Our Man In Havana

Book Name : Our Man In Havana
Author : Graham Greene

What is it about : Our man in Havana Wormold, was actually a boozing vacuum cleaner salesman who was recruited in a bar toilet by the British Secret Service as their man in Havana. Wormold subsequently conjured up his imaginary sub-field agents - a pilot, a naked dancer, an engineer, a waiter and the lot, to sort operation monies from London as well as enlarging and forging vacuum cleaner diagrams to be presented as the "secret weapons" deployed deep in the Cuban jungles by "the other side". Before he could say "Hey Presto, those fools in London ... ", his imaginary world collided with reality and found himself the assassination target from "the other side"; climaxing in a hilarious duck-and-dodge-the-poison luncheon, followed by his "triumphant" return (deportation) back to London and was subsequently knighted !

Some thoughts after having read the book : The Author peppered the book with sarcastic remarks of the cynicism that existed in the "Western" and "Eastern" worlds during the Cold War. These remarks still resonate in today's world as conflicts still abound the world over, albeit in different forms. But the book was all about the lighter and humorous side of arm-chair espionage, written with all the flippant flair and freedom and created such larger-than-life colorful characters - a Cuban Police Captain (The Red Vulture) whose cigarette case was upholstered with the skin of a former prisoner; the all-knowing Chief back in London who had assumed too much, exacerbated by his underling who gave partial answers and silent nods; and there was the whiskey-soaked long time friend of Wormold's, the German doctor who inadvertently became a victim of Wormold's sad comedy.

Would I recommend this book to you : Being a big GG fan, I cannot recommend this book more to readers, to view a snapshot of the world that was (Cold War) and that which has changed little since. A super fun read of the chaos caused by our man in Havana, code-named not Double-O Anything, but Agent 59200/5 who had trouble using a Shakesphere reference to encrypt messages and posted a poorly taken micro-dot (film) onto an unmarked stamp and threw into the post box, a further 250 letters (with identical stamps) to "confuse the other side". Yeh, it was so much fun to catch up with such hilarity ! Go Read !

The Selfish Gene

Book Name : The Selfish Gene
Author : Richard Dawkins

What is it about : Our articulate author tried to put across the ideas that living organisms had simply been "vehicles" formed by the genes (replicators) inside the organisms to carry out whatever tasks were needed to propagate and survive to the next generation. For instance (my own interpreted example), the genes responsible for the human's (or flies, or cats, you name it), acute smelling ability developed such a nose so that the "vehicle" had the best equipment to smell food, dangerous preys and so on in order to pass on the "nose" genes. Moreover, such genes exerted effects over a distance (or over close contacts) to other organisms to affect changes to best suit the gene's very own survival; such as beavers building dams and cuckoo babes mesmerising their bewitched foster parents. Along the way, organisms played out various Games (as in Games Theory) with friends, foes, group and non-group members, relatives, partners to best achieve the "Evolution Stable Strategy" and hang on to dear life so the genes themselves survive another day.

Some thoughts after having read the book : Needless to say, by now, Readers of this Blog would have noticed that I had been an arm chair Darwinian/Evolutionist for a very time - this Subject had indeed been my favourite past-time over the years. I loved the Zoo-wide (as in Zoology) examples from viruses, blood-sucking bats, pigeons, insect colonies as demonstrations for cases-in-points; I loved the debates and evolution analysis on human/organisms psychology involved in parent/child conflicts, battle of the sexes, group behaviours; I loved the way this Subject produced excited arguments or calm reflections over religion, Life and human interactions; I loved the way the Author effortlessly grabbed examples from real-life such as boat rowers, doves and hawks, ants, bacterium and breathe life into these examples, to illustrate and illuminate the areas of discussion - all in all, for non-fiction books, I could read Richard Dawkins's books day and night.

Would I recommend this book to you : A great big YES ! Because I had been totally biased and completely fascinated you might say; but looking at the book objectively, you would find humour, mega-interesting stories of the "Zoo" around you (great example: Royal beheading of an ant Queen by an invading Queen, geez!), witty presentation, the Games we (organisms) played (sometimes un-wittingly) at the bequest of our genes. I would say the book definitely will alter your mind set about the world we live in.

Night Train To Lisbon

Book Name : Night Train To Lisbon
Author : Pascal Mercier

What is it about : A Swiss professor in his late-fifties who specialised in ancient Greek, Hebrew and Latin Texts, met a Portuguese woman on his routine walk to school one rainy morning, an encounter which fired off his long-hidden desires and wishes - no, not an affair, but the desire to seek out life's many meanings. Our professor Raimund Gregorius, affectionately known to his students as Mundus, then stumbled upon a privately-published Portuguese book in an old book store, the book "A Goldsmith Of Words" set him off on a train journey to Lisbon to seek out and experience the Portuguese author, Prado's world of philosophies, emotions, and paradoxes as well as Prado's tumultuous relationships with his father, mother, sisters, friends, lovers, patients and Resistance comrades.

Some thoughts after having read the book : The book put together the lives of the two main characters - Mundus and Prado pieces by pieces as the reader gradually grew to understand their world. The structure and layers of the book was intricately wovened and constructed as we slowly explored the world of Prado, a brilliant medical doctor, philosopher and child prodigy who later became a Resistance co-operator under the era of the Portuguese dictatorship, almost 30 years Mundus's senior. This exploration was actually carried out by Mundus as he visited and conversed with Prado's many surviving friends and relatives in Lisbon - Prado died of a brain hemorrhage in his late fifties, some thirty years before Mundus's interest in his life. The book was beautifully written and stylistically composed - here's a description I personally liked most from the book : Quiet and elegant. Like dull silver.

Would I recommend this book to you : I cannot give the book more praise for its unique style, delicate touches and dramatic encounters. The book could be read as an adventure, a self-reflective philosophical debate or as a tool to understand human emotions towards families, friends, foes and religion. Before you head off to the local library, here are a few gems for your pleasure:

"Is the soul a place of facts ? Or are the alleged facts only the deceptive shadows of our stories ?"

"We leave something of ourselves behind when we leave a place, we stay there, even though we go away. And there are things in us that we can find again only by going back there."

"Life is not what we live, it is what we imagine we are living."

"Given that we can live only a small part of what there is in us - what happens to the rest ?"

Picking Up The Brass

Book Name : Picking Up The Brass
Author : Eddy Nugent

What is it about : A foul-mouth, spotty and alcoholic seventeen years old found himself enrolled to join the British Army. Attracted by the recruitment poster of sunny, balmy surfing, exotic overseas postings - our lad Eddy embarked on a few years of muddy drills, boot polishing, kitchen utensils scrubbing amongst laddies just like him, if not more pathetic.

Some thoughts after having read the book : The good points of this book were that Eddy really gave the readers the low-down of the years spent as an army recruit and his subsequent successful "graduation" and promotion. Tears, joy, puke, blisters all mixed in with the characters he met along the way. It was actually quite interesting to hear how the British Finest went through the hardships of being run legless, penalised to spend prison times for reckless drunken behaviour and his challenging encounters with his superiors and the Military Police. The bad points were of course, the readers had to endure the countless swearing by our Eddy, his mates and his Dad and coming off the book thinking, thank goodness I am not in the Army !

Would I recommend this book to you : Read the book for its genuine depiction of life in the Army, slap stick humour and be appalled by the senseless drunken incidents which initially cost him his promotion. You have been warned - lots of swearing, boys' talks and you might want to hide this book away from any prospecting Army teenage enthusiasts, as the contents of the book might put them off such a life style for good.

Close Range - Brokeback Mountain And Other Stories

Book Name : Close Range - Brokeback Mountain And Other Stories
Author : Annie Proulx

What is it about : Wyoming in the nutshell of these eleven short stories. The lives of the ranchers, ranchers' families and wives, rodeo riders, farmers with sinister secrets, cowboys coming out of the closet and the ways they interacted with each other, with the unforgiving lands and climate and with the even more unforgiving LIFE itself.

Some thoughts after having read the book : Darn ! Well, I would never have thought the State of Wyoming was so darn colorful and yet at the same time so brutal as the pavements, bars, and ranches were lined with so many crippled and dead folks. I was really taken for a ride by the author through this State where "Reality's never been of much use out here" said one anonymous retired Wyoming rancher. The author came up with (real life or story spinning) such charmers : Bad Girl Creek, Crazy Woman Creek, a ranch named Coffeepot, a Rodeo rider named Diamond Felts, a road called Drunk Road or even a neighbour called Coldpepper. But by far the most telling and touching story was of course the one which gave the modern definitive meaning when one had gone "Brokeback" - a story of intense emotions and immense sentiments. Having read these stories, I felt like I had lived in a Wyoming ranch over the past weeks.

Would I recommend this book to you : I could be seen with this book in the Metro, on a cross harbour ferry, on the plane or hey, even a research book for my visit to the State of Wyoming as I would imagine that the book would whet one's appetite to actually go and see a brutal rodeo show where cowboys break some noses and dislocate some shoulders, live in a ranch for a week where pretty much nothing happens for a month, have a beer with a Grandpa called Red, start a brawl in a bar called Gold Buckle and then fall into a creek named Pass Water. Yep, just let the author take you for a ride - you wouldn't want to leave this town.

London Observed - Stories And Sketches

Book Name : London Observed - Stories And Sketches
Author : Doris Lessing

What is it about : A collection of 18 short stories and "sketches", ranging from the goings-on in a side-walk cafe, a teenager giving birth next to a dirty slumdog on a rainy night, patients' interplays at a public hospital ward and a number of stories on relationships, love "lost and found" between mother and daughter as well as (ex and present)-husbands and (ex and present)-wives .

Some thoughts after having read the book : These short stories would not give the reader the "twist-in-the-tale" type of exhilaratinging finales; but having read each story in turn, I came away with deep thoughts - by the author's power of observation and insights into human relationships. I, in particular learnt a lot in how to come up with a "Sketch" of a situation, a weekend or even a stroll in the park; very much similar to how a painter would capture the scene of Autumn colors, a bowl of fruits or a passing bicycle race. I was constantly struck by the everyday settings - a park, the London Underground, a hospital ward, some road-side traffic or even gossipy sister talks at a Heathrow terminal; but the author "sketched" so well as the stories were rich in characters, full-blown details and points of views.

Would I recommend this book to you : You could pack this book with your travels, metro rides as well as a cosy Winter night before-bedtime read or as your Summer vacation extra-curricular reading - all in all, a book for all occasions.  Read the book to see a Master at work - effortless simplicity in scene-setting and presentation but powerful insights into human complexity in theme and nature.

The Fifth Miracle

Book Name : The Fifth Miracle
Author : Paul Davies

What is it about : A comprehensive collection of the latest information in the search of the origin of Life. The Author had gone to great length to define Life - a list and in-depth description of eleven pointers such as Autonomy, Organisation, Complexity, Information Content etc.; taking the readers to the bottom of the oceans where microbes lived happily alongside live volcanoes puking out lava; engaging the readers' imagination in the possibility of life on Mars from observing the erosion patterns on the red planet; entertain us with the thought that we could possibly be descendants from some bacteria from outer space, arriving on Earth from a meteorite.

Some thoughts after having read the book : Great authors in the field of evolution quite often shared these few traits : engaging, knowledgeable, all-rounders, Generalists with a capital G and very very exhaustive in their quest for a complete mastering of the argument at hand. Our Author here was no exception; the further I was into the book, the more topics were revealed and discussed : cosmology, thermodynamics, protein production, bugs and virus, genetic coding and a good old philosophical debate about Life : was there life afterall, at the very onset of the Big Bang ? What's the chance of finding you (reading this) and me (writing this) on the other side of some distant galaxy ?

Would I recommend this book to you : This book was by no means an easy Sunday morning snooze; more a book for those with a thirst for knowledge and un-bound curiosity about Life. The Readers had better surround themselves with reference books as they read on, as the Author would often explain his tracks of thoughts by going back to basics - thermodynamics, protein, RNA, DNA, Cosmology and the like. At once challenging and at the same time, the Readers are made to work hard. Fun ! Oh, by the way, should you wonder : the title of the book came from Genesis 1.11 " Let The Land Produce Vegetation".

Killer In The Rain

Book Name : Killer In The Rain
Author : Raymond Chandler

What is it about : A selection of short stories in the early days before RC became famous and master of this genre - the street-wise, chain-smoking, whisky-swilling, gun-always-at-hand Private Detective at your service. These stories could be seen as the Author's trial runs where he honed his skills in the creation of the ultimate Californian P.I. Philip Marlowe whom you had probably met in movies or stories alike.

Some thoughts after having read the book : It was the first time that I had really come across the formula writer - a writer so specialised in a genre and so prolific in his writing and creation that he churned out stories after stories using more or less the same structure and story line; almost like the hit TV series - think Miss Marple, Magnum P.I or the Colombo series. Here's the formula - P.I. bored to tears in his office as there had not been business for over a week, in came a thirty-something "dangerous" blond or a phone call from a police associate and related that a missing person needed to be found or contacted; P.I. then ran cross-country encountering all the nasty types, a few gun shots here and there, a few glasses (ponys) of whisky (rye) in between, 2 pages before the end then the (complex) plot explained through the P.I.'s acute observations; the bad guys went to jail and the P.I. got the cheque and drove back to his office downtown after a hard day's work.

Would I recommend this book to you : From what I have written, I might have sounded negative about this book but hey ! this was the master at work - you would get an action-packed story with an unexpected ending; PLUS an endless incredibly funny, cynical, observant one-liners (... a blond to make a bishop kick a hole in a stained-glass window ...) as well as American slangs up to your ears, so get your American Dictionary handy.

The Girl Who Played With Fire

Book Name : The Girl Who Played With Fire
Author : Stieg Larsson

What is it about : Our heroine, Salander, a gun-totting, axe-wielding kick-boxer, really kicked some ass out there - basically a Made-In-Sweden Lara Croft who got mixed up with some "national security" issues and had to confront not only demons from her past but also a steroid-pumped half-brother (honest...) who could not feel any pain (a rare form of muscle condition, again honest...) and a kick at his goolies would cause only minor irritations (but honestly...). Yeh, it's all in the book. Our hero Blomkvist, a journalist cum investigator came to her rescue right at the end when she survived a bullet wound in her skull and dug her way out of the ground after being buried alive. I gathered that she survived all this as there would be a sequel to this book.

Some thoughts after having read the book : Far fetched ?  Impossible ? Honestly, no way ! Hey Man, this was the land of Sweden where apparently our Blomkvist slept with just about all the females in Stockholm and we were led to believe that beneath that Swedish land of calm, green and laid-back facade, there laid sinister sex-slaves-trafficking, buried bodies and cold war spies aplenty ! I had to say - I loved it ! The almost-500 pages just turned effortlessly as I admired the author with his skills of holding the tension on multiple fronts; patient, pain-staking build-up of almost ALL the characters. I particularly liked the sessions describing the sentimental relationship between Salander and her mentor - now disabled and hospital-bound.

Would I recommend this book to you : When I first came across these guys in the first book (I watched the film actually) - The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and found the film lengthy (2.5 hours) but patiently drawn out - an absolute ace which stood out from the run-of-the-mill thriller produced with the short-film-let's-make-a-quick-buck formula. The book would take you some time to get over but you would like it and I could not wait to read the last installment - The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest.

Drop The Dead Donkey 2000

Book Name : Drop The Dead Donkey 2000
Author : Hamilton And Beaton

What is it about : The crazy, funny and the un-thinkable which happened to the crew members of a TV Newsroom as we approached the end of the Millennium. Also thrown in were a government fixer (poo sweeper), a wide-eyed South African bimbo and a revengeful watch guard. Oh, did I forget ? and a lot of impotent Englishmen and a dozen or so squaddies who committed suicide mysteriously after a gala dinner. Intrigued ?

Some thoughts after having read the book : This book managed to achieve what a TV comedy (sitcom) should - never a dull moment ! From the characterisation of the 8 crew members of CEO, Editor, News Readers etc. (and the never-appeared Chairman of the franchise) to the sinister build-up of the biggest scandal of the century (even Millennium), the book never disappointed. Just pure hilarity scenes after scenes, witty conversations, acidic comments never stopped flowing. After I finished reading, I felt that I was part of the crew wanting to go back to that office for more of the killing laughters ! The front cover of the book and the fact that these were the actual actors/actresses of the TV show, made visualisation more vivid and the pace frantic and I ended up having sympathy for them all, working in this loony house !

Would I recommend this book to you : When was the last time you had a light hearted moment ? Or the last time you laugh till your belly ached ? Pick this book up and read on ! WARNING - this book can cause serious un-controllable laughing symptoms, avoid reading in public.

The Never Lonely Planet

Book Name : The Never Lonely Planet
Author : Martin R. Oliver

What is it about : An old-hand traveller recounts his many intriguing journeys from whence he was an apprentice in Conventry - the once car-maker of the world, falling in luv with the intoxicating Brazilian cultures (and women), enduring the British Immigration when he went back to the now-strange homeland, to his later "not quite the backpacker" boat trips down the Mekong; the Author tells the stories with the style and humour of the likely bloke who stood next to you at the bar, beer-in-hand, having a good-o chin wag. The Foreword was written with insight and wisdom about Life - now, that can only come from a man who has been around and has the ability to reflect.

Some thoughts after having read the book : Remember that witty Brit you met in the London pub, or that Aussie you met along the Pan-American Highway with the driest, couldn't-give-a-shxt slap-stick humour ? Well, that could be our Author of this book - he just kept me entertained throughout and I felt I almost became a friend, going down the local bar each night, to hear him out for yet another exciting story. I looked forward to continue reading every day when I picked up where I left off. Just non-stop humours and laughters.

Would I recommend this book to you : Really a book to take anywhere with you, mind you, the book is so entertaining that you might finish it too soon ! However, if you are not a frequent traveller or the adventurous type (a.k.a. boring old fart), you might not be in sync with the flow, idea or purpose of all that in the book; or the book might just inspire you to get that plane ticket and start packing !

Skin

Book Name : Skin
Author : Roald Dahl

What is it about : A collection of short (roughly 15 pages each) stories, all with a slight twist in the end. These stories ranged from a priceless piece of painting (in the form of a tattoo) on a poor man back and how it eventually went on show; a murder committed with a leg of your favourite lamb; an injured pilot out-smarting the nurse and hospital staff and a happy ending for a kind-hearted surgeon when he found his lost treasure in one of the patients.

Some thoughts after having read the book : The author demonstrated the full range of skills and techniques in good English story writing - telling these short stores from different stand points through first person, a fly-on-the-wall observer and the classic "once upon a time in Africa...". The story which deserved my pouring the most compliments was the one involving two men trying to drug down the whole wood full of pheasants with laugh-bursting (loud!) consequences ! This one (The Champion Of The World) would stay in my memory for a long time to come.

Would I recommend this book to you : You want a book to humour you, fascinate you, amuse you, this is the one. Read it on a short train ride, between sipping your martini's during a sunset relaxation or too eager to read through the whole lot in one sitting - take your pick !

Ripley Under Ground (And Ripley's Game)

Book Name : Ripley Under Ground (And Ripley's Game)
Author : Patricia Highsmith

What is it about : Our famous "amateur" villain hatched another unlikely murderous plot. This time Tom Ripley would commit the murder in his house in France ! All the hoo-ha was done to save the Derwatt painting franchise which was again masterminded by our Tom and carried out by incompetent accomplices in London. The franchise was essentially a scam of selling forged paintings by a non-existent recluse artist hiding out in a village in Mexico - yeh, apparently the paintings sold like hot cakes ... All was going well until an American collector spotted a "cobalt blue" which should not have been there in one of the paintings and suspected foul play, Tom finished him off after a drunken dinner.

Some thoughts after having read the book : The author wrote the book in 1970 where forensics were primitive and the minds of the detectives were slow. No, no Poirot, Miss Marple or Detective Columbo anywhere remotely in sight to make Tom a little nervous. Reading the book in 2014 and making comments would be un-fair as we are now accustomed to books running at much faster pace, CSI on TV and lightning speed Internet to crawl out any dirt from anyone - Tom just would not survive in these modern times.

Would I recommend this book to you : You might think I have a rather negative view on the book, but on the contrary, I enjoyed the book immensely for sheer class and elegance. It was a joy to learn that Tom was living a luxurious idle life (big house, fast cars, perfect servant, painting the occasional portrait of his wife, popping down the French village to buy some flowers, his maid cooking up delicious dinners and such like). With the exception of a few frustrating scenes which amply demonstrated how amateur Tom was behaving and even more amateur the local police was going about their work, the book was a joy to read and the pages just turned effortlessly.

Ripley's Game had a similar read and feel, so I would not elaborate further, except that Ripley's Game was equally amusing and readable.

The Greatest Show On Earth

Book Name : The Greatest Show On Earth
Author : Richard Dawkins

What is it about : A wide range of evidence are presented in this most readable book, showing that evolution is alive and kicking, and happening right here and now and in its many forms and ways. The book is an attempt by the author to plug the gap in his formidable series of books on this topic where he has already covered other aspects such as gene-centric view of evolution, arguments against intelligent designs and the application of probability to evolution and such likes. Numerous experiments have been presented which showed life forms evolving in a matter of weeks and months - the one that caught my eye was the jump in the population density of bacteria when it evolved and "discovered" how to digest citrus substances on top of its ability to digest glucose - extremely fascinating !

Some thoughts after having read the book : The author is well endowed with all-round skills and the power of communication to get the messages over. Not only the author presented the book like a persuasive TV presenter, but more valuable were the experiments and data he dug up. For example, the Appendix detailed that, a 2008 poll showed that 42% of Americans believed that all life on Earth has existed in its present form since the beginning of time ! Another poll showed that roughly a third (32%) of Italians thought the earliest humans lived along side dinosaurs !!! The Appendix alone was worth my time in taking this book out from the local library.

Would I recommend this book to you : A book for all occasions - enjoying it in the sun and on the beach, over a cup of morning coffee and contemplating on life, quick firing bullets to shoot down Creationists' dubious arguments or mulling over the BIG questions in Life, you know, where do we come from, where are we heading, is there anyone out there etc. The author's eloquence and the on-going astonishing experiments made this book read like, you are watching a mega-hit movie - a must-read for both enthusiasts and the casual reader !

What's Up God ? A Romance Of The Apocalypse

Book Name : What's Up God ? A Romance Of The Apocalypse
Author : Simon Louvish

What is it about : The End is nigh ! Yep ! The Archangel Gabriel was sent down to us and announced (on TV) to the human race that The Resurrection was set for April 30, 1999 and the Judgement Day seven days thereafter. Non one would be spared, whatever your creed - believers, atheists, the lot. Everyone's dead relatives, friends, foes, bosses, right up to the neanderthals would be back from their graves and came knocking on the door; including the dead girlfriend of our hero, Jerry Davis. The Book focused on Jerry's dilemma, fate and journey to meet his Maker.

Some thoughts after having read the book : The Book did have its moments with Jerry meeting up with his resurrected teenage sweetheart; Karl Marx contemplating the present day capitalism in Jerry's father living room and of course our man Jerry had to get shot and returned like his dead counterparts in an angelic "bubble car". The scene I liked most was - in the process of getting ready for their trip to the pearly gates (or otherwise), Jerry's father dressed up in his overall with a spanner thrusted out from his breast pocket, a hammer and screwdriver on either side of the studded belt looking as if he's ready to fight a on-coming gang of hooligans; and Jerry's mother "more pragmatically" packed her wash bag with mosquito lotion, anti-septic cream, bandaids, scissors and threads, mini-coffeemate, pocket torch as if she were going for a weekend's camping in the Lake District. Definitely the best and funniest set piece I had read for a long while.

Would I recommend this book to you : Entertaining at first, but messy and confusing to end. The last ten pages would see Jerry's journey to his judgement and the text read like someone lost inside a submarine or on board an abandoned capsized freight carrier. At times the drama did brighten up my day but don't expect tightness in plot or a grand finale to finish.

The Life And Death Of Charles Darwin

Book Name : The Life And Death Of Charles Darwin
Author : L.R. Croft

What is it about : By piecing together the evidence gleamed from Charles Darwin's own words, personal letters as well as comments from collaborators, relatives, friends, critics, clerics, the book presented Darwin The Man. The Book also gave tentative answers to Darwin's mysterious illness, the probable reasons behind the years' delay on publication of his mind-altering masterpiece - The Origin Of Species; as well as the question of : did or did he not, on his deathbed, recant his theory of evolution by natural selection and his eventual conversion to Christianity ?

Some thoughts after having read the book : Having read Darwin's many great books and stories, this book gave me pause for thoughts. My own image of the Great Man before reading this book, had been a "Hall-Of-Fame" hero of the scientific world. This book however, made me think of Darwin as a devious, wavering, publicity-seeking self-server, who inadvertently fanned the flames of racism, who despicably included other's data in his research and never had the magnanimity to give credits to those with the original ideas and experimental data. As to Darwin's final conversion to religion, I surmise that this act was another of his "let's be on the safe side" tactic. Great work he did, not sure about the man himself.

Would I recommend this book to you : Yes. It was a highly enjoyable read and exciting to follow the Author's track of thoughts in analysing the materials available and finally arriving to a clearer picture of the (not so) Great Man. The Book read a little like a detective story where the P.I. investigated a dubious character with the assistance of a F.B.I. psychological profiling specialist.

An Urchin In The Storm

Book Name : An Urchin In The Storm
Author : Stephen Jay Gould

What is it about : The authoritative voice in the field of evolutionary biology aired his views freely on various science topics. From presenting critiques on his peers' technical papers and deductions to books and biographies he had read and reckoned the public needed other viewpoints and insights (his).

Some thoughts after having read the book : You ever heard a New Yorker rant on and on ? Yep, at first the book read that way and a migraine slowly crept up on me after the first ten pages. With patience, I stuck to reading the author's no-nonsense points of view and his seemingly annoying tone of voice, until I became used to his style of telling the reader the way he saw it, and all became good. It was kinda like getting to know someone (in this case, a brash New Yorker) and after a while you found him to be quite a good guy really and he had a point. I particularly enjoyed getting to know the stories related to Social Biology research and conclusions done on brains and IQ of men and women, blacks and non-blacks back in those un-informed early 1930s'.

Would I recommend this book to you : Enjoy SJG's all round skills encompassing opera, musical, evolution, history and point-blank attacks on many mis-understandings, mis-representations, red-herrings on various modern science topics; but you have been warned, it's helluva of a New Yorker coming at you at gale 10 force ! Think Mcenroe on a suspected line call ...

Death In Venice And Other Stories

Book Name : Death In Venice And Other Stories
Author : Thomas Mann

What is it about : Seven short stories (I actually only read five of them) including the celebrated Death In Venice, have been included in this Everyman's Library series. A masterful 20-page Introduction by Daniel Johnson should ring the bell of what would be installed - a literature giant at full force, recounting or perhaps embellishing the themes, philosophies and episodes of his life. Taking the titled story for instance, a renowned author going through should one say, a middle-age crisis, infatuated by a Polish boy as he was on vacation on the shores of Venice. Subsequently, he spied on, stalked upon, and killed himself in his own tangled web of love; unknowingly perhaps, willingly maybe, through the fatal contagion of the virus from the lowland swamps.

Some thoughts after having read the book : A Wordsmith, A Great Communicator (through sentences), A　Literature Giant, A Profound Thinker - descriptions which came to mind as I read through these stories. The Author had, the power of choosing the right words, the patience to fully form the setting, the depth of human knowledge to create the characters (including a dog). Take for example, the story " A Man And His Dog", I felt as if I knew this dog when it was still a puppy, I felt I even owned the dog and had taken it on numerous walkies and the experience of anxiety and helplessness when it coughed blood.

Would I recommend this book to you : An excellent way to enlarge your vocabulary as well as great lessons in learning how to apply the appropriate wordings to form the scenarios. However, I felt that the stories in the book would not break new grounds in achieving enlightenment; neither were the stories any page-turners or cat-and-mouse chases, just pure literature. For the literature type, an absolute god-send; for the beach-goer, time to go back to the book shelf for another book; for the general reader, a good solid read but nothing earth-shattering and write home about; write a book review like this one, may be...

A Little History Of The World

Book Name : A Little History Of The World
Author : E.H. Gombrich

What is it about : Forty short essays of the more significant chapters of the world history as we know it, told by the Author in a grand-fatherly voice, in a manner that made me think of him possibly holding his mug of hot coco while he spoke. The Greats, The Terribles, The Conquerors, The Dictators, The Wars, The Peace and The Faiths, were all there, described at a high-level, but without sacrificing the importance and impacts of the roles and events. The book covered much of the Western spheres with a few interesting add-ons from the East such as The Buddha, Confucius et al.

Some thoughts after having read the book : I finished the book over a surprisingly fast one week period, all to show the writing and summation power the Author garnered as well as the skills in presenting those "boring" stories I dreaded in Primary School. The Author successfully turned cold historical facts into interesting, relevant and insightful messages. The personal experience of the Author during WWII added extra dimensions and relevance and he gave his heart-felt comments on that sad chapter of human history.

Would I recommend this book to you : Excellent, relaxing reading and I could just dive straight in to the parts of our history that tickled my fancy, without having to read the book in a chronological sequence. I would recommend the book especially to early teens whom at that age would have started studying HISTORY and might as I did, find the subject daunting, boring, impersonal, irrelevant - the book would go a long long way to entice the teenage readers and turn these aspects around.

The Rebirth Of East Europe

Book Name : The Rebirth Of East Europe
Author : Michael G. Roskin

What is it about : A fairly detailed historical account of the lands squeezed between the four empires - Ottoman, Habsburg, Tsarist (and later Communist) Russian and Prussian (Germany). Who are these peoples who prospered and suffered as these empires peaked and ebbed ? The explanations of why these lands became the battle grounds of the two World Wars were presented. And of course included were the colorful accounts of those starring roles played out by the royalties, heroes, villains, puppets and bystanders. The author spared no blushes in presenting a critique of how and why Communism failed and as all good thesis, gave a few pointers of the hopeful future at the end of the book.

Some thoughts after having read the book : As I was reading through the book, one question in particular repeatedly stood out - how come A Shining White Knight never came to the rescue ? OK, how about an Iron Chancellor, a charismatic politician or a forceful peasant leader - no, none of those. These lands never united to form a force and had no luck in bringing out a formidable leadership and the result was devastating - a battle ground and the spoils of war for the taking. Sad but intriguing to learn the history of these countries.

Would I recommend this book to you : I read this book as background for our trip to these countries in May 2013 and the book provided more than enough for that purpose. In fact, the core materials would stand you in good stead in passing an O-Level on this topic. However, I did find the author at times, opinionated and not as subjective as I would like; but looking at it as the author telling you strictly his points of views, then the book became a fascinating "Western" commentary. Pick it up for an easy and interesting read.

Lord Of The Flies

Book Name : Lord Of The Flies
Author : William Golding

What is it about : A survival story about a group of British school boys aged around six to mid-teens, stranded on an island. Simple enough, but the story soon turned dark as the menacing ignorance of human instincts came into play with the loss of rules and order and the emergence of crooked logic and wicked justification started to dominate. The story came to an abrupt end as our heroic teenage leader, Ralph was saved from the pursuing bloodthirsty "tribes".

Some thoughts after having read the book : I had come across other books which had been called page-turners, tour-de-force and so on but believe me, the latter half of this book was truly a Master-At-Work. I was reluctant to put the book down even for a minute, as I read astounded at the speed with which the innocent boys turned to killers. The parallel which could be drawn from this story, of our own human experience of the lust of waging wars and the longing of peace was only too clear - any reason to start a fight - don't you find that in our present world ? By the way, my favourite passage was the description in the book about the parachute man which was exquisitely written !

Would I recommend this book to you : As I read, I had wished that I had read this book during my early secondary school years as this was a book about quite an adventure of the boys lost on an island. But having said that, reading the book now with a bit more life experience would be more rewarding as the meaning of war and peace came through more obviously which I would have found it difficult to grasp if I had read it during my school years. The book had been turned into movies around the world and the book could be read as easily as watching a motion picture and I would recommend the book as a challenge to a Primary Six student and to be read again later in adult life.

The Master And Margarita

Book Name : The Master And Margarita
Author : Mikhail Bulgakov

What is it about : A fantasy fiction about the havoc wreaked on Moscow when Satan and three sidekicks came to town - one of whom was a walking and talking malicious tom-cat ! Anyone who unfortunately crossed paths with these guys ended up either in the madhouse, had his head cut off by a tram, had their clothes disappeared and walked the streets naked or turned into a witch - basically Moscow burnt down and Muscovites running around for their lives as they watched ! The legend about the betrayal by Judas for 30 pieces of silver, supposedly all those years ago, made an interesting interlude of "a story within a story".

Some thoughts after having read the book : Crazy, surreal or pure magic - take your pick on deciding the book's nature. I would go for all three. It was hard going to get used to the style and translation to start but I actually ended up liking the book for the choice of words, structure and composition. The interlude as I mentioned above was vivid and electrifying and felt as if I was right there to witness the execution of the three prisoners. I thought that this historical interlude wrapped up nicely and intelligently towards the end of the book with the passing away of the Master (title).

Would I recommend this book to you : Ever watched Bettlejuice, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, Harry Porter etc. - yeh that line of movies; well the book was a bit like that. Crazy, mind-boggling, unsettling and even fun sometimes. To that I would add poetic as well because the book was written beautifully. Free your pre-conceptions and let the book take you for a fantastic and crazy adventure and you would enjoy the ride.

The Blind Watchmaker

Book Name : The Blind Watchmaker
Author : Richard Dawkins

What is it about : The authoritative voice in the business of Evolution putting his arguments forward in the debate of the complex design of organisms. The book discussed in great depth the failings of alternative evolution theories including Creationists, Lamackians etc.; presented and dissected the clever inner-workings of good designs such as the human eye and the bat's echo-location ability; explored the probability of plausible theories of The Very First Beginning - the organic "soup" being sparked by a chance lightning and the  Inorganic Crystal Growth Theory. The author also illustrated how to reason like a "true" Darwinian through an imaginative conversation with Darwinian Caricatures and die-hard Mutationists.

Some thoughts after having read the book : Had I been tutored by such a logical, philosophising, thought-provoking, subjective and witty teacher, I would definitely have gotten some good grades if not an all-round and deep understanding of the subject of Evolution. The author left no stones un-turned, no arguments left un-debated and his straight forward humour punctuated the book throughout - "...I personally would consider it an honour to be fossilised...". Not being well-versed in this subject, I did find the parts on Chromosomes and Taxonomy heavy-going.

Would I recommend this book to you : I would consider this book a Must-Read. If you are a biologist / zoologist / genetic engineer, then you would gain an all-round insight on the Subject as well as likely good grades in your examination essays. If you are a philosopher and logician, you would appreciate the Author's reasoning manner of presenting the materials and discussions about Life in general or even if you are a member in a school debating team, you would learn to put your case forward as comprehensive and water-tight arguments !

The Golden Ratio

Book Name : The Golden Ratio
Author : Mario Livio

What is it about : The history, characteristics and applications of a seemingly simple equation: x squared - x - 1 = 0 that converges to the Golden Ratio 1.6180339887.... The book painstakingly explained that this ratio can be computed via many different ways e.g. The Fibonacci Numbers, Euclidean geometry or the logarithmic spiral etc. So, what's the big deal ? The book explains in terms that even I understood that this ratio represents "the most irrational of all irrational numbers" - a ratio least expressible as a fraction and the world as we know it, is full of behaviour based on this ratio. The book also gives insightful accounts of the lives of many "philosophers" such as Pythagoras and Kepler. The book rounds off with a philosophical debate / discussion on the very topic of MATHEMATICS.

Some thoughts after having read the book : I was a little apprehensive when I loaned out this book from the local library as I had left my maths days WAY BEHIND, like for the past 25 years, I had hardly encountered an equation. But I was rewarded by a patient author who peppered the book with outstanding and interesting examples which included even the way an eagle spirals down to attack its prey - yeh, amazingly, the Golden Ratio is deployed in the attack ! I was not overly keen on reading about painters, artists using this ratio in their final products as I am not much of an artist. I followed most of the neat but clearly detailed mathematical proofs in the appendices without too much problems.

Would I recommend this book to you : If you want to rekindle your passion and curiosity about your long-forgotten maths; or if you are intrigued by the magical properties of numbers / constants / ratio etc or if you are fascinated by the coherence of maths in explaining the universe's phenomena from plant growth, star formation or rabbit breeding; then this is your book !

Pincher Martin

Book Name : Pincher Martin
Author : William Golding

What is it about : The physical and mental journey of a shipwrecked seaman who was stranded on a desert island. Think Tom Hanks in Cast Away and you will get a pretty close picture of what the story is about; except that there is an eerie ending and of course Golding's master touches and tricks.

Some thoughts after having read the book : I struggled through two-thirds of the book before realising that I was beginning to think, talk and hallucinate like our Pincher Martin - will I be saved ? What must I do to be saved ? What's there to eat to keep me going ? I felt as Martin did that I was talking mad, thinking mad and wandering mad; the world became incomprehensible, myself confused and days went by in an dreamy haze. Yes - I was becoming insane.

Would I recommend this book to you : It is quite likely that you will not fully understand each scene and dialogue and will instead be very confused about where the plot is going; but stay with it and let Golding The Master take you through to the very end (in fact to the very haunting, very chilling last sentence) and you will be left stunned and the whole book will take on a completely different genre. Big words, eh ? But you will be rewarded if you stay with the maddening read.

The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time

Book Name : The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time
Author : Mark Hadden

What is it about : The book was "written" by the main character, a 15-years-old Christopher about his adventures and encounters with the world out there as he tried to solve the puzzle of who killed the poor dog, figure out the London Underground, was his mother still alive and the biggest riddle of them all - Life and People.

Some thoughts after having read the book : I identified with Christopher immediately after a few pages; in particular, the difficulties to make sense of the strange workings of this human world, the aloofness one needed to be away from peoples and in contrast, the pure ease of understanding the straightforward universe of physics and maths ! I figured after reading the book that we all have "Special Needs" in us - we may call it "personal space"; we all have our own construction (real and imaginary) of this world, our own superstitions of 4 red cars in a row meaning a good day etc. Essentially, our very own chemistry, interactions and rules in dealing with this world.

Would I recommend this book to you : Absolutely ! You may intend to pick out this book for an easy read at first, possibly thinking the book as a kiddy adventure in solving some mysterious events; but you will (as I did) get to know this world and about yourself better ! You may even rediscover the compassion in yourself to grant others the benefit of the doubt as others may find you and your world strange and difficult to understand.

British Decolonization 1946-1997

Book Name : British Decolonization 1946-1997
Author : W.David McIntyre

What is it about : The concise summary that you had always wanted to read about on the events and dynamics of the rather quick British "get-out-of-everywhere" between the years 1946 to 1997. Disappointing to the folks in Hong Kong (The Last Colony) that we were not mentioned other than on the Events List. More prominent countries such as India, South Africa and The Middle East took centre stage.

Some thoughts after having read the book : How it must have been fun to work as a diplomat at the British Foreign Office during those times of de-colonization ! Such diplomat would have found an amazing array of countries and problems to work on and be very thankful that most of the phase-out were done peacefully as The Empire stretched from nothing too big (India) to nothing too small (Tonga). Having read the book, you would have no doubt that Britain was indeed the colonization as well as the de-colonization expert par-excellence ! Hey, imagine dealing with zealous nationalists from India, old hand Deng Xiao Ping, stubborn White settlers in Africa and Pacific island chiefs more or less during the same era, now that's interesting !

Would I recommend this book to you : A surprisingly easy read as far as a History book goes ! If you take out the emotional side of the cynical and brutal nature of Colonization itself and treat Colonization as a Subject, this book will be very interesting for you. But as it was repeatedly mentioned in the book - a Profit And Loss Account was carried out by the British Government and found that the Colonies weighed equally as assets and as liabilities, the British soon decided to quit - they were not here to do charity, it's all about maximising benefits and influence and avoiding those quagmires !

中國模式：經驗與困局 Chinese Mode : Experiences And Difficulties

Book Name : 中國模式：經驗與困局 Chinese Mode : Experiences And Difficulties
Author : 鄭永年

What is it about : A scholarly book based mostly on Professor Zheng's series of presentations on modern day China's experiences of the road taken so far and the hope and plight of the way forward. Topics covered in the book include political and economical reforms, power sharing between party, local authorities and the common people, village-level democracy and the relevance of the Singaporean model. NB. Professor Zheng is the Director of Research in East Asian Institute at National University Of Singapore.

Some thoughts after having read the book : A book with such a title raises eyebrows no doubt, in the current administrative climate of Hong Kong - Hong Kong is embroiled in an intense debate about the teaching of "The Chinese Model" in the education curriculum as some may refer such teaching as brain-washing. My own scepticism was put aside about 10 pages in, as I followed the logic and coherence the Author laid down, with no beating around the bush about the existence of corruption, wealth gap and hard line approaches the current ruling party has taken. The book made sense to me by highlighting the fact that no countries would follow the exact same path Western countries had taken, much less with such different culture, history and outlook, regarding political transformation, economic reforms and the nature of the civil society as a whole.

Would I recommend this book to you : At times, the book is laden with heavy academic-speaks but with an open mind, plenty of patience and an eagerness to participate in finding a way out for our fellow country men, I would not hesitate in recommending this book to you as you would feel like you are taking part in an important investigation ! But if you are the type who considers the Chinese Communists Party nothing but a selfish and self-justifying machine or you would like to see American style electioneering or European parliamentary type governance happening soon or even as we speak - stay away from the book would generate less grievances.

The Unbearable Lightness Of Being

Book Name : The Unbearable Lightness Of Being
Author : Milan Kundera

What is it about : The stories and adventures of mainly four people Tomas, Tereza, Sabina and Franz, set against the Russian invasion and occupation of Czech countries. These sad tales mainly concerned hopping into each other's beds, running away from the authority's attention and these guys' inner thoughts and philosophies toward Life.

Some thoughts after having read the book : Now that's out of the way, the book is really about the Author's stories, adventures, thoughts and philosophies toward Life. The gore and glory never got going in the book - no up-in-arms with machine guns, no torturing in prisons - nothing bloody like those, just expansion of thoughts and the Author using the characters and the scenes as platform and vehicles, to expound more of the seemingly pointless philosophies, I'm afraid. Perhaps because of the translation (Czech to English), the sections felt dislocated, the running of actions rough and I am really not sure about the Author's own interjection at places - you know, when you are reading a story, you are and you want to be transported to a space and time in the book and you try to live the characters, but all of a sudden the Author appears in the middle of the book, sidetracks you and snaps you back to the present. Ha Hum !

Would I recommend this book to you : At first, I found the book entertaining with the bits of flirting, partner-swapping and hints of greater things to come (the Russkies had arrived !) but it got a bit tiresome after thirty pages with more and more pointless ranting and the action never got going. The book read like a close friend telling you his sad tales - I was a famous surgeon once but now I am a window cleaner but I still sleep with a different woman everyday; by the way let me tell you how my dog died the other day. Really, honestly, that was Tomas, the book's main dude, deep thinker and super stud !

The Inheritors

Book Name : The Inheritors
Author : William Golding

What is it about : Not quite "The Last Of The Mohicans" but close ! Let's call it "The Last Of The Neanderthals" and the story tells how our close relatives, came face to face with our more sophisticated ancestors, the Homo Sapiens and inevitably loosing out.

Some thoughts after having read the book : Few books I have read maybe considered an original, but The Inheritors made it my first - style and plot truly unique. As I read along, I felt that I was installed with a caveman mindset as well as the corresponding bungling and inflexible walking movements. The impact was of course the initial encounter between the two tribes : the Neanderthals dudes with the slow minds, inferior communications who were practically tool-less, pitched hopelessly against the bows and arrows, fermented honey drinks and tree trunk boats of our more technologically advanced ancestors. The Neanderthals once thought the arrow aimed their way was a flying twig and may even be a "present" from the Homo Sapiens ! Game over dudes !

Would I recommend this book to you : Yes ! But this was by no means a straight forward read as the author had an opaque style that was hard to filter through at first. But hey, here's a.n.o.t.h.e.r. Nobel Prize winner for Literature and he's not gonna hand-feed you ! Nevertheless, for sheer originality and quest for a challenge, you will not be disappointed at the end.

Light In August

Book Name : Light In August
Author : William Faulkner

What is it about : A pregnant Lena Grove from Alabama went in search for the irresponsible father, literally by hitching rides after wagon rides, encountered the four vivid characters (directly or indirectly) in this moving story that ultimately climaxed in high drama. The four dudes in question were : "You're Pregnant-I-Had-Better-Run" Lucas Burch, the love-me-do Byron Bunch, the fallen preacher Gail Hightower and the mixed-blood Mexican with an unusual start and end of life, Joe Christmas.

Some thoughts after having read the book : This is a story you are not likely to forget too soon. The lives of the four men and one woman interwovened as if fate had brought them together and the story was set at a time in the American States that had a major attitude problem - the great black and white divide. Racial over tones permeated the story which I imagine was a reflection of the time that was. The parts written about the arm-waving delirious preacher Hightower and how his stunned congregation diminished in size were hilarious and definitely my favourite.

Would I recommend this book to you : Yes ! Don't be put off by the daunting feeling that you are reading a Nobel Prize author at work, this story had a surprisingly ready-for-movie feel about it and hence very readable. You will be impressed upon and delved right inside the incredible characters; however, you will need a bit of patience at times as the story was told in a chronologically zig-zag fashion.

A History Of God

Book Name : A History Of God
Author : Karen Armstrong

What is it about : A comprehensive account of the history of the world's three main religions : Judaism, Christianity and Islam. All the relevant historical characters who had ever made any impact, said anything enlightening or caused any re-think or re-group, have been mentioned in this book. All the theology, insights and controversies over the years, since the dawn of the "conscious" mankind, have been mostly accounted for in this book. Buddhism has also been frequently mentioned to run interesting parallels with these three religions. 

Some thoughts after having read the book : A book to completely "wow" you over with the impressive range of topics and understanding the author has over these religions. I was amazed to read up on the human race's painstaking attempt to conjure up entities of the "Supreme Being" or the "Nothing" and the ways and practices to reach, feel, understand and join-up with these entities. The author stressed on numerous occasions that a religion has to be pragmatic and has to "work" - that is, to help us make sense of our world. Daunting at first to put up with the challenge of reading such a big book with such a big title, I actually came out feeling I have gained something.

Would I recommend this book to you : Yes ! If you want to get a real grip on these religions or you want to understand why the historical figures made such impacts - then this is your book. What this book will NOT tell you however, are - the meaning of Life, why are we here and just who and what is God. You will need to figure that out yourself. Please e-mail me if you are close to an answer.

Rat Race

Book Name : Rat Race
Author : Dick Francis

What is it about : A laid-back, sometimes bitter ex-BOAC pilot with a not-too-clean flying record, became involved in an insurance scam in the horse racing circle. In the end of the story, became the hero with an almost-fatal stab wound, got the girl, took the cash and hobbled off to the sunset (something like that).

Some thoughts after having read the book : A hark back to the distant past where people actually sat by the phone awaiting news from missing family members; when books were less commercial and followed no known familiar formula; when heroes were reluctant and flirting was subtle - think Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn in BW movies - that's my impression of the book. An overall feel-good book and the reader would feel happy for the characters at the end of the book, without much Hollywood-hype fanfare, just no-fuss, comfortable Middle-England pleasantness.

Would I recommend this book to you : If you enjoy sitting by the radio listening to an exciting episode being read to you by a well-spoken Englishman, this is your book - a nostalgic old-timer. Take the book to a beach; or just read it to gain insights into a slice of England (horse racing, private jet business, esoteric airport locations ...); or just read the book for its good use of English - a good choice for extra-curricular reading material for say a student going on to Secondary School Form 1.

新疆两千年

Book Name : 新疆两千年
Author : 新疆維吾爾族自治區對外文化交流協會

What is it about : A comprehensive, colorful and interesting account of the region and now Province : Xinjiang. This is an "official" version of the events that happened in this area and covered many other fascinating aspects such as the famous jade mines (和田玉), the silk road, the hardships and prestige of the Buddist monks as well as the religious interchanges throughout the turbulent times of the past 2,000 years.

Some thoughts after having read the book : Having read this book, I wanted to get my rucksack out from the attic and explore this immensely interesting region asap. The region had been described as the crossroads between the world's 4 ancient cultural roots : Islamic, Chinese, Indian and European - just feel the cultural depth of the Province by following the adventures of the Buddhist monks, the rise and fall of the many kingdoms, the military might of the Chinese Emperors as well as the ambitions of the more recent Russian Tsars.

Would I recommend this book to you : Yes. I found the book very informative as I tried to read it without any political bias and took the events as stories and accounts of the "surviving few". The book could definitely do with a detailed map as well as translations of the figure heads and the geographical places. Otherwise, a fine read !