Not entirely reading related, but what a whimsical idea! Wedding couple gets guests to choose which table they sit at based on their type of book. Not sure if it’d work in Singapore, diet restrictions and all, but more so, since Singaporeans don’t really read 
Would you do this at your wedding though? (I think, I might get so bored I’d just read the book through the wedding dinner!)
Somewhat fated to read this book, having once chanced upon it at the library display, and a few months later, again at another library. I needed to grab something quick, so Winter Garden it was! Was relatively surprised to discover that this wasn’t my first Kristin Hanna novel; I’d previously read Firefly Lane which would probably set my expectations at a relative low.
The first few chapters of the book were typical American trashy, contrived conversation, predictable, but the Russian fairy tale started mid novel and I’ve been struggling to put it down since. How does the darkness, hopelessness and loss in the tale spin into the future? What’s the link between the past and present? How does the story fall into place? (Of course, there will be a happily ever after. I think.)
*edit: Just finished reading the book. It ended beautifully! <3
I came across an exerpt from The Waiting Land while reading Her Fork in the Road (Lisa Bach) – a book chronicling women, travel and food (my favourites!) – and was immediately intrigued by Dervla Murphy’s travels through Nepal as a single white female in the 1960s.
As someone who had to motivate myself to go to work in order to fulfil my dreams of travelling to Tibet one day, the idea of a caucasian female living and travelling through rural Nepal almost 50 years ago is a captivating prospect. I mean, it is not so much surprising to have such a situation in modern day circumstances, but I simply can’t imagine what courage, adventure and good humour she must have had to embrace and write lovingly about the mini disasters, cultural differences and labourious treks and cycling journeys she made through the villages and countryside. A quick look on amazon.com would reveal that she also penned down her journeys through Eastern Europe and various other regions, although this would be her most popular title.
Fortunately, the library repository still had a copy of it, and I marvelled over the simple life, her descriptions of unspoilt, natural beauty and amusing descriptions of Nepalese quirks. Makes me just want to book a ticket and fly over immediately. Question being, would my experience of Tibet be as endearing as hers in Nepal? (Yes I know they’re 2 different countries, albeit in the same region) Would I still get to admire open landscapes of 50 years ago? Has modernity made life any easier or better for those living in the himalayas?
Until the day I get to find out, dig into this book and retreat into the joys of the road less travelled.
Now that my jaw is swollen and painful after dental surgery, I’m thinking about food every 2 hours, so naturally my next post has to be about an eating place. I’ve wanted to visit Vanilla for the longest time, after hearing so much about it, just that it being in the middle of the central business district makes it really far out and quite impossible to find. Finally managed to search it out, one sunny Saturday afternoon after cycling class.
Considering the hustle and bustle one usually encounters on weekends or in town, Vanilla on a weekend was an oasis of calm. Choosing the little open space at the back over the dim interior, my lunch was satisfyingly enjoyed amongst cool and lush greenery, in the warmth of natural day light, to the strains of Olivia Ong. Friends highly recommend the Vanilla Dirt Cake but I had the Katsu Curry and Pumpkin Croquette. Mmm. Bliss.
I think of it longingly as an escape into the quiet relief, to lose myself in a book or to savour a sweet. Till my next opportunity to chill!
Book designers will be happy to know that this book caught my eye while purusing the shelves at the library. While on the topic, I also have something to say about how NLB catalogues their books, because they put Michael Wright’s Cest la Folie and Je t’aime a la Folie in the French culture section, which pretty much condemned them to oblivion. Unless you just happen to be like, walking by.
Although Cest la Folie was the prequel, I chose to read Je t’aime a la Folie first, probably because it had the cuter cover, but also because the content lay close to my heart. 40 year old ex art critic moves to rural France to farm and fly aeroplanes. Quality of life: 100 marks. Love life: 0. How does a boring music geek living in a village of grandparents fulfil his desire to find a soul mate? Every sentence he wrote could have come through my very lips. Consolation: at least, somewhere out there, a male species feels the same way I do too.
But call it fate, much to the indignition of cynical me, his soul mate does exist and turns up at his doorstep! Against all odds! I can’t even manage that in a bustling city, how did he??? I’ll leave the details for you to find out. If you’re a fervent believer of hope against hope, lap up every detail of the book. If you’re sour grapes like me, savour the first half and skim through the second half (it’s still charmingly written, nevertheless).
Cest la Folie, also somewhat charming, feels a little washed out after having read the sequel. But maybe you’ll find his struggles to speak and live French a little more interesting than I do. Makes me think twice about moving to another city.
Here‘s their happily ever after
Michael writes here
Was on my way to work one day when I spotted a girl smiling and laughing while reading a book. Being in the throes of agony (I mean, who wouldn’t be, going to work?) I craned my neck desperately to read the title: “Hector and the Search for Happiness.” Obviously, just what I needed.
The book is very thin and easy to read, so I won’t go into detail here but in the story, Hector is a psychologist who seeks happiness for his clientele and eventually summarises them into 5 categories. Hmm… should I reveal them here? :p
Back then, it helped me realise why I’d been so miserable, although months later, I’m blessed to be able to experience all aspects of listed happiness, thus making me a pretty contented person right now. If you are unhappy, the book will amuse you, if not give you something to ponder about. If you are happy, use it to remind yourself of how blessed you are and savour the richness of life. And if you’re in between, use it to fulfil your life even more.
I also read Hector and the Secrets of Love thereafter. It really wasn’t as invigorating as the first (as most sequels are – Lelord has since written an entire Hector series for die hard fans) and I’d say, a little disappointing.
For a relatively tepid title, the visual impact on receiving this book left a strong impression on me – completely red cover, even the sides of the pages were stained a strong red, and later while reading the content I understood why – the antagonist is always and completely dressed in red.
How do I begin to explain why an almost 30 year old book written by a reknowned author, discussed in literature classes, made me want to get to the end, even while cringing all the way? To start off with, too many mysteries – a life not unheard of but perhaps forgotten, the sorrows of people & past left behind, a cold harshness coupled with a terrifying ending which makes me pray that the life I know will never turn out that way. At least not in my life time.
This book makes me appreciate the freedom I have now and all the the people and things I love. Would you?
Any of you use virtual bookshelf on facebook?
Well I was happily reporting my latest read when they decided to recommend Land of a hundred wonders to me. I truly can’t imagine who voluntarily read that book, but its crudeness and loopholes were let’s say… horrendous.
Spiced by Dalia Jergensen may not be the most apt title. Unless she means the spiced up stories she writes about in her memoirs as a rookie up to her current accomplishment as (I assume) much desired food stylist. Dalia is a dessert person (See? No spices involved), someone who gave up her agonising office job for a chance at the bottom of a 5 (or rather, 3) star kitchen.
The next time you’re enjoying your dessert in a chic, posh restaurant, think about the filth, politics and fatigue that goes on behind the scenes. One might think that a high class restaurant might have passed some form of hygiene rating, better than a coffee shop, but in truth, the back of kitchen counter may not be that much cleaner than your average hawker centre. The people in it may not be that much more politically correct than your 9 to 5 office boss. The hours could be equally exhausting, but the pay isn’t exactly more attractive.
Not counting the burns, customer complaints, constantly being on your feet, and complete lack of social life. Something to think about on your next restaurant visit.
Now in hand:
Generally speaking, I avoid reading books that are terribly mournful and speak of suffering, atrocities and hardship. But something in the synopsis convinced me that maybe, I wouldn’t quite mind reading this book.
Prying open the pages one sleepy Sunday morning, it took me a while to get used to the appalachian slang and the characters in the book. Written in 3 sections, from 2 or more persons perspectives at a time, the tale of 4 generations of women who were born and lived on Bloodroot mountain is narrated.
Perhaps it is the curse, or perhaps someone who has had a taste of living free could never stay put in confinement for long. And so the struggle to live free and love strong is a battle to be won through the decades. Time changes all things but the determination to hold on to your faith decides whether you emerge victorious.
