The FT featured it’s must read list of 2009 in last weekend’s section, which reminded me of how many ‘other’ books I have yet to polish off this year. I have fared poorly in my reading section in 2009, only managing 10 books in 11 months (two of which are graphic novels, and one a travel guide).
Read Fail.
Write Fail too? Seems like it.
[Heads up to those who remember a time when these two messages, once popped up on your computer screen, spelt doom and disaster of epic coursework-kena-tulis-balik proportions].
I will read this over the Xmas hols, I hear me promising myself. Except that I have a paper on accounting, banks and the credit crunch to write.
I finally saw the end of Paul Theroux’s Ghost Train to the Eastern Star, his sequel to the Great Railway Bazaar, if a sequel could mean a retracing of one’s steps rather than a continuation of a story. Theroux has written volumes of travelogues, and while I enjoy his prose, it is only his train sojourns from Europe to Asia that I enjoy muchly. In the same way I read Bryson’s Notes from a Small Island religiously; but none of his other tomes with as much passionate scrutiny despite enjoying his dry Anglo-American wit tremendously. Perhaps there is a need to be able to relate to the subject matter at hand for me – I failed to engage with Irwin’s The Alhambra prior to my visit to Granada; after spending surreptious moments of undescribable peace with its walls, Irwin’s architectural analysis made poetic sense.
Ida tells me she has finished three books in the last two weeks or so; and is now on her fourth. She commutes between London and Colchester everyday, which gives her effectively 2 hours worth of quality reading time.
A day.
I envy her.
Mulakan hari anda dengan Solat Hari Raya!
Fridays are bad for work. Today is a double whammy because not only is it Friday, it is also Eid-al-Adha. I grew up feeling sorry for people who had to work on Eid. Padan muka, bila dah besar aku rupanya yang kena kerja Hari Raya.
Oh well.
At least I didn’t have to wake up at 4.30am to stitch up somebody’s face. There are perks..