The Bookish Clubbers

The Solitaire Mystery

2008-06-11T00:49:00.004+08:00

Finally a post. Finally I've done some reading during the hols. I wouldn't get any reading done if I was stuck on land.

The Solitaire Mystery by Jostein Gaarder was an apt book to read as it was a journey to Athens to search for the protagonist's mother, who has left to search for herself. Likewise, I'm perhaps veering on the edge of quarter life crises, and am searching for what I truly want in life. Seemingly like Le Grand Voyage, my brother-in-law was also travelling with his father, together with my sister and myself to Athens. Although I finished the novel only on the 9hr ferry ride back from Santorini from Athens, I whooped in glee as I identified the busy Syntagma Square and the majestic Acropolis mentioned in the novel.

The father, a highly-deemed philosopher by his son, raised issues about self-awareness and questions one's existence. Apart from these reflective moments, the story is wrapped around with the pack of 52 cards. I thought that it was thought-provoking to have each card representing 52 weeks of a year: 13 cards in each set (13x4=52weeks), with the Joker card to rule 1 day of the year - 52 weeks x 7 days = 364 / 365 days. And because the Joker does not belong to any set in a pack of cards, it has no identity, nor form, and thus questions its existence. That is, being a philosopher.

Apart from how cards represent the Calendar, relations from card-reading to Oedipal Complex surfaces in the second part of the novel, about how one cannot escape Fate. It was predictable to have the protagonist's life unfolding to the prophecy according to the cards during the celebration of the Joker's year, but nevertheless well-wrapped and wholesome.

One-third into the story, I became confused as it was a story-within-a-story, save for the different font. I didn't like the way the father throws faint light upon issues and not deal with them, or perhaps the writer's intention was merely to provoke some self-reflection in his readers. Before I continue just a little more, I must declare that I've not read Sophie's World and this is my first read of Jostein Gaarder's works. The predictability of the plot can be intepreted both ways - it was anti-climatic to know how the story would continue and end; yet I was geared to read on, to see if the prophecy of the cards would be fulfilled. Currently I'm reading The Road Less Travelled and Beyond by M. Scott Peck, a book long-left on my shelf. Hopefully more questions would emerge as I transform into a Joker before returning to Athens, Bangkok and Singapore.

Bookclubbing from Istanbul, 8.35pm.

QLRS Special Screening Series: The Willow Tree

2007-08-01T23:09:00.000+08:00

Sorry, this is a little late.

QLRS Special Screening Series: The Willow Tree

Catch the Singapore premiere of acclaimed Iranian auteur Majid Majidi's latest masterpiece The Willow Tree at the inaugural QLRS Special Screening Series, supported by the National Museum of Singapore and Festive Films.

The Willow Tree is about a university professor who regains sight and suddenly realises that what he sees now is different from what he "saw" as a blind man. Majidi, feted for classics like Children Of Heaven and Baran, has made a spiritually redemptive and visually stunning film with scenes that stay with you long after. The film opens in Singapore on August 23.

The Quarterly Literary Review Singapore (QLRS) is an independent and volunteer-driven effort which has been covering the Singapore literary scene since 2001 in the areas of poetry, prose, drama and literary criticism.

* In Persian with English subtitles, rating PG

Date: Friday, August 3
Time: 8pm
Venue: National Museum, Stamford Road, Gallery Theatre, Basement
Admission: Pay as you wish (but do contribute to help cover their costs!)

Seating is on first come, first serve basis

For more information: please email hsienmin@qlrs.com

Kafka on the Shore

2006-12-22T23:53:00.000+08:00

Over my one week backpacking trip in Cambodia, I've finished reading a novel which was bought 4 months ago - Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami. I've read his other bestselling novel before - Norwegian Wood and had enjoyed it. Every now and then, Japanese flavour (its culture, food and names) surfaces in his novels and subtly reminds his readers that it is a translation after all. He douses his writing with lines from famous philosophers and writers to enhance the joy of reading and strengthens the emphasis his characters try to make. The storylines are often unique and surprising, and probably ambiguous, but wonderfully and beautifully metaphorical.

Kafka on the Shore is about a fifteen-years old runaway in search of his mother and sister, and unexpectedly stumbles into a series of events which fulfilled his father's prophecy - killing his father, and sleeping with his mother and sister to be with them. Golly, what kind of warped notion is that?

No, it is not another Flowers in the Attic kind of incestuous relationship and it isn't so much of a typical Oedipal Greek tragedy here. Somehow, Murakami beautifully wraps the story in metaphors whereby one escapes to unknown places for soul-seeking (not searching) and to zones where time and memory are still and age is trapped. A strange man loses his worldly abilities in the academia but gains supernatural abilities to speak to cats and create significant effects in the metaphysical world of desires and dreams. A spiritual flute made by 'Johnny Walker' from the souls of cats; a quirky and mysterious 'Colonel Sanders' who provides answers and solutions to end searches (Nakato's goal and the police's search for Crow); a complicated-gendered but well-read librarian and an uncouth man with typical physical needs who learnt to appreciate the aesthetic nature of classical music and knowledge through books.

As the novel spoke of being lost in a mental labyrinth, physically wandering in an unfamiliar forest, comprehending ways in an adolescent maze, I have thoroughly enjoyed meandering around in the labyrinth with the characters within the novel itself.

I'd rate it 6.5/10.

Yes it kills

2006-12-18T11:37:00.000+08:00

Yes. Silence does kill the spirit. I hear you. :)

I am currently reading Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai. (This year's Man Booker Prize's winner) I've probably read 3 chapters but have so far found the language to be rich and culturally embedded.

Reading has been slow going but hopefully steadily. Will post periodically to update on my progress.

Opps

2006-12-11T03:18:00.000+08:00

I finished reading The Teacher Man by Frank McCourt during a backpacking trip in Vietnam, and yes, I've actually read until Chap 6 of The Master and Margarita but I haven't gotten down to blogging about it yet.

Sorry, procrastination takes over during hols. I'm out of town again for a week of backpacking in Cambodia this weekend. Until then, yeah?

Meanwhile, The Teacher Man reflects pretty much of what I've been doing in my workplace - creating a presence and let the act flow rather than using the word 'nevertheless' in the room. But for next year's acting, I shall use his method of 'engaging' his budding audience by using nursery rhymes and food reviews. Interesting ideas and I am crossing my fingers in hope that my audience would be outspoken like the American kids.

Silence kills, you know.

Just like silence on a blog. Sorry.

New Book!

2006-10-28T18:24:00.000+08:00

Fleeting thoughts, transient prints, whimsical desires.

2 more months to go in 2006.

I'm going to keep this blog going despite the disappointment. But well, it's Singapore, and I understand that living in this red ferocious globe seems to make us busy all the time. Yes, I mean all the time. Looking around me as I type this words - my table's really a sight to behold in my bedroom. Scribbles for a new script piled on an almost-hidden library book, my new 2007 organiser under my elbow, an unwashed Nalgene, a new Travel Planner under a Moodle DIY manual, an opened new notebook to plan for next year's YEP, a keychain from Krabi, a checklist for Monday's administrative matters, a pair of unused pink dumbells, Cambodian maps, a washed lunchbox. Such are the remnants of the past busy schedule and items of future plans.

I've not been sleeping in my room for the past nights, so my washed laundry, a new sportsbag I bought yesterday, a facial brush and cushions are strewn all over my bed.

It's hols finally and I have to get back in shape. No more procrastination and that means the same goes for this blog.

Enough ranting (sorry guys). Here's what I've been reading: 'Tis by Frank McCourt. I finished Angela's Ashes a couple of months ago and bought The Teacher Man, so I thought to myself, 'might as well finish the series'. I have this thing about reading all of the author's works since I got started on him/her - well, if the first one proved worthy of my time. I started this habit since I read Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles when I was 15 and got almost all her books until the late 1990s I think. The last few of hers that I've got are Violin, Memnoch the Devil and The Servant of the Bones. I've got Rice's Witches Chronicles as well, if anyone's interested.

I don't really fancy Frank McCourt because it's pretty narrative and straightforward, but it's interesting on the whole because his Irish life is different from what we have. And to view the American dream stemmed from his humble background in Limerick was insightful, echoing how the migrants would have desired and worked hard for.

I plan to finish this book pretty soon, then move onto The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov. I started the first chapter before starting on 'Tis and it proved to be very thought-provoking, thus I decided to read it with more seriousness. Well, as compared to reading Jodi Picoult and Frank McCourt mindlessly anyway. I'll blog about The Master and Margarita as soon as I begin the first five chapters. Probably next week.

Anyone wants to join me?

Hollywood

2006-08-27T22:43:00.000+08:00

Everyone's been missing in action, so have I. Well, my home's LAN wire is broken so I better get this quickly typed and over-with.

My Sister's Keeper - Typical American novel.

Fire element from the father follows the son, who creates fire and gets attention from the former. One extinguishes it to gain control, the other generates it to distract him from the problems at home.

And of course, my sympathy won't go out for Sarah, whose pathetic life revolves around Kate (is that her name? I don't have the novel with me and I finished it a month back). She's selfish and myopic in her quest to prolong her daughter's life. It was an overdose of maternal love, somehow. To balance the equation, Kate (is that her name?) surprisingly fills up the lack of consideration and love in Sarah by doing the unthinkable - asking Anna to kill her by refusing to donate any parts of herself anymore.

The twist comes at the end when Anna dies - transforming her into an eternal matyr and evoke pathos from the reader. How Hollywood. I'm not surprised that the novel's going to be made into a film. I'd like to watch it when it is screened, though. Just to see which cutie-pie Hollywood actress is going to be Anna. Prob a Keannu Reeves kinda guy for the brother, heh. As you can tell, I am pretty outdated with the names of Hollywood stars.

I didn't really like this novel and I finished it pretty quickly. It was an easy and smooth read, and I didn't pay much consideration of its literary value - or the lack of it. I would give My Sister's Keeper a rating of 4.4 over 10.

Just a note

2006-07-30T21:53:00.000+08:00

Something apart from Jodi Picoult's My Sister's Keeper:

August 3 (Thursday): 7-9pm CLL
A discussion on Kite Runner

It's still a work day on Friday, and we've finished the book. Somehow I feel incomplete because we didn't get to sit together to discuss about it - only Shaz and I wrote a summary on it. Thus the interest in another book discussion on Kite Runner.

Well then, probably our outing on 25/8 for My Sisters' Keeper should have an agenda, a focused one!

Standing in someone else's shoes

2006-07-30T21:16:00.001+08:00

How many times do we hear people saying this phrase? Easier said than done. This book really helps a lot by having each chapter written in the perspectives of one main character in the book. Before reading the book, I was thinking why would someone want to deny her sibling a chance to live? I would certainly not deny my brother a chance if this happens! (Touch Wood) Ya right!That is simply thinking things on the surface. No deep thoughts put into the problem. Without thinking, I would say yes! I will save him! Once you pass the impulsive stage and you start your deep thinking, Things change! What must I do to save him? How long will the process takes? How many needles will be poked? Will he be saved eventually? There are endless questions to ask. I forgot to ask how my brother would be feeling? It is so difficult to stand in someone else's shoes, to be in someone else's position. Even if that someone else is your closest kin... The giving end or the receiving end? Who is in a greater agony?

Chewing on my thoughts

2006-07-30T18:42:00.000+08:00

As I warily laid on the chair at the dentist (why do some people call it the 'dentist's chair' when it's the patient who sits on it?) yesterday, I shut my eyes and winced in pain. It was a heavy and excruciatingly painful payment for not visiting the dentist for the past 4 years, especially when you've got two dented wisdom teeth causing problems. As I tightly sealed my eyelids, tensed palms clutching each other on my belly, I tried to think about what to blog on the first two days of the novel. So here goes my trail of thoughts on just two characters:

Brian is a fire-fighter who loves astronomy. Our profession also calls for us to fight sporadic or continuous fire all the time, doesn't it? I shall leave the fire-fighting qualities as that, since we know that Brian is the father-figure who tries to keep things in-control in the house - with an individualistic son, an emotional and distraught wife, a self-occupied sickly daughter and lastly, the youngest who holds the elixer in her bone marrow.

But to be an astronomist? Brian looks at the sky and has a knack of seeing certain patterns of the galaxy which most of us don't, if we are not into astronomy. He sees the bigger picture of things - 'It is so easy to think that the world revolves around you, but all that you have to do is to stare up at the sky to realise it isn't that way at all.' (pg 41) Unlike Sara (I assume so up to this point of the story) whose worries revolve around only Kate, Brian cares about Jesse and Anna besides Kate's conditions.

Sara tries hard to prolong Kate's life, probably also in an attempt to redeem her own failures, desperation increased by her sister's scorn.

As for the rest of the characters, I haven't really thought about it. By the time I got to Sara, my female dentist (who is clear in her explanations and prompt in solutions, but costly - I kept staring at her ring thinking about how much I contributed to it) was done! So there's that - my one hundred and twenty-five dollars' worth of contribution to this week's entry.

One thought to chew on with all of you - did your parents have a plan when they had you?

Fire

2006-07-30T17:24:00.000+08:00

Monday's poem - Here are some thoughts.

Fire, being as it is - destructive and impartial calling someone else 'brother' and being brotherly in 'holding him close, wrapping him in circles'. But at the same time he is 'surging' - like he is ready to pounce and attack. He is also waiting to use and change his 'brother'. Somewhat like the Anna in the story - a close kin, ready to attack and defend her rights. The irony of it likened to fire is pretty evident.

The poem could have been chosen by the author also because of Brian's profession as a firefighter. I'm not sure, but is this what Syl would call mirror-images?

On hindsight as well, the poem reminds me of the fire in the core of the earth, ready to meet the surface of the earth, the crust as lava, but maybe, not just yet; 'not for years' but 'maybe thousands of years'.

Tuesday's poem is also about fire - in another form - as the light of a candle. Anyone care to shed some light?

which line struck you?

2006-07-30T17:05:00.000+08:00

Here's a question for everyone to reflect upon. Add your line/phrase in the comments.

subjectivity

2006-07-30T16:36:00.000+08:00

This book clearly demonstrates the power of subjectivity - the manner in which each character is drawn to act, react and interact is based on their perception of the situation. The emotions become terribly clear as the chapters shift from one character to another.

I feel compelled to take sides as I read the thoughts, reflections and actions of each individual person. Initially, I was drawn towards Anna and her struggles but as the story shifts back to Sara and her anguish and pain that was felt in 1990, I can't help but to emphatise with the mother's distress.

At this point in the book - its hard to take sides. It really depends on who's making a stronger point, isn't it?

It all depends... I think I'll like to remain objective at this point.

Who's Right? Whose Rights?

2006-07-23T09:13:00.000+08:00

After reading MONDAY, I gave my sister and my boyfriend the outline of our bookish. My sister said, "so sad." My boyfriend said, "That's precisely my (philosophy) exam question." I thought, "WOW".

Then, like always, he and I started an intellectual discussion, or rather, in his words, "you must first make your stand so that you can have a sound argument." And we went on talking about how a Kantian and an Utilitarian would approach such a moral issue and how an argument can be counter argued and how a counter argument can be counter argued too. What an argument!

The witty bit was like this,

"Everyone has the right to fight his own rights."
"She has the rights to her own body, but she does not have rights to everything. Like who gives her the right to damage other people's property?"
"She has her right to do anything she wants to just that she must face the consequences."
"Who gave her that right? GOD?"
"Everyone is entitled to human rights, right?"
"What about her parents? Do they have a right to her body?"
"Well, maybe. I know of many parents who claim rights over their children rights all the time."
"So who do you think is right?"
"Well, I feel that the parents are right."
"Don't feel. You must be sure who is right."
"Ok, I feel that the parents are right."
"Ok, then why didn't you say so."
"I said so."

Debut

2006-07-22T10:41:00.000+08:00

Adios Amigos!

To the BC members, readers, Literature and English teachers, and all who like simple reads, I am proud to annouce the debut of my first short story.

It is title, "Little Star" and if I were to have a chance, I would be my own illustrator too. I wish to encourage EL and Lit teachers of elementary learners to take a read as I believe my level is very comfortable for young readers. In fact, you can encourage them, that this is what they are capable of achieving as well.

It is a little dream come true for me too. I had ever thought of being a writer too. Nonetheless, I did not pursue it for I am not capable of bombastic language. Then again, today, it is different. I finally have an avenue for my writing -- my blog.

I anticipate your support!

A Page Turner

2006-07-22T08:27:00.000+08:00

"... a page turner ..." I quote Daily News, New Zealand.

It is indeed an intriguing book and a very different one indeed.

Firstly, it has no content page and most interestingly, the chapters are named by the respective character. This approach is new to me and it allows each character to be in the limelight each time unlike in most books, the protagonist is usually the narrator. It is really good as it allows each character to be his/her own narrator and we get to view things from their respective perspectives. I like it!

I also noticed one more thing as I browse through till the end of the book--not a single chapter is named after "Kate", the ill-taken sister. Does this means that the whole story revolves around her, yet she is not given a chance to speak for herself?

What a story. The whole drama finishes in about 10 days.

Official Start of the 2nd Book

2006-07-21T09:50:00.000+08:00

First of all, Thank you for voting this bookish. Shaz said that I have to set the discuission dates, so here goes....
For those who have not gotten the bookish, please use this weekend to get the book.
You will find that this book is divided into chapters of days. Therefore i will be using this as a way to mark our reading.

Our Timeline for 'My Sister's Keeper'

Chapters Monday and Tuesday: 24/7-28/7
1st Discussion: 29/7 onwards
Chapters Wednesday and Thursday: 31/7-4/8
2nd discussion: 5/8 onwards
Chapters Friday and Weekends: 7/8-11/8
3rd Discussion:12/8 onwards
Chapter New Monday to Thursday: 14/8-20/8
Final Discussion21/8 onwards
Bookish Clubbers Outing: 26/8

This bookish will last us for a month! Hope you will enjoy the bookish and do remember not to blog ahead of chapters.

I recommend 'Of Marriageable Age' by Sharon Maas

2006-07-15T12:00:00.000+08:00

hi there

I was given a book by a friend, who is an avid reader, entitled OF MARRIABLE AGE' by Sharon Maas. I think she was trying to tell me something! :)

Anyway, the setting of this book is in India and it is the kind of book that follows the lifespan of some of its main characters.

I would love to give you a synopsis but there isn't any at the back of the book - only comments saying it is a great read. Plus i have not read it myself so i figure this would give me a reason to read it if we select the book.

So, that's my pick :)

Nomination Day

2006-07-14T13:40:00.000+08:00

Life of Pi is a masterful and utterly original novel that is at once the story of a young castaway who faces immeasurable hardships on the high seas, and a meditation on religion, faith, art and life that is as witty as it is profound. Using the threads of all of our best stories, Yann Martel has woven a glorious spiritual adventure that makes us question what it means to be alive, and to believe.

Though it can be lengthy and boring at times, I bet my last cent that you’d use knowledge gained in those pages in your everyday life, especially in your teaching.

I was recommended this book by a Czech couple who have been traveling Asia in the hope of finding God in their own special way.

Where peace is amiss in our society, I strongly believe that this book tries, tries that is, to marry the canonic religions into one to succeed life.

A tragedy strikes Pi, the main character – Piscine Patel. Life changes drastically when he loses his family. 227 days lost! 227 days of ordeal. And as this novel comes to its brilliant conclusion, Pi shows us that the story with the imaginative overlay is also the story that contains the most truth.

Nomination/Recommendation-- My Sister's Keeper.

2006-07-11T21:47:00.000+08:00

I must admit that the first thing that caught my attention to this book was the innocent looking girl on the cover of the book. But of course there is more to it.This book is beautifully written through the perspective of everyone in the Fitzgerald Family. Everyone is searching for their purpose in life, what if your purpose in life was already laid out for you even before you were born....
Choose this book by Jodi Picoult to submerge yourself in this heartwrenching story about the Fitzgerald Family united in love yet divided in obligations and sacrifices. (inner thoughts) because I am halfway through and I cannot stop..

Oh and it is going to be made into a movie...
''My Sister's Keeper Premise/Synopsis:Follows a family in which a daughter has leukemia and her younger sister was conceived to provide a donor match. However, the family is torn apart when, after years of medical procedures, the healthy younger sibling sues her parents for the right to decide how her body is used.''

Some reviews

'Hope and heartbreak fill the pages of My Sister's Keeper, which Picoult describes as a sort of Sophie's Choice for the new millennium. "If you use one of your children to save the life of another," the author asks, "are you being a good mother . . . or a very bad one?" Blending science, philosophy, morality and ethics, this is a thought-provoking thriller that grips and won't let go. '

'With the fine instincts of an investigative reporter and intuitive storyteller, Jodi Picoult, already critically acclaimed for her previous best selling novels, zeroes in on the issue of genetically engineered children who are born to save their siblings lives. In the process, she creates a moving saga of a family faced with the inevitable loss of one of their own.'

Nomination - the glass palace

2006-07-09T17:53:00.000+08:00

I think this is one of those books when on our own we'll never read. Its rich in its descriptive language, its historical and Asian. So, here's my sales pitch: Choose this book which we will all enjoy and at the same time we can be enriched linguistically and culturally but need moral support to keep going!

Here are some reviews found on the net.

Like its namesake, THE GLASS PALACE reflects different sides of many historical issues through its characters. Ghosh infuses warmth and empathy into the telling, bringing history to life in a way that's both subtle and strong: you become absorbed in the telling, in the events and characters; their impact lasts long after you've finished the novel. Rich in detail, lyrical and profound, THE GLASS PALACE is a book to be savored with your full attention. --- Reviewed by Jamie Engle

"(B)ig, bold, ambitious. It's novel as an event. Two centuries, three generations, three countries -- the size of its life is finely balanced by the enormity of its ideas. Here in this book of memory and movement, the agony of the refugee illuminates the idea of exodus, the power of the empire enhances the powerlessness of its keepers, freedom neutralises choice, and displacement is a permanent state of the dreamer. It's the human interest story of the great Indian diaspora, its loss and longing in the time of war and colonialism." - S. Prasannarajan, India Today

Sounds good right?

the next bookish

2006-07-07T23:52:00.000+08:00

As we close the chapter on the kite runner, we wait with anticipation for our next bookish. Want to nominate the next bookish? Here's how.

Clubbers, you have up to the 16th July 2006 to nominate the next bookish. To nominate...
1. Post an entry titled, "Nomination - (title of book)
2. Include a short intro to the book - author, synopsis, background
3. A convincing short paragraph on why we should all read the book

Please nominate 1 bookish only.

To vote for your choice... (which cannot be your own book, of course)

1. Add comment to your choice, "I vote for you!"
Please note that you can only vote ONCE! (Logan, please don't cheat by voting more than once, or by voting for your own bookish)

Nominations are now open.

PS. If your bookish gets voted in, you become the next chair. The chair's job is to set the timeline and nudge the discussions along if it steers or stagnate (or disappears).
PSS. When the new bookish is voted, clubbers are to indicate whether or not they are participating for that bookish's discussions. The list of clubbers are updated before we commence.
(Do take another look at Syl's entry titled "ANNOUNCEMENT" if you are not sure.)

my i-like-it-i-don't-like-it approach

2006-07-07T23:25:00.000+08:00

A minute ago, I went over to my bookshelf and scanned for the kite runner. It's been awhile. Like Syl, I am all set for the next book, and while I'm anticipating the next book, I have read several in between, albeit half reads.

So here it is. My little contribution to the literary world of bookish clubbers, though to tell you the truth, I only remember bits and scraps by now. (We mustn't stretch the bookishes too long! I can't remember! No more than 1 month please!) And I must add, I am no lierature student or teacher :) So here's a straightforward i-like-it-i-don't-like-it approach.

4 reasons why I enjoyed the kite runner

1. easy reading throughout - poignant, dramatic, reflective, exciting at times.
2. I like reading about cultures and places I'm not familiar with (in this case, Afghanistan)
3. no super duper long descriptive writing (like lord of the rings)
4. happy ending (it just has to be for me)

4 reasons why I didn't enjoy the kite runner as much

1. An unbelievable plot near the end (When Amir fights with Assef - come on! What are the chances of that happening!)
2. It got too predictable towards the end
3. Too straight forward a plot with hardly any surprises
4. Could have done with more insights on Afghanistan & the war.

SyL's over-view of 'Kite Runner'

2006-07-02T21:00:00.000+08:00

Alas we have reached the end! Then again, the 'end' of one novel means the start of a new one - hooray!

A note to some visitors of The Bookish Clubbers - f you have not finished reading the Kite Runner, do not read on - spoilers ahead!

It's rather tough to write an overview of the novel as it has been a month since I've read it. But I'll stick to my take about how melodramatic and typical Hosseini has written this story, with characters so unbelievably sacrificial and how cliche some images were as Amir redeemed himself. However, I must give credit to the smooth 'read-ability' he has engaged his readers in - for I finished the novel pretty quickly! It was engaging enough for me to be enchanted and read on. Apart from a couple of potholes I've experienced in his storyline, I'll rate him a 6.5/10. =)

Amir redeems himself by achieving three things - (i) fighting with Assef as a grown-up over Sohrab (a mini-Hassan) like how he should have reacted when he witnessed the sodomisation (ii) standing up for Sohrab in telling his father-in-law that he was not to refer to him as a Hazara, something Amir had been ashamed of admitting when he was a boy (iii) going through a tough and emotional process but successfully adopting his brother's son, to repay his own sin of silence and acknowledge their blood ties.

As it is a normal process for a protaganist to redeem him/herself throughout a story, I wondered how Amir would accomplish that task - being happily married yet without a child. I had expected a tough journey (duh) like a physical fight (so I was right), because Baba has always deemed Amir as physical weakling who doesn't 'rough it up'. Furthermore, Amir did not fight Assef when he was taunted and he kept quiet when Hassan was sodomised. This is what I mean when I said that there are many tell-tale or foreshadowing events about what was to come. Because I had already expected a physical fight to take place, I winced when I read that Amir emerged victorious, but with a cut lip, resembling Hassan's cleft lip. Also with Sohrab's excellent delivery with the slingshot, and shooting Assef's eye like what Hassan had threatened as a boy. But I did not expect that Sohrab would be the solution to Amir's childless home and that there was more difficulty ahead to get the American citizenship for Sohrab - so, redeeming himself wasn't that simple after all.

The use of mirror reflection emerges again (I'm not saying that using such a technique is bad; it's only a matter of when and what to be reflected that I am uncomfortable with) when Hassan's son resembles him - deft with his slingshot, fulfilled Hassan's threat of shooting Assef in the eye and falling prey to nasty Assef - and how Amir cut his upper lip into two, looking just like his brother, Hassan. How typical.

The twist of the story is knowing that Hassan is Amir's brother and that Baba isn't a saint after all. That explains Baba's partiality towards Hassan and how he reflects some of Baba's own characteristics. Talking about this point, Shaz's first entry about Irony and my question about who Hassan was crying for as he listened to the story came to mind (I was thinking aloud in my sister's kitchen in Brissy as I narrated the story to her).

On May 25th I wrote - "Something noteworthy - Amir wondered if Hassan was tearing for the regretful father who unknowingly mortally-wounded his son, or for the son who longed for his father's love. What do you reckon?" It's ironical for Hassan to cry for the characters in the story - the regretful father who allowed his other son to 'wound' him or for the son who longed to be loved by his true (I assumed) father, when he is in a position like that himself. It is, a story within a story.

Somehow, I think that there is one hero in the novel who has gone unmentioned - Ali. Imagine how he feels about his boss deflowering his wife (even though she is already in a wanton state that she is; it's more about integrity I would say) and yet paying so much loyalty towards Baba. What about raising a son that isn't his? To be deemed as a Hazara and let Hassan hang his head in shame, but to retain some dignity when they left the house during the accusation of stolen money from a spoilt and cowardly boy? Sigh... how noble of Ali. Sob sob.

On a good note, it was also an enjoyable read about how Amir looked at Afghanistan like a tourist after so many years, endangering himself for Rahim Khan initially, then directing his aim to seek for his remaining blood relative. I have visited Hosseini's website and he, like Amir, was revisiting Afghanistan from a nostalgic perspective, hence the vivid description of the place. Also, Hosseini found his old residence just like how Amir finally found Baba's house. Okay, okay, I'll allow the rest of you to read more on his website. It's a good view of how the novel came about. =)

The best part, or the best line, I would say for myself, would be "For you a thousand times over". Each time I read it, I feel a tug on my heart and I'll be swallowing a tightly-weaved ball of knotted pain - the innocence and devotion by the one who proclaimed it. Hosseini has successfully grasped the flapping thread of my heartstrings by starting his novel and ending it with the heart-rendering sentence, "For you a thousand times over".

As I closed the chapter, I sighed and smiled to myself - Hosseini's use of mirror reflections reigns once more.

links for other book blogs

2006-06-29T21:46:00.000+08:00

I chanced upon a whole list of book blogs on one fellow foodie bloggers' site. Here is an intro list of blogs for your reading pleasure. And hopefully it may inspire us to keep up with our reading!

Look for them in the sidebar.

ANNOUNCEMENT

2006-06-22T16:57:00.000+08:00

Dear fellow readers of The Bookish Clubber bloggie and 'Kite Runner':

It has been a fun and exciting adventure starting up this bloggie. Setting up a blog out of spontaniety one hot arvo and generating Clubbing Rules at my cubicle with Logan, Shaz and Karen, Shaz choosing a novel, Shaz and I rushing around cubicles to help authorise members into the Club, yelling over Karen's cubicle as we discussed the tagboard and stat counter colours ...

Being a very young online Bookclubbing bloggie, we were thrilled being mentioned by the National Library Board within a week of its birth. Nudges to blog were given to each other when the timelines approached, and those who read ahead had a tough time keeping comments to themselves (ok, herself =P). All sorts of personal, experiential and literary bloggie entries were accepted as a bookclub consists of various kinds of people percieving the novel's themes and ideas from all sorts of angles. It is exactly this wonderful kaleidescope of insights which would make a bookclub successful. With commitment from its members, of course.

Up to date, we only managed to reach Phase 2 out of 7 planned phases. Then the blogging stopped. Of course, it is the holiday so some went overseas, some had no internet access, Shaz got married while the rest were busy attending her wedding (for the entire span of 4 weeks hols) and some chose to just read the novel rather than blog about it.

I deem the break from work might have been a good gauge at what all of us want out of joining The Bookish Clubbers. Some of us are visual-tactile beings (thus we enjoy blogging), and some of us just prefer to read the novel and shelve it aside upon finishing. We are all different. But as this is an online Bookclub, we would require an active member to have:

a passion to read
a fondness for blogging (or at least just typing one's perceptions about the novel)
a commitment to keep up with Discussion Dates, and
an open-mind to give opinions and accept opposing views from others

To conclude this lengthy entry, the Bookish Clubbers are proud to say that we are adamant to continue with this online bookclub even though the response for the first novel wasn't as what we had expected. For the next novel coming up (we'll announce it when it'll be), we would be greatly pleased to have members with the above 4 qualities to be in our Bookish Club. So if you would sincerely like to join The Bookish Clubbers, please leave Shaz or me a sms/note/tag/email so that we would know that you're ready to dive into this exciting adventure with us.

With Passion, anything is possible. Likewise, if we all could share the same passion for reading and blogging, The Bookish Clubbers would be a successful and pleasurable outlet for us to intellectually engage ourselves in social issues and themes through the magical realm of imagination and clever literary writing styles of writers in the world.

P.S: We might have a get-together to discuss about 'Kite Runner' over dinner after we attend Emeritus Professor Shirley Chew's talk on the 15th of July 2006 at the Central Lending Library about this novel. So far, we've only gotten Shaz, Karen and myself confirmed for the dinner and talk. Do give us a shout if you wanna join us, or just for a cuppa to relax. We do talk about other stuff, you know.

The memory

2006-05-31T01:22:00.000+08:00

I read the memory bit in Chapter 7 again. I have a few questions.

1. What was the signicance of Amir withdrawing his hand?
2. Why did a shadow pass the old man's face when he was touching Hassan's eyes?
3. Why did he return Hassan his money?

Here's my interpretation.

1. Amir withdrew his hand to foreshadow the fact that Amir was a coward. He could not face up to reality; to the truth; to the darkness in his life.

2. The old man could see the darkness which was going to befall on Hassan as he read his fortune.

3. He returned the money as he could not bear to tell Hassan the truth that he saw.

What do you guys think?

Nothing Doing... What?

2006-05-29T09:35:00.000+08:00

A very Indianised usage. What does it really mean and where could one use this phrase.

Example (a typical Indian movie example): Girl loves boy. Girl invites boy to her house. Boy says no because he is poor and her family may object his very present and then girl says "Nothing doing! You are coming." And she walks away, turning back intermittently...music picks up...soon they are in the Alps singing duet!

Understand?

"Nothing doing! You better!"

Where's the remote control?

2006-05-29T09:23:00.000+08:00

"The news on the radio [or TV] was getting pretty boring."

This is not just true of a young child's view. How so often do we do that! Boxing Day 2004. TSUNAMI! The news was as big as the waves that hit many countries in this part of the world. We were all glued to the one-eyed monster for days. Soon we were hungering for other news... no sooner we were starved without those entertainment programmes. With a push of one button, reclined on our couches, we were so lost in another world..."news on the [TV] was getting pretty boring."

We go about doing our own things, making the newsworthy a distanct memory...Twin Towers, NYC 2001; Mother Teresa's passing away, 1997. That's life!

Foreshadowing symbols

2006-05-28T11:23:00.000+08:00

This entry is my humble interpretation and analysis of Chap 5 - 8. I'll try not to make it sound too academic (though I am enjoying the process loads and am thankful for this Bookish Club, as it is through an analysis of a novel's themes, characters, plot and author's literary writing styles that one can then thoroughly savour the crimson juices of a story) and put in more personal reflection =)

For me, although this is an emotionally-stirring novel and overall a smooth read, I don't quite like it simply because the qualities given to Hassan as a boy are rather incredulous. Docile, fiercely loyal, pure and simple - but too much pathos (meaning: an element in experience or in artistic representation evoking pity or compassion) in the plot for me to have Hosseini portraying him as an infallible hero thus far. Like how Cinderella's Fairy Godmother appeared - a moment too good to be true, Hassan's perfect enduring spirit was too good for me. Then again, allow me to say that I am, by nature, cynical so please do not let my comments interfere with your enjoyment of the novel.

Interesting symbols of (i) wounds, (ii) the kite, (iii) dreams that foreshadowed happenings and (iv) redeeming blood:

(i) Wounds
Hassan had a cleft lip and was given a surgery by Baba that healed over time. It is ironical, however, to know that he would stop laughing with his newly-formed lips that winter. He was born with an imperfection but he came out smiling. Now that he has fully-formed lips, he stopped smiling. For Amir, his scar from his circumcision surgery was one which he would not forgive Baba for waiting until he reached 10 years of age. Looking at Hassan, Amir wished that he had a scar which would warrant some attention from Baba, and he did have a scar through Hassan in the end. Hassan's physical and emotional wound - sodomised and humiliated - gave Amir a scar which didn't heal over time. Sadly, the only difference was only that Baba wouldn't be pleased to help Amir heal the scar.

(ii) The triumphant blue kite
The blue kite which was cut by Amir symbolised the untying of the Gordian knot between Amir's love and jealousy for Hassan. It was cut loose, Hassan ran to retrieve the 'prize' ( a superficial symbol of victory for Amir over Hassan) and was humiliated in the process as he salvages the lost prize and relationship between Baba and Amir, for Amir's sake.

(iii) Dreams
Hassan's dream: Both Amir and Hassan conquered the rumours of a monster in the lake by swimming in it and the lake was named after them. However, a monster that seemed to be non-existent was actually lurking in the deep waters, as what Amir says in Chap 8. That monster is Amir, who dragged Hassan down underwater, and is also one who understood the nature of his new curse, that if he kept mum about what he had witnessed, no one would know. Superfically he appeared all right, but within his heart, he alone knew what he saw and the truth breaks him.

* Amir's dream: Lost in a snowstorm without a sense of identity when a familiar shape appears with an outstretched hand. From the deep gashes on the person's palm, blood dripped and stained the snow. It was an offer to help Amir with his loss of identity and redeem him from his situation. (this point is closely linked to the following)

(iv) Redeeming blood
As Hassan was sodomised by Assef, he had the look of a sacrifical lamb. During the last month of the Muslim Calendar, a lamb is slaughtered on Dhul Hijjah to redeem humanity from sin. This memory is the last in the chapter before Hassan appears, with blood staining the white snow black. Here, Hassan is illustrated as a lamb slaughtered to redeem Amir's sins, and this image is further enhanced with him appearing with blood spent on washing Amir's conscience clean.

However, Amir rejects Hassan's blood of repentance and forgiveness by splashing blood-red promegranates at him. Repeatedly Hassan had tried to rekindle their friendship by asking Amir to play together but the latter flatly rejected him. (see * above) And now on top of the hill, Amir demands Hassan to throw a promegranate back at him, and unexpectedly, Hassan picks up a promegranate and offers it to him - '"There," he croaked, red dripping down his face like blood. "Are you satisfied? Do you feel better?"' Hassan's behaviour is portrayed like the Christians' sacrificial Jesus who shedded his blood for mankind with unconditional love. It is understandable that Amir feels worse at not being reprimanded for his cowardice, for human behaviour understands that the wages of sin is death, or karma; retribution.

The numerous symbols present in Chap 5 - 8 foreshadowed incidents which would happen and also emphasised Hassan's role in Amir's life to further enhance the pathos of the story. The most significant symbol for me is Amir's dream of a bleeding outstretched hand staining the snow, which I immediatedly pulled together the incident of Hassan bleeding in the snow after the attack. Hosseini then merges the image of a helping hand with Hassan's look of a sacrifical lamb, bleeding in a vain attempt and offer to rescue our fallen protagonist.

The Poor Little Rich Boy

2006-05-26T17:52:00.000+08:00

Hi everyone, this is marie, sharon's friend here. Have not done such critical analysis since my O' levels days, so please bear with me! Anyway, here's my 2 cents' worth:

In response to Syl's question regarding who Hassan teared for , the father or the dying son, my guess would be that he was actually tearing for Amir, whose predicament paralleled the son's. In the first 4 chapters of the book so far, Hassan has proven to be a rather intelligent and intuitive boy, despite his illiteracy. His ability to solve riddles faster than Amir serves to highlight the fact that he seems to possess quite an analytical mind. I felt that Hassan was able to see the similarites between the relationship of the father and son in the story and that of Amir and his Baba. Both sons sought approval and some form of recognition from their fathers, only to be killed by them , and in Amir's case, his spirit was killed by his Baba's constant rebuffals. Hence, it could have been the pain and sadness that Hassan felt for Amir that made him tear whenever the story was being read to him.
Another thought that came to mind was that perhaps Hassan's inability to shield Amir from the pain of his father's indifference caused him to cry as well. Hassan's very first word uttered was 'Amir' and he once told Amir, in the opening chapter 'for you, a thousand times over'. The reverence that he held for Amir can be truly felt and it must have frustrated Hassan to have been helpless over the situation despite his attempts.

Mirror, Mirror is that me?

2006-05-26T00:32:00.000+08:00

At the beginning of Chapter 2, Amir and Hassan used to reflect sunlight into the their neighbours' houses from a poplar tree with a shard of mirror.

It is interesting how the relationship between Amir and Hassan is a reflection of Baba and Ali's, as Amir mentioned in Chap 4 - "Ali and Baba grew up together as childhood playmates - at least until polio crippled Ali's leg - just like Hassan and I grew up a generation later". There are also similarities between the fathers and the sons.

Hassan would never tell on Amir for the mischief; Ali said to Baba "But, Agha sahib, tell them who was the architect of mischief and who the poor labourer?"
Ali suffers from polio and walks with a limp; Hassan was born with a cleft lip
Both Amir and Hassan lost their mothers
Both Baba and Ali's marriages surprised their society (one married a descendent of a royal family; the other married one a dishonourable woman) and ended up raising sons by themselves

That being said, there are actually more contradictions and differences than similarities in the 4 chapters. Just like how a mirror accurately reflects an image on its reverse side, a mirror also distorts it. (Remember those funny mirrors you pass by in a carnival or in the Singapore Science Centre which made you look different from how you really are - short, tall, fat or just, well, out of shape)

The differences between Amir and Hassan are obvious - their physical attributes and caste and social system. One thing though - although they both lost their mothers at birth, one lost due to a great loss of blood and the other due to his mother's defiled nature which was more shameful than death at childbirth, Hassan's father treated him as the antidote to his misery while Amir felt that his father disdained him.

Baba deems that there is only one form of sin in the world - theft. "When you kill a man, you steal a life ... when you tell a lie, you steal someone's right to the truth. When you cheat, you steal the right to fairness". As Amir's mother had died at childbirth, Amir feels that he has killed his mother and robbed his father of a wife's love. The cycle doesn't end, for Baba feels robbed of his wife and in turn robs Amir of fatherly love and acceptance, resulting in Amir feeling responsible for his own situation. Although Amir worships Baba, he wishes to slit his veins and drain his cursed blood from his body. On the other hand, Ali sees his son as a gift from his wife, though his loss of a wife was not a dignified one, instead of being robbed of a wife who brought him only shame.

Amir found his mother's book on Hazara history and it said that the Pastuns (Baba and Amir's caste) had quenched the Hazaras (Ali and Hassan's caste) with 'unspeakable violence'. Baba was described as 'Mr Hurricane', who had hands that looked capable of uprooting a willow tree ... etc, in all, a true Pastun. His son, however, is a creative writer who gets shoved around during games in the neighbourhood. Ali, the gentle Hazara who married an infamous wife of promiscuity for the sake of regaining honour to restore his uncle's blemished name, who tolerated his taunting tormentors, who takes care of the two boys lovingly, has a protective and loyal son - Hassan fights off the bullies who attacked the passive and weakly Amir. It seems like an exchange of offsprings between the two fathers - Hassan has gotten the aggressive streak from Baba/Pastuns, the character/caste that protects his/their territory and possessions. On the same note, Amir quietly allows bullies to step over him due to his lack of confidence, power, bravery and thus became helpless, like the gentle Ali/Hazaras. Not only is there an opposition of hereditary traits, it is also noteworthy that the opposite of 'unspeakable violence' would be 'gentleness, grace and mercy'.

One opposition I picked out was how Amir felt that all fathers must have harboured a secret longing to kill their sons. It is different from what Freud stated about the well-known Oedipus Complex, that sons desire to kill their fathers in a battle for their mother's affections. The part narrated about Amir and Hassan's favourite story did not state what the father and son were battling over, but it was a man-to-man affair, which encompassed the one-sided pain and vain attempt from the son. This significant portion which mirrors the tragedy in Amir's relationship with Baba seems to also potray what Amir yearns to say,

"If thou art indeed my father, then hast thou stained thy sword in the life-blood of thy son. And thou didst it of thine obstinacy. For I sought to turn thee unto love, and I implored of thee thy name, for I thought to behold in thee the tokens recounted of my mother. But I appealed unto thy heart in vain..."

The indifference and matter-of-factly opinion that fathers always wanted to kill their sons (Don't worry Logan, we know how you love Reuben to bits!) given by Amir was quite disturbing. Here, we see that Baba has robbed Amir of a true understanding of the notion of what characterises a father, the ability to empathise, and most of all, the love and life that every little boy should have.

Something noteworthy - Amir wondered if Hassan was tearing for the regretful father who unknowingly mortally-wounded his son, or for the son who longed for his father's love. What do you reckon?

I can't think of any reply to this question at 2am knowing that I am getting up early for gym and a full day of individual meeting with 35 people.

the past

2006-05-25T23:41:00.000+08:00

A line on the first page hit me. ...

it's wrong what they say about the past, I've learned, about how you can bury it. Because the past claws its way out.

How very true. No matter how hard you try to bury the past, memories are jolted by people you meet, places, sights, smells. A glimpse into the buried past will always peek its way out, whether you like it or not.

Father-Son/ Young-Old

2006-05-25T21:09:00.000+08:00

As a father and a son, I was quickly drawn into this remarkable work of Hosseini. As I read chapters 3 and 4, I began to re-live my days as a son to my late father. It brought back similar feelings at times. After so long, it all seems to make sense to me - sounds credible and ok!

In Page 18, for a young boy to wish that "all children died along with their parents" only shows how much he missed his father. This portion reminds me of my son constantly telling me with a smile on his face about how committed I am to my work so much so that I have more time for my worksheets than for him. NEGLECT in all that I do. A teaching point! No matter how much we do for our children, if we don't have the time factor in their lives, it amounts to nothing! Honestly! Think about the saying "the best gift one can give his children is time." Something BABA didn't give Amir! (“I was learning about father from others” and “Envious, but happy”).

Amir eavesdrops on his dad. I am still wondering how he could stomach such things – a mere 8 year old! Not only does he now know that his father thinks little of him but he has to live with the fact that his father sees nothing of him (Baba) in Amir. I put myself in Amir’s shoes and if anything I would want to remember that evening by would definitely be those 3 resounding words - “Envious, but happy”. At least (or should I say, at last), Baba is happy because of Amir!!

I believe that because the story is written in retrospect most of the feelings conjured in writing are a bit exaggerated. Is a child capable of such thoughts “killing” etc? I don’t know. But this much I know, he was afraid of Hassan – or rather sees Hassan as a challenge. Baba out rightly adored Hassan and had compared his behaviours with that of Amir’s. Probably that was why Amir often avoided reading poems as Hassan could decipher them easily than Amir could. Or was it just child-play? Again, I don’t know.

Well, a son needs lots of affirmation and love from his parents, especially father. I know it very well, as a father and a son. Hosseini is beginning to teach me through his experiences.

It is like a 2-in-1 book for me!

Friendship

2006-05-24T20:28:00.001+08:00

How do you define a friend? If you grow up with a person,not related to you by blood, play with him during most of your free time, read together, share your past times and secrets with each other, what kind of a relationship do you share with him? If you do not call him your 'relative', what is the term you would use? A 'toy'?

I felt rather disturbed when I knew that Amir's father never acknowledged Hassan's father as his friend nor comrade, and frowned more when Amir confessed that he had never called Hassan "his friend".

I felt that this was due largely to the fact that their culture is strongly bounded by a class system. It is their different social status which is hindering the friendships in both generations.

Upon seeing this, I reflected that life can really be very unfair, for don't we all belong to one common race-THE HUMAN RACE? It is sad but it is happening. All over the world.

Parenting

2006-05-24T20:28:00.000+08:00

One of the themes I recognise in the first four chapters is "Parenting".

It is through Amir's narration that we understood how much he was suffering under his father's negligence and high expectations. It was rather upsetting to know that he has to be fearful and in awe of his father all the time. And he is always trying to behave in a way that pleases his father.

Hence, due to this lack of affection from his father, he might have developed the notion that fathers and sons are born enemies, or rather, he is convinced that his father truly regards him as the murderer of his wife. This is seen in chapter four when Hassan was saddened by the story which tells of a father who kills his son. Amir, on the contrary, who could not understand Hassan's grief, unfeelingly and mistakenly felt that, "didn't all fathers in their secret hearts harbor a desire to kill their sons?"

This made me reflect and associate it with reality whereby many children, or once-children, suffer similar fate. Hence, no matter the era, children are always hoping for love, attention and recognition from significant adults, especially their parents. Thus, I hope that this story has shed some light to those of us who are parents or parents-to-be. Praise your child and make him smile!

Irony

2006-05-21T18:21:00.000+08:00

The first time the author brought up this concept of 'irony' was through the story that Amir had written about the man and his pearls. (middle Chap 4) When I read it, I didn't think much about it, until Rahim Khan's note was read. I went back and re-read the story. As I got to the end of Chapter 4, the concept of irony became so apparent. Amir reads the story to Hassan and the latter's question, "Couldn't he have just smelled an onion?" and Amir's reaction to that innocent question made so much sense to me about the characters and the concept of irony which the author succintly introduces.

It dawned on me at that point the evident parallels that runs through the story - Amir, the poor little rich boy who had everything, but longed for his father's affection. Hassan, the despised and poor servant boy with nothing, but was intelligent, brave and had his father's affection. The man who had to kill his wife in order to have pearls which meant he had to be sad in order to be happy.

I don't know about you guys, but I haven't read a book as powerful as this one for a long time. So far, I have been amazed by the author's extraordinary penmanship - extremely subtle and poignant. I have 2 words which keeps popping up in my head, 'oh wow.'

Our 1st discussion & Reading tips

2006-05-18T13:52:00.000+08:00

Discussion for Chapters 1 - 4 will begin on 21st May 2006, Sunday evening, 6p.m.

Feel free to post entries on these 4 chapters. You may ask questions, give an insight, share a reflection, debate, summarise or criticise. You may also share a personal experience that you have found connections between life and the novel's themes. You could also pick out words, quotes, segments that was thought-provoking to you. All responses to any previously raised topic should be added as a comment to that post, rather than a new entry. i.e. 1 topic - 1 post.

I will include some more guidelines in the next entry to start us along. I don't know about you guys, but I'm real excited about our brave venture into book crusading. We even recruited a new member, Su, who was really excited to start with us on our first book. (welcome!)

Here are some tips I learnt while I was on the course. Its not rocket-science, but at least it gives us a common platform for meaningful discussion.

Make notes and mark pages as you go.
This may slow your reading, but saves time searching for important passages later. Personalise your book by using flag-tags or write notes in the margins.

Ask tough questions of yourself and the book.
These can promote in-depth conversations with your group and make the book more meaningful. (see tips given above) Most of the time, we don't need summaries, but we welcome insights and connections.

Analyze themes.
Consider the premise with which the author started.
Get to know characters. Consider their faults, strengths and motives and what it would be like to interact with them.

Notice the book's structure.
Are chapters prefaced by quotes? How many narrators tell the story? Is the book written in flashbacks? Does the order the author chose make sense to you?

Compare to other books and authors
Themes often run through an author's works. Share with members similar genre or books similar to selected book.

(adapted from NLB's 'Reading circle resource kit 2006')

Welcome wannabe bookishes

2006-05-17T04:15:00.000+08:00

An epic tale of fathers and sons, of friendship and betrayal, that takes us from the final days of Afghanistan’s monarchy to the atrocities of the present.

Hi bookish clubbers! Welcome!

You are reading the inaugural post of our newly set up book club! For this first post, I would like to share with you guys a link to our first book that we are reading.

Since NLB is launching their READ! Singapore 2006 next week, it is very apt that we support their cause by choosing our first read based on their booklist. They have 2 English books and we (or rather, I) have chosen to read the kite runner by Kaled Hosseni.

Here's the official site of the author, http://www.khaledhosseini.com/

On Thurs, 18th May, we will meet at Syl's work cubicle to discuss our time line. Any objections?