This beautiful book was a huge buzz when it was first released. I was reminded of it by a friend today.The God of Small Things (1997) is a semi-autobiographical, politically charged novel by Indian author Arundhati Roy. It is a story about the childhood experiences of a pair of fraternal twins who become victims of circumstance. The book is a description of how the small things in life build up, translate into people's behavior and affect their lives. The book won the Booker Prize in 1997.
"To love.
To be loved.
To never forget your own insignificance.
To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you.
To seek joy in the saddest places.
To pursue beauty to its lair.
To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple.
To respect strength, never power.
Above all, to watch.
To try and understand.
To never look away.
And never, never, to forget."
... The God Of Small Things, Arundhati Roy
2 comments:
You quote my favourite quote from the book. Got this one as a Christmas gift 2 years ago. I think books are the best gifts ever. :-)
Precious.
Indeed, I derived so much pleasure from reading this book too.
Especially moving is the last portion when the 2 sisters finally meet after so many years later. We see the after-effects of history have on them and how they learn to cope with it: one bruised and scarred for life, one pursuing to live life as it comes.
Booker's lists has always been my favourite.
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