Playing Librarian

Did some major revamp on the blog for a cleaner look. Trying to muster my blogging mojo back!  Watch this space, I'm back. 

As promised, here's Part 2 of my Jonathan Franzen feature books. Title: The Discomfort Zone: A Personal History Author: Jonathan Franzen Page: 195 pages Genre: Non-Fiction Subject: Memoir First Published: September 1st 2002 The Discomfort Zone is Jonathan Franzen’s tale of growing up, squirming in his own über-sensitive skin, from a “small and fundamentally ridiculous person,” into an adult with strong inconvenient passions. Whether he’s writing about the explosive dynamics of a Christian youth fellowship in the 1970s, the effects of Kafka’s fiction on his protracted quest to lose his virginity, or the web of connections between bird watching, his all-consuming marriage, and the problem of global warming, Franzen is always feelingly engaged with the world we live in now. The Discomfort Zone is a wise, funny, and gorgeously written self-portrait by one of America’s finest writers. - Synopsis from www.goodreads.com A New York Times Notable Book of the

For this week I am featuring two books by Jonathan Franzen, an American novelist who is probably best known for the critically-acclaimed books:  The Corrections and Freedom. I have yet to read The Corrections and I have Freedom somewhere in my bookshelves   for almost a year now but haven't had the guts to pick it up due to its size (literally!). The two books featured however are from Franzen's non-fiction works. Here's Part 1: Title: How to be Alone Author: Jonathan Franzen Page: 320 pages Genre: Non-Fiction Subject: Essays First Published: September 1st 2002 From the National Book Award-winning author of The Corrections, a collection of essays that reveal him to be one of our sharpest, toughest, and most entertaining social critics. - Synopsis from www.goodreads.com This is one of the few non-fiction books that I have in my collection. I picked up this book one day while browsing aimlessly in the book store and this book in particular ca

Title: The Little Prince , originally in French: Le Petit Prince Author: Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, translated by: T.V.F. Cuffe Page: 118 pages Genre: Classics, Children's Subject: Fable, Philosophy First Published: Penguin Books (1943) A pilot stranded in the desert awakes one morning to see, standing before him, the most extraordinary little fellow. "Please," asks the stranger, "draw me a sheep." And the pilot realizes that when life's events are too difficult to understand, there is no choice but to succumb to their mysteries. He pulls out pencil and paper ... Thus begins this wise and enchanting fable that, in teaching the secret of what is really important in life, has changed the world forever for its readers. Often seen as a symbol of childhood innocence, Antoine de Saint-Exupery's best-selling book The Little Prince is cherished by children and adults alike across the globe. - Synopsis from www.bookdepository.co.uk  

Right, I abandoned this blog again. I haven't posted anything in the last 10 months! Seriously, if a blog can collect dust this blog will be full of it by now. But here I am trying to sweep off the dust and start fresh for the new year. I need a little motivation - a brand new laptop would be nice, thank you very much. Ha ha. But I haven't stopped reading. Reading is my life. I am happy to report that despite my crazy schedules right now - with work and personal life - I read more books than I did last year. Well, I read only 7 books last year, so not that there's much achievement in that department! All in all I managed to read about 40 books, minus a few that I couldn't get myself past page 50. So I gave up, with the hopes that maybe I will be brave enough to re-attempt them next time. And my book collection has expanded. As per my yearly tradition I went to the Big Bad Wolf Books sale earlier this month to replenish my stocks (Read last year post below)! I

So this is like a very belated post. At the end of December last year, we went to the Big Bad Wolf Book sale. It was a yearly event organized by a local book store where they sell books (fictions, non-fiction, children's books, etc.) at super discounted prices -- mostly 70% and up to 90%! I, a self-proclaimed book hoarder wouldn't miss this chance for the world! The place was huge and they claimed to have over 3,000,000 (yes, that's 3 million) books this year! Went there for 2 straight days :) And by the end of the second day, I had major back ache. Imagine carrying a 10-month old baby on the back for hours! But worth the pain, indeed. The damage: Few hundreds worth of books but I'm happy to got myself a few months' supply of reading materials.  And guess what: Due to popular demand, it will be back at the end of this month! 

Title: David Golder , originally in French: David Golder Author: Irène Némirovsky, translated by: Sandra Smith Page: 159 pages Genre: Literary Fiction Subject: Family Relationships, France (Paris), Jewish Capitalists and Financiers First Published: 1929 Golder is a superb creation. Born into poverty on the Black Sea, he has clawed his way to fabulous wealth by speculating on gold and oil. When the novel opens, he is at work in his magnificent Parisian apartment while his wife and beloved daughter, Joy, spend his money at their villa in Biarritz. But Golder’s security is fragile. For years he has defended his business interests from cut-throat competitors. Now his health is beginning to show the strain. As his body betrays him, so too do his wife and child, leaving him to decide which to pursue: revenge or altruism? Available for the first time since 1930, David Golder is a page-turningly chilling and brilliant portrait of the frenzied capitalism of the 1920