books are great (2)
If I really like a book, it will take me less than 3 days to finish reading it.
For example, Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code. Like everyone else, I later realised it was pretty much crap. But to give credit where credit is due, the book was gripping enough for me to finish it within 2 days.
I am a fast reader, even though I sometimes skip certain words and paragraphs and would go ‘huh what where’ when friends discuss a book. It’s a bad habit I’ve been unsuccessfully trying to change and finally I gave up. If I like the book enough I’ll read it again, more slowly the second (and third and fourth) time around.
Unless it’s Bill Clinton’s biography. I am sorry to report that it has been more than two months now, but I still have not reach the Monica Lewinsky story. Not even sure if it’s in it. It’s not that the book is uninteresting — I think Bill Clinton’s a charmer and I like his ideas on some things, but American politics can be draggy to read sometimes. Democrats, Republications, the entire US Senate and ruling procedures… it’s like being back in Form 6 and studying the Malaysian constitution and things you couldn’t care less about
My bro-in-law recommended that I read ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’. I saw that Sharizal has a copy and so I borrowed it. I hope to finish reading the book sometime next year
That’s why despite Sharon Bakar’s generous offer to lend me her copy of Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses, I am reluctant as for now because I know I will take a darn long time to read it.
For some reason, I’ve developed quite a fondness for Anderson Cooper. He’s so drop-dead gorgeous (to me), must be the grey/silver hair effect. I think I have a thing for older men, though Cooper isn’t that old. I read in some forums that even 16 year old girls and boys have crushes on him. No matter kids, you can love him all you like but at the end of the day, he’s coming home with me.
Hahaha, I wish
Anyway he wrote his memoirs, ‘Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disasters, and Survival’. MPH priced it at RM99.00. Kinokuniya is selling it at RM100.30. I am not about to spend over RM50 for a book, not even for Anderson Cooper so I guess I’ll have to wait for the paperback. Or rent it from Rent-A-Book. Or who reading this blog has a copy that I can borrow?
:D
I’m re-reading Dale Carnegie’s self-help classic, ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’ for the 20th time. I wish more people would read this book and apply its principles. Would make socialising a whole lot easier.
For the 1000th time, I don’t want to know everything there is to know about you, again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again x10000.
Phewww… that felt good.
No, not talking about anyone in particular.
I’ve read two of Adeline Yen Mah’s books, and they were about unwanted daughters. Quite sad, though I cannot relate to the stories. My parents could not be gender-biased even if they wanted to
Since my dad is the eldest son in his family, I always thought it was a pity that he did not have a son to continue the tradition, so to speak. Of course his younger brothers can and did have sons, but my dad is the eldest mah. You know how very traditional/conservative some Chinese families could be. In fact this preferential treatment is still very much in practise today. Ask your friends who have brothers, they may be able to tell you some stories.
But my dad begged to differ. He maintains that there is no difference between sons and daughters. His mother did not prefer sons over daughters, and he does not see any reasons why anyone should do that. Customs and traditions, yes but he thinks they are bollocks. Remember that my dad is a life-long atheist.
So while I cannot relate to Adeline Yen Mah’s sob story, I can very well empathise with her. It is utter bollocks to have fortune-tellers (unless you are in the profession itself, it is difficult to ascertain which fortune-teller is genuine or not) tell you that you must give away this and that son or daughter (but mostly daughters) because they bring you bad luck.
Nonsense. Bullshit. Horse crap. Ignorant dumb fucks who don’t deserve their children. Go jump into a river or three.
Hence books are great. You don’t need to go through some things to know that you have been very lucky, and there are many before you, and there will be many after you who will continue to suffer bad luck through no fault of their own. You didn’t ask to be born into this world, into a certain family, did you? So that wasn’t your fault, though I’m not saying that you should continue to wallow in self-pity, refusing to do something about it if you can. How? I don’t know, watch Oprah.
I didn’t need to be unwanted to know what it almost feels like, thanks to Adeline Mah’s powerful story-telling. In that sense, books are great. That was the point of me rambling on for so long.
I didn’t need to develop Neurofibromatosis Type II to have a glimpse of a patient’s life. Just buy Yvonne Foong’s “I’m not sick, just a bit unwell” for RM19.90 to read all about it.
I suspect the reason this post has such lack of direction is that I am so sleepy. Another working week starting tomorrow.
Jose Gonzalez’s Heartbeats music video below. Enjoy. Toodles.