Book Memory # 3: Tintin and Enid Blyton

Book Memory#3: Tintin comics and Enid Blytons played a crucial role in keeping me out of trouble in my childhood. They kept my overactive imagination engaged, along with numerous other hobbies like listening to music( everything ever sung by Madonna), generally monkeying around - climbing the gate of our house and holding on to the tree branch there for support; climbing up the pipes at the back of the house and landing on the sunshade, only to haul myself onto the terrace; constructing tents on the terrace and inviting friends over to cook dinner on a candle flame- the list goes on...

My childhood was awesome!And books contributed, in a large part, to it.

So both in the Enid Blyton series and in one of the Tintins, this concept of 'solar eclipse' was introduced where the protagonists convince the 'natives' that they have magical powers and are able to control the sun according to their whims and fancies. This gets them out of being cooked alive!

I'd written a slightly different plot involving the solar eclipse in one of my English essays, which met with great approval from my teacher during my exam.

I guess English has always been my favourite subject at school and my teachers have been special to me, thanks in no small part to all the books that made my childhood special.

Three cheers to Enid Blyton, Herge and all the English teachers who have graced my life.

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