The Reader

Book: Jigs and Reels Stories

It has been quite a while that I have been looking for a book of short stories.Last night,while I was at Popular bookshop,I was happy to get hold of this book written by Joanne Harris.The list price of the book is USD 13.95(2006) but I got it for RM 19.90.It is a soft cover published by Harper Perennial.

A few years ago,I read  Chocolat,written by the same author.I enjoyed reading the novel.My wife and me went to watch the movie as well.I hope this collection of short stories tastes better than her Chocolat.However, in the course of my reading of short stories, nothing beat The 36 Short Stories written by Sir Jeffrey Archer.

If any of you had read and enjoyed reading collection of short stories,please share them with me.Thank you.Happy reading...

I was inspired..

Congratulations to you Mr John Wood!I was greatly touched and inspired by your work.In seven years you have collected almost 3millions books and built up 3600 libraries across the world to help the under privileged children to get access to books.
This act of kindness reminds me of what my rich cousin who donated about a million ringgit to build a religous school in Patani .To contribute to the noble effort,my friends and me collected a few thousands ringgit to buy books for the school library.
InsyaAllah,I will try to emulate the good examples shown by Mr John Wood in my own small way for the schools in my kampung who are still short of books in their libraries.
To my friend Dr Bubbles(Iskandar),I will continue my support to your good deeds.

@the KLAB

  Book autograph 
  Originally uploaded by Adibi

Yesterday was a really busy Sunday for me.I attended three events-jogging at KLCC(plus books browsing at Kino) from 8am to 10:30am.Then at 12noon,I left to Pasar Seni Annex to drop a few books to give away at our Malaysia Bookcrossing table in conjunction with KLAB.From here,I took LRT to Amcorp Mall to meet my schoolmates who are interested to meet/talk about photography.Later,I arrived home at 6:30pm dead flat out:-)

Note on the photo:
Ms Animah Kosai signing on my copy of Kaki Script and looking on is Ms Tan Kheng Khooi who gave away her book David Copperfield(1964) to me.Thanks to both of you! Chet is shown giving away a book.

Book: The Last Lecture

It took me less than a week to finish this book.Honestly,I hate reading sad story but somehow I did buy the book.It is story of how a university professor lives his life after he was diagnosed suffering from a pancreatic cancer with a few months to live.On a few pages,I was choked.Here is the link to his blog.

While I was reading the last section The Final Remarks of The Last Lecture last Friday,I got the sad news that the executive chairman of Naza Group passed away due to cancer of the lung.Al-Fatihah to Allahyarham Tan Sri Nassimuddin and my condolence to the family.It also reminds me of Azura,Pak Zawi's daughter who is undergoing treatment of cancer in Kelantan now.I wish and du'a for her speedy recovery,insyaAllah.

Reading the book reminded me of my late friend and my neighbour Azhar who passed away due to lymph cancer many years ago.I remember writing a blog about him entitled: I lost a friend...Every two weeks,I visited him and we had teh tarik together.This is my real first encounter with a cancer patient.

As a muslim, the most precious spiritual gift is the iman-The Belief in Allah swt and His Prophet Muhammad S.A.W.And the greatest physical gift from Allah swt is the health that most of us took for granted until we get sick.I am one of those who often forget to be grateful to our Lord for failing to give enough thanks and gratitude for His Rahmah on many of us.Ya Allah,please forgive your humble servant for my ungratefulness and forgetfulness.

One of the lessons learnt from the book and my personal conversations with my late friend who died of cancer is that the path of our lives are all pre-determined by All Mighty God.Our choice is only about how to walk along that path....[or play the given cards as mentioned in the book]

This reminds me of British comedian Woody Allen said: If you want to make God laughs,tell Him your plan.But plan we must do and we also must pray for Allah's mercy on us.

World Book Day

As a booklover,I was aware of it and was reminded by other biblio-bloggers.Why didn't I blog about it? To be honest,I am disappointed at the efforts taken by authorities to promote reading.So  this frustrated old fellow let it passed by...

But today, this old fellow got energised  a bit by the news below.IMHO, there was NOT enough EFFECTIVE  efforts taken.I call upon the National Library to present to the nation the performance review of their programme for the last three years and to come up with  a revised strategy and action plan for the next three years.

Personally, I have attended a few launchings of Bulan Membaca, but looking back, they were more ceremonial than anything else.

What did I do to promote reading? I persuade my relatives and friends to read books and sometimes I gave away my books to them.Last year, I bought 20 books and lent them to my schoolmates.They were supposed to read them and exchange them at the next monthly 'teh tarik' gathering.I hope they do....

Reading in silence for World Book Day

 
2008/04/27

KUALA LUMPUR: Five hundred children between the ages of 4 and 6 read storybooks in silence for five minutes yesterday to mark World Book Day. They were joined by more than 1,000 people at the National Library and thousands of others in public libraries in Malacca, Terengganu, Perlis and Sabah in conjunction with the "Let's Read Together" programme.

   The event, aimed at instilling a life-long reading culture, was held concurrently at the four state public libraries.

   National Library director-general Raslin Abu Bakar said the children were picked  from 19 kindergartens here.

He added that a survey on the reading habits of Malaysians would be conducted soon and he was confident that the results would show that they were reading more than they did three years ago.

   A survey in 2005 found that Malaysians read only two books a year.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation declared April 23 as World Book Day to further strengthen the love for reading.

Colouring and public speaking contests were also held at the compound of the National Library. There was also a fair selling books, clothes and snacks.

   The event was opened by the Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry secretary-general Dr Muzahet Masruri.

---

© Copyright 2008 The New Straits Times Press (M) Berhad. All rights reserved.

At Wardah Bookshop,Singapura

  At Wardah Bookshop,Singapura 
  Originally uploaded by Adibi

Honestly,I was very reluctant to get out from this bookshop!
{Macam tikus jatuh ke dalam tempayan beras!}

Last weekend,I went to Temasik(aka Singapore) to be with my kids -one is working in JB and the youngerone is on training in Singapore.We decided to have our morning coffee(plus martabak,of course) break at Zam Zam restaurant-just opposite the road to Masjid Sultan. While waiting for my wife going window shopping,I discovered The Faridah Of Islamic bookshop called Wardah Books and it reminds me of the Specialist Bookshop once located at KLCC.It has a great treasure of high quality Islamic books,especially on sufism.The ambience is also great and after I bought a book entitled Liberating The soul Vol1(A guide for Spiritual Growth) written by Shaykh Nazim Adil al-Haqqani,I don't feel like going any where else.

My great syukur to Allah Rabbula'lamin for His Guidance to lead me to this treasure of knowledge.Alhamdulilah.

My du'a: Ya Allah,please don't leave me alone to myself and please guide me all the way and all the time until I arrive to be with You ,Allahu Rabbul'alamin.

The Choice

Life is a journey where the road we travel has a few junctions along the way.Some are minor junctions but a few are major ones (like Spaghetti Junction in Birmingham) that can greatly affect what is coming before we are going to meet another junction or a flyover.At each junction or intersection, we are faced with choice to select only one route.Once the decision is made, we continue our journey and we all shall own the consequences of that decision.

My first major choice to study at my kampung (village)or to go to a boarding school after my std 6.Then, I have to make a choice to change school when I was in form 3(LCE)-to remain in SDAR or to move to TIKL.After my MCE(O Level), most of my friends went to Technical College and I chose to do my HSC(A Level).Later I chose to study at Sheffield University and not at other university.Upon graduation,I have to choose to work in JKR or DID.And later,I had to choose my bride...

And the list go on....until I die. Life is full of choices and a few times, we may not make the right choices.Even after we made a choice, we don't even  know whether we made the right choice.The element of uncertainty is inherent in all decision makings.

Last night, I saw this book The Choice written by my favourite author Mr Nicholas Sparks at MPH Bookshop and immediately I bought it for my wife.The title prompted me to write the short note above about choice.It is not similar to solving linear algebraic equations where there are uniques solution to each problem.Every decision is a risk.
My first encounter with Nicholas Sparks when I bought his book called The Notebook.When I finished reading it, my wife took  a little longer time to read it because she had to stop a few times when she needed some extra time to wipe the tears that keep flowing down her cheeks.To cut the long story short, both of us are fans of Nicholas Sparks.

This book is a present for my wife.Currently,I am still reading The Last lecture .Have a good weekend everyone.

Book:Brida by Paulo Coelho

During my normal weekly browsing at Kinokuniya Bookshop yesterday,I saw a new book with a title Brida by my favourite author Paulo Coelho on offer of 20% dsicount.As usual,I can't resist the temptation and bought a copy and immediately started reading it.To Peter Drucker,my apologies for playing truant at your A Class with Drucker for the next few days.Let me roam the spiritual journey with Paulo Coelho and when I am tired,I shall come back to join your intellectual discourse.

So far,I have read 9 books written by Paulo Coelho and I enjoyed reading all of them except one(The Witch of Portobello).IMHO, the best book for me is the book Like The Flowing River.I bought two copies because my sister wanted my original copy.

Here is the link to his website.

Book: A Class with Drucker

There is no need for me to say anything more about Peter Drucker as a management guru of the 20th century.When I was a manager in a property company in 1985,I started reading his books.I lost count of books written by him but the latest book on my bookshelf is about his teachings written by his students.The book is entitled A Class with Drucker by Dr William A. Cohen.

From my personal experience, the teacher usually taught something more  in his class than what he had written in his book.I got more knowledge from attending lectures by Prof Dr Syed Naguib al-Attas (ISTAC)and Prof Dr John Kotter(HBS) than by mere reading oftheir books. That is the reason why I am very eager to read the book by the student of Peter Drucker,so that I could grap something more as if I were there in Peter Drucker's class.

In a similar manner,after the kuliyyah(lecture) at our masjid,I made an effort to eat together with my guru after his lecture.There is always something more I can get during the conversations while having breakfast or supper with my guru.

If you wish to gain  more knowledge and wisdom, stay close and connected with the wise  men of knowledge.

Book: Higher Ground

Remember Tsunami 2004?

From my friends who were initially involved in providing assistance to those affected by the tsunami,there is a lot of work in progress to get the people of Acheh to re-build their lives...When a disaster happens,many heroes will rush in,but after some time,only a few are left to do the balance of what need to be done.This world of ours has plenty of opportunities for anyone of us to do good to others.No need to go far;sometimes it is just next door or in our own kampung.

Yesterday,while browsing at a bookshop(which I usually do a few times in a week),I came upon this book with the title Higher Ground.Let me quote the following:

Higher Ground tells the stories of sixteen children,from different parts of the world,who lived through the 2004 tsunami.Best selling children's authors recount powerful tales of tragedy and fear but also of courage,hope and survival.

What lessons can we all learn from this great and devastating event?

Note: For details of the book,you can see the left side of my blog.