Has the lockdown of the past two weeks left you sympathizing with the heroes who were stranded in far-off lands? Eindhoven News brings you a pick of five nail-biting reads that not only provide a welcome weekend entertainment but also make you appreciate your current situation…
- Robinson Crusoe: Perhaps the most famous adventurers of all time. In this book, Daniel Defoe takes us on a tale of adventure and survival like no other. We are left amazed by the resourcefulness and patience of a young Crusoe – slowly transforming the ‘Island of Despair’ into an ‘Island of Paradise’. It is a very long and solitary lockdown for him lasting a gruelling 24 years before he realizes that he is not alone. The ensuing adventures with his companion Friday are guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat! Did you know that 2019 was the 300th anniversary of this epic creation? If Crusoe could survive close to three decades, our three weeks at home should be a breeze?
- Life of Pi: Fantasy adventure at its best, this is a gripping tale of a teenage boy marooned on a ship with a tiger. Piscine Molitor Patel (Pi) is the protagonist in this Booker prize-winning novel by Yann Martel and explores spirituality and survival in equal measure. Pi survives 200+ days in a lifeboat finding innovative ways to prevent the tiger from making a meal of him. You will meet Pi and his family, the members of their menagerie – Orange Juice the orangutan, Richard Parker the tiger and other characters who make this a wonderful read. If Pi can keep the tiger at bay, I am sure all of us together can survive a lockdown to fight the coronavirus!
- The Martian: A science-fiction read about an astronaut Mark Watney who is stranded alone in planet Mars. Andy Weir presents an amazing account of how Mark finds himself alone with meagre supplies and with no way to signal Earth that he is alive. Read about his struggle and ingenuity in overcoming one mammoth obstacle after another. This lost in space novel is a fascinating page-turner and is intense, absorbing and funny at the same time. The conditions of our lockdown are so much more appealing compared to life on the Red planet!
-
Ada Blackjack: A True Story of Survival in the Arctic: A true account of a young Eskimo woman’s survival in an Arctic island. The female Robinson Crusoe who emerges the sole survivor of an Arctic expedition gone wrong. Jennifer Niven has written a compelling account of the adventures and survival of this extraordinary survivor. The book has been recreated from Ada’s dairies, accounts from her son and will inspire you to no mean measure. This book is sure to drive off any lockdown woes you might have!
-
The Swiss Family Robinson: An endearing tale of the Robinson family surviving a terrible shipwreck. Marooned in a far off island, the family have to work together to overcome dangers and survive in a place of danger and beauty. From building a new house, exotic flora and fauna, this 1817 novel by Johann Wyss is a not to be missed classic. When finally they are rescued after ten long years, some of the family members opt to stay back in the newfound paradise. Will we feel the same once our lockdown ends?
So be sure to pick up any one of the books and while away a few of your very own ‘castaway’ hours this weekend. Will get you through the weekend and make you start your new week with a fresh spirit of adventure! Happy reading..
Are there any other books you would like to add to this list? We would love to hear from you!
For Eindhoven News
Muktha Kartik Iyer
