Friday, March 14, 2008

Mary Poppins

The Mary poppins series of books by P.L.Travers is a wonderful collection of children's books.
Moreover, they're the kind of children's books that make a most interesting read even for an adult(I like to think of myself as a 'young adult' :)).
I never did get around to watching the movie, though the songs, as far as I recall, are absolutely delightful. The chimney song, in particular.

Mary Poppins' (Poppins's?) carpet bag, in particular, had, and still has, me fascinated. All kinds of unimaginable things pour out of it, including a foldable bed and cough syrup that changes flavour. This is not to say that cough syrup flavour is bad, by itself.

The names of the chapters are most interestingly, and obviously deliberately, symmetric in two of the books- 'Mary Poppins' and 'Mary Poppins Comes Back'. 'Miss Lark's Andrew' and 'Miss Andrew's Lark', 'Bad Tuesday' and 'Bad Wednesday' and so on. And there is this delightfully mystical air about 'Mary Poppins in Cherry Tree Lane' set in the time around Midsummer's Eve.

I seem to be writing a review of sorts for the books. But they really are quite wonderful. Go read them.


3 comments:

Samyuktha P.C. said...

Nice posts! :) But ahem, ahem! Cough syrup is beautiful. Try mixing Waterbury's, Corex, Cofstop, Zecuf, and Benadryl. That's my cough cure theory. The other effects are also quite pleasant. I could be sued for this comment. Oops!!! xxxxxxxzip... love. sam.

Nowhere Man said...

I will most definitely try that! Add that to the list of 'suspicious activities' to be done :)
Love.

Sandhya Biswas said...

Wonderfully written :) Feels like I read the book once again :)