What's your all-time favourite British Classic?

The Milan Mela ground is bedecked with hundreds of book stalls offering everything from educational to fiction titles, signalling the beginning of the 39th International Kolkata Bo ok Fair. And Great Britain is the focal theme this year. In keeping with this theme, TOI spoke to a few city students about their favourite British classics of all time. Here are the top picks.

THREE MEN IN A BOAT
The book that's etched in my memory is Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K Jerome. It is a refreshingly hilarious account of three friends who embark on a river trip in an open boat.The stupidity or carelessness of the friends that constantly lands them in awkward situations makes for a very enjoyable read. The book provides a humorous insight into human nature, which is delightful for all ages. It teaches us that, at the end of the day, we can always take a break from the drudgery of everyday life in the lap of nature. - SANA AHMED, Department of physics Rajabazar Science College, CU

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves and vanity, to what we would have others think of us.I remember quoting these words quite a lot of time while growing up. I think my childhood would remain pretty incomplete without mentioning her. I loved how she created such strong, unusual female protagonists and played with satire in her texts. Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Sense and Sensibility are a few books that I have read over and over again. I loved how she gave significant importance to reason in a period that saw economic revolt, political unrest and change. She highlighted social differences, which was very much present at that time in a realistic fashion. I get a whole new perspective every time I read her novels. - RITWIKA CHOWDHURY, Third year, sociology Presidency University

WUTHERING HEIGHTS
I was bred on books and a wide range of classics, from Austen to Flaubert and Dostoevsky to Douglas Adams, were staples in my literary diet.

Yet, there is always that one book you never grow out of -the one that, in your mind, is beyond criticism or comparison. For me that book is Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights. It was a gift from my mother on my 13th birthday and I can honestly say that among all books I have read before and since, it remains unmatched in its passionate abandon and raw portrayal of love. At 25, my romance with this heart-wrenching classic continues! I still go back to it after a tough day. I still root for Heathcliff. And I still end up in tears every time. But isn't that exactly what a classic is? Beyond the limits of age, time and space? - ADHARSHILA CHATTERJEE MPhil scholar, English University of Calcutta

SHERLOCK HOLMES
When it comes to British classics, I cannot look any farther than Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. There has never been and never will be a thriller bigger than this.The grit, the detailing, the skilful writing and the carefully carved out characters -what's not to love about Sherlock Holmes?
It's an unputdownable series and I've lived each and every case of Holmes through Doyle's masterly depiction. I also owe a lot of my observation powers to Doyle! So many years later, it's still my go-to book on any given day. Sherlock Holmes is a masterpiece and among many in the series, A Scandal in Bohemia remains my favourite. - UPAHAR BISWAS Department of multimedia, St Xavier's College

MACBETH
The war between the angelic and beastly qualities within a person is the first thing that comes to mind whenever I read Macbeth by William Shakespeare. It has taught me how much a person's choice of his inner qualities can bring out a whole new perspective of his life. Filled with such strong thematic elements such as murder, mystery, politics, bloodshed and the supernatural, it definitely gives us a wide and clear picture of the Elizabethan era. Such epic characters and intense drama make it a truly wonderful read. - CHANDRIKA BANERJEE English honours, Syamaprasad College

CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has been my favourite since childhood. As a kid and even now, being a chocolate lover, that was the sole reason that I had picked up the book. But the reason I love the book is Willy Wonka. I love how brilliantly Roald Dahl depicted Wonka's character, making us realize through him, how we all should have a bit of Charlie in ourselves. - LAHARI GOSWAMI Computer science and engineering, BP Poddar Institute of Management and Technology

HARRY POTTER
JK Rowling's Harry Potter means childhood to me. I didn't grow up in a English speaking household nor did I go to an English medium school. My father read and translated the first five books to me, page by page. The books captured the British lifestyle so beautifully, while creating a world that means home to ders. A place to get lost in when the world millions of readers. A place to get lost in when the world seems too much. It gave messages of fearless acceptance of the self, equality, and what it meant to be a true friend. The plot flows seamlessly, as every single little thing is explained in the course of the seven books. It's a classic not only because the impact it has had on the millions of readers but also because it remains a good read whether you are 10 or 70. My grandmother read the entire series in her 80s and she's an avid fan. Harry Potter is a phenomenon that goes beyond paper, but it is on paper where it started and it's the books that remain at the heart of the magical world. - UNMESH UTTARAA DUBLAY Film studies, Jadavpur University

THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY
My favourite is The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.

It was the first thing I read after a reading drought of about a half a year, and it charmed me to no end. I love Adams' humour -especially how parts of the book are simultaneously hilarious and profound despite the nonsensical world it is set in.The series is nothing short of brilliant, and I often go back to it despite having piles of books I have yet to read. - GODHULY BOSE Department of English Jadavpur University

DEATH ON THE NILE
Agatha Christie would have to be my favourite British author. Of all the characters she has created, my fondest memories are reserved for Mr Hercule Poirot. His ingenious methods of solving complicated crimes were so inspiring that I secretly wished I could be like him when I grew up! My favourite Christie book is Death on the Nile, which is an excellent example of how Poirot brilliantly uses his "little grey cells" to expose the conspirers behind Linnet Ridgeway's death. The characters are well nuanced and each come with their respective secrets from the past. The plot, which might seem a bit too complex at times is resolved exquisitely by Poirot and wraps up the narrative, which has quite a few distractions and had kept me guessing till the very end. Apart from Death on the Nile, my other favourite Poirot books are Murder on the Orient Express and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Agatha Christie shaped my sentiments for thrillers and mystery novels and I don't hesitate to go back to them every once in a while. - DEBROOP BASU Department of English, St Xavier's College

ANIMAL FARM
My grandfather introduced me to George Orwell at a very young age and I re-read Orwell's Animal Farm after I became a student of social sciences. It is unbelievable how he described the socio-political situation of the post-war world, which still remains a literary masterpiece as a socio-political satire. This book, published in 1945-46, remains a rare specimen of the contemporary political situation as well, presented in a very lucid language. Orwell is undoubtedly my favourite British author, Animal Farm being the book in which I keep my favourite bookmark. - ANIRUDDHA GHOSE Film Studies, Jadavpur University

COMPILED BY SHREYANKA MAZUMDAR

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