This Valentine’s Day, Indian authors pick their favourite romantic stories
On Valentine’s Day, here are some popular Indian authors who talk about their favourite romantic books, and also the best scenes and chapters from them.
As a bibliophile, one must have one book or more of authors Anuja Chauhan, Amish Tripathi and Durjoy Datta, in the collection. But when it’s Valentine’s Day, one feels the urge to ask these authors for their own personal favourite romantic books. Here’s what they had to say:
“I love Princess Diary Ten, which I read in my thirties. I read Beauvallet by Georgette Heyer when I was in class nine. I also love this one chapter in George Eliot’s The Mill on the Floss on Stephen and Maggie. All for the same reason, they make me feel the romance. It’s like being in love yourself. And it’s not at all explicit – I hate explicit love scene,” says Anuja Chauhan.
“I think the best romantic book I have ever read is The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy. It is set during the post-French Revolution period of chaos, but is actually a fun adventure. I’d read the book when I was in school. The basic premise of the story is delightful: it is the story of Sir Percy Blakeney an English aristocrat who is a cowardly dandy, and the double life he leads in his secret persona as the Scarlet Pimpernel, a swashbuckling, daring, hero who saves Grench aristocrats from being executed.
“One of my favourite scenes in the book is when the wife of Percey Blakeny, who thinks her husband is a coward and an idiot, discovers that he is actually the heroic scarlet Scarlet Pimpernel. And they rediscover their love for each other. Tortured love, misunderstandings, heroism and a happy ending. I guess that’s what a good love story must have. No that I’m an expert on it,” says Amish Tripathi.
“I think there are two that I really like. One is The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. Read it way back when it came out. The part that really kills me is when the characters eulogize the main guy of the book. It’s just so. . . heartbreaking. The other is The Ground Beneath Her Feet by Salman Rushdie. Read it a couple of years ago and love its filmy elements. That scene on a rainy day when Ormus Cama wins Vina in a game of cards was totally awesome. I keep coming back to the chunks of that book,” says Durjoy Datta.
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