Strictly Reading

Sing You Home (Jodi Picoult)

2011-10-26T20:00:00.000-07:00

For those who know me well, you would surely know that Jodi Picoult is not only one of my favourites but she's my all-time favourite author. I can proudly proclaim that I'm her biggest fan in which I have all her books and till the extent that I even wrote to her once telling her how much I love My Sister's Keeper.

What I like about her is that she tackles controversial, if not sensitive subjects which surrounds our lives and with the dedication in her research in every book she writes, I know I'm reading and learning true facts rather purely fiction.

Sing You Home is about gay rights. Knowing that people fear of the unknown, Picoult hopes this book would open the minds of those who have them closed tightly shut. When she was researching for this book, her eldest son, Kyle 'came out' to her but she reveals in an article that she knows her son is gay when he's five years old.

For research, Picoult spoke to several same-sex couples, who shared their relationships and their sex lives and their struggles. Some of these people knew their sexual orientation in childhood; some had same-sex relationships after heterosexual ones. Then she spoke to representatives from a conservative Christian group, Focus on the Family, who oppose gay adoption, and support seminars to ‘cure’ gay people of same-sex attraction.

CLICK HERE to read her talk about her book, how she feels about her son being gay.

424 pages
(Price unknown as this is a gift)
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

The Angel's Game (Carlos Ruiz Zafón)

2011-10-19T23:46:00.000-07:00

In an abandoned mansion at the heart of Barcelona, David Martin makes his living by writing sensationalist novels. But perhaps his dark imaginings are not as strange as they seem, for in a locked room deep within the house lie photographs and letters hinting at an unsolved mystery.

Then he receives a letter from a reclusive French editor who makes him the offer of a lifetime. He is to write a book unlike any other -- a book with the power to change hearts and minds. But as David begins the work, he realises that there is a connection between this haunting book and the shadows that surround his home...

~~~~~~~~

If you like mystery, detective thriller, supernatural horror tale, magical fable and heartbreaking love story, it can all be found in this book.

Written in Spanish, this novel is translated into English by Lucia Graves, whom also translated the author's previous book The Shadow of the Wind. In an interview, Carlos Ruiz Zafón says he visualize scenes in his books in a cinematic way which you can see the scenes and characters vividly in your mind as you read it.

If you have read and like The Shadow of the Wind, then you MUST read The Angel's Game. It is not only beautifully written but the plot will bring the reader to many subplots which will leave you in awe with the genius and rich imagination of the author.

Conclusion, I love this book. It is so different from the novels I read written by American authors. From now on, I'll be looking out for new books from this author.

504 pages
RM35.90
Publisher: Orion
Kinokuniya

Mein Kampf (Adolf Hitler)

2011-10-06T00:01:00.000-07:00

Mein Kampf (English: My Struggle or My Battle) is a non-fiction autobiography written by the Nazi leader Adolf Hitler in 1924. Consisting of two volumes; Volume 1 was written during his imprisonment for 13 months and the book was published in 1925, and Volume 2 was written after he was released and published in 1926. The book combines elements of autobiography with an exposition of Hitler's political theology.

Hitler originally wanted to call his book Viereinhalb Jahre (des Kampfes) gegen Lüge, Dummheit und Feigheit, or Four and a Half Years (of Struggle) Against Lies, Stupidity and Cowardice. Max Amann, head of the Franz Eher Verlag and Hitler's publisher, is said to have suggested the much shorter "Mein Kampf".

Interesting facts about this book:

Sweden: it has been reprinted several times since 1945; in 1970, 1992, 2002 and 2010. In 1992 the Government of Bavaria tried to stop the publication of the book, and the case went to the Supreme Court of Sweden which ruled in favour of the publisher, stating that the book is protected by copyright, but that the copyright holder is unidentified (and not the State of Bavaria) and that the original Swedish publisher from 1934 had gone out of business. It therefore refused the Government of Bavaria's claim.

Turkey: It was widely available and growing in popularity, even to the point where it became a bestseller, selling up to 100,000 copies in just two months in 2005. Analysts and commentators believe the popularity of the book to be related to a rise in nationalism, anti-US and antisemitic sentiment "because of what is happening in the Middle East, the Israeli-Palestinian problem and the war in Iraq".

Canada: Though it is available in Canada, Heather Reisman, owner of the Chapters/Indigo chain of bookshops (Canada's largest and only national book chain) has banned the book from being sold in her stores or ordered via the chain's website.

France: Available and legal, but a front note is compulsory

United States: can be found at almost any community library and can be bought, sold and traded in bookshops. The U.S. government seized the copyright during the Second World War under the Trading with the Enemy Act and in 1979, Houghton Mifflin, the U.S. publisher of the book, bought the rights from the government. More than 15,000 copies are sold a year.

Australia: the book is legal to buy and trade, and available in most libraries as a historical text. It is also available free online as part of Project Gutenberg Australia.

Austria: the possession and/or trading of Mein Kampf is illegal.

People's Republic of China: Mein Kampf is forbidden and only available in selected libraries for research purposes.

Argentina: its publication or import in significant numbers is illegal, as well as second-hand trade, since it falls under the article of the Penal Code regarding "anti-semitic and National-Socialist propaganda". Possession and lending are legal. In spite of the law, it is readily available in many bookstores, generally asking for it and sold under the counter. These copies are smuggled from Chile, where its publication is not banned.

Netherlands: selling the book, even in the case of an old copy, may be illegal as "promoting hatred," but possession and lending is not. The matter is generally handled as a matter of copyright infringement against the Dutch government, who owns the translation, though it refuses to allow any publishing. In 1997, the government explained to the parliament that selling a scientifically annotated version might escape prosecution. In 2015, the government's copyright on the Dutch translation becomes void.

USSR: the book was published in a small number of copies for senior members of the Communist Party in Karl Radek's translation but was otherwise unavailable and de facto prohibited. In the Russian Federation, Mein Kampf has been published at least three times since 1992; the Russian text is also available on a number of websites. In 2006 the Public Chamber of Russia proposed banning the book. In 2009 St. Petersburg's branch of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs requested to remove an annotated and hyper-linked Russian translation of the book from a historiography web site. On March 26, 2010, it was announced that Mein Kampf is outlawed on grounds of extremism promotion.

Japan: Japanese version of Mein Kampf (わが闘争 waga tōsō?) in manga form is produced by East Press, as part of its Manga de Dokuha (Read it via manga) series. It has been dismissed by the Bavarian Finance Ministry as the wrong medium in which to tell the story.

Bolivia: the book sales rose in high numbers after the pass of the law against racism 2010 and the subsequent rumour that racist books would be banned.

I was so excited when I saw the book in MPH (Mid Valley Megamall) and was shocked to see such a low price for an autobiography book and without much hesitation, I grabbed the book and paid at the cashier's counter.

When I started to read it yesterday, I found several flaws which explains the cheap price. Here are the imperfections:

1. The size of the font could be a little larger for easier reading. The irony part is that the size of the page number is big. Who needs such big size for page numbers?

2. The wrap-up words in some paragraphs is untidy leaving a long empty space in the middle of a sentence. Sometimes one sentence is broken up into to lines making me wonder if the typist accidentally hit the ENTER key.

3. On page 14, 2nd paragraph, the word 'honor', 'favorite' shocked me. Since this book is published locally (Yes, the publisher's address is at Alam Damai (God knows where) and it's printed in Puchong), I'm sure you know Malaysia adopts the British English but why did they print it in American English spelling?

4. On page 24, last paragraph, the punctuation of a full stop is missing after the word 'child' because I have downloaded and checked other versions online to which every source has a full stop after the word 'child'.

5. On page 25, 1st paragraph, 2nd line, typo for the word 'they'. In the book I bought, it's printed as 'the)'. The publisher omit the letter 'y' in exchange with the symbol of a bracket.

6. On page 25, there is no empty line between the last two paragraphs. Every other paragraph has a blank space to indicate the end of the a paragraph and the start of a new paragraph. In this case, the typist has forgotten to press the ENTER key.

Now, I know why it's cheap because not only it's published locally but there are so many unnecessary flaws in the book. The most horrendous thing is that the book didn't state the name of the translator because Hitler wrote it in German and it was translated into English. As there are many different English versions translated by different translators, without a name you won't know which version you are reading.

If you don't mind all these imperfections then you may buy the book as it's cheap but you can also the exact version online. Yes, I searched and finally found the online version but this online version has no such flaws as I seen in the book I bought. So, is this the publisher or the printing company's fault?

If you want to read online, click on the link: http://www.crusader.net/texts/mk/

467 pages

RM39.90

Publisher: YLP Publication

MPH Bookstore

The Shadow of the Wind (Carlos Ruiz Zafón)

2011-10-05T01:55:00.000-07:00

Stephen King's review on this book is... 'Shadow is the real deal, a novel full of cheesy splendour and creaking trapdoors, where even the subplots have subplots... one gorgeous read'

Hidden in the heart of the old city of Barcelona is the 'Cemetery of Forgotten Books', a labyrinthine library of obscure and forgotten titles. To this library, a man brings his 10-year-old son Daniel, one cold morning in 1945. Daniel is allowed to choose one book and from the dusty shelves pulls The Shadow of the Wind by Julian Carax. But as Daniel grows up, several people seem inordinately interested in his find. What begins as a case of literary curiosity turns into a race to find out the truth behind the life and death of Julian Carax and to save those he left behind.

The Shadow of the Wind is a 2001 Spanish novel by the Spanish writer Carlos Ruiz Zafón under the title La sombra del viento and was a worldwide bestseller. The book was translated into English in 2004 by Lucia Graves and sold over a million copies in the UK after already achieving success on mainland Europe, topping the Spanish bestseller lists for weeks.

Even from the very first page, I knew this would be a great story. It's beautifully written and you just want to read it slowly to savour every word, every phrase, every sentence. I would highly recommend this one to everyone.

506 pages
(Price unknown as this is a gift from a friend on my birthday.)
Publisher: Phoenix

Secrets to the Grave (Tami Hoag)

2011-09-23T20:00:00.000-07:00

"My daddy hurt my mommy."

The 911 call from a small child sends the idyllic California town of Oak Knoll into a tailspin. A brutal crime scene is discovered; the body of Marissa Fordham with her young daughter, Haley, injured but alive.

Sheriff's detective Tony Mendez faces a puzzle with nothing but pieces that won't fit. To assist with his witness, Haley, he calls teacher-turned-child advocate Anne Leone, who's already the star witness in a sensational murder trial.

As Tony and Anne begin to peel back the layers of Marissa Fordham's life, they find a clue fragment here, another there. And, just when it seems Marissa has taken her secrets to the grave, they uncover a fact that puts Anne and Haley directly in the sights of a killer: Marissa Fordham never existed.

This is the sequel to Deeper than the Dead. Click on the link to read my review on that book. I saw this book (Secrets to the Grave) while I was browsing through the Popular bookstore in Penang's Queensbay Mall on the day I'm returning back to KL.

I've been hoping to get the sequel after I'm done with the first book and the fact that it was on 20% discount for Popular members was a double joy for me. Hahaha!!! Once I started on the very first page, I couldn't stop. I would read hundreds of pages everyday as the cliffhangers kept luring me into what's next but as usual, the author won't be giving out the final truth so soon.

There were few scenarios all happening at the same time with different characters at different places and each chapter is based on one scenario. When you finished one chapter, you'll be taken to another scenario on the next chapter and this is chasing you to keep reading.

As I was reading this, the scenes are played out as if I'm watching a CSI series but it's nothing like the current CSI shows you watch on television because the plot in this novel is set in the year 1986 when technology was on the downside when it comes solving crimes. It is a real challenge to write a crime story set in that year, don't you think so? So, how do they solve the crime cases? Want to know? Read it yourself.

The plot is so twisted that you will be in shock when you find out who's the real killer.

514 pages

RM30.50 (RM24.40 after 20% discount)

Publisher: Signet

Popular Bookstore at Queensbay Mall, Penang

Full Dark, No Stars (Stephen King)

2011-09-16T20:00:00.000-07:00

This book is a compilation of five short stories including one new story which was not published in the earlier Hodder edition. So if you're getting this, make sure the cover says 'with a bonus short story' as you can see from the image above.

If you are a Stephen King fan or have read his novels before, you would expect the unexpected and his liking for weird plot. Once you started, you won't be able to stop until you know the ending and that's the reason I could finish this so fast.

All the short stories are not related but they are all under the same theme which bears the question, "What tips someone over the edge to commit a crime?" There is evil in everyone of us but to what extent do we try to keep it locked deep under ourselves? That's what Stephen King explores in this novel. He is truly a master in story-telling especially in digging out the ugly side of human being.

453 pages

RM21.23

Publisher: Hodder

6th Popular Bookfest KLCC

Deeper than the Dead (Tami Hoag)

2011-08-29T20:00:00.000-07:00

How old were you in the year 1985? Do you remember how technology was back then?

The author decided to set the story in that year where cell phones were the size of bricks, women wore shoulder pads, permed their hair, Madonna was the hot new thing and every home was tuned to watch the TV drama series Dallas and Dynasty.

But the real challenge in writing a thriller crime plot set in 1985 was absence of many advanced technology in terms of forensic science. Fingerprint examples were still matched by the human eye, there is no DNA technology. In another word, it was the year of Stone Age in the science field.

So without the modern convenience, Tami Hoag realised that she couldn't write her detectives getting information as fast as the present day. Imagine no cell phones for instant contact. So how did the detectives solve crimes back then? Read on.

In a quiet and peaceful town in Oak Knoll, four 5th grade students (10 years old) discovered a dead woman lying in the woods when they were walking back home after school. The plot revolves around these four families and the kids.

The plot is cleverly written in causing every character as a possible suspect. You will particularly like one character by the name Franny although he only appears once in awhile but each time he's in the picture, you can't help but laugh at his witty lines.

See the tagline above the title of the book? See no evil. Hear no evil. Speak no evil. After abducting a female victim, the murderer would first glue the victim's eyes and mouth so that she cannot see nor scream for help. Next, he would use a sharp tool to destroy the victim's eardrums but he won't kill her immediately.

Wanna find out more? Go grab a copy today.

485 pages

RM32.90

Publisher: Orion

Kinokuniya

Note: Thank you Mr. A for the book.

Bookfest 2011

2011-08-29T02:50:00.000-07:00

BookFest

27 August - 4 September 2011

Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC)

English books: Exhibition Hall 4 & 5

Chinese books: Exhibition Hall 1 & 2

Stationery, Music, Multimedia: Level 3

For enquiries: 1300 88 6336

Talk To The Snail (Stephen Clarke)

2011-06-19T20:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wished to visit Paris in your future travelling plan?

Would you like to know more about the culture and lifestyle of the French people?

What if there is a book which could give you insights on what it is like to live in that city?

From the bestselling author of A Year in the Merde, here comes another hilarious account of his life in France after having spent 12 years staying in Paris. Being a British in a foreign land, Clarke has definitely stumbled across many embarrassing moments and culture shock while trying to adapt to the new lifestyle.

You will find useful information on how to make sure you get served in cafe where the waiters are so busy that as if you’re either invisible or they just don’t care if you stay or leave, how to talk to French estate agents if you’re planning to buy an apartment, how to survive the French’s lunatic driving method, how to date and what to expect with a French lover, the dining table manners in a restaurant, how to deal with rude operators with bad customer service treatment, how to pronounce French swear-words, and the French porn on TV and newsagent shops.

I can’t help myself laughing out loud at the way he writes his experiences, and by the end of each chapter, you’ll feel as though you have learned how to survive real-life scenarios if you’re in France facing similar encounters. I would recommend this book to whoever has thought or planned to travel to France in future. As the back cover of the book says... “Don’t go to France without reading this book!”

Lastly, I want to thank Little Fox who lent me this book.

262 pages
RM35.90

Publisher: Black Swan
Borders Bookstore

BBC List of 100 Best-Loved Books

2011-06-15T00:33:00.000-07:00

For book-lovers out there, here's the list of 100 best-loved books voted by readers in UK. In April 2003, BBC The Big Read began the search for the nation's best-loved novels. I know about this from one of my reader's blog by the name of Liko.

Here's the list...

1. The Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien
2. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
3. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman
4. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, JK Rowling
6. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
7. Winnie the Pooh, AA Milne
8. Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell
9. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, CS Lewis
10. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë
11. Catch-22, Joseph Heller
12. Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë
13. Birdsong, Sebastian Faulks
14. Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier
15. The Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger
16. The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame
17. Great Expectations, Charles Dickens
18. Little Women, Louisa May Alcott
19. Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Louis de Bernieres
20. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy
21. Gone with the Wind, Margaret Mitchell
22. Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone, JK Rowling
23. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets, JK Rowling
24. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban, JK Rowling
25. The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien
26. Tess Of The D'Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy
27. Middlemarch, George Eliot
28. A Prayer For Owen Meany, John Irving
29. The Grapes Of Wrath, John Steinbeck
30. Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, Lewis Carroll
31. The Story Of Tracy Beaker, Jacqueline Wilson
32. One Hundred Years Of Solitude, Gabriel García Márquez
33. The Pillars Of The Earth, Ken Follett
34. David Copperfield, Charles Dickens
35. Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl
36. Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson
37. A Town Like Alice, Nevil Shute
38. Persuasion, Jane Austen
39. Dune, Frank Herbert
40. Emma, Jane Austen
41. Anne Of Green Gables, LM Montgomery
42. Watership Down, Richard Adams
43. The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald
44. The Count Of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas
45. Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh
46. Animal Farm, George Orwell
47. A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens
48. Far From The Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy
49. Goodnight Mister Tom, Michelle Magorian
50. The Shell Seekers, Rosamunde Pilcher
51. The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett
52. Of Mice And Men, John Steinbeck
53. The Stand, Stephen King
54. Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy
55. A Suitable Boy, Vikram Seth
56. The BFG, Roald Dahl
57. Swallows And Amazons, Arthur Ransome
58. Black Beauty, Anna Sewell
59. Artemis Fowl, Eoin Colfer
60. Crime And Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky
61. Noughts And Crosses, Malorie Blackman
62. Memoirs Of A Geisha, Arthur Golden
63. A Tale Of Two Cities, Charles Dickens
64. The Thorn Birds, Colleen McCollough
65. Mort, Terry Pratchett
66. The Magic Faraway Tree, Enid Blyton
67. The Magus, John Fowles
68. Good Omens, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
69. Guards! Guards!, Terry Pratchett
70. Lord Of The Flies, William Golding
71. Perfume, Patrick Süskind
72. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, Robert Tressell
73. Night Watch, Terry Pratchett
74. Matilda, Roald Dahl
75. Bridget Jones's Diary, Helen Fielding
76. The Secret History, Donna Tartt
77. The Woman In White, Wilkie Collins
78. Ulysses, James Joyce
79. Bleak House, Charles Dickens
80. Double Act, Jacqueline Wilson
81. The Twits, Roald Dahl
82. I Capture The Castle, Dodie Smith
83. Holes, Louis Sachar
84. Gormenghast, Mervyn Peake
85. The God Of Small Things, Arundhati Roy
86. Vicky Angel, Jacqueline Wilson
87. Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
88. Cold Comfort Farm, Stella Gibbons
89. Magician, Raymond E. Feist
90. On The Road, Jack Kerouac
91. The Godfather, Mario Puzo
92. The Clan Of The Cave Bear, Jean M. Auel
93. The Colour Of Magic, Terry Pratchett
94. The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho
95. Katherine, Anya Seton
96. Kane And Abel, Jeffrey Archer
97. Love In The Time Of Cholera, Gabriel García Márquez
98. Girls In Love, Jacqueline Wilson
99. The Princess Diaries, Meg Cabot
100. Midnight's Children, Salman Rushdie

So, how many have you read from this list?

House Rules (Jodi Picoult)

2011-04-28T22:25:00.000-07:00

If you do not know by now, let me tell you this. Jodi Picoult is one of my favourite authors alongside with John Grisham, Tami Hoag, Robert Ludlum, Dan Brown, Steve Berry, Gregory Philippa and many more.

When I like an author, I would keep following his/her works and I can proudly tell you that I have all Jodi Picoult's books and there was once I even wrote to her telling how I love her book entitled My Sister's Keeper and The Pact which are the first two books I read and instantly, I'm hooked to her stories. Picoult is very good and unique in the way she tells a story and the twist of plot will make you glued to the book.

Last night, I read House Rules until two this morning which results in lack of sleep and I was nearly late for work. Hahaha!!! In the last chapter, I had tears in my eyes because of one particular line which I'm not going to reveal because you wouldn't get the feeling without reading the whole book. That particular line is just so powerful and overwhelming to the whole story.

If you have never read Jodi Picoult before, I would recommend you to start with The Pact and then My Sister's Keeper followed by Perfect Match.

From the back cover of House Rules...

Jacob Hunt is a teenager: brilliant at maths, wicked sense of humour, extraordinarily organised, hopeless at reading social cues. And Jacob has Asperger's.

He is locked in his own world -- aware of the world outside, and wanting to make a connection. Jacob tries to be like everyone else, but doesn't know how.

When his tutor is found dead, all the hallmark behaviours of Jacob's syndrome -- not looking someone in the eye, odd movements, inappropriate actions -- start to seem a lot like guilt to the police. And Jacob's mother must ask herself the hardest question in the world: is her child capable of murder?

Your son is accused of murder.

You fear he might be guilty.

What would you do?

603 pages
RM32.90
Publisher: Hodder
Kinokuniya

Empress Orchid (Anchee Min)

2011-04-14T00:35:00.000-07:00

To rescue her family from poverty and avoid marrying her slope-shouldered cousin, seventeen-year-old Orchid competes to be one of the Emperor's wives. When she is chosen as a lower-ranking concubine she enters the erotically charged and ritualised Forbidden City. But beneath its immaculate facade lie whispers of murders and ghosts, and the thousands of concubines will stoop to any lengths to bear the Emperor's son. Orchid trains herself in the art of pleasuring a man, bribes her way into the royal bed, and seduces the monarch, drawing the attention of dangerous foes. Little does she know that China will collapse around her, and that she will be its last Empress.

Based on a true story, this novel is the work of many years of research that included documents Min smuggled from the Forbidden City. Empress Orchid is the story of Tzu Hsi, China's longest-reigning female ruler and its last Empress. For decades Chinese schoolchildren have been taught that Empress Orchid was "a mastermind of pure evil and intrigue," but Min presents a strong-willed, utterly compelling woman who used her beauty to become a concubine of the Emperor and her brains to become his confidante and lover. A novel of power and alienation during one of the most tumultuous periods in Chinese history — its forced opening to the West.

I totally enjoyed this book. Yes, I know it's not a new book and in fact, I actually bought it in 2007 and now only it's being read. I still have thousands of books all over my room that are calling out to me. Hahaha!!!

370 pages

RM31.60

Publisher: Bloomsbury

MPH

The Jewel of St Petersburg (Kate Furnivall)

2010-12-29T19:42:00.000-08:00

From the bestselling author of The Russian Concubine come a sweeping epic of love and courage, revenge and heartache in the last days of the Romanov empire in Russia.

The story starts in the year 1910, young Valentina Ivanova charms St Petersburg's aristocracy with her classic Russian beauty and her talent as a pianist. But she scandalises society when she begins a romance with a Danish engineer. He brings to her life a passion and an intimacy she has never known. Unbending in their opposition, her parents push her into a loveless engagement with a Russian count.

At the same time, Russia is bound for rebellion. The Tsar, the Duma, and the Bolsheviks are at each other's throats and Valentina is forced to make a choice that changes her life for ever...

The moment I came across the word favourite on second page, I was thrilled because I know the book was printed in UK using the British English spelling instead of the American English which I still cannot accept for the omission of the letter "u" from words such as favourite, neighbour, colour, etc. Besides the spelling, the fonts are quite big and it's easy on the eyes where you still can read at arm's length. The cover is beautiful.

If you think this is just a romance book, you're wrong! The love story is not the main plot here and you will be hooked from the very first line on the first page as I did and I couldn't stop until 170 pages later when I had to have my lunch after reading from 10.00am till 2.30pm on the first day of reading.

Overall, it is a good book and I enjoyed it very much. As I read, I imagine the scenes as though it's a movie on the big screen and I believe it would be a good movie to watch but as always with movies adapted from books, it's impossible to shoot the whole book in details for many reasons other than the duration of the film and most importantly the budget. That is why I love to read as you get all the details that a movie can't possibly captured.

455 pages
RM37.50
Publisher: Sphere
Popular Bookstore

Ford County (John Grisham)

2010-09-29T00:25:00.000-07:00

The reason I bought this was because John Grisham is one of my favourite authors. I have most of his books. I love reading books and watching TV drama series about law but surprisingly, I have not watched any film that was based from his books. Having the member card of Popular Bookstore, I got this book for 20% off the original price. Yay! Hehehe...

Ford County is a novel with seven different stories, it is like a compilation of seven short stories with each story written for almost 50 pages. The Washington Post's tagline: "You absolutely can't stop reading." is an accurate statement as I finished it in one sitting.

What I like about the book is the style of writing where Grisham led his readers straight into the story without any lengthy introduction. You will find yourself having questions in your head after you finished reading each story that will make you ponder what if the characters made a different choice, what would the outcome be like at the end? If you want a good bedtime storybook, I recommend this as you can read one story each night before you sleep.

340 pages

RM32.90

Publisher: Dell

Popular Bookstore

A Change in Altitude (Anita Shreve)

2010-09-25T06:54:00.000-07:00

Before I start to review about this book, I would like to let you all know that from the cover, I would definitely not buy because it looks more like a romance kind of novel and I don't read romance for its cheesy lines. My friend whom lend it to me said it's good and the author won an award.

Since I've finished something fast pace and adventurous (The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown), I decided to try something light and slow but to my disappointment, this book is not only slow but I felt like being taken on a dull ride which I have no choice but to go along until the end. It is written in three parts and there is no chapter numbers in the book, not that I mind but just want to let you know.

The setting is in Africa and I did learn something about the culture and how the Africans live and work but the plot is not captivating enough. The change of scene is too abrupt that sometimes I got confused where and what the characters are doing.

I went to check online the review from others who have read the book and most of them said it's a disappointment and one even said this book is only for the author's fans. I wouldn't recommend this and don't get me started on talking about the ending. After you have finished reading, you would definitely feel it's a waste of time. Sorry to say but personally, I feel it's the stupidest book ever written.

334 pages

RM34.90

Publisher: Back Bay Books

MPH

The Lost Symbol (Dan Brown)

2010-09-19T21:35:00.000-07:00

When it was first released, I was having a hard time weighing my options whether I should buy or not because I was sceptical if the author could outdo his previous books The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons but I did buy it at the Popular 5th Anniversary Bookfest because it's cheap. Hahaha!!!

But my scepticism proves me wrong after reading only the first few pages of the book. The New York Times wrote 'Impossible to put down... Another mind-blowing Robert Langdon story' on top of the cover while the back cover review was printed as below...

'Unputdownable... Gripping... Jaw-dropping... The blockbuster read of the year' by News of the World

'So compelling that several times I came close to a cardiac arrest... As perfectly constructed as the Washington architecture it escorts us around' by Sunday Express

'A narrative that can grip you like a vice... As engaging a hero as you could wish for' by Mail on Sunday

Usually when you read these reviews, I'm sure you will doubt if any of it is true because one would think they are given a free book to read so it's no surprise that they would write a good review but as I read further in the book, I have to admit that these reviews are absolutely true! It's unbelievable! A warning from me, once you start, you will never want to stop reading.

Even right from the beginning, I would go 'Oh my God! Oh my God!' as the twist of the story was revealed before my eyes and because of the clever writing and capturing plot, I read everyday until 3am. I would bring the book to my office and read it whenever I'm free and I would continue reading it when I reach home.

My didi* told me this is the last book for the appearance of Professor Robert Langdon and when I asked him, 'Why? Did he die in the end?', he didn't want to tell me. From the source online, the movie of this book will be out in 2012 starring Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon but they might change the director this time.

If you like his previous books, this is even better. It's so mind-gripping and you will be shocked in every chapter with the twist of the plot and the characters because you will never know who's the bad guy and who's on the good side. You can't seem to trust anyone of them as you read. For those who have read, what do you think?

670 pages

RM25.90 (Original price: RM32.90, Save RM7.00)

Publisher: Corgi

5th Anniversary Bookfest, KL Convention Centre

Note: didi is a Chinese word meaning younger brother but in this context, he is not my biological brother but a gay young guy whom I refer to as my brother as in God-brother kind of relationship.

Eat, Pray, Love (Elizabeth Gilbert)

2010-09-09T02:15:00.000-07:00

This is not a review on the film but the book which the film was based under the same title.

The full title of the book Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia is a 2006 memoir by an American author Elizabeth Gilbert about what she discovered along her journey to these three countries.

At 32 years old, Elizabeth Gilbert had everything in her life; a degree in Political Science, a home, a husband and a successful career as a writer. However, she was unhappy in her marriage and often spent the night crying on her bathroom floor. In the midst of an affair, she separated from her husband and initiated a divorce, which he contested. The affair continued for some time but did not work out, leaving her devastated and alone.

While writing an article on yoga vacations in Bali, she met a ninth-generation medicine man who told her she would come back and study with him. After finalizing her difficult divorce, she spent the next year traveling around the world. She spent four months in Italy, eating and enjoying life (Eat). She spent four months in India, finding her spirituality (Pray). She ended the year in Bali, Indonesia, looking for "balance" of the two and found love (Love) in the form of a dashing Brazilian factory owner.

Gilbert paid for the trip with an advance she received on the book she already planned to write, and "Eat, Pray, Love" is the result. If there is any book that can make you feel love, romance, happy, spiritual, calm, angry and sad; this IS the book. While I was reading it, I find myself feeling angry at her ex-husband over the conditions he made during the divorce period, laughing out loud at what the people she met said to her and having tears when she helped a Balinese woman to own a house.

The book has been made into a movie starring Julia Roberts as Elizabeth Gilbert which will be released here on 30th September 2010 according to the GSC (Golden Screen Cinemas) website.

445 pages

RM25.90 (Original price: RM37.50, Save RM11.60)

Publisher: Penguin

5th Anniversary Bookfest, KL Convention Centre

Royal Road to Fotheringay (Jean Plaidy)

2009-08-12T02:03:00.000-07:00

At just six years old, Mary Stuart became Queen of Scots. At just six years old she was betrothed to the Dauphin Francois, the future King of France.

Reluctantly leaving Scotland, Mary is raised in the decadent French court in preparation to become the Queen of France. But her reign with Francois uis short-lived. Widowed at just eighteen years old, Mary is once again forced to leave her home to return to Scotland. Now a Catholic queen of a Protestant country, Mary must rule with caution and choose her next husband prudently...

If you have read Philippa Gregory's The Other Queen, this would be the best book to follow. Royal Road to Fotheringay serves as the prequel to The Other Queen. In this book, you will see the childhood life of Mary, why she became Queen of Scots at such young age and why did her mother send her to France, why didn't she stay there, why must she return to her home country Scotland? All these questions will be answered in this book.

I truly enjoyed the book from the very first page and you will know her from another point of view after you have finished. Trust me, you will love it.

490 pages
RM 42.90
Publisher: Arrow Books
Times

Malaysia Book Fest

2009-08-02T20:36:00.001-07:00

22-31 AUGUST 2009
10am - 10pm
KLCC Convention Centre
Ticket entry: RM2
Free entrance for students 18 years or below and senior citizens age 60 and above

The Other Hand (Chris Cleave)

2009-08-02T03:58:00.000-07:00

The back cover reads...

We don't want to tell you what happens in this book. It is a truly special story and we don't want to spoil it. Nevertheless, you need to know enough to buy it so we will just say this: This is the story nof two women. Their lives collide one fateful day, and one of them has to make a terrible choice. Two years later, they meet again--the story starts there... Once you have read it, you'll want to tell your friends about it. When you do, please don't tell them what happens either. The magic is in how it unfolds.

Chris Cleave, an English journalist has stepped into another line of writing, a novel. His first novel Incendiary was published in 20 countries, won the 2006 Somerset Maugham Award (among others), and was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers Prize.

The Other Hand is his second novel which receives praises such as the most powerful novel, shocking, funny, sad, a piece of art, beautifully written, totally believable, impressive, etc.

True enough, I can't stop myself from laughing out loud while reading it even at the first chapter. And once you started, you just can't stop. Believe me. The second chapter gives you a shocking bang that you just want to do nothing else but read till you finish the book. I can say the author is truly brilliant in visualization and the plot was well-written in a very unique and interesting organization on how the story unfolds. Amazing! Genius!

But one thing to be caution. Don't expect too much on the ending. I'm not saying it's not good but you need a good imagination and an open mind to embrace it. Overall, reading it is like reading a movie script where the scenarios are played automatically in your mind. Another word, it's like watching a movie. I strongly recommend it. Enjoy!

RM32.90
374 pages
Publisher: Sceptre (an imprint of Hodder & Stoughton)
Kinokuniya

The Other Queen (Philippa Gregory)

2009-07-06T09:14:00.000-07:00

The Other Queen is about Mary, Queen of Scots, a novel from the bestselling author of The Other Boleyn Girl, Philippa Gregory whom the USA Today praised as "The Queen of Royal Fiction".

Fleeing rebels in Scotland on Queen Elizabeth's false promise of sanctuary, Mary, Queen of Scots, finds herself imprisoned as the guest of George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, and his indomitable wife, Bess of Hardwick. Soon the newly married couple's home becomes the enter of intrigue and rebellion against Elizabeth, and their loyalty to each other and to their sovereign comes into question.

If Mary succeeds in seducing the earl into her own web of treason, or if the great spymaster William Cecil links them to the growing conspiracy to free Mary from her illegal imprisonment, they will all face the headsman. Using new research and her passion for historical accuracy, Gregory places the doomed queen into a completely new tale of suspense, passion, and political intrigue.

RM35.90
563 pages (including Bibliography and Author's Note)
Publisher: Touchstone
Kinokuniya

Queen Of This Realm (Jean Plaidy)

2009-07-01T02:29:00.000-07:00

Queen Of This Realm is a historical fiction novel about Queen Elizabeth I of England. In this "memoir", Jean Plaidy reveals the Virgin Queen as she truly was; the bewildered, motherless child of al all-powerful father; a captive in the Tower of London; a shrew politician; a lover of the arts; and eventually, an icon of an era.

It is the story of her improable rise to power and the great triumphs of her reign--the end of religious bloodshed, the settling of the New World, the defeat of the Spanish Armada. In her own voice, Elizabeth also recounts the emotional turmoil of her life and the heartbreakmof her lifelong love affair with Robert Dudley, whom she could never marry; and the terrible guilt of ordering the execution of her cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots. In this unforgettable novel, Elizabeth emerges as one of the most fascinating and controversial women in history, and as England's greatest monarch.

The book opens...

"When I look back over the first twenty-five years of my life and consider the number of times I was in danger of losing it, I believe--yes, I fervently believe--my destiny was to be a great queen. I swore to God then that nothing should ever stand in the way of my fulfilling it. And I have kept that vow."

RM59.90
448 pages
Publisher: Three Rivers Press
Borders

Include Reader's Guide, Bibliography and the first chapter of another novel about Queen Elizabeth's elder half-sister, Mary Tudor, known as Bloody Mary, the daughter of Henry's first wife.

The Other Boleyn Girl (Philippa Gregory)

2009-05-06T02:31:00.000-07:00

I bought this book in December 2007 when it was released but didn't have the time nor mood to to read it until now when my interest towards the history of England rulers especially the Tudors sparked up again. I always have a great affinity towards the history of England and its rulers but I was hooked up on other authors at that time.

I have never watched the movie but glimpsed at the trailer from YouTube and I find that the screenplay writer has changed some of the content from the book although it claimed to be based on this book.

I don't think I will like the movie because the book is so much fascinating and yet disheartening to know the fate of the women who wanted to climb to the highest seat in the court only to end in rivalry with those who don't favour you.

Some say it's out of survival reason that they have no choice but to get the King's attention and love to secure a place but how safe is it? Just look at Anne Boleyn (mother of Queen Elizabeth I) who managed to make King Henry VIII in divorcing his first wife, Queen Katherine in order to marry again. But when the King has suspicion on Anne, she faced the same fate.

Those who are interested in Queen Elizabeth I should also read this book. It is like a prequel to know the story of the queen's mother and after reading it, I can see how Queen Elizabeth has the same drive and high ambition like her mother, Anne Boleyn. It's like mother, like daughter.

The book is written from the point of view of Anne's sister, Mary Boleyn who was more sweet-tempered and more down-to-earth than Anne. And one more thing, in the movie, they made you think King Henry raped Anne but it's not in the book. She made sure the King married her first before giving herself to him.

Have you read the book or watched the movie? What do you think?

RM36.90
735 pages
MPH

MPH 'JIMAT' SALE

2009-02-18T00:02:00.001-08:00

MPH 'JIMAT' SALE
18 -- 22 February 2009

Members enjoy 15% off all books while 10% off for non-members.
MPH Readers' Circle, MIM & MPH Kidz Club members enjoy additional 5% off all books on
18 -- 20 February 2009.

For more information, call Customer Service at 03-2938 3818 or log on to www.mphonline.com

Acacia (David Anthony Durham)

2008-12-22T10:03:00.000-08:00

This is the first fantasy book by a historical fiction author whom many critics believe to be a master in fantasy epic. Below is the synopsis from the book's backcover...

Presiding over Acacia, an empire named after the idyllic island from which he rules, Leodan Akaran has inherited a peace and prosperity won long ago by his ancestors. He's an intelligent man, a widower who dotes on his four children, and it is this devotion that obliges him to hide a terrible secret from them.

An assassin from the Mein--a race exiled long ago to the frozen north, strikes and the Mein unleash surprise attacks against their old oppressor. Mortally wounded, Leodan puts into play a plan to enable his children to escape, to survive and to fulfil their destinies. And so begins an epic quest, to avenge a father's death and restore an empire.

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Every chapter ends with a great cliffhanger that will make it hard for you to put down the book but the next chapter will always begin another side of the story describing another character in another place. So it makes you anticipate even more to continue the previous chapter.

You may get a little confused at times because there are many characters involved but trust me, the story shows more shocking revelations as you read on. There are so many surprises in the character's development which is cleverly written. Everything is in detail with not much dialogue involved but when the characters talk, it's all important words.

This is only the first book of the Acacia series. I can't wait for the second book to be published.

RM49.90 (Hardcover)
687 pages
Publisher: Bantam Books
MPH

The Trojan War (Barry Strauss)

2008-12-13T10:20:00.000-08:00

If you're a fan of ancient history and wonder if the Trojan War between the Troy and Greeks are true or not, then this is the one for you. The war was depicted in Homer's epic poem titled The Iliad and The Odyssey but it's too abstruse for most readers but in this book, Barry Strauss explores the myth and the reality of the war from Homer's accounts to Heinrich Schiliemann's discovery of ancient Troy in the late 19th century to more recent excavations that have yielded even more intriguing clues to the story behind the fabled city.

Barry Strauss is a professor of history and classics at Cornell University and a leading expert on ancient military history so he knows what he's writing. This book is easy to read and understand without losing the poetry and grandeur of the epic myth.

I've devoted to read a chapter every single night before I go to bed and I must say I have fallen in love with the story told by Barry Strauss regardless if the war is a myth or not. As I said, if you like ancient history and war, this is a must-read!

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks
258 pages
RM57.90
Borders

It Had To Be You - The Gossip Girl Prequel (Cecily von Ziegesar)

2008-11-01T20:46:00.000-07:00

Before Blair ruled Constance Billard,
Serena left for boarding school,
and Nate came between them....

With all true honestly, this stanza totally did it for me. I could hardly resist getting my grubby hands on this one fine book at the sale. (Or rather, my just-manicured-hands on the dust-infested books on the shelf!)

Like, which self-respecting himbo doesn't love GG?

Anyways, the story begins with three, practically glued-to-the-hip, completely gorgeous fifteen year-old spoilt teenagers from New York City's Upper East Side. Do I really have to name them? Oh well, for the uninitiated, they are Serena van der Woodsen, Blair Waldorf and Nate Archibald. Lust, sex, lies and dark secrets surround them but each remains oblivious to it (at the beginning of the novel at least)

Hmm, maybe they aren't as close as we thought...

And of course, we also have Dan Humphrey and his sister, Jenny with her ever enlarging bosoms (and she's barely passed puberty!) in addition to Vanessa Abrams (who is even more unlikeable than the one in the CW TV series).

If you think Gossip Girl TV is nasty, just wait for the books! LoL...

But I gotta warn you, the storylines are pretty detached and different, save for the names!

Not a literary gem, the language used is pretty teensy and trashy! (suh-weet) but yeah a pretty relaxing brainless read.

Admit it, you're already falling for GG!

401 pages. Purchased at the MPH Distributors Warehouse Sale in October 2008.

Price: RM22.00

A Thousand Pieces of Gold: A Memoir of China's Past through its Proverbs (Adeline Yen-Mah)

2008-11-01T10:27:00.000-07:00

New York Times best-selling author of Falling Leaves, Adeline Yen Mah shares the soul of one quarter of the world’s population through the story of her Chinese upbringing. For her, the age-old proverbs of Chinese culture vibrantly reflect the legacy of China written on her heart. Through this book, she narrates the story of China through her eyes.

I remember, reading her debut uber wonderful literary gem autobiographical novel when I was 15 years old. I finished it in one night! Literally, 6 hours. It is that good!!!

A Thousand Pieces of Gold is a great inspirational work of art. Vividly entwining the origins of the selected proverbs with her life story made an impact on the reader - me.

Anyone and everyone who wants to know more about Chinese culture and understand it with the heart instead of rote memory should get this book!

We are, after all, at heart, "Little Sparrows with Dreams of Swans".

371 pages. Purchased at Borders at The Curve, Mutiara Damansara in March 2008.

Price: RM37.90

On Beauty (Zadie Smith)

2008-11-01T10:07:00.000-07:00

The reason I bought this book was because the cover looked great! Yeah I know. I am superficial.

But then again, its other marketing tactics worked on me...

"Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize"

"Winner of the Orange Prize 2006"

Ah, I thought "Maybe reading this sorta books will make me look smart and brainy (than I already am)"

I am unable to give a reasonably fair review here due to the following reasons:

1. It took me almost a complete blue moon cycle to finish it (I interrupted this read with other simpler books)

2. The font's pretty small. And the paragraphs were pretty long, with few punctuation.

3. There were not any memorable chapters/verses/scenes for me. Except the extramarital affairs, cross-generational sexual relations, inter-racial stereotypes, immense use of labels and that sorta scandalous elements.

4. Only the exceptions to the item above kept me interested in pursuing the "adventure" that entailed.

5. I left the book back in my hometown. No point of reference here.

6. I habitually read it whenever I had trouble sleeping late at night.

7. I could not comprehend some of the points being presented in the text, even after re-reading the relevant chapters.

8. The American setting did not seem real to me.

9. The twists and turns of the plot confused me no end.

10. This book is too brainy for me.

Thus ends my commentary of this book.

446 pages. Purchased at Popular Bookstore at Sunway Pyramid in December 2007.

Price: RM57.90 (came in a bundle of 3 other books published by Penguin)

The Time Traveler's Wife (Audrey Niffenegger)

2008-10-19T20:20:00.000-07:00

Besides having watched on screen about people who can time travel like the movie Back to Future, I have never come across any novel that features this ability until I read this book by Audrey Niffenegger.

Overall, it is funny, cute but with a sad ending. And after I have finished the end, I try to go back to the first chapter and it makes even more sense to it because with this time travelling action, you would know what the characters are talking about.

There are only two main characters; Henry and his wife Clare and a few sub-characters, so you won't get confused. It's difficult to write a novel with three to four hundred pages with limitation on the number of characters but this author did it very well.

So, have you read it before? What do you think of this book? Do you like it?

Publisher: Vintage
518 pages
RM 44.90
Times Bookstore

The Highlander (Heather Grothaus)

2008-10-04T10:20:00.001-07:00

This is a historical romance with sex scenes which I find not too explicit but still enough to give you a hard-on for guys who read it. The Highlander is the 3rd book of a trilogy about medieval warriors. The first two books are The Warrior and The Champion.

I kind of like it and if you're wondering why am I reading a romance novel, well, I just want to broaden my reading scope and see what's in store for me in every different genre of writing. It's an easy reading where you can finish it in one or two days' time in which I did in three days due to my heavy load of work.

Here's the synopsis from the book's back cover:

When Evelyn Godewin departs from her native England, she's looking for a new beginning. Yet fate has other plans in store for her when she's left stranded alone in an unforgiving highland forest, hunted by wolves as winter sets in. Determined to make the best of her surroundings, Evelyn seeks shelter in an abandoned cottage in the woods. But when Conall MacKerrick, a highland chief, bursts into the cottage and accuses her of trespassing, Evelyn tells him a lie she knows she will regret one day. Much to her surprise, she finds herself falling in love with the highlander...

Conall MacKerrick believes his clan is cursed, and when he meets Evelyn he thinks he has found the key to lifting that curse. He must marry her--or at least, get her with child. Seducing the striking beauty is the only way to save his people and his pride. Even as he begins to trust that she will heal not only his people's troubles, but his own heart, he discovers the secret that could destroy their newfound love.

Publisher: Zebra Historical Romance
342 pages
RM 22.76
Kinokuniya

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (Lewis Carroll)

2008-10-04T10:13:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know this is such an old story but it's an all-time favourite, don't you agree? Honestly, the first time I was introduced to this story was through the animation movie I watched when I was very young. Since then, I remember the story until now even though I didn't have the book.

So the other day when I was in a bookstore, I saw the book and made an effort to buy and read it because of a few reasons; 1st - I want to have a chance to look at the printed words on something I've watched so many years ago, 2nd - I love to read classic literature like this and others such as Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, the Bronte sisters, etc., 3rd - it's so cheap!

I was laughing and giggling on most of the scenes when I was reading it and I finished it in one sitting. Do you like Alice's adventures like I do? Share with us your favourite classic story.

Half of a Yellow Sun

2008-07-13T08:33:00.000-07:00

Half of a Yellow Sun is the author's second book which won the Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction 2007. Her first book Purple Hibiscus managed to be shortlisted for the same prize in 2004.

At first, I have doubts to get this book but after reading the first page, you'll be hooked. Trust me. It's something new and fresh. It's a bit different from the mainstream authors but if you're hoping to get a phenomenal plot then I better warn you beforehand.

The author does not shy away from the sex scenes because it's a part of human's nature. So I assume this is not something you would want to give to your younger readers to avoid being asked embarrassing questions about sex. Hahaha!!!

The ending is nothing to shout about but overall, it's a good writing and I actually like the houseboy's character the most because he's the one who brings life to the story.

Have you read this before? So what do you think of the story? Do you like it? It's not something I would recommend to everyone unless you're into story without action-packed scenes. You have to be patient and expect nothing while reading it. That's what I feel after finishing it.

Publisher: Harper Perennial
433 pages
RM 49.90
MPH

Michael Tolliver Lives (Armistead Maupin)

2008-06-03T10:56:00.000-07:00

This is an EXTREMELY gay-oriented book!

Latest publication by Armistead Maupin, author of of the phenomenal Tales of The City series (hip in the 80s I reckon). It is technically a spin-off from the series with telescopic focus on Michael Tolliver, "everybody's favourite fictitious gay guy". The protagonist is now in his fifties and living as a HIV-positive man while still working on his nursery/gardening business.

He is now married to a guy 22 years younger and has to deal with a octogenarian FTM transsexual former landlady who is more of a mother to him then his "biological". This biography or so it seems, narrows down on this intriguing character and his trials, tribulations and tripping experiences along the way. Fortunately, there is some nostalgic moments from his past interspersed at appropriate junctions for the unbeknownst.

Maupin calls it "a smaller, more personal novel than I've written in the past." The plot has a very American TV series taste to it with generous subtle twists. Interesting characters are introduced along the way. We even have a MTF transsexual and familial incestuous accounts somewhere in the story.

A satisfying simple read.

277 pages. Purchased at Book Xcess at Amcorp Mall in May 2008.

Price: RM19.90

Confessions of a Park Avenue Plastic Surgeon (Cap Lesesne)

2008-06-01T08:22:00.000-07:00

Picture from Cap Lesesne, M.D.

Haha... another review on a medically-related book from me.

I bought this book cos it sounded very ala Sex in the City and filled with some medtalk. Hmm, why not right?

Dr. Cap Lesesne, an internationally known plastic surgeon whose clients most laypeople would recognize from movies, TV, and the covers of magazines—supermodels, royalty, rock stars, and the very, very rich; has changed a man into Jennifer Aniston, having a transsexual wanting to get breast implants on his/her back for his/her lover to fondle to having patients being murdered by his colleagues to dating Katie Couric to being stalked by patients.

But upon commencing the read, I was agog. I was amazed and intrigued by Dr. Lesesne's writing. He documents all his thoughts and stories in a chronological manner close to the form of maintaining a diary. There is a strong cohesive subtheme being strung along the seams in the form of his sacrifices and struggles in his love for his job. Particularly the toll it has taken on his personal life. I am sure all his drafts went through multiple levels of editing and reviewing before going to print.

But in retrospect, this memoir of a rare sort still portrays an honest and dignified theme to the readers. Which I believe is quite a select few. (Honestly, I wouldn't have found the book had I not had the time to look through all the books in the shelf. My first gem of a find from that shelf was Concertina: The Lives and Loves of a Dominatrix, haha a review for another day)

It was a pleasant surprise to discover the intricacies of the field of plastic surgery and the cutting-up people business in general from the words of Cap Lesesne. HE IS VERY FAMOUS AND SOUGHT AFTER, I believe. Probably it was due to me being on the bus to my rural posting for health screening at a orang asli village. The first few chapters were really encouraging and influential in soaring up the spirits. Ah, in short, this book is a must-read for all surgeon hopefuls, particularly plastic surgery (NOT ME!) and anyone who wants to discover the field.

273 pages. Purchased at Book Xcess at Amcorp Mall in May 2008.

Price: RM17.90

A Thousand Splendid Suns (Khaled Hosseini)

2008-05-19T00:18:00.001-07:00

I love his first novel The Kite Runner so much that I bought so many to present it to my friends and colleagues as a gift on their birthdays. I have watched the film too and I must confess that I have never cried so hard and so much in the cinema before. The book had the same effect on me too.

Right after I finished his first novel two, three years ago, I tried to googled in the internet to find if he has written other bew books and you can imagine how excited I was when I found out about his second book A Thousand Splendid Suns.

I finished it in one day. I just couldn't put it down. In general, you will learn about the life and fate of women in Afghanistan. The struggle and the sacrifices will make you realize how fortunate and blessed you are, having the pleasure of reading a book at your leisure time while people in that country are fearing every second of their lives.

Keeping Faith (Jodi Picoult)

2008-05-19T00:02:00.000-07:00

This may not be the latest book by Jodi Picoult but since she's my favourite author, I am collecting all her books. The Pact was the first book I read and from then I told myself to look out more about this writer and the next book I got was My Sister's Keeper which had me stunned by her excellent writing-style, smart plot, twisting storylines with shocking and unbelievable ending. And of course, it made me cry. She is such a genius! And I love her!

So, after being used to her style, I thought I know what to expect in Keeping Faith but I was wrong. There was not much suspense or shocking as I thought there would be. But hold on! I am NOT saying it's not good but what I want to tell readers out there is that this is a controversial kind of book regarding religion.

If you're extremely sensitive about the issue, I recommend you not to read it because there are quotes and statements that might offense you. For those with an open mindset , this is a good read. In fact, while I was reading it, my mind is playing the image of every scene like a movie.

I can assure you that if this book was made into a film, there would be a bigger form of protest and banning compared to what Dan Brown received for his Da Vinci Code. But the ending left me wondering if Faith (one of the characters) was really talking to God. What do you think?

Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science

2008-05-10T05:44:00.000-07:00

I actually hesitated many times before buying this book, especially noting that I found it in the "Medical Reference" section of the bookstore. I was wondering whether this was another addition to my mountain pile of medical texts. But I was left satisfied, well more than that, impressed and maybe even humbled.

In short, the author, Atul Gawande is a surgical resident at a hospital in Boston and a staff writer on medicine and science for The New Yorker. He graduated from Harvard Medical School (amboi!) Not suprisingly, this book (while not his debut publication per se) was a National Book Award finalist.

So yeah, this book is NOT purely based on the field of surgery as the title might suggest but it is more of a general view of the medical vocation by an insider, so to speak.

But do not be mistaken that it is a book written for a specific market (i.e. medical students, interns, residents etc). I strongly believe that the readability befits everyone as Gawande included some medical terms/conditions understandable by the layman. In many ways, going through this book reminds me of the early exposure to all things medical during my first year. For me, it is also a paraphrased compilation of medical journals! Haha...

This book portrays the stress of virtue and ethics in the practice of medicine. It humanises this revered industry by exposing some shocking details (nothing criminal though). It encourages continuous improvement in the physician practice and the key to success in the field. And the author achieves this by presenting real patients and real scenarios to make his point.

If anyone wants to understand the "imperfect science" that is medicine, this book should be highly recommended. Upon completion, the reader shall understand that its strength lies in its imperfection.

269 pages. Purchased at Borders, Queensbay Mall Penang in March 2008.

Price: RM53.85

A book review: My Family and Other Animals (Gerald Durrell)

2008-05-04T08:10:00.000-07:00

This book is purely wonderful. I'm a lover of animals and any tale involving animals usually do capture my interest and my good opinion. However, this book is more than that. It tells the story of Gerald Durrell during his childhood stay on the Greek island of Corfu and the many animals he met, discovered and kept as pets. Woven into the story is the various antics and eccentricities of his family that really made the book such fun to read. Indeed, the book is full of wit, satire and sarcasm that livens up the story in so many ways, making it all really laughable.

I got the book at the weekend flea market at Amcorp and it was really such a steal. I forgot how much I paid for it but it was only a few bucks. Gerald Durrell wrote various other books and I'm currently searching for them. I'm hooked.

Yeah, they even made a television series based on the book. I can't seem to find a download so I guess I'll have to purchase it.

Finally, I'll leave you with an excerpt that really made me laugh and I feel that was a wonderful ending to the book. He managed to capture the sorrow of leaving Corfu but yet manages to make light of the event by injecting a little humour into the scene, making it a perfect closing to a great tale.

As the ship drew across the sea and Corfu sank shimmering into the pearly heat haze on the horizon a black depression settled on us, which lasted all the way back to England. The grimy train scuttled its way up from Brindisi toward Switzerland, and we sat in silence, not wishing to talk. Above our heads, on the rack, the finches sang in their cages, the Magenpies chuckled and hammered with their beaks, and Alecko gave a mournful yarp at intervals. Around our feet, the dogs lay snoring. At the Swiss frontier our passports were examined by the disgracefully efficient officials. He handed them back to Mother, together with a small slip of paper, bowed unsmilingly, and left us to our gloom. Some moments later Mother glanced at the form the official had filled in, and as she read it, she stiffened.

'Just look what he's put,' she exclaimed indignantly, 'impertinent man'

Larry stared at the little form and snorted.

'Well, that's the penalty you pay for leaving Corfu,' he pointed out.

On the little card, in the column headed Description of Passengers had been written, in neat capitals: One traveling Circus and Staff.

'What a thing to write,' said Mother, still simmering, 'really some people are peculiar'.

The train rattled towards London.

The Last Empress by Anchee Min

2008-04-03T21:17:00.000-07:00

Review:

Ok lah....this book is not bad.

Change of Heart (Jodi Picoult)

2008-04-03T09:29:00.000-07:00

Yes, you all know she's my number one all-time favourite author and she's really good. If you have read My Sister's Keeper and got shocked over the way she twisted the plot and surprised you with a totally different unexpected bold ending, you'll be served with the same treatment in her latest novel Change of Heart.

I didn't expect myself to have tears in my eyes while I was reading the last few pages especially when you know you cannot undo what has been done and you'll be moved to tears on how altruistic the innocent man took the blame for the sake of saving the child.

You have to read this! It's a must! And Jodi Picoult uses the same way she present the story as you can find in one of her novels titled The Pact where there is no chapter numbers but each character tells the story from his/her point of views.

And there's a lot of issue on religion and look out for the scenes between Maggie and Dr. Christian's date. It's hilarious and sweet. There's even a gay character too for those who like to read stories with gay characters in it.

I can't wait for what she writes next.

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
447 pages
RM59.90 (with 20% discount with the purchase of another item in a single receipt)
Kinokuniya

The Road (Cormac McCarthy)

2008-03-27T11:02:00.000-07:00

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction 2007 and an Oprah Book Club Selection is enough to convince me how good it should be since it's an award winning book, right? But I was wrong. So wrong. I have doubts now for award winning books.

There were like so many critical acclaim and praises from different magazines and papers in US and UK which I personally feel it's all over-stated for the work. I felt cheated. REFUND!!!

You won't find any numbers indicating the chapters, there's no name for the characters, only common nouns are used such as 'the boy' and 'the man' for there's only two main characters, the father and the son. Even the style of writing gets me cranky. McCarthy didn't use apostrophe for compound nouns and thus, you will be reading words like shouldnt, cant, havent, wont. But the funny thing is that he used it for words like that's, it'd, etc....

The paragraphs can be as short as three lines of sentences with few words for a sentence. Sometimes two words can be a sentence. And after I have finished, I am still wondering what makes it a winner and I would really like to find out about the other shortlisted works that didn't make it to the top.

The only joy I get is the dialogue between the father and the son. It's cute. Funny. The rest? Plot moves slowly and descriptive paragraphs drags you nowhere. Have you read this? What do you think? And for those who haven't or wish to buy it, please DON'T!!! I HAVE WARNED YOU!!!

Publisher: Picardor
307 pages
RM34.90
Kinokuniya

The Innocent Man (John Grisham)

2008-03-27T10:51:00.000-07:00

After 18 best-selling novels about law and order, John Grisham has finally attempted on his first non-fiction book titled The Innocent Man. The main character, Ron Williamson, was a star baseball player in his college but years of injury, drinking, drugs and women took their toll that eventually brought him to be falsely convicted of a crime he didn't commit.

This is a true story of the criminal justice system gone terribly wrong with arrogant prosecutors, bad eye-witnesses, inexperienced defenders that led a man's journey to hell. Even though Ron was freed after eleven years of prison, the mental torture he went through is a horrible nightmare.

You don't have to worry about this non-fiction being a boring book to read because it has the legal thriller like his other novels but all the more chilling because it is true. You won't regret it.

Publisher: Arrow Books
501 pages
RM33.90
Kinokuniya

Shalimar the Clown (Salman Rushdie)

2008-03-18T04:26:00.000-07:00

Truth be told, I am not a great fan of political novels and this one by Salman Rushdie did not change my perception much. I tend to avoid political novels purely based on the reason that if I would want to read about politics, I could just as easily purchase the daily paper. However, the story of an American ambassador, his wife, a village dancing girl, their love child, an Islamist hit man and how they are all tied together by both love and hate intrigued me enough to purchase the book. As much as I stood in the bookstore trying to hazard a guess, I could not imagine the plot connecting their much disconnected backgrounds. These separate lives on several continents and in numerous countries seemed like an insurmountable task to be put together into one novel.

When read, I certainly enjoyed the story development but the writing is too abstract for my taste. I do know that thoughts and feelings are abstract in their original form but is it not the job of a writer to capture them into writings easily understood and imagined? Though some parts of the novel proved to be much easier to fathom and read, overall it was a struggle to complete.

To me, it was alot of words, a lot more cultural references, neverending pop culture, infinite name dropping and definitely more than enough political messages.

False Impression (Jeffrey Archer)

2008-03-08T05:22:00.000-08:00

The author has served five years in the House of Commons, fourteen years in the House of Lords, and two years in Her Majesty's prisons, which spawned three highly acclaimed Prison Diaries.

False Impression is his first novel since being released from prison, and he just published a new volume of short stories entitled Cats O' Nine Tales. The author is married with two children and lives in London and Cambridge.

I bought this at the Popular Bookfest last year so I'm not sure if that's the reason why the price is so cheap. One interesting feature about False Impression is which the author uses dates instead of the usual numbers to indicate the chapters.

The whole story unfolds around 9/11 when the Twin Towers in US got hit by 2 planes and Archer is clever to put his everything happens around that time where you can feel what the people who are working in the towers felt when it was hit by the first plane.

Here's the synopsis......

An old lady brutally murdered the night before 9/11

a New York banker receives left ear in the morning post

a top-notch lawyer works for only one client...but never charges a fee

a professional young woman steals a Van Gogh...but she isn't a thief

an Olympic gymnast is paid a million dollars...but has no bank account

an honour graduate inherits a fortune...but works as a temp

a Japanese steel magnate gives $50 million to a woman he's only met once

and a senior FBI agent is trying to work out the connection between thses seven apparently innocent individuals.

The journey of twists and turns that takes you from New York to London to Bucharest and on to Tokyo...and finally to a sleepy English village, where the mystery of Van Gogh's last painting is finally resolved.

And only then will you discover that Van Gogh's Self Potrait with Bandaged Ear has a secret of its own that acts as the ultimate twist in this unforgettable yarn.

451 pages; RM26.90

A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian (Marina Lewycka)

2008-02-27T08:38:00.000-08:00

Wow! What a long and intriguing title huh?

Don't worry. It isn't in the Ukrainian language but it does have some info on development of tractors.

When I first saw it, I was like... WHAT??? A story book of tractors? But rest assured, it is a humorous book about Ukrainian immigrant settling in the UK. It has pretty rave reviews all around and was nominated for various book awards, namely the Orange Prize.

While I don't think it is extremely funny, it is engaging enough to keep me tattering on the edge of my seat, literally, awaiting the next scene to unfold. The characters are warm and real with sufficient development relevant to importance of their roles. The author used enough descriptive components without being boring.

The storyteller, Nadezhda and her sister, Verochka must work together and put aside their lifetime of differences and conflicts to salvage their ageing widowed engineer father from the gold-digging Valentina (their new stepmother who is like, younger than they are). Dad's 84, Stepmom's 36. The latter exploded into their lives like a fluffy pink grenade, churning up the murky water and kicking up a huge mess of drama involving some nasty skeletons hidden in the closet.

Valentina, a native Ukrainian divorcee will stop at nothing in her ruthless pursuit of Western wealth.

Will the family survive the onslaught of twists and turns? Read to find out!

An enthralling read on social satire and immigrant life. I enjoyed it.

326 pages. Purchased at the Penguin/Pearson Book Sale in November 2007.

Price: RM10.00 (what a steal, right?)

Atonement (Ian McEwan)

2008-02-24T20:53:00.000-08:00

It was a beautiful read. What more can I say? The tale of two sisters estranged by a moment's whim of uncertainty and the tale of two lovers' uncertain estrangement combined proved to be a novel of both exceptional plot and exquisite writing. The writer manages to be unsparingly descriptive but yet minimally wordy making the book a rather easy read.

The book is incomparable to the movie whereby the character development of Briony in the book took on an even greater depth than I could ever imagine. Briony turned out to be more complex in personality, character and thinking yet at the same time more lucid to readers as the book explores most of her memories with greater clarity than the movie can manage. Even more so is the war scene described in the pseudo-memories of Robby where one can actually feel the heat, grime and despair painted in words by the writer.

As much as credit must be given to the movie, the book is a must read for all the fans of the movie.

My last verdict? Definitely a literary delight!

Anonymous Lawyer: A Novel (Jeremy Blachman)

2008-02-24T09:12:00.000-08:00

I love this book.

It is totally hilarious. Written in the form of a blog, Anonymous Lawyer is a devilishly brilliant fiction piece (I hope!) that burns off the fancy veils and plunges directly into the horrors of the field of corporate law.

He lives a lie but posts the truth.

"He" is Anonymous Lawyer, a hiring partner in one of the gigantic law firms. A brainiac yet ruthless in his aim to be Chairman of the firm. He is not very tolerant of subordinates who do not 'breathe, eat, sleep' for the firm. He expresses disgust for holidays (even maternity leaves) and any staff that is NOT legally-trained.

Also, there is his 'stupid-according-to-his-standards' colleagues, a wife that spends as fasts as his earns, a teenage daughter who is overweight by 2kgs and he calls her Obese, a 8 year old son who is his hope for the future.

In comes a bunch of summer interns from law schools around the country, awaiting the opportunity to learn, yet unconsciously, sent themselves into his torturous dungeon of very little mercy.

And how does he de-stress? By starting a weblog to tell the world about how life is really like at the top of his profession. Inject a little work politics and drama. And poof! There you have a simple, light, funny read albeit not the most fantastic ever.

Visit him at www.anonymous-lawyer.blogspot.com!

P.s. The blog really exists. Seriously!

278 pages. Purchased atBook Xcess Amcorp Mall (on V-day last week!)

Price: RM17.90

The Manny (Holly Peterson)

2008-02-23T22:54:00.000-08:00

Everybody needs to read a trashy book once in a while. And The Manny does that for me this time. Exciting promise of a story but poorly delivered, in my humble opinion.

Jamie Whitfield is a high-flying (almost!) news producer in one of the major networks and is narrowing down on a scoop which could be very well THE BIGGEST POLITICAL HEADLINE OF THE YEAR! She only works 3 days a week and gets a ridiculously high pay (WTF!) as she is married with 3 kids and a apartment in the Upper East Side equipped with a nanny and a housekeeper. She is an average neighbourhood girl from Minnesota who got into this side of the continent after marrying Phillip, the high-flying lawyer who seems to never ever be satisfied with his achievements.

Being busy and all with the huge assignment and an ever-absent husband, put her in dilemma with a very unhappy eldest son, Dylan... Jamie is desperate for help!

In comes the manny, Peter Bailey. "With his perfect butt and tight low-hanging jeans".

Her new manny seems like a harmless and very contributing addition to the family. A necessary male adult figure in the household. Everybody loves Peter. Especially Jamie. Too little much than appropriate. After the first quarter of the book, the protagonist just keeps on fantasising and practically drools over her "help" like a teenage schoolgirl.

There is even a chapter, okay, a section on ORAL SEX. And lotsa sex inserted in various junctions in the book. Sex sex sex sex sex sex. And some back door sex.

The lead is portrayed (i think!) as a self-righteous, overly confident lady who thinks she is oh-so much better than all the other rich wives. B*itch! Well, from the likes of her friends, she is not very smart either. The high society is presented as a bunch of brainless amoebic lifeforms who have nothing to worry about other than Bulgari bracelets, Faberge eggs and appearing on magazine covers. And guess what? They love to cheat on and with each other's spouses.

This is chic lit, in the *ho form. I finished this in like 2 days simply because I wanted to see how idiotic things can develop and NOT because it was unputdownable. I kept thinking "what a stupid author!"

Good as a relaxing, ~~brainless~~ light read I assume. But not something that will change your life, not even in the most microscopic way. Not in the good way, at least.

The horrifying thing is, a sequel is in the works. *gasp*

Large print, 408 pages. Purchased at Book Xcess Amcorp Mall (on V-day last week!),

Price: Rm9.90 for one, RM19.90 for 3 books (from a selection)

I'm now reading: The City of Dreaming Books by Walter Moers

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (Jonathan Safran Foer)

2008-02-22T06:26:00.000-08:00

First of all, I would like to say that THIS IS THE MOST UNUSUAL BOOK I HAVE EVER READ IN MY LIFE!!!!

I have heard quite a lot of about the author and his critically acclaimed debut, Everything is Illuminated (already purchased and on my to-read list). I read this book and let it skip queue cos of rave reviews la in addition to the pictures and weird stuff in the book.

This novel is about Oskar Schell, a 9 year-old New Yorker boy who has just lost his father in the 9/11 tragedy. He is having difficulties coping with the loss as they were extremely close. Oskar is a boy who plays the tambourine, loves having dehydrated ice-cream (???) and is a BIG know-it-all. That last bit about him really irritates me.

He is a majorly emo little kid. I find it hard to believe a 9 year-old can be so neurotic and borderline psychotic even. He behaves poorly around his widowed mother and grandmother, who go out of bounds to care for him. Unfortunately, the affluent family does not believe in spanking.

Oskar likes to give himself a "bruise" whenever he felt stupid, inadequate or sad. I don't understand this.

He writes letters to famous academicians like Stephen Hawking and Jane Goodall. Speaking of which, there is an odd use of letters inserted at various junctions in the book. Some repeated even. Some paragraphs were repeated verbatim. Aiyoyo!

The author used various graphics as stimuli perhaps to better illustrate Oskar's discoveries as he goes on an investigating adventure trying to solve the puzzle of a supposed heirloom from his late father. These include, pictures of people's heads, bridges, doorknobs, door, scribbling on a few notepads etc. Really weird stuff.

Also, there is this character of Oskar's absent grandfather who left the family long long time ago. He refuses to talk, although he isn't mute, hence he writes whatever he wants to say on a notebook. Or points. This uncle even tattoo-ed Yes on his left palm and No on the other (for FAQs I figure). Yes, strange indeed.

In short, this book is good to realise the quirky out-of-the-norms writing style but it isn't spectacular or captivating. Didn't like it but didn't hate it either. Supposed to be hilarious but I failed to appreciate the humour. I struggled to finish reading it. But I liked the ending. Almost, kinda... sorta.

338 pages. Purchased at Popular Sunway Pyramid in January 2008.

Price: RM54.95 (in a Penguin Pack of Threebies, 3 books for a special price?)

I'm now reading: The Manny by Holly Peterson

The Starbucks Experience (Joseph A. Michelli, Ph.D.)

2008-02-21T07:41:00.000-08:00

Just read finish the book: The Starbucks Experience by Joseph A. Michelli, Ph.D. I do a quick summary within the chapter that i read already. Took me almost 1 week to finish the whole book.

- Do you know the first Starbucks store is in Seattle's Pike Place Market?
- They call the worker as 'partner'. That is awesome. It makes you like part of Starbucks family.

There following the 5 principles. You heard of it.
1 - Make It Your Own Way
2 - Everything Matters
3 - Surprise and Delight
4 - Embrace Resistance
5 - Leave Your Mark

Let's see the first principle ' Make It Your Own Way '. There's another 5 principle under it.
- be welcoming ( offering everyone a sense of belonging )
- be considerate
- be knowledgeable
- be involved
- be genuine ( to connect, discover and respond --> a relationship )

For the principle ' be genuine ', you must thought treat customer with sincere heart. But it requires more than that. Genuineness requires listening through both verbal and inverbal channel.

The book content:

1- Foreword by Jim Alling, president, Starbucks
2- U.S. Business
3- Acknowledgments
4- Introduction
5- PRINCIPLE 1: Make It Your Own
6- PRINCIPLE 2: Everything Matters
7- PRINCIPLE 3: Surprise and Delight
8- PRINCIPLE 4: Embrace Resistance
9- PRINCIPLE 5: Leave Your Mark
10- A Final Word
11- Bibliography
12- Reader's Guide

I'm re-read through this book. There's a lot of things i can abstract out to apply on my daily life. I simply love this book. The point of view from customers, workers and so on. True stories gather around the world to fit in the book. Positive react to the comments.

This book you HAVE to get. Thrust me it so inspiring. This book belong to my friend. He got it from Kinokuniya with RM 87.80. Got extra 20%.

Is expensieve but worth it.

Regards,
Chester

Nineteen Minutes (Jodi Picoult)

2008-02-03T21:17:00.000-08:00

I just couldn't put down the book especially when I know there are 68 more pages and you are in the middle of a courtroom drama. I mean, how could you stop reading it further, right?

Reading Jodi Picoult makes me regain the confidence that there are still good authors after being extremely disappointed and cheated by Kim Edwards' first novel. Urgh! Even the mention of her name makes me sick!

Alright, let's get back with Nineteen Minutes. If you were a victim of bully in school, you should read this. In fact, I would recommend this book to every parent. If you're a parent with kids, you should read this! Seriously.

Just when you thought she (Picoult) has no more new twist, you'll be surprised by one somewhere along the line. That's what I like about her books. It makes you stopped at the moment just to re-read the shocking statement.

If you have read any of her books, you'll know what I mean. The way she arranged the sequence of the plot is very clever. When you think that character is at guilt, you're wrong. The author will change your way of judging someone and your perception of that person.

You wanna know how good it is? I read till 2am and doze off after the last page, forgotten all about shower. Hahaha!!!

Interpreter of Maladies – Jhumpa Lahiri

2008-01-21T14:23:00.000-08:00

This being her debut publication, Jhumpa Lahiri garnered award after award including the New Yorker Prize for Best First Book, the PEN/Hemingway Award, shortlisted for the Los Angeles Times Award, and ultimately the one of the highest honours in the writing profession, winning the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

Which means I am approximately 8 years late in reading this literary gem.

What attracted me initially to this book was the review by Amy Tan on the cover.

‘she is one of the finest short story writers I’ve read’ amy tan

I was like, if Amy Tan says so, it is fact. Yeah I love Amy Tan lah. A magical author she is. [More on her another day.]

But I digress.

I had initially planned to read one story a day just prior to sleeping… [there are 9] but I finished it in like 2 days! Simply captivating and unputdownable. After finishing each story, one can hardly wait to progress and see what surprises are in store in the next.

Generally, the stories revolve around the Indian immigrant experience. The plots are strong, moving and close to heart even if there is an assumed cultural difference. What appears to be a fixed literary depiction of the Indian community both in the USA and India, is actually an honest representation of every day lives in every ordinary human being like you and I.

I sighed with relief as a couple distanced by a tragedy rekindles their love in A Temporary Matter while the wondrous innocence and importance family revisit the mind in When Mr. Pirzada Came To Dine. A departure from the stories of well-educated individuals, we sympathise with the stairsweeper’s misfortune in A Real Durwan. The true definition of Sexy is then discussed. Imagine a day in the babysitter’s home in Mrs. Sen’s or the perils of settling into a new house in This Blessed House [very reminiscent Dharma and Greg to me]. How some people believe that sex is the cure to what appears to be epilepsy in The Treatment of Bibi Haldar. How a mere odd acquaintance can affect your life in great lengths in The Third and Final Continent.

My favourite is the one that shared the same title as the book. Interpreter of Maladies [third story in reading order] show a part-time tour guide with more soul and heart than the bourgeois couple with a dark secret, he is bringing around. With shocking twists and turns, I was kept entertained with suspense and comic relationship forming.

The stories pull the heart strings at all the right places. The language is simple yet dazzling in coherence. I have never read anything close to Lahiri’s style of writing and this is a real eye opener. I have been to neither Bengal nor Boston but I could relate to the stories in my surroundings very well.

I am not exaggerating when I say that reading the Interpreter of Maladies is a wholesome experience.

198 pages. Purchased at Borders Queensbay Mall Penang, May 2007. [Yeah, just got around to reading it.]

Sorry, can’t really recall the price ‘cos Mummy Dearest paid the bill. Haha and I got a habit of removing the price tags off the books once I get home.

P.S. Thanks to sweet sweet lovable Calvin for inviting me to contribute to this blog. Definitely gonna get me to blog more and READ MORE too!!!

The Memory Keeper's Daughter (Kim Edwards)

2008-01-20T05:17:00.000-08:00

If you're thinking to read this one, I will shout "NO!!!" loudly into your ears. I am serious. Dead serious. Please! I'm sure you got better things to do than read this one.

The synopsis at the back cover was what attracted me to buy it but I realize my mistake when I'm into the 3rd chapter as the plot is moving extremely slow. Mind you, this is only the author's first novel.

I told myself to give some time and maybe it will pick up the suspense but I was wrong again. You will never get the climax even you're in the middle of the book. And the same dialogue keeps repeating among the characters again and again. It is very annoying!

The characters have no room for development at all and most of the elaboration on things and scenery is just too long and unnecessary. If you really want to read it, just borrow from someone. But don't say I didn't warn you.

After reading the end, I feel so down and disappointed that I don't feel like reading another book again but then, I am picking up my next book titled Nineteen Minutes by my favourite author Jodi Picoult to regain my faith and confidence in reading a good book.

Welcome!!!

2008-01-19T07:54:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my new blog titled STRICTLY READING where we only talk nothing else but books. So if you're a book lover, an avid reader, bookwhore, bookworm or whatever book- you may be, do join in as a member of this blog.

This blog is created for bloggers like me and you who like to read and for those who like to know what's new in the world of books. Once you join as a member, you can post in this blog about the most recent book you have read. Tell us what you think of the book. Just like a review we read in newspaper or magazines about books.

Do remember to write the title of the book and author's name and put up the cover of that book. It would be even more helpful if you could write out the price, number of pages and the bookstore in which you bought the book for others to check it out.

So, interested to join? All you have to do is email me at calvinsblog@yahoo.com and I will add your name and email into the list of members who can post in this blog.