Good Bye, Mr Chips by James Hamilton Review

So last week, i got a task to review about a book (in english ofc lel) and i remembered that my mother have a novel. And so, i searched all over the house. I found it in my mother's luggage lol. The book calles Good Bye, Mr Chips by James Hamilton. This book published in June 1934. Before reviewed it, let's know more about this book!

Good Bye, Mr Chips Cover

Title : Good Bye, Mr Chips
Author : James Hamilton
First Published : 1934
Pages : 144 Pages

Genre : Psychological Fiction

Characters : Arthur Chipping, Wetherby, Max Staefel, Katherine Chipping, Ralston

Adaptations : Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939), Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969), Goodbye, Mr. Chips (2002)

Publishers : Little, Brown and Company (USA), Hodder & Stoughton (UK)

Synopsis : Mr. Chipping, the classics master at Brookfield School since 1870, takes readers on a beguiling journey through the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Sometimes Chips, as he is affectionately known, is an old man who dreams by the fire; then he's a difficult young taskmaster schooling his students, or a middle-aged man encountering the lovely Katherine, whose "new woman" opinions work far-reaching changes in him. As succeeding generations of boys march onward through Chips' mind, Hilton's narrative remains masterful. He seamlessly interweaves a poignant love story with the jokes and eccentricities of English public school life, while also chronicling a new, uncertain world full of conflict and upheaval that extends far beyond the turrets of Brookfield. 

 My review : I just fall in love with this book since i open it for the first time. Even though this book's already in my mother luggage for more than 20 years, the cover looks fine and there's still some 'book smells' which is can make you feel relaxed (?) This book tells us about an eccentric but lovable British schoolmaster, Arthur Chipping (Mr. Chips).  Seemingly destined to be a bachelor for life, he meets and marries a young woman who loosens him up quite a bit, before dying in childbirth.  Chips is left alone, except that is for the succeeding generations of boys who pass through Brookfield School.    After decades at the school, he retires, telling the assembled alumni, "I have thousands of faces in my mind. ... I remember you as you are.  That's the point.  In my mind you never grow old at all", only to be called back during WWI, at which point he becomes acting headmaster.  One of his duties is to read the list of the school's war dead; for everyone else they are just names, but for Chips, each name has a face attached.  After the War he retires, after 42 years teaching Roman History and Latin at Brookfield. I liked the character of Mr. Chips. It was so vivid and complete. His character development was gradual. And that was good. I liked his sense of humour and thoughts.
I liked his chapters with Katherine. Those were the best. And last few chapters related to war were also good. Except for them, I couldn't enjoy much of the novel. 

His [SPOILER ALERT]

death scene literally made my eyes wet. Maybe because I got emotionally attached with him even though i just started to read the book for like 3 or 4 days XD 

Old Mr. Chipping, nearing ninety and still telling his hoary old jokes from sixty years ago to the newbies at Brookfields school, spends his last few days on earth wandering among the many well-furnished rooms in his head. We see the events of his entire career as a schoolmaster, his brief, brilliant career as a husband, and his long, glorious sunset as a School Institution.
  
In the end, well, it was such a masterpiece from James Hamilton. The conflict, the drama and everything else were so damn good. Even though you have a weak imagination, you still can feel the moment.