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At the KL International Book Fest '07.

I went to the KL International Book Fest on Saturday even though I hadn't really planned on going. The book fest hasn't really done anything for me for the past--I dunno--5 years or so. They're boring, crowded, and full of educational workbooks and textbooks. The book fest just doesn't give me any sense of enjoyment like the book warehouse sales of Times, Big Book Shop and Payless do.

But there I was anyway, mingling with the crowd at PWTC. My friend had suggested we go to the fest after a wedding we had attended that day (congratulations, Colin!) and not having anything else to do, I agreed.

Good thing I went. I finally got for myself two copies of Dewan Sastera, of which I haven't been able to find any issues since last year. I was interested in reading this month's science fiction-themed issue after reading Nisah Haron's post. I also bought two back-issues of i, an Islamic magazine (one about apostasy, the other about liberal Islam*), and one copy of Rejabhad's Mawar Oh Mawar, a graphic anthology of Malay folk tales. (I'm a huge fan of his other work, Tan Tin Tun.)

I wish I had come on Sunday though, since that's when Faisal Tehrani's new book, Bila Tuhan Berbicara**, was launched. Always a good opportunity to get a signed, first edition!

Anyways, I'm feeling a little weirded out that I went to a book fest and left with mostly magazines. Did you go? How did you find it?

* Mmm! Oxymorons!
** Trans: "When God Speaks".
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Comments

  1. Anonymous9/5/07 11:28 am

    I love Rejabhad's work. Perwira Mat Gila is a revolutionary of modern hikayat story. Haha.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ted Mahsun9/5/07 11:32 am

    Agreed! Rejabhad was a genius. It's too bad there's no one to take over his mantle.

    ReplyDelete

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