Monday, January 26, 2015

Teaser Tuesday 248: A Passage to India

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current book or recent read.
* Share a few "teaser" sentences from somewhere in the book.
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away. You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title and author so that other participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teaser!




Today’s teaser comes from a classic I will be starting this week — this one for a classics group read: A Passage to India by E.M. Forster.


The sky settles everything—not only climates and seasons but when the earth shall be beautiful. By herself she can do little—only feeble outbursts of flowers. But when the sky chooses, glory can rain into the Chandrapore bazaars or a benediction pass from horizon to horizon. The sky can do this because it is so strong and so enormous.

(Chapter one)






ABOUT THE BOOK:
Ranked among the greatest novels of the twentieth century, A Passage to India is the classic account of the clash of cultures in British India after the turn of the century. With careful crafting, exquisite prose, and a well-developed sense of irony, Forster reveals the menace lurking just beneath the surface of ordinary life, as a common misunderstanding erupts into a devastating affair. The basis for David Lean’s Oscar-winning epic film, A Passage to India is "full of passages of universal beauty, of universal interest. . . . Mr. Forster possesses the secret of all poets, which is intensity of perception" (Rebecca West).

(The 1984 movie, by the way, won two Oscars and was nominated for nine other categories.)



18 comments:

Alice Audrey said...

And here, as a camera buff, I thought it was all about lighting.

Yvonne said...

That's an interesting teaser.

Heather said...

Alice: But doesn't the sky -- not the earth -- decide when it is light, dark or various degrees in between?

Heather said...

Thanks, Yvonne!

Trish said...

hmmm. that sounds pretty interesting! trish - my teaser

Laurel-Rain Snow said...

I really must read this one someday! Thanks for sharing...and for visiting my blog.

Anonymous said...

I had this one at one point, but it must have either gotten left behind during a move or totally buried.

Mine this week is from Terminal Freeze by Lincoln Child: http://wp.me/pZnGI-hW

Cleopatra Loves Books said...

Love your teaser, I read this book many years ago so it was good to see it featured today :-) Thanks for visiting my TT https://cleopatralovesbooks.wordpress.com/2015/01/27/teaser-tuesday-january-27/

Heather said...

Thanks, Trish!

Laurel-Rain: Thanks, I'm looking forward to diving into it.

Heather said...

MadameV: It's nice to see others on the TT loop have read this one.

Cleo: Thanks, glad today's teaser seems to have brought back good reading memories.

Unknown said...

Ah, another book that I've read before. I enjoy seeing old favorites on people's teaser days. I remember the beautiful word pictures this book created in my mind. Thanks for reminding me of a good memory.

My TT is here: Teaser Tuesday

colleen said...

"A novel without style is like a swan without feathers: just another plucked chicken.”

I'm actually reading Tom Robbins Tibetan Peach Pie memoir.

Beth at PlantPostings said...

Loved the film. I should probably read the book, but I find it's usually easier for me, personally, to start with the book and move to the movie. I'm currently reading, "The Black Count," by Tom Reiss.

Heather said...

Marsha: Judging by the first chapter, I'm in for a treat with this book as far as "word pictures" are concerned. ☺

Colleen: Still pecking away at that one, eh? *G*

Beth: I usually prefer to read the book before watching a movie, too - though there have been some exceptions. I recently read Bridget Jones's Diary for the first time, though I'd seen the movie a few times years ago (thankfully, I didn't remember much of the movie, so it did not interfere with the reading). This is one I've not seen yet, so looking forward to reading it.

kayerj said...

I like this book.

Heather said...

Thanks for the good word, Kelley!

Unknown said...

Nice detail. Sounds like an interesting read. I should definitely note the author's name.
Kero

Heather said...

Kero: Forster certainly knew how to paint a picture with words.