From the departure hall to the boarding gates at KLIA, one has to walk past the duty-free section with your usual array of perfumes, chocolates and toys. One of my weaknesses was also there: books. I almost always end up buying something to read when I travel alone, even when I already have a book in tow.
This time, the promotion (10% discount for 2 books, 15% discount for 3) really caught my attention. Initially all I wanted was a magazine that cost less than RM10. But then a fictionalised history snared me. 5 minutes later, by the time I left the cashier, I had exchanged RM120 for a magazine, a novel and two other books. It almost cost me my flight, too.
I haven't started on any of them yet, though. I still have my original travel companion to finish.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Inkheart
Author: Cornelia Funke
I bought it almost a year ago, just after the movie came out. I really wanted to watch the movie, but wanted to read the book before catching the celluloid version. Anyhow, the book took much longer than expected - I stopped reading it halfway several months ago and only picked it up again several weeks later. By then movie was no more, and I had lost interest in it anyway.
It is, after all, a children's book. The beginning was eventful enough, almost like 'Lord of the Rings' with an apparent stranger suddenly showing up, and seemed to set the pace quickly enough. Halfway through, however, I realised that while it would have been terrifying enough for a 12-year-old, it did not have enough suspense to keep me hooked. The 'diabolical celebrations' seemed pretty tame for this mother of three.
What I like about the book, though, is the way it is structured.
This book was written by a book-lover, about book-lovers, for book-lovers.
'Inkheart' precedes each chapter with an excerpt from another book. The excerpt sets the tone for the story, such as the following before Meggie and her father start their journey 'Going South' with apprehension:
I bought it almost a year ago, just after the movie came out. I really wanted to watch the movie, but wanted to read the book before catching the celluloid version. Anyhow, the book took much longer than expected - I stopped reading it halfway several months ago and only picked it up again several weeks later. By then movie was no more, and I had lost interest in it anyway.
It is, after all, a children's book. The beginning was eventful enough, almost like 'Lord of the Rings' with an apparent stranger suddenly showing up, and seemed to set the pace quickly enough. Halfway through, however, I realised that while it would have been terrifying enough for a 12-year-old, it did not have enough suspense to keep me hooked. The 'diabolical celebrations' seemed pretty tame for this mother of three.
What I like about the book, though, is the way it is structured.
This book was written by a book-lover, about book-lovers, for book-lovers.
'Inkheart' precedes each chapter with an excerpt from another book. The excerpt sets the tone for the story, such as the following before Meggie and her father start their journey 'Going South' with apprehension:
And so, while the story itself may not make it one of your all-time favourites, you may be introduced to several that may."Beyond the Wild Wood comes the Wild World," said the Rat. "And that's something that doesn't matter, either to you or to me. I've never been there, and I'm never going, nor you either, if you've got any sense at all."
Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Ceritalah: Malaysia in Transition
Author: Karim Raslan
This book is a collection of articles written for 'The Sun' between 1994 and 1995 - divided into 4 main segments; as well as a piece from the New Straits Times Annual 1994.
The articles cover the following aspects of Malaysia: Culture & Society, Political Life, People & Places and a special segment covering the 1995 Election.
Throughout the pieces, the writer explores and addresses the contradictions of his upbringing and his world view - his father was born into Perak nobility, while his mother is an Englishwoman. After his father's death, his family relocated to England. He is, as he claims, 'a child of the NEP' but like many who have benefitted from it through overseas education, is not 'without criticism of the policy'.
The single article from the New Straits Times, entitled 'Roots', takes us down a personal memory lane as the writer recalls the events surrounding his father's death and reminisces the 'olde Worlde' Perak that his father was born into. It is an interesting piece that highlights a turning point in the social and cultural aspects of our nation's history - the line dividing the past and post-independent Malaya, the gaps between different generations. There is a hint of melancholia as the writer attempts to put together an image of a father he lost at the young age of 7.
The Culture & Society and People & Places segments showcases the best of his writing - the sharp observations, the self-deprecating humour and his candid feelings about his surroundings and his sociocultural background. You could almost picture him sauntering along the pavements of Cape Town or drinking 'oily black coffee' in Taiping through the descriptions of the places he visits.
In the Political Life segment, he writes of several prominent political figures - Dr Mahathir, Anwar Ibrahim, Hishamuddin Hussein. Here, I felt, he was a bit guarded - almost as if he was afraid to toe the line. He admits as much in one article which was a follow-up to a piece written on Dr Mahathir. To quote another essay from another segment,
Since the articles were written back in 1995, it is interesting to note the differences between what was a foregone conclusion then and what has actually unfolded 14 years since. This is especially so when the subject is Anwar Ibrahim, who was at the zenith of his UMNO career back then. In an article entitled 'Follow The Leader,' this is what the author says about the prospect of Anwar, then the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, succeeding Dr Mahathir as the country's Premier:
This book is a collection of articles written for 'The Sun' between 1994 and 1995 - divided into 4 main segments; as well as a piece from the New Straits Times Annual 1994.
The articles cover the following aspects of Malaysia: Culture & Society, Political Life, People & Places and a special segment covering the 1995 Election.
Throughout the pieces, the writer explores and addresses the contradictions of his upbringing and his world view - his father was born into Perak nobility, while his mother is an Englishwoman. After his father's death, his family relocated to England. He is, as he claims, 'a child of the NEP' but like many who have benefitted from it through overseas education, is not 'without criticism of the policy'.
The single article from the New Straits Times, entitled 'Roots', takes us down a personal memory lane as the writer recalls the events surrounding his father's death and reminisces the 'olde Worlde' Perak that his father was born into. It is an interesting piece that highlights a turning point in the social and cultural aspects of our nation's history - the line dividing the past and post-independent Malaya, the gaps between different generations. There is a hint of melancholia as the writer attempts to put together an image of a father he lost at the young age of 7.
The Culture & Society and People & Places segments showcases the best of his writing - the sharp observations, the self-deprecating humour and his candid feelings about his surroundings and his sociocultural background. You could almost picture him sauntering along the pavements of Cape Town or drinking 'oily black coffee' in Taiping through the descriptions of the places he visits.
In the Political Life segment, he writes of several prominent political figures - Dr Mahathir, Anwar Ibrahim, Hishamuddin Hussein. Here, I felt, he was a bit guarded - almost as if he was afraid to toe the line. He admits as much in one article which was a follow-up to a piece written on Dr Mahathir. To quote another essay from another segment,
"Basically, you're damned if you're boring and damned if you're not. Which leaves the half-world between the 'lines' as your only refuge."
Since the articles were written back in 1995, it is interesting to note the differences between what was a foregone conclusion then and what has actually unfolded 14 years since. This is especially so when the subject is Anwar Ibrahim, who was at the zenith of his UMNO career back then. In an article entitled 'Follow The Leader,' this is what the author says about the prospect of Anwar, then the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, succeeding Dr Mahathir as the country's Premier:
Well, we all know how THAT turned out, don't we?"To be frank, we have little chance of altering what is a done deal. When the time comes, there will be the transition from PM to DPM and that will be that.
We will clap our hands on the sidelines and then go back to work. Under normal circumstances, I would complain like hell because I don't feel that I, as a Malaysian voter, have had very much say in the appointment and selection of the next PM. However, the man chosen is bright, intelligent, well-read, ambitious and determined - all the ingredients needed for the job.My concern now lies with the question: who will the DPM be looking to in turn to succeed him?"
Good Omens
Authors: Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman
I was in one of those moods when I picked this book. Correction: My sister picked it out for me from her vast collection of fantasy at my request for something 'light and fun' to read. Halfway through the the 2nd chapter, I realised it was a parody of 'The Omen' (not something I particularly want to think about while I'm pregnant) but was already having too much fun to stop.
The story revolves around an angel, Aziraphale (Israfil, peniup sangka kala?) and a devil called Crowley, the serpent who tempted Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. Both of them were stationed on Earth as agents of their respective Masters to put things in place leading up to the Apocalypse. However, after spending thousands of years on this world with only each other as familiar company and having acquired a taste for earthly pleasures, they strike a partnership to avoid the Apocalypse from happening.
Trust Pratchett to come up with the hilarious dialogue. And you can always bet on Gaiman to provide the 'other dimension' to your everyday objects and people, like War and Pollution. Okay, so War and Pollution is not exactly everyday stuff but what else do you read about in the news?
It seemed close to blasphemy reading this novel (God knows what was going through their minds while they wrote it), but admittedly it was just too good to put down. Even if you're not planning on reading the whole book, at least read the authors' biography:
I was in one of those moods when I picked this book. Correction: My sister picked it out for me from her vast collection of fantasy at my request for something 'light and fun' to read. Halfway through the the 2nd chapter, I realised it was a parody of 'The Omen' (not something I particularly want to think about while I'm pregnant) but was already having too much fun to stop.
The story revolves around an angel, Aziraphale (Israfil, peniup sangka kala?) and a devil called Crowley, the serpent who tempted Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. Both of them were stationed on Earth as agents of their respective Masters to put things in place leading up to the Apocalypse. However, after spending thousands of years on this world with only each other as familiar company and having acquired a taste for earthly pleasures, they strike a partnership to avoid the Apocalypse from happening.
Trust Pratchett to come up with the hilarious dialogue. And you can always bet on Gaiman to provide the 'other dimension' to your everyday objects and people, like War and Pollution. Okay, so War and Pollution is not exactly everyday stuff but what else do you read about in the news?
It seemed close to blasphemy reading this novel (God knows what was going through their minds while they wrote it), but admittedly it was just too good to put down. Even if you're not planning on reading the whole book, at least read the authors' biography:
For those who really need to know, Terry Pratchett was born in
Buckinghamshire, England, in 1948. He has managed to avoid all the really interesting jobs authors take in order to look good in this kind of biography. In his search for a quiet life he got a job as a Press Officer with the Central Electricity Generating Board just after Three Mile Island, which shows his unerring sense of timing. Now a full-time writer, he lives in Somerset with his wife and daughter. He likes people to buy him banana daiquiris (he knows people don't read author biographies, but feels this might be worth a try).
Neil Gaiman used to be a journalist, but gave it all up to write
comics, which he claims are a totally valid late-twentieth-century art form, and he's even won awards for them, so that's all right. He's 5'11" tall, owns a number of black T-shirts, and although he's not overly keen on banana daiquiris, is always very flattered when appreciative fans send him money (he's read Terry Pratchett's biography, and, although he doubts that this will have any effect, figures what the hell).Now excuse me, but I need to go catch up on all those Discworld novels.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Ayat-Ayat Cinta
Author: Habiburrahman El Shirazy
This book, which has been turned into a movie and a song, is REALLY REALLY good.
Go out and read it.
And those of you who still wonder what 1 Malaysia stands for, just read the first few chapters to give you an idea.
Memanusiakan manusia. I like...
This book, which has been turned into a movie and a song, is REALLY REALLY good.
Go out and read it.
And those of you who still wonder what 1 Malaysia stands for, just read the first few chapters to give you an idea.
Memanusiakan manusia. I like...
Monday, January 26, 2009
Neverwhere
Author: Neil Gaiman
This book belongs to my sister. Halfway through reading it, I realised that I have actually seen parts of the original TV miniseries back in London - the book is a novelisation of the TV show. I didn't follow the miniseries - there must have been a serious lack of eyecandy to get me properly hooked - but the book I like very much.
The idea of people and events, conveniently sidelined by the rat-racers, falling through the cracks of London to exist in a parallel world - now who would have thought of that? A universe where an Angel called Islington resides under the watch of Afro-Anglo monks (Blackfriars, anyone?) and an elderly Earl holds Court on a moving Underground train. The most ingenious of all - Knightsbridge as a scary district. How true is that?
What struck me was how the villainous pair in this book is similar to the twosome in Terry Pratchett's 'The Truth': a short one with the words and brains partnering a huge hunk of a man who is mostly brawn. I suppose it is a prerequsite for bad guy characterisation, like the Good Cop/Bad Cop routine. Another similarity is one of the villain's penchant for fine antiques.
I'm not saying much more. Read it to find out.
This book belongs to my sister. Halfway through reading it, I realised that I have actually seen parts of the original TV miniseries back in London - the book is a novelisation of the TV show. I didn't follow the miniseries - there must have been a serious lack of eyecandy to get me properly hooked - but the book I like very much.
The idea of people and events, conveniently sidelined by the rat-racers, falling through the cracks of London to exist in a parallel world - now who would have thought of that? A universe where an Angel called Islington resides under the watch of Afro-Anglo monks (Blackfriars, anyone?) and an elderly Earl holds Court on a moving Underground train. The most ingenious of all - Knightsbridge as a scary district. How true is that?
What struck me was how the villainous pair in this book is similar to the twosome in Terry Pratchett's 'The Truth': a short one with the words and brains partnering a huge hunk of a man who is mostly brawn. I suppose it is a prerequsite for bad guy characterisation, like the Good Cop/Bad Cop routine. Another similarity is one of the villain's penchant for fine antiques.
I'm not saying much more. Read it to find out.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Girls of Riyadh
Author: Rajaa Alsanea
I first read about this book and author about a year ago, in a magazine interview. She is from Saudi Arabia, but at the time of the interview was studying somewhere in the Western hemisphere. The interviewer was surprised when Alsanea remarked approvingly of a mini-dress a passerby was wearing: "I'll wear it as a top over jeans," she commented. Well, in her own words, "The Western world still perceives us either romantically, as the land of the Arabian nights... or politically, as the land that gave birth to Bin Laden and other terrorists."
As for me, I had always perceived Saudis to be the role model of religiosity and piety. After all, their kingdom is the birthplace and final resting place of our prophet Muhammad PBUH, and one of the King's official titles is Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques (referring of course to al-Haraam in Makkah and al-Nabawi in Madinah). This impression was shattered somewhat when I went there for Hajj two years ago, and did leave me feeling a tad disappointed. So reading this book - although the first few pages seem to entice the reader with promises of scandal and what not - was not such a shock for me.
The premise is broadly similar to 'Sex and the City' although still very much within the confines of Muslim society: a tale of a quartet of girl friends in Riyadh looking and lamenting of love. Well, technically, only 3 of them are actually lamenting, whilst the fourth didn't seem bothered about not having a man in her life until she ended up being the only one with a fairytale relationship. As the author's apparent goal was to highlight the trials and tribulation of love, this fourth girlfriend had only 3 or 4 chapters dedicated to her, the most memorable of which is a retelling of a highschool escapade involving videotapes (and no, they're not that type of videos either).
The most interesting part about the book is the way the chapters are structured: as weekly emails sent to a mailing list from an anonymous writer (again, parallels with Carrie Bradshaw, except the writer is not one of the quartet). Otherwise, there is nothing much to shout about, except that Saudi girls - at least those in Riyadh's 'velvet class' - are not much different from the rest of us.
I'll take the Arabian Nights any time.
Read more reviews here.
I first read about this book and author about a year ago, in a magazine interview. She is from Saudi Arabia, but at the time of the interview was studying somewhere in the Western hemisphere. The interviewer was surprised when Alsanea remarked approvingly of a mini-dress a passerby was wearing: "I'll wear it as a top over jeans," she commented. Well, in her own words, "The Western world still perceives us either romantically, as the land of the Arabian nights... or politically, as the land that gave birth to Bin Laden and other terrorists."
As for me, I had always perceived Saudis to be the role model of religiosity and piety. After all, their kingdom is the birthplace and final resting place of our prophet Muhammad PBUH, and one of the King's official titles is Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques (referring of course to al-Haraam in Makkah and al-Nabawi in Madinah). This impression was shattered somewhat when I went there for Hajj two years ago, and did leave me feeling a tad disappointed. So reading this book - although the first few pages seem to entice the reader with promises of scandal and what not - was not such a shock for me.
The premise is broadly similar to 'Sex and the City' although still very much within the confines of Muslim society: a tale of a quartet of girl friends in Riyadh looking and lamenting of love. Well, technically, only 3 of them are actually lamenting, whilst the fourth didn't seem bothered about not having a man in her life until she ended up being the only one with a fairytale relationship. As the author's apparent goal was to highlight the trials and tribulation of love, this fourth girlfriend had only 3 or 4 chapters dedicated to her, the most memorable of which is a retelling of a highschool escapade involving videotapes (and no, they're not that type of videos either).
The most interesting part about the book is the way the chapters are structured: as weekly emails sent to a mailing list from an anonymous writer (again, parallels with Carrie Bradshaw, except the writer is not one of the quartet). Otherwise, there is nothing much to shout about, except that Saudi girls - at least those in Riyadh's 'velvet class' - are not much different from the rest of us.
I'll take the Arabian Nights any time.
Read more reviews here.
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