My Science School

Samuel Clemens regaled generations with some of the world's greatest tales under the pseudonym Mark Twain. But did you know Twain ran for the office of the Governor of New York once? Well, at least in a fictional piece published shortly after the 1870 U.S. election.

Twain's satire on U.S. politics, "Running for Governor which he wrote while travelling throughout the American West appeared as his monthly column for "Galaxy" magazine and in the local "Buffalo Express" newspaper. Over a century later, the story has become a talking point in the light of the U.S. elections, which concluded on November 3.

Getting Political

"Running for Governor" gives an imaginative account of Twain's nun for governor against actual incumbents Stewart L Woodford and John T. Hoffman in 1870. Twain, who innocently believes that "good character would suffice to win against his opponents learns about the rampant corruption, lies and character assassination in politics.

Life on the Mississippi

Growing up in the southern town of Missouri on the banks of the Mississippi, Twain loved role playing as a steamboat crew. He dreamed of becoming a professional steamboat pilot and acquired his pilot licence in 1859. He piloted his own boat for two years before the Civil War stopped steamboat traffic. He gave up the job after a while to pursue other occupations that eventually led him to writing.

Never say never

Though Twain died on April 21. 1910, his adventures continue to delight us. Around 107 years after his death. The Purloining of Prince Oleomargarine was published in 2017. Twain had jotted down bits and pieces of this story nearly 30 years before his demise. The handwritten notes were discovered at the Bancroft Library in Berkeley, by Dr John Bird, a Mark Twain scholar and professor at Winthrop University.

Did you know?

• The term "Mark Twain" was a boatman's call noting that the river was only two fathoms deep, the minimum depth for safe navigation.


• His shirts were an invention of his own. They opened in the back, and were buttoned there.


• Twain's stories about Tom Sawyer have brought fame to the Hannibal region. In September 2019, Twain's signature was found on the walls of the cave named after him, which figured prominently in his book, "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer."

 

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From academics and parental expectations to extra-curricular activities and peer pressure, children today are under a lot of stress and anxiety. Released on the occasion of World Mental Health Day in October, Mumbai-based Vaishali Shroff’s new book, "The Boy In The Dark Hole" addresses this important theme.

The book tells the sweet story of a 10-year-old boy who struggles with the burden of parental expectations. The protagonist, mysteriously named SP (you will discover the reason behind it as the story unfurls), gets a discarded cardboard tube from his mother. Sitting in a dark room, SP peers into the darkness of the tube and is reminded of all the times when he experienced negative emotions such as sadness, anger, frustration or irritation. The dark hole is a metaphor of his mental state. Imagining himself to be falling through it, he keeps wondering if there is any end at all to the dark hole.

Shroff believes that in today's scenario, there is a need to raise awareness about the mental health of children. "This book intends to make children get in touch with their emotions." Shroff tells "The Hindu in School". "It teaches children how to go from your dark place to your happy place."

Caught in the deep throes of depression, SP's friends Lobo and Kuhu help him see the light at the end of the tunnel. Usually in books, the protagonists are the heroes - but what I wanted to tell through this book is that there are many children who are not equipped to be those heroes. Not everybody is like a knight in shining armour. Sometimes, they themselves need help. So this book is about not being afraid to seek help from others when you actually need it," she says.

Understanding children's mental health has become pertinent during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, adds Shroff. "In this lockdown, it's been ten months since most children have met their school friends. So this book also tells children that you need to check on your friends and ensure that they are doing good mentally." she says.

Did you know?

• Shroff runs a children's storytelling club. Started in 2009 in Pune, the club functions in Mumbai as well and during the coronavirus pandemic it has been meeting regularly online.


• Shroff made a foray into writing through poetry. Her first poem was published during the 1993 Mumbai riots. The fan mails and appreciation she received encouraged her to write more.


• Her stories are inspired by real-life experiences and tackle complex topics. Her second book "The Missing Bat” by Pratham Books is based on her travels in Kashmir. "Ari" is about an introverted, shy boy. "The Strange Case of Nayantara" is about consent.


• Her latest, 'The Boy in the Dark Hole", has been illustrated by Samidha Gunjal. Her beautiful illustrations bring the story to life and help us empathise with SP's struggle.

Author bio

Vaishali Shroff is an award-winning children's author and columnist based in Mumbai. A prolific author, she has written more than 200 stories, both fiction and non-fiction. She likes to write stories about subjects that are challenging and pertinent, and that serve as icebreakers during difficult conversations. Some of her popular books are "The Adventures of Padma and the Blue Dinosaur", "The Missing Bat", "The Strange Case of Nayantara", "Raindrops" and "Ari".

 

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It's been 35 years since Bill Watterson's "Calvin and Hobbes” first debuted in the newspapers. Known as the last great newspaper comic strip", it ran between November 18, 1985 and December 31, 1995.

What it's about

"Calvin and Hobbes" follows the amusing adventures of Calvin, an adventurous six year-old: and Hobbes, his cynical stuffed tiger. Set in the suburban U.S., the strip depicts Calvin's frequent flights of fancy and friendship with Hobbes. To Calvin, Hobbes is a living anthropomorphic tiger, while all the other characters see Hobbes as an inanimate stuffed toy. The series explores contemporary issues such as environmentalism, education, and philosophical quandaries.

Who was Bill Watterson?

William Boyd Watterson started drawing cartoons from the age of eight. An introvert, he preferred to spend time alone in his room drawing Charles Schults "Peanuts" comics inspired him to become a professional cartoonist. When he was in Class V, Watterson wrote a letter to Schulz. To Watterson's surprise, Schulz responded! This greatly encouraged Watterson. In school, Watterson honed his skills by creating high school-themed superhero comics and contributing cartoons and art to the school newspaper and yearbook.

Who were Calvin and Hobbes?

Calvin was named after the Protestant reformer John Calvin and Hobbes after the social philosopher Thomas Hobbes. Watterson decided to name his characters after these social reformers as a tribute to the Kenyon College's political science department, from where he graduated.

Drawing from life

Watterson incorporated elements of his life, interests, beliefs, and values into his work. Like Calvin. Watterson too likes cycling. The personality and appearance of Hobbes is based on Watterson's cat Sprite.

 Fun facts

Against merchandising

Watterson was against merchandising his comics because he felt it would compromise his creativity and cheapen his characters. For years, he fought against pressure from publishers to displaying "Calvin and Hobbes” images on commercially sold mugs, stickers, and T-shirts.

Recognition

Watterson was awarded the National Cartoonists Society's Reuben Award in both 1986 and 1988, Watterson's second Reuben win made him the youngest cartoonist to be so honoured, and only the sixth person to win twice.

The End

Watterson stopped drawing "Calvin and Hobbes" at the end of 1995 with a short statement to newspaper editors and his readers that he felt he had achieved all he could in the medium. In the years since the comic strip discontinued, he led a secluded life and avoided contact with the media.

 

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Bestselling author Neil Gaiman's Sandman comic series is set to be adapted into a Netflix series in 2021. The upcoming adaptation will take on a more modem approach to Gaiman's best-selling graphic novel series, which ran for 75 issues from 1989 to 1996.

The fantasy series followed the adventures of Morpheus, or Dream, the Lord of the Dream World. The 11 episode series will focus on Morpheus after being imprisoned for 105 years as he sets out to restore order to his fallen kingdom and return to his realm.

Gaiman, who is co-creating the series, has been dropping hints on social media about what fans can look forward to in the series Gaiman will take on the role of co-creator for the series

Author bio

Hailed as the modem master of fairytales, Gaiman's work spans across genres and formats. He has written novels, short stories, non-fiction, graphic novels, comic books as well as audio theatre and films. His books appeal to adults and children alike.

"Sandman" begins

Gaiman started his career as a journalist reviewing books, before timing to writing full-time. One day while riding a train in London, he noticed a co passenger reading a comic by Alan Moore. The quirky style sparked his interest in comics and he started writing "Sandman" comics.

Popular works

 "Coraline": Published in 2002, this dark fantasy children's novella by Neil Gaiman is popular with children and adults alike. It traces the journey of the protagonist and the many adventures that are thrown up once she moves into a new flat.

"Good Omens": Written with acclaimed author Terry Pratchett, Good Omens is a comedy about the birth of Satan and the nearing of the end times. The apocalypse is near and so is the day of judgement. It is a delight to read the way things unfold thereafter.

"The Graveyard Book": The novel traces the story of a boy who was raised by ghosts and vampires. It is up to the protagonist to gather the meaning of life living among the dead.

 

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With lives getting busier and attention spans getting shorter long meandering fiction is a luxury few can afford. This has increased the popularity of microfiction. Stories written with extremely short word counts, often as little as 50 words, "Microfiction is here to stay." Meenakshi Gautam Chaturvedi, an internationally acclaimed author tells The Hindu In School.

Based in Mumbai, Chaturvedi writes across genres. Her new book The Moon Cake" is a read aloud picture book, a vividly illustrated fairy tale which introduces children to nature besides kindling their curiosity to ask questions. Chaturvedi is also the author of "The Runaway Moon", "The Corporate Jungle Book", "Tales from Bushland", and Tales of Phoolpur."

A graduate in Zoology from the Institute of Science, Nagpur, she won a University Grants Commission Junior Research Fellowship and took up research for two years, but she wanted to do more than just dissect animals. While in college, she wrote her first piece of fiction, which was published in a local newspaper. She relocated to Mumbai and began her copywriting career with Lintas.

Having written across varied media from television commercials and radio to novels, Chaturvedi considers microfiction to be the future of children's literature.

In a candid chat the author talks about her love for writing and the rise of microfiction.

How did you get your start in writing? Were you a bookworm in school?

I guess I was born to write, only I discovered it much later. I remember reading up anything and everything that I could find including the writing on paper bags. When I was a child, I saw the "Adventures of Peter Pan" (by J.M Bamie) displayed in a showcase at a bookstore in Kashmir. I was in Class III. When my parents refused to buy it. I remember throwing a tantrum something I rarely did as a child. in school, I was a total bookworm. I would walk across from one end of the school to the other to spend the mid morning breaks in the library. I would finish reading all my English course books as soon as I got my hands on them.

However, coming from a family of doctors. (my great grandfather was a Rai Bahadur, a civil surgeon) I was supposed to opt for science and I did. Even won a UGC fellowship and spent two years on research. Later following my heart. I took up writing women's and children's fiction and started my professional career as a copywriter with Lintas. But continued to write on my Commutes to work.

What is microfiction? Is microfiction the future of literature, especially with attention spans shrinking?

To cut a long story short microfiction comes straight to the point giving the essence of the story or a life-changing experience. Microfiction is here to stay. As lives get busier and people are pressed for time, long meandering fiction is a luxury few can afford. So yes, microfiction is the future.

You write across multiple genres. Why did you choose to write microfiction?

In my early years of writing. I was always in a hurry to reach the conclusion of a story. So microfiction suited me best. It was much later that I began writing novels. However, literary microfiction is only one aspect of my writing. I mostly switch genres to overcome writers block. I feel I haven't lived the day if I don't write.

The current COVID-19 pandemic is sure to have far reaching effects on the human mind and behaviour. Has it affected the way you write?

I think authors are one of the few people who have been least affected by the pandemic Since writers are anyway used to staying indoors and writing, the lockdown didn't make much of a difference to us. I am addicted to writing and I can write anytime, anywhere. I once came up with an idea for a story when I was in the Intensive Care Unit for dengue. In semi-conscious state, I heard the doctor say that my dengue could lead to a haemorrhage, but I was busy thinking about how terrorism is like young blood going into wrong places. The moment I was shifted to the ward I asked for my laptop and started writing

What are you working on currently?

After "The Moon Cake: A Fairy Tale". I am currently working on another picture book titled "Corona and the Little Girl and I am planning to work on a graphic novel next.

 

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Ready for some Goosebumps?

RL Stine published more than 62 books in the eerily bizarre "Goosebumps" series. The stories follow child characters, who find themselves in scary situations, usually involving monsters and other supernatural elements. Each book is creepier than the next. Young adults can also follow the "Fear Street" series in which spine-chilling events unfold in Shadyside.

Dementors

The guards of Azkaban, dementors are among the most fearsome among creatures in the "Harry Potter series. They are able to drain all the happy memories out of a person, and even suck out the soul through their kiss And the only way to drive away these ghastly creatures is by producing a strong patronus.

Coraline

Neil Gaiman's dark fantasy novel "Caroline", will leave you spooked. A young, inquisitive girl when exploring her new apartment, Coraline discovers a tiny door that contains an alternate universe in which her parents and her life are exactly as she wants them to be - besides the buttons they have sewn into their eyes. It was adapted into an animated film in 2009 by Henny Selick.

Ghosts from the past

"Ghosts don't require passports. They can turn up without papers in the most unexpected places," reads the book jacket of Ruskin Bond's "Ghost Stories from the Raj." And indeed, Bond has found ghosts from as far back as the British Raj! Bond's interest in the supernatural led him to collect ghost stories from different parts of the world, This book contains 19 short stories written by British officials and travellers during the 19th and 20th Centuries. It even includes tales by Rudyard Kipling.

Pennywise the dancing clown

Do you have a fear of clowns? Then you must read Stephen King's "IT"- a cult classic. The story follows seven children who fight the evil entity that exploits the fears of its victims to disguise itself while hunting its prey. Other hair-raising stories from the horror meister are "Pet Semetary" "The Shining", "Children of the Corn" and "Salem's Lot".

 

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Tales from a galaxy far, far away....

On May 25, 1977, a low-budget science fiction film opened in just 32 movie theatres across the United States. The film. Packed with strange characters such as lightsaber-wielding Jedis and Wookiees, surprisingly caught the public imagination and broke all box office records across the country. That film was none other than the cult classic "Star Wars".

Forty-three years later, the space saga is still going strong with Disney's film and television adaptations. But what exactly did filmmaker George Lucas have in mind when he conceived this timeless series and what did he intend for its characters in the future? That's exactly what a just "Star Wars" companion book "Star Wars Fascinating Facts" written by Pablo Hidalgo reveals.

Disney's film adaptations of "Star Wars" have received mixed reviews from fans over the years. One of the most debated topics was Luke Skywalkers death in director Rian Johnson's 2017 film 'The Last Jedi". It showed the Jedi fading away after expending all his energy. Much to the surprise of the fans, Hidalgo's book states that Lucas loo wanted to kill the character in his original plan for "Star Wars 8" (also known as Episode VIII), which was set Around the same time as that of the film.

Who was George Lucas?

George Lucas Walton Jr. was born in a small town of Modesto in California on May 14, 1944. From a young age. Lucas wanted to become a professional race car driver. But a near fatal car racing accident altered his aspirations and forced him to pursue other interests. He began filming car races, which gradually got him interested in filmmaking. He created classics such as Star Wars" and "Indiana Jones”.

In 1971, he founded Lucasfilm, the parent company of the Pixar Animation Studios. Many of Pars creative geniuses used to work at Lucasfilm.

How it began

Contrary to the science fiction films of the time. Lucas wanted to make something light for young adults. So. he began working on the space drama Star Wars". But its production proved to be tumultuous. From budget constraints and health issues to natural disasters, Lucas had to overcome several odds along the way. On the first day of filming "A New Hope", a huge Tunisian storm destroyed the set and delayed shooting and some of the electronic equipment malfunctioned. To make matters worse, actor Mark Hamil was injured in an accident towards the end of production. That's not all, Lucas had an equally tough time finding producers for the film. It was turned down by major studios such as United Artists and Universal But an undeterred Lucas finally managed to convince 20th Century Fox to invest in the film.

OH REALLY?

"Star Wars" and "Indiana Jones" became two of the world's most successful film franchises, paving the way for the others such as "Harry Potter and "Marvel". Today, Lucas is worth an estimated $6.1 billion. But in 2010, the billionaire signed the Giving Pledge, which is a promise to give away half his wealth. During his lifetime. He was particularly interested in donating it to the cause of education.

 

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Don't have time to sit with a book for hours? Here comes microfiction to the rescue.

As attention spans are getting shorter, a new form of story-telling has emerged. One which prides itself on brevity and simplicity. To cut a long story short, microfiction uses the least number of words, sometimes no more than 50, to tell a story.

Really tiny tales

Authors excelling in this format can cram entire universes and tell gripping stories complete with a beginning, middle and an end in just a few words.

Find it hard to believe? Here's a famous six-word short story allegedly written by Ernest Hemingway: "For Sale: Baby shoes, never worn." In spite of being perfectly compact manages to paint a complete picture of thwarted desire and elicit strong feelings from the reader. Hemingway wrote 18 pieces of microfiction in his short story collection "In Our Time."

Authors such as Virginia Woolf, O. Henry. Joyce Carol Oates, Arthur C. Clarke, H.P. Lovecraft, and Franz Kafka are also renowned for their microfiction.

Example

Today, Neil Gaiman is known for his flash fiction. Here's an excerpt from his popular work "Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fiction and Illusions":

"Nicholas Was...older than sin, and his beard could grow no whiter. He wanted to die.

The dwarfish natives of the Arctic caverns did not speak his language but conversed in their own, twittering tongue, conducted incomprehensible rituals, when they were not actually working in the factories

Once every year they forced him, sobbing and protesting into Endless Night. During the journey he would stand near every child in the world, leave one of the dwarves invisible gifts by its bedside. The children slept frozen into time.

He envied Prometheus and Loki, Sisyphus and Judas. His punishment was harsher.

Ho, Ho, Ho."

When less is more

Also called flash fiction, this form of story-telling has existed for many years, but has seen resurgence with the rise of microblogging sites such as Twitter and Instagram.

Authors are creating tiny tales to fit into the scant character limits of the social media platforms. The results can spark your imagination. Every word is carefully chosen for both style and content, with little room for niceties of long-form writing. Writing microfiction is like a contortionist trying to fit inside a suitcase. After all, as Shakespeare put it "Brevity is the soul of wit".

 

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Get ready to return to Middle-earth – the fictional setting of J.R.R. Tolkien’s legendarium. Amazon Studies is coming up with a new prequel series set thousands of year before the events of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Hobbit’. One of the most expensive television shows in history, it  will be based on Tolkien’s seminal series that regaled generations with books and later through Peter jackson’s iconic film adaptations. The billion-dollar project hopes to fill in the shoes of these giants by bringing to life new storylines around the franchise.

Orcs, trolls and wargs will return, but the series will not feature our beloved hobbits nor their faithful friends.

Instead, it will focus on the Second Age of the Middle-earth, much before Bilbo and Frado. The prequel is expected to chronicle the forging of the rings, Sauron’s rise to power and the destruction of Numenor, all of which occur during that era.

Here’s how the saga will continue….

The Second Age

There are four ages in Tolkien’s works. The new prequel series will take place in the Second Age, preceding “the Lord of the Ring” and “The Hobbit”, which were set in the Third Age.

Going to the source

Thought Tolkien’s did not write prequel series, he has written copiously about the history of Middle-earth, the world where the franchise is set. And the new prequel will use it as the source material.

Sticking to the canon

Part of the deal with Amazon includes a rider by the Tolkien estate to veto over any content in the series that doesn’t correspond with the author’s vision for the saga. The Tolkien estate retains the rights for the First and Third Ages.

No rangers and hobbits

Fans looking forward to seeing a young Aragorn, the dashing Ranger of the North, will be disappointed. The  King of Gondor, who played a major role in the ‘The Lord of the Rings” trilogy wasn’t born till the Third Age. It will also not feature hobbits.

The rise and fall of Numenor

Amazon released interactive maps of Middle-earth at the time when the series is set. They show Numenor, a mythical island akin to Atlantis. The island was home to the Dunedain, a race of man, some of whom fled before its destruction and established the kingdoms of Amor and Gondor.

Did you Know?

How Amazon upped the ante

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos was personally involved in acquiring the rights to Tolkien’s series. After a bidding war with Netflix in 2017, Amazon finally obtained the rights for $250 million, making it perhaps the most expensive show in television history. The deal included a commitment for five seasons and a potential spin-off series. The collective budget amounts to more that $1 billion.

Previous adaptations

Warner Bros and its sister studio New Line have already made Peter Jackson-directed, “The Lord of the Rings” and its prequel “Hobbit” films, even though the latter trilogy was not as much liked by critics as the former.

About Tolkien

Hohn Ronals Reuel Tolkien was English writer and poet best known for his “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” series. A philologist, he loved making up new languages. Tolkien coined over 15 Elvish languages for his  “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” series Among them two enough words and grammar to be considered functional. Tolkien died on September 2, 1973.

The Fellowship:

The first two episodes will be directed by J.A. Bayona of “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” fame. Actor Robert Aramayo, who played Eddard Starck in “Game of Thrones” will be the young hero of the series. His character is named Beldor. Morfydd Clark will play a young version of Galadriel, the royal Elf of both Noldor and Teleri. What’s more, Peter Jackson might also be involved in the series.

 

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When Dan Brown was growing up, his parents decided not to keep a television in the house. So he spent his childhood playing the piano, reading and solving puzzles. He started writing piano pieces when he was five, and aspired to become a musician before turning to writing. Brown's first children's book "Wild Symphony", which released in September, is a combination of his love for music and his passion for storytelling and mysteries.

What's the book about?

"Wild Symphony" is about a musical conductor-it’s a mouse named Maestro. At the beginning of the book, you learn that Maestro mouse is preparing to put on a musical concert with a motley team of wild animals from blue whales and kangaroos to ostriches and cheetahs. Each animal has a special secret, and readers have to guess what it is by decoding the jumbled letters hidden throughout the stunning illustrations in the book.

Accompanied by music

Scanning the QR code given in the book will lead you to a free, augmented reality app. You can listen to music by pointing your phone camera towards each page. The music has been composed by Brown himself. Each animal is accompanied by a musical score, which reflects its special personality - whether it is upbeat and fun like bouncing kangaroos or quirky like the buzzing bees. All the 21 musical pieces are performed by the Zagreb Festival Orchestra, Croatia.

Life lessons

In addition to playing a musical instrument, the animals offer a valuable life lesson to the readers don't be afraid to be yourself and failure is a stepping stone towards success. This interactive musical picture book is a delight for the eyes and ears!

Did you know?

Like Brown, many famous authors have dabbled in children's books. Here are some examples:

• Salman Rushdie - "Haroun and The Sea of Other Stories


• Ernest Hemingway-"The Faithful Bull"


• Gertrude Stein - "The World Is Round"


• Margaret Atwood - "Up In The Tree


• James Joyce - "The Cat And The Devil"

 

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Stories of divine beings with supernatural powers, and of epic clashes between good and evil forces have been a source of entertainment for generations. Rooted in religion and mythology, these tales were often narrated by doting grandmother to their grandchildren over multiple cups of afternoon tea. Today, these folk tales and lores have donned new avatars with modern twists and an international flavour.

Welcome to mythopoeia. It is a world ruled by mighty Greek gods, fierce Viking warriors, and brave witches and wizards. Mythopoeia is a genre in which a fictional mythology is created by the author. If you like reading stories about fantastical creatures and imaginary worlds, you will love it here.

New universes

Books written under this genre contains entirely unique fictional universes, which may have elements of existing mythology. Writers create complex worlds with well-detailed histories chronicling the past and intricate geographies along with the unique laws of nature that govern their fictional worlds.

Who coined the term?

The term is derived from Greek words 'muthos and 'poein', which means "myth making." R. R. Tolkien was the first to use the word as the title of a poem dedicated to C.S. Lewis. It was published in 1931.

Books and films

• J. R. R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Silmarillion" series.


• C. S. Lewis "The Chronicles of Narnia"


• Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson" series, "Trials of the Apollo" and "The Kane Chronicles".


• J. K. Rowling's "Harry Potter' series and "The Ickabog"


• Terry Pratchett's "Discworld" series,


• Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" series and "The Book of Dust" trilogy.


• Cornelia Funke "Inkheart" trilogy.


• Christopher Paolini "The Inheritance Cycle".


• Marvel's comics and films - "Thor", "Avengers" and "Doctor Strange".

 

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Self-isolation, quarantine, work from home and social distancing have become the new normal due to the coronavirus pandemic. The global health scare and the unforeseen circumstances it presented have been a completely new experience for everyone. It has altered not just the way we live but also our vocabulary.

In a very short period of time, words such as COVID-19, a shortening of coronavirus disease 2019, sanitization and social distancing came to dominate our conservations. Some of these words are new coinages and others, previously less-known.

Noticing this, the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the world’s biggest English language dictionary, updated its record of English language in April to include COVID-19 and terms related to it.

The April update was a rare move as the OED usually updates its record only four times a year.

Did you know?

Previous pandemics have also given rise to new vocabulary. Words such as “pestilence” a fatal epidemic or disease – came into use after the bubonic plague swept Europe between 1347 and 1351.

The adjective “self-quarantined” was first used in 1878 to describe the actions of the villagers of Eyam in the 17th Century, who isolated themselves to prevent the second wave of “Black Death” from spreading to surrounding villages.

Some others words that were added to the dictionary during the pandemic:

Social distancing

Social distancing was originally an attitude rather than a physical term. Now we all understand it as keeping a physical distance between ourselves and others to avoid infection.

Self-isolation

Self-imposed isolation to prevent catching or transmitting an infectious disease has become a popular term. But back in the 1800s, the term referred to countries that chose to detach themselves politically and economically from the rest of the world.

WFH

“Working (or work) from home, wither as a regular or permanent alternative to office work or on an occasional or temporary basis.”

Elbow bump

A gesture (usually of greeting or farewell) in which two people lightly tap their elbows together as an alternative to a handshake or embrace, in order to reduce the risk of spreading or catching an infectious disease.

PPE

Personal protection equipment is designed to provide the wearer or user protection against hazardous substances or environments, or to prevent transmission of infectious diseases. Formerly, the abbreviation was used only by healthcare and emergency professionals.

Infodemic

Infodemic (a portmanteau word from information and epidemic) is the outpouring of often unsubstantiated media and online information relating to a crisis.

 

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Lives of children around the world have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Students were suddenly forced to reckon with virtual classrooms. Social distancing norms have demanded that they stay home, away from friends, loved ones and playgrounds. And it is books that have helped them make sense of these difficult times.

J.K. Rowling

One of the first to announce a slew of initiatives for her readers was J.K. Rowling. The best-selling author started publishing her new children’s novel “Ickabog” in a serialised manner online. The initial chapters were free to read. What’s more, Rowling asked readers to send in their drawings of the Ickabog and acknowledged the best entries on her Twitter handle. Rowling even offered free access to the first book in the “Harry Potter” series, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone”.

Stephenie Meyer

Young adult readers too had something to cheer for. Stephenie Meyer released “Midnight Sun” – a companion book to the bestselling “Twilight” series. The book narrated the love story between Bella Swan and the vampire Edward Cullen for the first time from his point of view.

Jeff Kinney

Not to be left behind, Jeff Kinney, author of the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series, visited bookstores across the U.S. in August to hand out signed copies of his new book, “Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Adventure”, in a safe, fun, socially distant way – via a custom-made 96-inch trident.

Oh really?

Numerous children’s books and picture books have been published over the last few months in response to the global health crisis. Freely available online, these books teach children about coronavirus, and encourage them to protect themselves and others.

Our top picks include “My Hero is You! How Kids Can Fight COVID-19”, which is based on a global survey on children and adults coping with the virus, and “From My Window”, a book by United Nations about the joys of being house-bound.

 

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Over the last six months, our lives became reminiscent of the plots from science fiction books. A deadly virus is wreaking havoc across the globe. Earlier, streets wore a deserted look, people hid behind masks. Washing, sanitizing, social distancing were the only weapons we could wield against it. Life appeared to have taken a leaf out of a thriller…with things getting stranger each passing day! As the fear of the virus gripped the world, readers turned to books on pandemics to make sense of the new normal. Many books written on pandemics began trending. Some of these books even accurately predicted the coronavirus pandemic and came into the spotlight.

Dean Kootnz turns soothsayer

In a 1981 crime-thriller novel titled “The Eyes of the Darkness”, suspense author Dean Koontz wrote about a virus called Wuhan-400, which the capability to wipe out an entire city or country. The bizarre coincidence sent waves of shocks across the globe and people began to draw parallels between the fictional and the real scenarios. People were quick to share the excerpt from the book online, which seemingly predicted the coronavirus almost 40 years ago.

Predictions and prophecies

Another book, Twitter users claimed, predicted the highly infectious coronavirus in the year 2008. It was a book titled “End of Days: Predictions and Prophecies about the End of the World” by author Sylvia Browne, who claimed to be a medium with psychic abilities.

Based on true events?

In 2011, a film about a deadly virus released in the theatres. It did not receive much attention at the box office and quietly faded from the screens. Nine years later, “Contagion” became one of the most searched and downloaded films. The reason? Its plot is eerily similar to the current coronavirus outbreak. The film, starring Gwyneth Paltrow, is about a fictional virus outbreak that starts in Hong Kong. The virus called MEV-1 kills most people affected with it. The film seems all too familiar in the current scenario, as it also shows the impact of misinformation and myths that can be easily spread through technology.

 

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The vampre saga continues…

Twelve years ago, a vampire captured the imagination of teens across the world. The story of the terrifying mythical creature – with a pale face and a chiseled jawline – falling in love with a human, won over hearts. Four books and five films later, the series has now received fresh blood.

A new comparison book to the “Twilight” series, “Midnight Sun” by Stephenie Meyer released in August and has already sold more than one million copies. Meyer has even announced plans for two more books in the vampire saga.

The rise of Stephenie Meyer

Like her famous counterpart J.K. Rowling, Meyer got the idea for her book all of a sudden. She was a struggling writer when she had a vivid dream – a boy and girl sitting in a meadow confessing that they were falling in love with each other. There was just one slight problem in this romantic tableau – the boy was a vampire and found the scent of her blood irresistible. Meyer remembered every glorious aspect of the dream and began penning it down so that it won’t slip away. Before she knew it, she had a complete book in her hands!

What’s the new book about?

Titled “Midnight Sun”, the new book is a prequel to “Twilight”. It recounts the story from Edward’s perspective, delving into his past. All the books in the series so far have been from Bella’s point of view. Meyer first announced the publications of Midnight Sun in May. 12 years after she abandoned the manuscript following an online leak of a draft. At the time, Meyer called the leak “a huge violation of my rights as an author, not to mention me as a human being” and put the project on hold indefinitely.

The Twilight saga

The “Twilight” saga was an instant success with teens. The first book came out in 2005, closely followed by a film adaptation with a star cast – Robert Pattinson shone as Edward Cullen and Kirsten Stewart portrayed the clumsy Bella Swan. Though the series received a drubbing from the critics, the films caused a sensation at the box office. More books – “New Moon” (2006), “Eclipse” (2007) and “Breaking Dance” (2008) – followed suit.

Other vampires in fiction you must read:

Here are some famous vampire stories in literature.

• “Dracula”: Bram Stoker’s sophisticated and mysterious Count Dracula remains timeless.


• “The House of Night”: This 2007 series by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast follows the adventures of a young vampyre Zoey Redbird.


• “True Blood”: Charlene Harris’s vampire novels feature Sookie Stackhouse and her close encounters with the fanged creatures.

Oh really?

• Meyer started writing the story backwards, starting from the meadow scene in chapter 13 and then writing chronologically till the beginning.


• Meyer began writing “Midnight Sun” in 2008, but abandoned the project after half of the manuscript leaked online. She said it violated her right as an author and a human being.


• Twilight fans are divided into two camps – those who prefer the vampire Edward and those who think that the werewolf Jacob is a better choice. Are you team Edward or team Jacob?

 

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