Lolita

Book Name : Lolita

Author : Vladimir Nabokov 

What is it about : An open written confession of a perverted child molester in every meaning of the word - forbidden passion, admission of guilt, a plea for clemency, frank disclosure of dark desires, self-justification yet insistent of any wrong-doing. The tale of Humbert's lust and desires exploded over a twelve year-old tomboy / maiden / nymphet - Lolita, during his sojourn in an American provincial town. This stay was cut short following the road death of Humbert's all-so-righteous and rather un-attractive religious wife (Lo's mother), "father and daughter" then embarked on an American motor trip (twice !), staying in Nowhere-ville, Insomnia Lodges and One-horse-towns; making these guesthouses and country houses their love nests. Alas, after two years of mindless travelling, Lo left without a word, leaving nothing but grief and anger to the vengeful forlorn Humbert. In hot pursuit, could Humbert catch up with Lo and slay the fiend who helped her escape ? The final execution style gun-shots and scuffle was a piece of masterful writing ! Read on.

Some thoughts after having read the book : Normally, in the local Library when I successfully plucked up my courage and picked out a "Classics" as supposed to go for a commercial joviality of an easy read, a range of emotions and reading expectations would pass through my thoughts, heart and body - in no particular order - awe, challenge, dread, hard slog ahead, elation, reward, satisfaction and eventual triumph. Literally - no pain no gain as were the cases of my perseverance over Tolstoy, Greene, Golding, Pushkin, Chekov, Kafka etc. And it was with such expectancy in mind as Lolita, with its heavy hard cover, tiny prints and rather numerous pages, landed in my check-out basket. Yes, a good few weeks of laborious grind and concentration awaited. But alas, Lolita turned out to be that rare hybrid, an up-roaring entertainment as well as a heavy weighted Classic !

Would I recommend this book to you : A book for you if you had always wanted to know the twisted morality and warped mindset of a person scarred by childhood losses and his psychological dissection of un-controllable lust and perverse thoughts and actions; read this book for its beautiful and witty prose ("... my mouth to the dentist was a splendid cave of priceless treasures ..."). But if offensive depiction of bare encounters, sexual exploitation and gross depravity against minors disgusted you, stay away !  Or better still, why not watch the film - I watched the 1997 Jeremy Irons version, the screen adaption was excellent !

Book Name : Agent Running In The Field

Author : John Le Carre 

What is it about : Our veteran secret service agent, Nat, approaching middle-age and sensing the passing of time, was posted back to London after his many foreign adventures. Nat was put in charge of the Haven, a derelict old house in Camden Town packed with a rag-tag of would-be spooks who would require his expert guidance of navigating the London Centre bureaucratic traps and jumping over budgetary hurdles as well as honing them the black art of spying and other operational trade craft. In came Ed Shannon, a dashing and gangly twenty-something who would turn Nat's life upside-down, but not before beating him in the game of badminton and over a few post-match beers, talking the serious talks over Brexit and the current "We Come First" US administration. Ed's a Europhile and his passion and actions would eventually lead him and Nat into a quagmire of national dimensions.

Some thoughts after having read the book : All Le Carre's treasured hallmarks were on display - the trays of whisky (and soda fountains) over clandestine secret meetings with all parties having sober(!) dialogues after their frequent, respective "long pull from the glasses"; the brilliant operational setup of smoking out the traitor from within; the long dark pilgrimage to find old partners-in-crime from the distant past; and the all-so-relevant perspectives of the post-Brexit toxic atmosphere of the western world. Alas, this was no vintage Le Carre - too jovial, jolly and commercial, read more like a Jeffery Archer paperback; there was actually no PLOT, just a mega-co-incidence too implausible to contemplate and basically a lot of hoo-ha for nothing at the end. Sorry if I had to spoil it for you here, but here's a glimpse : Ed REALLY ONLY wanted a game of badminton when he sought out Nat; Ed REALLY had NO IDEA they were from sister organisations; Ed REALLY had NO CLUE he married a secret agent who was Nat's protege. I mean, honestly, man !

Would I recommend this book to you : There were flashes of brilliance from one of my favourite authors, but this book fell way way short of his darkest, poignant best. The part where the "service" set up surveillance eavesdropping on Ed's fall in grace was the best part of the book, breathtaking ! Else, I would take out an earlier Le Carre book to find out how great an author he really could be. And by the way, for those not initiated - Nat was no George Smiley - keep that in mind, then may be you could read the book with less expectations.

Coronado

Book Name : Coronado

Author : Dennis Lehane

What is it about : Murder, suspense and mystery aplenty in these short stories, all set in American small towns where seemingly town folks took matters into their own hands. The jewel in the crown amongst these stories - the hunt for a missing diamond by a conman father and his just-got-out-of-jail son; ICU detailed a man on the run from suspected government agents and ended up a regular in a hospital complex, visiting cafeteria, greeting patients and nurses (think Tom Hanks in the film : The Terminal); the improbable tale of a town employing dog shooters in a bid to rid itself of strays in order to build a friendly theme park, ending the story with the murder of a promiscuous woman. By the way, Coronado was a fictional small town often mentioned by the characters in the Diamond chase mentioned earlier.

Some thoughts after having read the book : The author tried experimenting with styles and plots and I would applaud such efforts as the stories came off resonating with menace from the many colorful, if frightening characters and the themes of small town "hapnings" provided an extra layer of intrigue where law and order seemed light years away and the events inevitably spiraling out of control. Worth mentioning - the subtle writers' art of "highlighting facts by glaring omission" was skillfully deployed in these stories; or was it - things had better be kept unsaid.

Would I recommend this book to you : I made an exception for this author and took this book out from the local library, as I had not been living in such places and so it was difficult for me to relate and feel the authenticity and resonance of these locales and scenes of crime and passions. But this author depicted the scenes with enough flare and subtlety for me to have a good glimpse into the inner workings of the big lives and events in small town America. Go read !

The Trial

 Book Name : The Trial

Author : Franz Kafka

What is it about : Waiting for his tea and breakfast one casual morning, Josef K. was visited by a few officials telling him of an offence which Josef K. neither committed nor could have the faintest idea about and he was summoned to face "the court". Thus set forward a drama played out in various settings - his bank, the advocate's office and a cathedral where he was briefed to some extent the hypocrisy which surrounded the judicial system. Our man Josef K. was made speechless and confused right off the bat from the start of the book and still confused when he met his dismal end.

Some thoughts after having read the book : The author cramped so much conversation and so little action in so few scenes, it's just amazing how great author could still convey the fear, despair and brutality of a supposedly innocent man faced against a corrupted, bureaucratic and illogical legal powerhouse. The ending was abrupt and heart-breaking when Josef K. failed to inch forward, backwards or sideways amonst the people of "the system". Well worth a mention was the role played by the "advocates" who were supposedly there to assist victims such as Josef K. but in actual fact, these advocates were part of the machinery.

Would I recommend this book to you : Containing just a few scenes in the book, perhaps not more than ten such settings and the author managed to convey, portray and dissect the drama, psychology and disbelief experienced by Josef K, our confused and head-scratching victim. Ideal material for Drama classes with in-depth dialogues - for those not into Drama, this book could well be a bore.

The Universe In A Nutshell

Book Name : The Universe In A Nutshell

Author : Stephen Hawking

What is it about : Our treasured and much-loved renowned physicist tried his best to put across in plain terms the magical universe as he knew it - String theory, P-Branes, Super-symmetry, Black Holes, General Relativity and such esoteric yet familiar topics. The illustrations were colorful, glossy and visually rewarding.

Some thoughts after having read the book : As the author put it - this book had never meant to be "The Son Of A History Of Time" and the book actually contained more advanced subjects and to my very limited knowledge, did not help to clear the technical mist surrounding the topics. Having read the book, my knowledge of Strings, Symmetries and such remained at the same preliminary levels as before I read the book. Ha Hum. Yes, I had guessed already from the outset that I had better refresh and revisit my A-Level Physics books before taking this book out as there was obviously a gap which I had needed to bridge. However, this frustration did not diminish my enthusiasm and I felt that the author took me on a strange and fascinating journey, pointing out along the way the mysterious objects and reasons behind the moving scenes and that was both impressive and enjoyable.

Would I recommend this book to you : Really a book for those in the know - perhaps first year Physics Undergraduates or materials suited for University lecturers putting together a syllabus. General layman trying to get a picture of our Universe should stay away although you might still feel entertained as your mind boggled at the very odd nature "in this version of the Universe" which we live in.

The Plague

Book Name : The Plague

Author : Albert Camus

What is it about : On an ordinary day in the French Algerian seaside town of Oran, rats came out first in their tens, then in their hundreds to curl up and died. Soon the Oran population came to the same fate and the town came under quarantine. Emotions flared up and unrest spread around town; amongst the residents, one Doctor Rieux stayed stoic, composed and began treating the infected patients whilst bearing his own worries on his family. Not only was Rieux an active participant in the crisis, he witnessed as a bystander and chronicled the events unfolding, the ugliness and high morals of individuals and the eventual triumph as the town emerged scarred, cleansed and resurrected.

Some thoughts after having read the book : The whole emotional cycle of first the population becoming puzzled, then incredulous, then despair, then courageous until solidarity and bonds formed amongst the fighters and helpers would be no news of our world of 2020 as Covid spread and conquered and hopefully finally stopped and cured. The government response, the upheaval experienced by the population of Oran, the crisis of food and supplies shortages, the torment of loved ones separated and lost all rang a bell and in fact, the reactions of our species to contagion changed little - fictitious or real life, ancient or present.

Would I recommend this book to you : A classic read from this great author. He captured the essence of a world tuned up-side-down by the overwhelming but invisible force of Nature and at the same time provided a detailed depiction of the colorful characters involved - government officials, hospital staff, sentries, religious leaders, families and even human traffickers ! I found the book even more relevant and readable in a year when we faced the pandemic of our lifetime. Not to be missed !

The Spy Who Came In From The Cold

Book Name : The Spy Who Came In From The Cold
Author : John Le Carre

What is it about : Our protagonist, Alec Leamas, once the head of operations inside walled Berlin at the height of the Cold War, now down and out, drunk and poor, ever since his team was entirely annihilated by Mundt, the ruthless strong man of the East German Intelligence unit. Alec was subsequently recruited by the East Germans in order to gain more intimate knowledge of the British operations; as layers upon layers of planted information peeled back to reveal a high-level mole buried deep inside the East German hierarchy and thus gave rise to a thrilling showdown between the spy masters. Would Alec get out of the walled city alive ? Who's actually the mole ? The readers would not know the true victim of this triple-cross plot till the very end.

Some thoughts after having read the book : The book which made the author one of the top notch writer in this field of brutal and subtle espionage tales. Of course, Le Carre went on to achieve even greater fame through his trilogy of Tinker, Tailor Soldier, Spy. In my opinion, no other authors in this genre could bring the sheer depth and intensity, the understanding of human frailty, the subtlety of manipulation, duplicity and deceit in the world of spy-craft into words that filled a book. This was the second time I had read this book, last time being in year 2,000 ! and I was amazed in how I had almost remembered the plot and yet found more hidden meaning and implications this second time around. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this re-finding of facts being echoed in the Forward written by another author.

Would I recommend this book to you : Actually the book would be a great example lesson of "How To Write" as each section was headed by the title, often just one word or a few words and thus the structure of the whole book was sketched out and Voilà ! all one needed was the talent to fill in the contents. I would definitely recommend this book for those looking for more than just a plain vanilla spy thriller - the human psychology, depth, atmosphere and audacity of the plot in this book would stir you !

The God Delusion

Book Name : The God Delusion
Author : Richard Dawkins

What is it about : Our famous evolution biologist and my favourite science writer, ventured into a side (but big) issue of evolution - Religion. The book highlighted the absurdity and blood-thirstiness of the ancient scriptures, reported on interesting experiments on mass prayers, presented eye-opening evidence on vampire bats behaviour (rewarding those fellow bats who kept a promise and punishing those who were selfish !) and hence conjecturing of how the human species might benefit from being "good" without the need for, or help from, a religious belief or establishment.

Some thoughts after having read the book : The Subject aside, the author 's mastery in presenting a case gave the readers the impression of intrigue, fascination and all-rounded-ness with no stones un-turned. Any aspiring writers out there should take note of the way a complex matter was tackled, dissected and clearly articulated. The book's presentation of the many incredulous examples of religion-related incidents in the USA only re-confirmed what I had read elsewhere - especially the extreme hatred exhibited by the would-be god-fearing church goers in that country.

Would I recommend this book to you : Ever wondered : the existence of a supreme being out there looking over your every move ? Do your prayers work ? By doing good deeds, are you enhancing your evolutionary advantages ? Want to investigate the inconsistencies exhibited in the ancient scriptures ? Want to exercise your intellect and work out a probability number for the existence of God ? Then this book might well be your best companion for the next two weeks as the author put forward interesting, entertaining and plausible explanations for all these questions. Put away your prejudice and take this book out from the local library - you would not be disappointed.

The Expat

Book Name : The Expat
Author : Chris Pavone

What is it about : A female CIA agent went from an international jet setting operative (taking out drug lords and the bad guys, two bullets in the stomach and one in the head) to a boring desk job (raising two kids, doing the laundry and cooking dinner) to become The Expat as her husband found a job in Luxembourg. Our stay-at-home-apple-pie lady soon found out her husband turned out to be a computer hacker, working closely with the FBI to siphon off millions of Euros. Her world came close to a collapse when the Interpol, FBI, CIA gave chase when her family made a quick escape into the streets of Paris.

Some thoughts after having read the book : The book spent loads of sleep-inducing coverage on house keeping chores, bland description of expat lives and communities and alas, the detailed mapping out of Parisian streets and different vacation hot spots in Europe. Out lady CIA's clumsy attempts in trying to figure out her husband's misdemeanors and the story lines were at best "let's past a few minutes on this book for diversions from other more boring activities of my day" to, at worst made me feel like throwing the book into the swimming pool.

Would I recommend this book to you : I should have bought the other book at the airport.

簡明中國文明史 - China : A 5,000-Year Odyssey

Book Name : 簡明中國文明史 China : A 5,000-Year Odyssey
Author : 譚中

What is it about : A scholar of international reputation regaled the stories in China's immense history with the expressed aims of : Debunking popular western myths on China and presenting the world about China's history from the hands of a Chinese scholar. The author covered interesting topics from the possibilities of how the names of China arose from Indian origins and vice versa, the name India came to be as a result of the pilgrimages of the Buddhist monks; much coverage was devoted to the interpretation of Chinese poems as "evidence" reflecting life in ancient China; the author put forward the idea that the Silk Road has also been the Religion Road where different religions reached China. The book was published in 2018, so many current topics have been taken into account. At the outset, the author exclaimed how strange it was that when people wanted to understand Russia, they would read books written by Russians but when people wanted to understand China, they read books written by Americans ! He hoped that this book would in some ways, address and change this abnormality.

Some thoughts after having read the book : The author came packed with credentials up to his eye brows - having taught and lived in India for over 40 years and so well versed with both cultures and had been advisors to top diplomats and high offices. His book read well with lively discussion style presentation and he wisely only picked out selected significant examples of historical figures (such as the one and only Empress of China 武則天) for discussions in this book and hence avoided cumbersome and distractions from his main macro themes. I did not find one moment of boredom or any part of the book that was not interesting. He provided unique insights into China's history by making frequent references to his forte : India.

Would I recommend this book to you : Without the required expertise and being a total arm-chair historian, I could hardly comment if the Author succeeded in debunking western myths or convinced the general readers of his views, but one thing for sure, this book provided extremely fascinating insights in how China came to be, how China and India had been "twin brothers" all along, under the Himalayan civilisation sphere and the author was able to tell wonderful stories on many of China's historical figures. Reading this book would enhance your understanding of China in leaps and bounds.

The Sense Of An Ending

Book Name : The Sense Of An Ending
Author : Julian Barnes 

What is it about : A haunting story based along the theme of "our memory is only half the story" and "what we remember is not what we witnessed". Our man Tony Webster received a letter from the mother of his ex-girlfriend from 40 years ago, leaving him from her Will, some money and a diary. A diary from his very philosophical and intelligent friend Adrian Finn who committed suicide all those years ago. The story then unfolded into an exploration of Tony's past and along the way he managed to put together a jigsaw puzzle of a chain of events quite different from what he remembered. At the end, a puzzle solved, with much regret, remorse and despair.

Some thoughts after having read the book : I would normally take my time and enjoy a slow burn of a read for most books, but I made a rare exception for this book; because this book was really as some critics would put it as "un-put-downable", "riveting" and "a real chase to the end". At the same time, the book provided plenty of food for thoughts regarding our very un-reliable memory, our very fallibility for inadvertently making up, embellishing and adjust the existing and missing bits of the stories (memory) in our lives; and on a wider scale, examining the very true nature of History itself - glorifying records written for victors or self-delusion on the losers' part and indeed the book examined whether History was merely, the product of "imperfection of memory meeting the inadequacy of documentation".

Would I recommend this book to you : Without question a book of quality for suspense, philosophy, examination of human nature, a who-dun-it and truly deserving the Man Booker Prize. The plot, construct and delivery were superb and presented with subtlety, sure-footedness and left the readers mesmerised with a sense of lost for our man Tony and a chance to reflect on our own very un-reliable memory. A Must Read !

Boxer Beetle

Book Name : Boxer Beetle
Author : Ned Beauman 

What is it about : A present-day would-be detective un-raveling a war-time murder case, involving a gay Jewish boxing champ with nine toes. Along the way, beetles breeding, fascist riots, rough and tumble sex, a letter from Hitler, also tagged along.

Some thoughts after having read the book : One colloquial saying in Cantonese pretty much summed up this book : "Thunder roared loudly but the rain drops came little"... Meaning that the book promised a great conspiracy but never delivered or what was delivered came to some trivial pursuit. The great conspiracy part was the "Hitler, Eugenics, man-eating beetles, 9-toe gay Jewish boxer champ, riots and sex"; but having read the book, these boiled down to "A letter from Hitler and a rather boring country manor whodunit". The book started with great promise, setting the scene for a cat and mouse detective chase to the bottom of the "truth" but the smoking gun turned out to be merely an anonymous person on the Internet ! The book received all-round applause from the likes of Sunday Times, The Guardian etc, but I never really got the hang of it, ha hum ... not my cup of tea, may be.

Would I recommend this book to you : A quick thrill may be, but better off looking elsewhere for a good read - may it be a war-time conspiracy, a whodunit or a creepy-crawly sci-fi that you're looking for.