The Best of me, The Choice and The Motorcycle Diaries

I had some book reviews that I wanted to port to my blog from a long time. Here they are:

1. The Best of Me

Author: Nicholas Sparks

Read in 2011. 5 Stars

Another book by Nicholas Sparks that was great. It started at a very nice pace. I decided to give it 4 or more than 4 right from the beginning.

The story goes something like this: Amanda and Dawson were in love as teenagers and due to her family and some bad circumstances, they get separated. After like 25 yrs, their paths cross once again. Amanda is already married and has 3 kids, while Dawson is still single and deeply in love with her. What exactly happens after they meet? Whom will Amanda choose – her first true love Dawson or her husband Frank who has turned into a drunkard off late? Is it right to break your family and get back with your lover? Is it selfishness to think about your happiness first? This is all the book is about.

As always, he has another emotional part of the story, other than just a love story. There is a parallel story track running about an accident and how an innocent life is lost because of that. It deals with what one feels when they are the cause for wreaking somebody’s family, because of a very small accident. I liked that track of the story more than even the love story part sometimes.

I kind of guessed the ending, but still liked the way it ended. Again a very believable story, does not even feel like fiction. I felt I was reading a true story. Dawson’s character appealed to me the most. Amanda’s way of thinking was meaningful. Tuck’s part of the story was great.

I loved many quotes in this book. I think I never liked so many quotes in any other book of his.

~ It was one thing, after all, to know his feelings for Amanda hadn’t changed; it was another thing entirely to face the future with the certainty that they never would.
~ You might not understand, but I gave you the best of me, and after you left, nothing was ever the same.

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2. The Choice

Author: Nicholas Sparks

Read in 2012. 5 Stars

” How far would you go to keep the hope of love alive?”
This kind of summarizes the novel. As usual I cried while reading the novel, a typical Nicholas Sparks’ book. His characters are so real that sometimes I wonder if he writes true stories about real people. Travis’ characterization, his thinking was very real. I would have thought and acted in exactly the same way as he did in those circumstances. Part two of the book was simply brilliant.
Definitely this was one of the most realistic novels I have ever read.
Nicholas Sparks has not disappointed me even once so far. I have watched all the movies based on his books and read so many books written by him. And not even a single one of them was bad. He is one author I can always rely on, since he guarantees a great touching tale written in a very poignant manner, full of human emotions. His stories have less of “let’s have sex” and more of “I love you forever”, which is what this hopeless romantic (who doesn’t enjoy reading romantic novels much) likes 🙂 I like the idea of meeting “the” person and spending rest of the life with that person.

Quote I liked:
“Stories are as unique as the people who tell them, and the best stories are those in which the ending is a surprise.”
“You are every hope and every dream I’ve ever had, and you’ve made me happier than any man could possibly be.”

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3. The Motorcycle Diaries

Author: Ernesto Che Guevara

Read in 2011. 4 Stars

I wanted to read this book so badly, mainly because I wanted to read about Che. He is such a popular icon and you see so many people wearing t-shirts with his image on them etc. I knew very little about him and that was the main reason for picking up this book. I would say I read more from Wikipedia, than from the book. I would open Wikipedia to read more about the cities mentioned in the book. I also read stuff about Fiedel Castro and few more people mentioned in the book. Apart from Che’s personal life, this book was interesting to read in many aspects. Machu Picchu, which is now one of the wonders of the world, has been explained very well by Che in the book. He also speaks about Inca empire, its decline and Spanish invasion.

What really impressed me in the book were his thoughts about everything-

• Owner made a person carry their luggage walking while these people were riding horses. Che pitied for that guy and took back the luggage from that guy.
• His compassion towards the mine workers who have to work in such horrible conditions, in return for such poor wages.
• Communist couple to whom Che and Alberto lend their blanket, even though they themselves were shivering from cold.
• The way he feels compassion for all those leprosy patients and makes sure they feel ‘human’ again, like playing football with them, touching their hands. I am not sure how many people would have actually done that.
• I like the way they get free food and drinks during the trip. Che’s idea of telling they always eat while drinking 🙂

I feel sad for the Indians(native Americans). He describes third class in the train by saying it used to stink more than the coach used to transport animals in Argentina.

“But the people before us are not the same proud race that repeatedly rose up against Inca rule… These people who watch us walk through the streets of the town are a defeated race”.
“… To die hoping that one of their children, thanks to miracle powers of a drop of colonising blood in their veins, might somehow achieve the goal they look forward to until their last days”

Che’s thoughts along with their travel anecdotes made it a great read.

Movie based on this book was good. I especially loved those beautiful locations (Machu Picchu). But still book was better.