Ted Mahsun

Am on leave today, and have been since Monday, because I deserve a break after the horrors of the KLIBF , y'know? Decided to drop by BookXcess at Amcorp Mall today to check out their sale. Arrived at around 2pm and met the usual suspects-- Sharon Bakar , Chet , Eric Forbes, Janet Tay and even Tan Twan Eng ! So anyway, here is what I eventually walked away with: Flint by Louis L'amour (I'm going through my Western phase now, having left my SF phase) The Gates of Night by Keith Baker (Hurrah! Now my Eberron Dreaming Dark trilogy is complete; yes I'm a D&D nerd, and an Eberron one at that, so sue me) The Planets by Dava Sobel (cos everyone likes rocks that go round and round) The Yiddish Policeman's Union by Michael Chabon (but it has a terrible Trade Paperback cover...) I also bought a chick lit book for the missus but we shan't mention that! :p

The Times recently announced their list of 50 greatest British writers since 1945 . I'm putting the list here to check how many I've read, heard of, or have their books lying around but not read. Key: Read: In Bold Heard of: In Italic Own their books, but unread: In Red 1. Philip Larkin 2. George Orwell 3. William Golding 4. Ted Hughes 5. Doris Lessing 6. J. R. R. Tolkien 7. V. S. Naipaul 8. Muriel Spark 9. Kingsley Amis 10. Angela Carter 11. C. S. Lewis 12. Iris Murdoch 13. Salman Rusdie 14. Ian Fleming 15. Jan Morris 16. Roald Dahl 17. Anthony Burgess 18. Mervyn Peake 19. Martin Amis 20. Anthony Powell 21. Alan Sillitoe 22. John Le Carré 23. Penelope Fitzgerald 24. Philippa Pearce 25. Barbara Pym 26. Beryl Bainbridge 27. J. G. Ballard 28. Alan Garner 29. Alasdair Gray 30. John Fowles 31. Derek Walcott 32. Kazuo Ishiguro 33. Anita Brookner 34. A. S. Byatt 35. Ian McEwan 36. Geoffrey Hill 37. Hanif Kureshi 38. Iain Banks 39. George Mackay Brown 40. A. J. P. Taylor 41. Isaiah Be...

We went to the Payless Warehouse Sale at the 3K Inn on Saturday. There were many books, as is usual with Payless's sales, but this time I found the selection wanting. The books were the same old books we've already seen and bought in previous warehouse sales. I decided to concentrate on finding books of genres that I had not bought before at a Payless sale. I came out with two Dashiell Hammets, one Louis L'amour (don't ask), a book of writings by Marx and Engel (because I'm a closet socialist), and two classic sf books, Starburst by Frederick Pohl, and The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling (probably the third time I bought this oft-lost book). I also "accidentally" bought two sf novels which I have absolutely no idea how it got into my book pile. I only noticed them after the guy at the counter had already scanned them in, and by then it was too late to cancel (without making a big fuss). The big downer is that both the sf books are ...

Used to be I did these reading lists once a month. Now it's once every 6 months. I must be getting forgetful. So this is a list of what I have read so far in 2007 ( minus one book ). I am currently reading: Bila Tuhan Berbicara by Faisal Tehrani A science-fiction post-apocalyptic novel and boy does it have lots of science in it, especially from the point of a vulcanologist. The science is balanced out by a healthy (some would say un healthy) dose of theology. The novel is actually presented in a drama format and it's interesting where Faisal takes the reader within this self-limited confine. I'll be writing a review about this book soon, so watch for it. I have previously finished reading: 15 Jan 2007: The Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac Likeable, but hard to read. I have a feeling that Spontaneous Prose is an acquired taste, like wasabi or sambal belacan. On the whole, it is an okay book. I liked Ray's hitch-hiking and freight hopping journeys across the US as well as hi...

Haven't done one of these in ages! I am currently reading: Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino I am sooooo in love with this book. It's a book that makes you think and reflect on imagination, the human condition, society and life using cities as a frame and guide. Also, Marco Polo is one cool dude. The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins I'm reading this very slowly. I started reading this back in October... only half-way through... Is it any good? It makes for interesting reading but if Dawkins thinks he can stop people believing in God by writing this book, then I can only say that's one heckuva climb up Mount Improbable. I have recently finished: 14 Oct 2006: The Malayan Trilogy by Anthony Burgess because of its many "controversial" elements (racial stereotypes mostly) many people here will pass over it. A pity, because not only is it a very good caricature of Malayan/Malaysian society, it also serves as a warning of what things could become (have become?). Ap...

I am currently reading: The Malayan Trilogy by Anthony Burgess People keep saying Burgess is so irreverent in this one and I keep expecting the rudeness to appear, but it never comes. I've almost finished the first book, "Time for a Tiger", and so far, apart from the "orang darat" of whom I've never met, the descriptions seem to be generally accurate. Other than that, the book's a very fast and enjoyable read, especially so when you "know" what the real places are supposed to be and when you can understand the snippets of language the characters speak from time to time. I have recently finished: 4 Sep 2006: after the quake by Haruki Murakami Six wonderful but sad stories about the wide-ranging effects of a huge event (in this case the Kobe earthquake of 1995) and the emptiness of the human soul. Book ends on a carefully optimistic note. 5 Sep 2006: The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri A realistic portrait of life, confused identity and origins. Sad...

For my future reference, I: am currently reading The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri Ms. Lahiri just sucks you in with her delightful prose. Gf gave rave reviews about it so I thought I'd read it too. (Despite how certain quarters call her not a true reader, I trust her judgement anyway.) I'm only on chapter 3 currently but already I know this book will r0x0r my b0x0rz long after I'm done with it. A movie's in the works and is set to be released in March 2007, with Ms. Lahiri making a cameo as "Aunt Jhumpa". Watch the trailer . have recently finished 30 Aug 2006 : In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin Interesting in some parts, boring in others. I like how Chatwin ties in his journey around Patagonia with his family history, and how he relates history to the people and places he's visited. 21 Aug 2006 : The Darkness of Wallis Simpson by Rose Tremain Some of the stories were boring, meandering, and plodded along at the pace of a leatherback turtle lost on a beach. ...

For my future reference, I: am currently reading The Darkness of Wallis Simpson by Rose Tremain Started reading this last night. Was hoping the LRT ride this morning would last longer than usual so I could find out what happens in the title story (the first short story in this compilation). I hope the rest of the stories are of the same quality as this one. have recently finished Aug 14, 2006: Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman by Haruki Murakami Brilliant and enjoyable collection of short stories. Proof that Murakami is indeed master of the surreal as well as the unreal. Aug 2, 2006: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro Melancholic and nostalgic. Though written in simple language, the story is engaging till the end. Jul 30, 2006: Roald Dahl and His Chocolate Factory by Andrew Donkin Found this book lying around in my parents's house and gave it a read. Finished it in a few hours. It was okaaaaay. Some things I didn't know about Dahl were in the book, but I think those factoids c...

For my future reference, I: have recently finished Travels by Michael Crichton (enjoyed this) Dark City by Xeus (overall good read, a little disturbing at times) am currently reading Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro might be reading these afterwards The Darkness of Wallis Simpson by Rose Tremain ( shortlisted for this year's Frank O'Connor international short story award) His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik (have read lots of nice reviews about it) The Grand Complication by Allen Kurzweil (first five pages were intriguing) am listening this in the car The Ode Less Travelled by Stephen Fry (am currently stuck on how to compose verse in iambic pentametre while driving) Previous Reading List Update: 16 July 2006

For my future reference, I: have recently finished Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie am currently reading Travels by Michael Crichton might be reading these afterwards Dark City by Xeus Adik Datang by A. Samad Said Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro Is it my imagination or am I getting some strange looks when I read Midnight's Children on the LRT? Hmmm...