13.Mar.2011 Incoming Non Fictions
In the midst of my non fiction binge, I succumbed to the world wide web and acquired these babies. I have since started on a new novel, so I may have passed that unusual phase. But really, I have all the intention to get to them in near future. My libraries don’t stock any of [...]
06.Mar.2011 Nothing to Envy: Love, Life and Death in North Korea by Barbara Demick
In my non-fiction binge period in year transition, I jumped at this book when I heard it from JoV. Since I visited South and North Korean border back in 2008 I had been looking for books on North Korea. This country who has cut itself from the outside world and seems to be in perpetual [...]
22.Jan.2011 Nine Parts of Desire: The Hidden World of Islamic Women by Geraldine Brooks (1994)
“My interest in Islam had everything to do with being a women and zero to do with being a Jew,” thought Geraldine when asked by a Muslim Gaza woman why every time someone comes to research about Islam, they turn out to be Jewish. My interest in Islam has everything to do with growing up [...]
19.Dec.2010 Banker to the Poor by Muhammad Yunus
As a person who wishes to contribute something to the world in her small ways, I’m always on the lookout for a good cause to support. I heard of Muhammad Yunus many years ago from a friend who shared about a website called Kiva, in which upon a quick browse I first heard about micro-lending. [...]
21.Nov.2010 Megumi: Documentary Manga on Abductions by North Korea
Before Megumi I never knew about the existence of “Documentary Manga” so I took the book out of the Japanese Foundation Library shelf with high curiosity. As what the title says, the manga is a true account of the abductions of Japanese people by the North Korea. Revolves around Megumi Yokota (横田めぐみ) who is one [...]
02.Jun.2010 Pedro and Me by Judd Winick
I have to thank Michelle for this one. If not for her glowing review I wouldn’t have picked up the book judging from the cover. It looks like some cheesy TV series from the 90s (not the first one, the second one below. I put the blue cover first because I just don’t like that [...]
26.Nov.2009 Clueless in Tokyo by Betty Reynolds
Clueless in Tokyo: An Explorer’s Sketchbook of Weird and Wonderful Things in Japan is the second book in the series that I read after Squeamish about Sushi by the same author. Once again, the illustration was always a joy to look at and the little things were fascinating to learn. For example, the instruction on [...]
13.Aug.2009 Squeamish about Sushi by Betty Reynolds
Squeamish About Sushi: And other Food Adventures in Japan is an illustrated “guide book” to eating in Japan. Delightfully drawn and colored in water color pencil, it shows various situations that you may find in Japan, from eating in a restaurant, Japanese style inn (ryokan), to Sumo stadium. From cherry-blossom (sakura) viewing, street food at [...]
16.May.2009 Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
This is the first book by Malcolm Gladwell that I read. I have Tipping Point and Blink on my shelf, but I got attracted by Outliers that I reserved it from the library and had to wait for a few months (I was 4th on the queue) to get my hands on it. To tell [...]
05.May.2009 Ethel & Ernest by Raymond Briggs
Ethel & Ernest is a true story of Briggs’ parents, from their first encounter to their deaths. It’s a story of two ordinary people, who experience the changing of the world around them: Second World War, the arrival of television, people landing on the moon, as they brought up their only son. It’s really nice [...]