Southern Europe.

Spain is traditional and not as influenced by United States of America as other countries in Europe. For, most people speak Spanish rather than English. It has a lot of Arabic influence, something which I like very much. Spain is also known for its gypsies. I learned that the Spanish gypsies actually migrated from Rajastan, India!

Don Quixote is a huge part of Spanish pride and a trademark. I saw in the places that I visited many signs saying "Ruta de Don Quijote"! I did a Don Quixote Route of Spain since my dissertation is on enchantment and magic in Don Quixote in the fairy tale realm.

I discovered through the Don Quixote Route the magnitude of influence of Don Quixote on Spain. I am still trying to assess the influence of Don Quixote to Spanish personality. It is amazing that a literary character could have so much influence! 

I also discovered that magic, as pertaining to my dissertation, is influential in particularly Spain.
I did a Don Quixote Route of Spain.
I just realized today that my Don Quixote Route started in the flight to Madrid, itself, in my conversation with a very warm and friendly Spanish family about Don Quixote. The Spanish family is from Seville and asked me where I was travelling to in Spain. When I mentioned Toboso as one of the cities, the father immediately made the connection to Don Quixote! The father, a professor, suggested some good scholarship on Don Quixote, such as:
1.       El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha, Miguel de Cervantes. "Edición científica reciente la de Francisco Rico (ed. Real Academia; de bolsillo)
2.       La de Martín de Riquer (ed. Planeta)
3.       Útil para un lector no especializado, Andrés Amoros: "El Quijote cultural" (ed. S.M.).
I was thrilled to come across already someone that was familiar with Don Quixote!
The places that I visited were Madrid, Toledo, Toboso, Lagunas de Ruidera National Park, and Barcelona.
In Madrid, I stayed with my very warm and loving relatives, Anu Chechi, Anoop Chetten, and their toddler, Meghna. They were very hospitable and helpful. I particularly enjoyed spending time with the precious bundle of joy, Meghna! I miss her so much now! In Madrid, I visited Cervantes's birthplace--where there was a house with all of the materials of the Renaissance Period, the Royal Palace, Plaza España--where there were statues of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, and the Egyptian Temple of Debod.

 

The Royal Palace is so beautiful! I was told that the current Spanish king does not reside in the palace, but goes there to conduct royal affairs. One important ceremony that takes place in the palace is this literary awards ceremony, which is conducted on Cervantes's birthday, April 23rd! The award is granted to a high achiever that has written in the Spanish language, and there is a huge gathering! It is amazing that Cervantes is given royal importance.

I loved going to the Egyptian temple and experiencing some of the combination of Arabic and Spanish culture, both which I love!

Right before my trip to Toledo, I saw on Facebook that my dear friend, Leslie was also going to be in Spain at the same time! What a happy coincidence! It has always been my dream to travel with her so I was ecstatic at the prospect of meeting up with her. Unfortunately, after communicating with her, I realized that we would not be in any close cities in Spain.
I visited Toledo since it is the medieval city of Spain! It is thus also the major part of the Don Quixote Route! Toledo is also a meeting point for three religions/cultures: the Jewish, the Christian, and the Arabic! I paid tribute by first visiting two synagogues. Then I visited the famous Cathedral. Then I visited an Islamic cave in the location of El Museo de la España Magica.

I wanted to visit the Arabic and Roman baths, but ran out of time. I also walked along the River Tagus, a part of the Don Quixote Route and got good photos.

 

I bought a Don Quixote and Sancho Panza figurine. I noticed that there were Don Quixote figurines in every shop in Toledo. I also enjoyed going to El Museo de la España Magica, which made me realize that magic is a big part of Spain! On the train ride from Toledo back to Madrid, I conversed with a very nice Spanish lady who told me that in Spain, every child has been educated on Don Quixote since primary school, that at least an abridged version of Don Quixote is part of the curriculum.
The next day, I visited Toboso, town of Don Quixote's lady love, Dulcinea and Lagunas de Ruidera National Park, part of where Don Quixote travelled. I visited a house constructed to be the house where the fictional character, Dulcinea lived. The house was beautiful and really old-fashioned! 

I then ate in Mesón La Noria de Dulcinea. It is a wonderful restaurant where the employees are very friendly. The waiter serving me even went out of his way to turn the watermill on to take a photo of me! It was completely his idea!

Then I went to Museo Cervantino, a library of many celebrated editions of Don Quixote! After that, I went to Museo del Humor Grafico Dulcinea, which showcases satirical paintings of Don Quixote and Dulcinea.
After my trip to Toboso, I had time to fit in a trip to the Lagunas de Ruidera National Park, a big tourist destination and vacation spot. The park has fifteen lakes. Deep within the park, there is also the Cave of Montesinos, where Don Quixote had a magical dream. I was able to go to Laguna del Rey (Lake of the King) and get in beautiful photos, including a selfie, which hardly appears like a selfie. Unfortunately, however, I was unable to visit the Cave of Montesinos, the reason for my whole trip to Lagunas de Ruidera. For, the only tour of the day took place at 6 PM, and my return bus ride was at 6 PM. I could not walk there on my own since it was too far away. Oh, well. I guess that I made the most of my situation. I hope to come to Lagunas de Ruidera again and then visit the Cave of Montesinos.

Then I spent three days in Barcelona. I first visited Les Bosc de Les Fades, a beautiful fairy bar that my close friend, Kerry, knowing that I love fairies, recommended to me!

I then visited the Magic Fountain of Montjuic, which had amazing light and music shows. Some of the songs were songs from The Lion King translated into Spanish.

The next day, I visited Plaza Catalunya, did a free walking tour of Barcelona, and then visited Casa Batllo and Parc Guell, both Gaudi masterpieces. Gaudi's house looks like a magical gingerbread house!

The third day, I went on a cruise of the city. We passed by Barceloneta beach where Don Quixote challenged Sanson Carrasco.

 

Then I went to the Barcelona City History Museum. It was amazing to learn about Barcelona from the Roman conquest to the Middle Ages! I love that Barcelona has Roman influence. Then I went to Parc del Laberint Horta, a beautiful park with a labyrinth, fountains, and Greek mythological sculptures. Unfortunately, I did not make it in time to enter the main park. I hope to visit it next time.
If I visit Spain another time, I hope to then visit Salamanca, Sevilla, Granada, the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands, etc. Salamanca is a city renowned for scholarship on magic. There is even a cave that is celebrated for magic. I would like to visit Sevilla since it has a lot of Arabic influence. I would like to visit the famous Spanish gypsies in Granada. I have always wanted to visit the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands. I particularly like the Canary Islands since that is where canaries originate from. My former dream was to get an authentic canary from the Canary Islands! Now I understand that is not a good idea since the canary would not be likely to survive in a different climate in America.
One of my souvenirs was an authentic Spanish doll. My goal is to collect a traditional doll from every country that I visit. Although I bought this Spanish doll from Madrid, it was based on the Canary Islands. That is okay since I love the Canary Islands!
I have studied Spanish so the trip was not as hard for me to communicate. I hope to be fluent in Spanish if I visit Spain again.
I returned from the Don Quixote Route feeling quixotic and am trying to now shake the feeling since I need to get back into the real world.