Reading Circle

I enjoy reading and am keen to ‘swop’ books or exchange recommendations on books. If you are an avid reader, we could do that or even get together and talk about any book that we have read. At the moment, my interests are more on biographies, autobiographies and real life personal experiences although I read all sorts.

I have just finished "A Round-Heeled Woman"  and "Unaccompanied Women" , both by Jane Jushka. They are very good reads and surprisingly, were recommended by a man. Another good book is "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell, which I have yet to finish.

Come and join me and chat about our books :-)

Author: Mary Chan

SHC708

239 thoughts on “Reading Circle”

  1. Well, Mary, what I read, obviously, you dont so I can, at best, only squat outside yr round-heeled circle and find myself some heal elsewhere………maybe, high up on the Wudang hill.

    Yes, Wudang. It’s books abt the founder of Wudang Pai (it means the Udang Sect, not udang pie) I read, the Tai Chi master Cheong Same Phone, how Yearn SuSu committed suicide right in front of her young son Cheong Bogay, how Zhou Zero’s love for that Bogay turned into seething hatred…..

    Then, in another gongfu novel, the champion pugilists hailed from all 4 mahjong directions – north, south, east, west – but the best came from Central (zhong sern tong or Wont Joke Young).

    Maybe, maybe i shd learn to drink from yr cup of tea and start to Blink like Malcolm and get to feel Glad & well.

  2. Tim, I think you would be more at home with the story writing group. You have such a knack for playing with words and twisting them into yew char kuey.
    But if you have a good book to recommend, please do.

  3. Mary, I read very few Englsih books, limited to literature textbooks, from Shane in secondary one, then How To Kill A Mockingbird, later The war of the Worlds.

    Brought up in a family steep in the Chinese culture, I read a lot more Chinese classics, completed The Water Margin, Journey to the West etc before 10.

    While it is to be regretted that I cant contribute meaningfully to your book range, I certainly wont mind reading good books. So if you care to recommend one, I will read it.

    Incidentally, my English actually picked up after college when I began to write petitions, and reading Far Eastern Economic Review was a big help.

  4. You know Tim,

    I used to listen to my mum talk about the Chinese classics and have always wanted to read some, especially Chinese history and the dynasties. The problem is that I can’t find or don’t know how to get the English versions. I have no idea where to look. The library would be a good place, but translated versions? If you know, please tell. My mandarin is limited to some spoken and very limited reading and vocab.
    One book that I read with mixed feelings was “Tuesdays with Morrie” by Mitch Albom. Try it. You might like it or perhaps find it a little depressing like I did.

  5. Tim,
    incidentally, the two books I mentioned earlier by Jane Jushka are very good. They were recommended by a gentleman who seemed to have very liberal views about women but thought Singaporean women were too conventional. Haha.

  7. Hi Mary Chan and Tim Liu

    I am also a lover of books, and I read both Aian and Western Culure. I enjoy very much Chinese culture and wuzia literature especially those by people like Louis Cha and Gu Lung. Unfortunately, there are very few translations (I don’t read Mandarin) and at the moment those of Louis Cha’s available are only The Duke of Mount Deer and The Book and the Sword (not easy to find, if interested try Amazon), and Gu Lung’s The Eleventh Son (?). However books like The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Journey to the West and Water Margin are easily available (translated by China Press).

    sb

  8. Haha, Mary, how wd I know unless you tell? Now that you did tell, I know.

    Vividly, I remember my mum’s first story to me and it was abt Yueh Fei, the patriotic general of the Soong Dynasty who finally returned from guarding the frontiers, after receiving 12 gold madalion summons, knowing that it was a death-date. In his last days, he penned Mun Jiang Hong and sung it at the execution site of Foong Buo Ting. I love that song and sing it if it’s found in a k’ok.

    Inevitably, the sting is lost in any translated version.

    I once read Lin Yutang’s translation, and couldnt help sniggering.

    I too enjoy Chinese history….the rise & fall of dynasties…to the demise of the KMT, the resurrection of people power culminating in the CPC’s bamboo curtain, cordoning the most populous country for more than 3 decades, the purges of Liu Shaoqi, LinPiao (the latter was recently restored to the Hall of Fame).

    Heee, if there’s this day, I can do you a Lei Tai Sor and do the story-telling.

    Alright, I’ll try, this Sunday with my butty Morris, to look up “Tuesdays with Morrie” by Mitch Albom as well as the two books by Jane Jushka.

    Btw, liberal women good meh?

    They can be very troublesome……..yr gender-mend friend will hv to carry an AIDs test kit all the time.

    SbKhoo, me very happy to see you here again.

    You have read wuxia novels from the best writers. Louis Cha (or Jing Yong) enthrals with the plots in his stories and Gu Lung is famed for his “the most dangerous place is the safest; yr best of friends is yr worst enemy”, and thrills with a pinch of humsupness which he cd describe very well.

    Indeed, Louis Cha’s The Duke of Mount Deer (Lu Ting Qi) and The Book and the Sword (Shu Qian Ern Zou Lu) and Gu Lung’s The Eleventh Son (I think it’s Siow 11 Lung) are very captivating. Books like The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Journey to the West and Water Margin are written many more years ago with the originals in wern yen wern, probably appeal less to the young of today.

    See, Mary, you have stirred up good reading interest. Keep it up, hunni !

  9. Hi Benson,
    Welcome and I’m glad to hear that there are English versions of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms etc. I will try my luck at the library.
    Thanks

  10. Tim,

    When I was a young girl, I used to watch those black and white stories on tv about Yeh Fei, Pao Kong etc, but a lot of it was lost on me because they were in Mandarin.
    If I’m not mistaken, someone also told me that the translated versions in the earlier years were terrible. The stories and meanings got “lost in translation” hahaha.
    Going back to the tv shows, do you know if they have these on vcds with English subtitles?

    “Liberal women”. Depends on what you mean. In Finland, the definition is definitely much more ‘liberal’ than in Singapore.

    Aiyah, you think Singaporean men don’t need aids test kits meh? At least in Finland, they are open about sleeping around. Here, I’m quite sure some men sleep around just as much but ‘sneak around’ doing it and then act like they are innocent as hell. I don’t know about Singaporean women. I think most wouldn’t dream of doing a fraction of what she, Jane Jushka, has done. We are still a long way behind them.

    I have the book “Tuesdays with Morrie” and could lend it to you if you want, but it will have to be on Sat. at the potluck, on condition that you ‘chope’ the pavilion and bring me a genuine bottle of mineral water.

  11. Benson,

    Are Louis Cha’s books about modern day stories or of the ancient world? Any link to history?
    I’m heading for the library later to search for them too.
    Thanks

  12. Mary,

    I was told that channel 8 presently telecasts late in the nite a serial of 1 of the Chinese classics (the day I dunno cos I am banned from watching tv other than soccer). Most of these vcds, if watchable, come from HK and they dont carry English subtitles. But if you sit next to mw, I can explain to you, ai mai?

    I dont like liberal women; accordingly, I wont want to read Jane Jushka now.

    Of cos some men sleep around and, with the property prices shooting thru the roof, there’ll be more homeless esp among the silverhairs. Sad hor and that’s where SHC’s long term objective of helping each other purposefully lies.

    (Terence reading, you agree? Or have you returned from Honking Lulu?)

    “I…..could lend it to you…. but it will have to be on Sat. at the potluck, on condition that you ‘chope’ the pavilion and bring me a genuine bottle of mineral water”.

    Woman, woman, why do you woman always carry so many conditions in doing a simple act like lending a book?

    Btw, be mentally prepared that Romance of the 3 Kingdoms is most unromantic. The “romance” is abt intrigue, treachery, loyalty, brotherhood….nothing to do with boy-gal r/s hor.

    Finally, Louis Cha weaves and fans out his fantasy in his books. Like all wuxia stories, they’re cast in the ancient pugilistic world where you cd punch thru the air and cause harm, float around like a butterfly. Absolutely no link to history, altho occasionally, Cha will try to depict a few characters with some historical honchos.

    I’m told that Cha is meeting his heroes in one of our libraries so please head for the correct library later to search for them.

  13. Hi Mary Chan

    I don’t believe we have met before, I am sb khoo, not Benson.

    As Tim mentioned, Louis Cha’s books are based in ancient China, and while they are stories from the pugilistic world (hence wuxia), many are quite romantic and involves the battle between good and evil (or the hypocritical do-gooders). While videos (and now DVDs) of most of the books are available esp. by Hong Kong’s TVB, I believe some do not follow the stories faithfully and do not have English subtitles (the DVDs do have though). It is unfortunate that amongst Louis Cha’s and others’ many books, there are vey very few translations (maybe Tim Liu can translate) although this situaion may improve in future because here ar huge interest in these stories among Asians (e.g. Thais, Vietnamese, etc) and even the Ang Mo’s are interested. So for the moment for people like me who do not read Mandarin, it is either Learn Mandarin or wait for the translations. In the meantime, watch the videos/dvds (e.g. Legend of the Condor Heroes, The Return of the Condor Heroes, The Smiling Proud Wanderer, The Flying Fox of Snowy Mountain, Demigods an Semidevils, etc).

    While you may find translations of The Romance of the Three Kingdom, Journey to the West and Water Margin in the library, I don’t think you can find translations of Louis Cha (and other wuxia authors) in the library. Even purchasing the translations are not easy.

    sb

  14. Hi Mary,

    Haha, Is not me, Benson.
    I think you are refering to sbkhoo, am i right?

    Sbkhoo, pls reply to Mary. I think she mistaken you as me, hahaha….

    Cheers
    Benson

  15. “…..she mistaken you as me, hahaha……”

    Sure, this time you can hahaha but if the mistaken identity occurs at geylang lor 14-18, then I’ll be the one hahahahaha and you probably in pain be calling out aiyak aiyak…mai pak mai pak……..

  16. Oops, Benson and sbkhoo. Apologies. I thought you were both one and the same guy.
    So the avid reader of Louis Cha is sbkhoo and the one I mistook for sbkhoo is Benson Koh. Sorry for the mix up.
    Any way, Benson, you don’t like to read? I’m sure you have a book or two to recommend.

  17. Tim,
    I went to the library but most of these books are in Mandarin. There is one translated version of the Romance of the 3 Kingdoms, but it’s in a whole volume of vcds! I might consider that if there’s no alternative.
    Regarding Louis Cha’s writings -Pugilistics? Not my cup of tea.

    Ok, I’ll bring the book on Sat and if you can spare the time, perhaps you could tell me some anecdotes from the 3 Kingdoms which I am aware is nothing ‘romantic’ but all about treachery and betrayal etc.
    I still want to get hold of the translated version if there is any around.

    Chope the pavilion and bring the mineral water- genuine one please. Fair exchange what.

  18. SHC who are non conversant in Mandarin can access this site entitled ‘ China the Beautiful” . Here you get an introduction to Chinese culture, poetry, calligraphy, philosopy, … chinese classics.
    Three Kingdom, Journey to the West, Tale of Water Margin, Dream of Red Chamber have English translations chapter by chapter. Choose topic Classic Novels.

    http://www.chinapage.com/china-rm.html

  19. Hey Charles,
    I read your comment but I don’t see it on my post.
    Thanks for the link. I will add it to my favourites and try to read some online.

  21. Benson,

    I don’t read Mandarin books. I read English, like you. So if you have any books to recommend, please do. I’ve mentioned some books that I have read, one of which is “Tuesdays with Morrie”. If you are interested, you could have it after Tim.

    It’s a book that chronicles the time spent together between an old man who is dying and a young man and the lessons in life that they share. Do try and read it.

  22. Ben son, you dunno mandarin meh? When someone knn at you in mandarin, what will you do? Of cos you’ll nod yr head in agreement and thank him profusely since you “dunno” mandarin, what……..

    If “Tuesdays with Morrie” is a chronicle of the time spent together between a dying old man and a young man” then it’s a book very suitable for Ben son who is spending too much time with 15-pounder balls. No queue, Ben son, you hv Mary’s book, yes the word ending with a “k”, not a “b”.

    Nevertheless, I hv already ordered the 550 ml drink specially brewed by OLum and it’ll be yours and yours only without the need to exchange anythg. If time permits, I’ll also tell you some parts of the 3 Kingdoms which I can remember.

    Btw, where’s the place to go huh? DennisW, do you know?

  23. Tim and all going to the potluck picnic.

    The potluck picnic will be at the beach where CARPARK C is. It’s the stretch of the beach between the 2 rivers, Sungei Api Api and the Sungei Tampines.

    There is the AMPHITHEATRE (open air theatre with concrete seats in semicircles) and a MAZE garden. Look for the pavilion closer to the amphitheatre.

    If you take BUS #403, get off at the FIRST bus stop after ELIAS ROAD, when the bus turns left into PASIR RIS ROAD. Walk diagonally across carpark D towards the beach and go over the BRIDGE and you are there.

    If you are walking from PASIR RIS DRIVE 3 or from the PASIR RIS MRT STATION, head into PASIR RIS GREEN to CARPARK C and straight to the beach.

    If you are driving, you have a choice of either carparks C or D. The latter is nearer to the picnic site.

    I wish I knew how to upload a map, but those who have the street directory, check up MAP 52 and look for “PASIR RIS PARK”. It’s not difficult to find.

    Happy hunting! :-)

  24. Mary, I really can see that you want to help (me in particular hor) but “CARPARK C along the beach between Api and Tampi” isnt much help to one who lives high up in the mountains, away from rivers & seas..

    Ok, is it at the turn of Elias Rd after passing Pasir Ris Terrace, Heights etc? If so I think I know where.

    If I still cant find the venue, will turn Pasir Ris Green into Pasir Ris Blue Black.

    Happy Hunting ? Sure & it will be….all in the name of delivering my 550 ml special brew.

  25. Tim, (#@*!).
    Yes it is.
    I assume that everyone knows how to get to Pasir Ris mrt and from there, one either walks to the park or catches bus #403 to the bus stop I mentioned. In fact it is nearer if you know when to alight one stop earlier.
    Do you still want the book or not?

  27. Tim.

    You can be very exasperating and very “chiong hei”. (That I know the meaning of)

    What the heck is “yan ng zhi, kong chor humsup wa lor”.
    Me no speaka dis ching chong ching.

    Aiyah, I’m not forcing you to read. Just recommending. Anytime.

  29. Mary, great to keep the books thread running.

    Originally, I put up some books for sharing by members, but it did not quite take off. If you can keep this going, it would be nice to have you lead this activity. carry on with what you are doing, it’s going fine.

    Terence

  30. Terence,
    thanks for your encouraging words. I will try although the response has been quite poor.

    HEY PEOPLE! DON’T YOU READ SOMETHING SOMETIMES?
    IT CAN BE BOOKS BY LOCAL AUTHORS OR MYSTERY BOOKS OR EVEN ROMANTIC TALES AND GHOST STORIES. COME ON IN AND TALK ABOUT A BOOK YOU HAVE READ OR JUST RECOMMEND IT.

  31. Hi Mary,

    Your CAPITALS caught my attention!

    I seldom enjoy reading esp. when it is full of text but prefers TVB Cantoneses HK drama serials .

    However, this book bought at our recent Clementi Carnival to welcome our PM LeeSL , Chicken soup for the Singapore Soul is worth buying and reading.

    Just started reading one story,still 50 more to complete. Very Inspiring True Singaporean stories and touching too.

    Reading is Believing!

    To share, the popular TVB drama serial which my sis -in-law lent me is called ” The Charm Beneath “,***** 30 VCDs and the plot is getting MORE MYSTERIOUS and MORE EXCITING. I enjoy and love the way HK people speak sometimes it can be quite “cheem” and so I have to read the English subtitles to understand better.

    Another one is the
    ” The Showbiz Tycoon” 20 VCDS .

    See ya at pot luck.

  32. Hi Mary,

    There are 2 books by the same author which I thoroughly enjoy. Like you, I enjoy autobiography books and especially on lives of people who are less fortunate.

    The books are ‘Angela’s Ashes’ and ‘Tis’ both by Frank McCourt. The author tells of growing up in poverty stricken Ireland with an alcoholic father who abandoned the family when the author was 12. And how his mother Angela struggled to hold the family together.

    Both books make easy reading. Sorry, I don’t have the books with me.

  33. Hi Lina Ng,
    Glad to hear from you.
    Thanks for the recommendations. I will take note of the titles and search for them in the library.

    Happy reading. :-)

  34. Hi Readers,
    I have 3 more books to recommend, but the third one isn’t as good as the second.

    One is “No Money, No Honey” by David Brazil. This book is about the “sex-for-sale business” in Singapore. Juicy reading and light enough to be completed within a few hours.

    The second one is “Notes from an even Smaller Island” by Neil Humphreys. He pokes fun at Singaporeans but does it in a self-deprecating manner with the result that you are more likely to ‘twitch with mirth’ than bristle with indignation.

    He wrote another book following this one, entitled “Scribbles from the Same Island”, which isn’t as entertaining as the first, but will still tickle your sense of humour.

    Do read them and give me your views

    Happy reading.

  35. I reserve my comments on the works of Brazil since I hvent read anythg written by him.

    Insofar as Neil is concerned, having read what he writes in the sports pages, he is comparable to PC Toh who, to me, are self-professed humorists who, thru many words bring little humour out of their labour. A B-plus I’ll give them and only for their efforts.

    Catherine Lim writes well. And so are the late Devan Nair, to some extent his son JD; Ho KP when he was with FEER, Goh EY for his in-depth analysis of financial matters……….among some of the local kids.

  36. Hi Steven Chan,
    Um, Steven, we are talking about reading, not watching vcds.

    Yes, the Chicken Soup series is very entertaining. I haven’t read the one for the Singapore Soul yet. Thanks for the recommendation.

  37. Tim,

    the 3 books I recommended are “light” reading, for people who want something not as “cheem” and lengthy as Catherine Lim’s books and The others you mentioned.

    I have 2 other books which I have yet to complete. I’m one of those who like to hop from one book to another.

    One of them is ,
    “Singapore Women Re-Presented by Audrey Chin and Constance Singam.
    It has “a rich collection of essays and anecdotes and selected works” about what it means to be a woman in Singapore. Interesting in most parts, but can be heavy going in some.

    The other one is,
    “Asean Short Stories” by Robert Yeo.
    This one I like to read on long trips on the mrt. There is a variety of subject matter and style, ranging from satire to tragic to comedies.

    Happy reading.

  38. Tim,
    You might be interested in this book.
    “Godwinks” Forgot the name of the author, sorry.
    It’s about things that happen in your life that you think are coincidences. Are they or do they happen for a reason?

  39. Thank you very much, Mary.

    Most of the (local) writers I hv mentioned write no more than a thousand words at any 1 go. I wont indulge myself in others’ grandiose; worse, their grandiloquence.

    (Heee, as you’d know by now, my arrogance is only outshone by yr elegance).

    Jokes aside, will find time to read at least 1 of the books you hv so faithfully recommended.

    “….things that happen in your life that you think are coincidences. Are they or do they happen for a reason?”

    Fate? Or karma played out fully?

    It’s my belief that being individualistic with our very own & special characteristics, fires & desires, we’re born to be suited only to a certain faith, if we want to have a faith.

    Altho not a buddhist, I am very impressed by and readily subscribe to Kuan Yin’s Mercifulness. While still short-fused, volatile & a fire cracker, I know that whatever KY does, I too even if it’s a lot more insignificant.

    So if one believes in cause & effect, then obviously everythg happens for a reason….wangna, liuhongmei, noinoi………the search for the cause can go back into the lightyears past, a topic which makes rich fodder for another long interesting discussion abt the supernatural, the cryptic……….

  40. Tim,
    Your “written” eloquence is impressive indeed. Don’t know about your arrogance, but thank you for your compliment on my “elegance”.

    Don’t be too harsh on our local writers. At least they try.

    I was born a Buddhist, studied in the convent for 12 years, but don’t really subscribe to any religion. The Goddess of Mercy or Kuan Yin has always been the one I turn to, in my trying times although I have to admit that I can lose faith very easily. I’m quite surprise that you, with your cynicism, subscribes to her “mercifulness”.
    What is “wangna, liuhongmei and noinoi”? Please enlighten me.
    Supernatural stuff is not my cup of tea. I steer clear of the cryptic. It gives me the creeps to talk about them. I prefer to talk about beautiful things, living, vibrant stuff…

    Btw, congrats on your daughter’s achievements. Give yourself a pat on the back.

  42. Well, Mary, who am I to be hard on anyone (except hehe when there’s a stimulus).

    wangna, liuhongmei and noinoi….tragic folks who were murdered.

    8 year old Wang was throttled to death in a store room at the pasir panjang wholesale centre & her body dumped at the hill where you folks recently had a good time.

    Liu was chopped into 7 pieces by leong sc & her carcass was littered at the kallang river.

    Noi’s step-dad confessed to his submerging the gals’ head in a pail of water before hiding her body under the aljunied flyover.

    Life is beautiful. Or is it?

    My gal enjoys putting her arm over my shoulder, like a little gibbon climbing a tree. She’s tall and soon I wont call her a gibbon when she wraps her arm, hand and all round my neck.

    Do I not wish to spend my time boozing, singing, dancing and mary-making?

    It’s a trade-off. And it’s gratifying when you see yr child growing up like you, and not like yr neighbour.

  43. Hi Tina,
    With regard to Tim, one doesn’t have to be “thick-skinned”. One needs only to take whatever he says with a HUGE pinch of salt.
    Thanks for your concern but I have handled people worse than him before. ;-)

  44. Ah Tim,
    I see who you were referring to. Of course everybody knows about those tragedies, but the way you wrote their names, they sounded like some of the gibberish you enjoy using.

    You better enjoy as much of your daughter’s arm wrapping as possible. Very soon, she’ll prefer to wrap her arms around someone else. And then you might consider drowning your sorrows in boozing, singing, dancing and martyr-making.

    Yikes! I sure hope your daughter doesn’t grow up to look like a man! If she became like your neighbour, then won’t you be suspicious as to her paternity???

  45. Jokes aside,Tim,

    I have a book on my shelf entitled,
    “When Sons and Daughters Choose Alternative Lifestyles” by Mariana Caplan.
    The lifestyles outlined are social, sexual, religious or professional.

    The funniest thing is that I didn’t buy it. My daughter did, probably hoping that I would read it and become more “open minded”.
    I still haven’t read it, but I will one day. If you are interested, let me know.

  46. Oops sorry Lina Ng,
    I meant Lina, not Tina in comment #43. See, I got the two names Tim and Lina mixed up, hehe. Is that a good omen huh? ;-)
    It should have been:

    Hi Lina, With regard to Tim, one doesn’t have to be “thick-skinned”. One needs only to take whatever he says with a HUGE pinch of salt. Thanks for your concern but I have handled people worse than him before.

  48. What shall I do with you both…..both are so nice to me? Maybe will try out the 1,3,5 and 2,4,6 arrangement, leaving 7 to me myself……..ooops, not 7 again !

    “…have handled people worse than him before”. Well, didnt I say I am terrified by teachers. Heee, I still find Roland’s big cane a bane but thankfully, he now holds the racket and brandishes love.

    Quiz time. So who do you think she’ll wrap her arms round? Lina’s (1) 15 or (2) 17.

    I hv absolute faith in my ex. We both dont steal and, in my case, I got to choose my meal, heee, but nobody sent me the bill.

    Back to books. Took my gal to the library last nite. She borrowed 2 and inebriated by this kindly thread, I too borrowed one, on Malaysian Chinese, their struggles, deprivations (some became depraved tho) and their success.

    Heee, since yr book contains sex, sure, me nterested, so how, when, wher to borow from you? (Yew Kwong, dont slurp lah, it’s yours to read after me)

    Mixing tim with Tina is an acceptable error…….not if you confuse him with a banana or woe betide, him with a kina.

    Lina is right with her appraisal which was long ago confirmed by Terence when he called me not just Ace but an AceWhole………btw, where is he? Playing with the toys collected at the pot-luck?

  49. Hi Mary,

    There is this book called ‘Slave’ by Mende Nazer. It is about a young Sundanese girl who was kidnapped and sold into slavery, and how, she finally escaped to freedom. I have this book, so if anyone wants to borrow, let me know.

    It’s OK you got my name mixed up, not a problem at all.

    So quiet this morning! No Tim, no noise. His backside will be sore ‘cos have to sit for hours at the book prize ceremony.

  50. Thanks Lina,
    You know, I remember reading this book, Slave, many years ago, but have since forgotten the story. There is another book, “Roots” by Alex something or other. It’s also about slavery and tells about his efforts at tracing his African origin.
    Very absorbing book.

  54. June Lim,
    One more book to read. “Murasaki” by Liza Dalby. Something similar to Arthur Golden’s “Memoirs of a Geisha”, but not quite as good though.
    Happy Reading. :-)

  56. Hi Mary…I love to read but not reading as much as I would like to now ever since I became long sighted and hve to wear reading glasses. So uncomfortable wearing the damned glasses (pardon my language !!! :-))), my eyes gets so tired aftr that.
    Will go thro this log to pick a book to start on :-) Poor me, now have to look for books with big text ;-)))
    Why doesn’t He let us hve good eyesight, good teeth, good knees till the day we balek kampong :-))))

  57. hi Mary…
    After reading yr comments in bold at #30…i thot better say something..
    its very paiseh to confess that nowadays I only read magazines…prefer to watch movies, in cable lah..
    when in school days..also very playful, teenager..busy socialising & clubbing..then after marriage..busy with 3 kids & juggle with work…then now, busy with SHC members!…hahaha
    where are all my time??…hhhmmm…

    Actually i love to read..but got bad habit of reading till wee hours e.g 3am (even on working days) to finish & know the ending!!…also very easily distracted when other more interesting outdoor activities arises…like jalan2,play games..basically im not the bookworm kind.
    If i read,its usually novels..long time ago, Harold Robbins,Sidney Sheldon..i even bot Hollywood wives Hollywood husbands..still in my bookshelve not read!!..even Lee Kuan Yew’s now sitting somewhere…horrible me rite?

    I wud love to read more when i retire..in a cosy home by the forest with birds & butterflies..wud u like to join me for some tea?..hehehe…its a dream :)

  58. Hi Nor n June

    U can choose between physical or e bks n use a program (sth called screen reader) 2 let it read 2 U while U do ur oth things.

    In tis case U nid not 2 wori abt no time, 2 little time or hardly any time 2 read. Even ur eyesight wun get distorted.

  61. Hi Mary,

    Yes it is good that someone has started to enriched us on reading good books. I had it planned to read all the classics when i retire , but now that i am for a year or two, have yet to read any?

    So can anyone recommend or better still lend me a good classic book to read, a book that is a ‘must read book’, in the reading circle ?

    Cheers

  62. Hi Norlinda,

    I think must ask Yew Kwong if it is necessary to fix loud speakers so can hear the book being read while doing housework or in the toilet. If no speakers, then we must sit at the PC all day. What a waste of time?

    Like he said can do ‘other things’ while listening to the story being read.

  63. Hi Lina, June, Ronald Wi, Norlinda, Yew Kwong and Tim. Glad to read that you are avid READERS. Welcome.

    Yes, with ebooks, you can read in larger prints, but you will have to sit at the pc the whole time. With a book, you can wander around anywhere with it, read on the mrt, in the park, in the shopping centre or even in the toilet, hehe.

    Norlinda Yew Kwong and Lina. If you listen to the story, then it’s no longer “reading” is it? Of course it’s easier on the eyes, but how to do that in the toilet? ;-)

    Tim, I will gladly lend you the book. Just let me know when you want it.

    Ronald Wi. What do you mean by classics? It also depends on your preferences. Some like fiction, others prefer non-fiction or biographies and autobiographies. People like Tim reads “intellectual” books and financial magazines. What do you prefer?
    Have you read some of those I mentioned? Try them. You may like them.
    I enjoyed “Memoirs of a Geisha” tremendously, much more than the movie.

    Happy Reading!

  64. Hi,Mary. On non-fiction books, have you read or heard about “The Secret” ? This book
    has been the No.1 book in the Best Sellers List (Non-Fiction)of the Sunday Times (Lifestyle) for many months, including last week. Check it out in today’s papers. More and more people in Singapore are becoming aware of this incredible book which can be life transforming for all who read and are
    willing to experience it. But of course everyone should read this book with an open
    mind,and be entitled to form his or her opinion. Basically this book teaches you how to use The Secret in every aspect of your life, be it money, health,happiness relationships,etc. The Law of Attraction extensively covered in The Secret explains your thought process – positive thoughts tend to attract positive results, while negative thoughts can attract negative and undesired results, in a matter of time. This book is a useful tool for people who practice or are learning positive thinking. Maybe some of our SHC members have already got hold of this book. I am just doing my bit to share this nugget of info with everyone in SHC. I bought this book early this year, online through amazon.com when it first came out. The book is available at Borders,Times and I think Popular as well. Try to check this out. Book is new publication but the lessons and philosophies are not new, they have been practised throughout the ages (by a select group of people) and by successful people in this current time as well.

    Cheers ……. Philip

  65. Hi guys

    I hv 2 copies of a book called “the gift of age”. Its abt personal reflections on e challenge of age which were produced by a orgn 4 seniors. They were given 2 me as token of appreciation 4 delivering talks at their premises.

    They can be loaned out 2 those who r keen 2 read.

  66. Hi, Mary Chan,

    Totally agree with you. Reading and listening are entirely two different things.

    Have ‘Memoirs Of A Geisha’, for anyone interested to borrow.

  67. Hi Phlipong.
    Welcome and thanks for the recommendation.
    I have read this book, The Secret. I even have the vcd somewhere.
    It is a very absorbing book which encourages positive thinking. To a great extent, I believe it helps to think positively as positive thoughts induces release of “good” hormones or enzymes, whatever they call them and negative thoughts do the reverse.
    The problem is, for people who are “down in the dumps”, to remain positive in the face of adversity, is a real struggle. To put it simply, it’s easier said than done.
    Besides, you can think positively all you want, but if you do nothing about making something happen, chances are, nothing will be achieved.
    It is a book that’s worth reading, although I still believe that there is still the element of luck in everyone’s life.
    Happy Reading! :-)

  68. Ronald Wi,
    Would you like to borrow some of my books? I have “Memoirs of a Geisha” too. I also have “The Secret”, a book by Catherine Lim, entitled, “The Shadow of A Shadow of a Dream” which is a compilation of 6 love stories in Singapore.
    Perhaps you might like books by Michael Chrichton?
    What about “The First Wives Club”?
    Another non fiction book I have is “Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman. It’s a little heavy going but you might like it.
    Happy Reading! :-)

  70. So Roots has won acclaim among the many avid readers here. Why dont you people try Soot written by the affable Mr Toot who is really good. His readers will all become face black black as if having journeyed thru the chute.

    I like G Orwell’s Animal Farm which is a good prediction of things to come…………and they came. Or the Little Red Book, the thoughts of another wiseman, a hairy one he was.

  71. Hi Mary

    I can pass it 2 U. Wld U like 2 pick it up fr a mrt stn nr ur home in e eveng? Wld like 2 borrow ur Memoirs of a Geisha 2. Seen e movie but wld appreciate e bk much better as some parts cant be acted out. Tks.

  72. Hi,

    Cannot help but be drawn into the Book circle. Tried the library for ‘God winks’. He did everything but wink or beckon to me.
    Read a lot of this self help books before, but after a while turned to fiction. They are far more entertaining and doesn’t work the grey matter that hard.
    Paperback self help books that I bought years back have turned yellow with age. The hard covered ones are still good.
    Anyway, I do have ‘The Gift of Age’ to loan out.
    But this book ‘Simple Truths’ by Kent Nerburn has more to offer by way of………making you sit up and face facts and truths……….and reclaim your life.
    Are you first in line for this Mary?????

  74. Tim,
    Soot by Toot? Little Red Book?
    Sounds like kiddie’s stuff.
    Animal Farm? Did that when I was in school.
    “Four legs good, two legs baaaad…” hahaha.

  76. Hi,Mary.Glad you have read the book “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne. Yes,I know it’s easier said (in the book) than done. Positive thinking needs a lot of self discipline and an on-going effort to make it work. Not everybody will have the believe and the patience to do this, although this is not a religious subject. It is about the kind of life we desire, regardless of the status we are currently in. But I think there is no harm really (nothing to lose)for anyone to try replacing negative thoughts (emotions like anger,jealousy,hatred,revenge,fear,greed and superstition)with positive ones. If done with determination,one should be able to see some small things happening after a few weeks. Feeling good and happier for a start. More as time goes by.

    For people “down in the dumps”, they should try to lift themselves up and not remain there. We know of many people who have lifted themselves up through their grits, determination,hope and will power(positive thinking). Take the case of Singaporean, William Tan who has done so much racing around (in Singapore as well as in other countries)in his wheel-chair to raise funds for charity in spite of his handicap. He does this through his strong believe and determination that it can be done and for a worthy cause. His amazing positive thinking helps him to achieve whatever he sets out to do because his ultimate goal is to help those who are less fortunate.

    Sorry Mary for this long comment. I am just
    expressing my personal views on positive thinking. It’s okay if people do not agree with these views. But I will be happy if someone can benefit in any way from my sharing. After all we are all on the same journey, the journey of life.

    Note: The Secret is just a starter (the basics) for anyone wishing to know about Positive Thinking. There are many other books on Positive Thinking, Law of Attraction, Power of the Sub-Conscious Mind, etc, in the local book-stores.

    Thanks for being able to share in this Book Circle ……Philip

  77. Ooops Jie,
    No wonder you couldn’t find it at the library.
    I realised I had the title wrong. It’s called “When God Winks” by Squire Rushnell.
    I found it, tucked away behind some bigger books. I’ll let you have it when I next see you.

  78. Hahahaha, Mao Tze-tung’s Little Red Book becomes kiddy stuff………poor ah mao affirms the saying, a dead great is no more than dead in a crate.

    Philip, good thots from you……..and I hv included you in my Little Bed Book of the Goods

  79. Hi Philipong.
    Thanks for your comments. Don’t apologise. I appreciate them and do agree that good attracts good and negative thoughts and attitudes do nothing but damage to oneself.
    Thanks for the other recommendations. Hope the others will pick them up too.

  80. Well Tim,
    you should have clarified that it was Mao’s Red Book you were talking about. What with Soot by Toot and Animal Farm. I remember as a kid, there WAS a Little Red Book.

  82. Hi all,

    If you are interested to read ‘Memoirs of A Geisha’,why miss the movie Lust Caution, Ang Lee,famous diretor who won the Best Academy Award for this uncensored R21 movie showing now.

    Exciting story plot with
    some steamy sex love scenes and a bit
    ” pornographic.”

  84. Yew Kwong,
    Since Jie also has the book, “The Gift of Age”, I will borrow it from her, together with the other one that she has recommended.
    Thanks for your offer.

  86. Hi all readers, especially Steven,

    We are NOT into pornographic stuff here. Even the two books I recommended earlier on, by Jane Jushka, are tastefully written, with no suggestion of pornography.

    Incidentally, the definition of “pornography” is:

    “the explicit description or exhibition of sexual activity in literature, films etc., intended to stimulate erotic rather than aesthetic or emotional feelings..”
    “obscene, lewd, smutty,indecent…”

    The Memoirs of a Geisha” is not pornographic. It details the transition of a 9 year old girl from a fishing village, sold into slavery, into a geisha and the jealousy and rivalry amongst them.

    I don’t know about Ang Lee’s movie, “Lust Caution” as I haven’t watched it.

  91. Hi Lina Ng /others,

    …. Are you sure it is uncensored, here in Singapore?

    I was curious to know more abt last Sat famous Hollywood movie review of the Lust Caution which said that the box “office takings of the UNCENSORED version was raking in more $$$ than the censored version. True?

    What more can you ask for?

    Even the private “parts”and the hairy “bushes” were NOT censored!

    No wonder,China BANNED the uncensored version.

    Could NOT believe our Spore Censorship Board being so liberal and “lenient” this time and use it to express the ARTISTIC value.

    Anyway,it is Strictly for Adults only! No harm done with silverhairs like us.

    Seeing is Believing!

    Exciting story plot. No wonder, Ang Lee deserves another Academy Award for Best Foreign Film and its Erotic photography.

    Luckily,there were accompanying English subtitles.

  92. Hi Steven,

    You cannot read Mandarin, meh? I thought I was bad, but you even worse. You mean your 2nd language also Bahasa Malaysia.

    If you did not see the ‘real’ uncensored version, how are you to know that this one is uncensored. There might be a lot more that you have missed out. Just being cheeky lah!

    Wait let me see my version first and then I let you know OK. We compare notes.

  94. Hi Lina,

    ….If you did not see the ‘real’ uncensored version, how are you to know that this one is uncensored.

    What does R21 rating stands for,Lina ?

    Wait let me see my version first and then I let you know OK. We compare notes. OK!

    …Why not see both versions and you can compare better?

    ….you do not uderstd Mandarin and I understd Cantonese to be exact meh?

    ….I thought I was bad, but you even worse. You mean your 2nd language also Bahasa Malaysia.

    Ya lah! Apa jadi!
    Also imported from K.L.,Malaysia.
    And so channel U and 8 are out for me unless with Eng subtitles. So Chiam!
    that ‘s why I usually see Cantonese HK TVB drama movies. Very touching story of ” The Charm Beneath” which my sis in law loaned to me. The v.gd professional actors/actresses can move you to tears.

    Ha! Ha! No need onions.
    Btw, I had seen the Memoirs of a Geisha in the movie.
    Too tiring to read from the book.

  95. This comment is still in the moderating mode.

    I believe the admin is monitoring our comments first for FEAR of too much LUST. So take CAUTION lah!

  96. Hi Mary,

    Pls. don’t get me wrong.

    Btw, I had seen the Memoirs of a Geisha in the movie.Interesting story.

    Too tiring to read from the book and not pornographic and I totally agreed with you.

  97. Hi Steven,

    Oh yes, I forgot you are from KL. Sorry, lah. At least, I can understand spoken Mandarin.

    Btw, I think ‘Memoirs Of A Geisha’ – book better than movie many times over.

  98. Hi Steven,
    Glad you clarified about the Memoirs of a Geisha.
    I think many people have a problem with their eyesight which makes reading ‘tiring’ for the eyes. I have the same problem too and for prolonged reading, I have to resort to wearing proper reading glasses. Perhaps you should get a pair fitted so you can enjoy reading like I do.
    Like Lina said, reading the book is much better than the movie as the movie covers only certain aspects of the story which can be re-enacted. A lot of the details are lost.
    The best is to do both, read and watch the movie or vice versa.
    Happy reading!

  99. Hi Tim,
    I will pass you the book by Marian Capland when I return after Tuesday, ok? You read first and tell me about it later.
    In my absence, entertain Lina, who will ‘have you all to herself’. ;-)

  103. Dear Mary, Lina :

    Thank you both.

    No, I aint MIA but was chasing dragon in my office lobby (canto, chui loong) as I sank into my pensive mood again.

    Lina, i hv no inkling what “choi xia” means.

    Mary, I’ll be happy to read Marian Capland even as land is lost as snow melts more & more on caps of land.

    11th hour air tickets to many holiday destinations are on-request basis, and the silly taxes (including fuel surcharge) numb. So in order to grab a last-minute holiday quickly, I’ll take my kid to Vietnam tentatively from 0812…..tentatively bcos a day after placing the deposit, tour company informed that hotels were full and asked for top-ups without firm promises of alternative hotel availability.

    Well, I reckon by “having all of Lina to myself” it means I can doll her up and try her thru everythg in Imelda M’s wardrobe?

    Perhaps, i cd sell tickets to anyone who desires to see her changing up by tim and her new look thereafter? Looking for a “registrar”.

    On a serious note, we hv sent our best legal team (age-wise, shd be close to 300 years in aggregate) to hague to protect our sovereignty, to claim an out-crop no bigger than 1 football field. I think we shd convince this international court of justice, if the last word isnt a joke. Not a court just (to) tease.

    Far far up north, Canada, Greenland…..all are back to the drawing boards, looking at how to define advantageously their territorial boundaries as global warming melts more snow. It’s envisaged that soon, we’ll hv another holiday destination…….basking in artica as we watch the polar bears turning darker and finally into sun bears.

    At home, we hear that inflation will rise to abt 5% next year.

    Next year?

    I find a reader’s letter to ST forum on monday honest and telling. Most of the items he mentioned – essential and basic – hv risen by 10%-40% over a mth or so.

    Last in my discourse……..the financial market, in particular, the stockmart, has been rocked by a USD vengefully seeking new lows (with some companies losing big bucks for making wrong bets), the domino effect of the kaput sub-prime loans. Where are my excited friends here who were all exuberant 4 mths ago, celebrating in euphoria of a market breaking into new heights day after day.

    And, do we hv to bite another bullet in the Indo tel mart and be forced into making a fire-sale?

  104. Hi Tim,

    Spending some quality time with your girl is great. The destination does not matter.

    Btw, did you camera dry under that hair dryer. Did you manage to take pictures of your girl on Friday?

  106. Hi Tim,

    If camera is damaged, must throw away or have it repaired. How can your girl have worked so hard and have you take fuzzy photos!

    Buy another new one. Bet going to make money this weekend, my crystal ball says.

  107. No worry lah, kid has more cameras than I hv silverhairs…….courtesy of her most beloved mother.

    Place a goli on top of a crystal ball and what do you get?

  109. Hi Tim,

    Guess it is like that every year-end when everyone travels. Didn’t you know that you must book early to get what you want? I assume you are a very organized and efficient person. Otherwise how can you do postings and get your job done as well and not get them mixed up?

    Am glad your girls beloved mother got a camera in good working order.

    And when the goli drops from the crystal ball, the goli divides into a million little golies each carrying 1US$ (depreciated so much already, but nevermind), making you a millionaire!

  110. Thank you, Lina, for recognising that I am organised & efficient, and, if I may add, methodical & exacting as well.

    (Just rapped some bird-brains for falling back on insurance simply bcos there is insurance. Stretching this stupidity further, so let anyone, everyone come bash & bang yr car bcos yr car is insured ?? Where’s the sense of committment to one’s job and the duty not to add cost to the company? Knn.)

    Interesting goli you hv………..can I change mine with you?

  111. Dear All

    Glad to chance upon this book email thread. I read quite a fair bit. Nothing in particular, everything in general. This makes life more interesting and exciting.

    At present I am reading Peter Mayle’s books on PROVENCE, a scenic wine region in France. Succinct descriptions, hilarious daily life encounters and charming country-side stories.

    Will search for some of the books mentioned in this lively email thread.

    Salut!

  112. Hi Audrey,
    Welcome to the reading circle. Your book, Provence, sounds rather interesting. I will make a note of it and look for it at my next visit to the library.
    Happy reading. :-)

  113. hey guys!
    juz stumbled into this forum accidentally. I’m an avid reader too. my fav subjects are;
    autobiographies,
    theology & philosophies,
    spiritual subjects, and on a more serious note, books on marketing & management aspects.

    will share my booklist in my next posting as I’ve to go now.

    cheers
    jeremy

  115. Hi Jeremy, Welcome.
    Aren’t theology and philosophy already serious enough? How much more serious can you get? Tim should be able to discuss books on marketing and management right TIM?
    Anyway, whatever books you enjoy, do share with us your booklist.
    Happy reading. :-)

  117. hi Mary…
    Hv a pleasant trip & enjoy yr holiday…i assume u r going holiday lah rite?
    what pity we cant meet again at SHC Talent nite tis sat..hhmmm..looks like we always jalan ‘seliseh’ direction, apa macam :)

  118. Wished I cd knead you both into one like dough, and carry with me to play bedminton, into the washroom to keep me company in that usually long wait, sleep…….everywhere, and not worry over 1,3,5 or 2,4,6 arrangements. Long for the day when I can hv my Monalisa called ManaryLi or LiManary………..

    Sorry, Audrey & Jeremy, for my digress from books to somethg of similar sounding. Will now steer back on course.

    It’s said that we are what we eat and what we read will mould our character.

    Perhaps not too true for silverhairs.

    Surely, Pheng Sok (my mamy)wont get starry-eyed if she returns to reading Mills & Boons. Or Ben’s son becoming a revolutionary after spending an hour on Mao’s Little Red Book.

    (But I might hv to siem Terence if he returns as a rebel rouser after his year end North Siam sojourn…..watch his eyes, if still the same humhum supsup look, he’s safe & saved)

    At our age, we read to enjoy and therefore it’s very kind of folks to share books they believe will make good read.

    Other than textbooks, I’ve not read more than 10 English books in my life thus far. So I can only cheer on the byline as you people continue to tell & share from your archives.

    Keep it up and keep them coming.

  119. Im sure Mary now is on board, waiting..perhaps reading her book!
    Nonetheless..i must go hunting my son’s bookshelves for Memoirs of A Geisha…sound very interesting after all the comments!

  120. Hi Tim,

    So you missing Mary already, what with saying that you have not read more than 10 books. And you are the sentimental type, eh, for camera, so must be as a person too.

    I don’t mind following you anywhere, but not the washroom. So what happens to Day 7. Who gets you?

    So you get to scold people at work as well? What else do you do?

  121. Lina, the camera was from Joo Khim & Andre Achak when they were still media personalities. Now that they’re not to be seen/heard of, the camera carries that bit more sentimental value.

    You missed yr mom? I do.

    Day 7 is the sabbath so I usually sat (sic) in my bath longer. No harm if anyone else wants to join me.

    It kills one’s many cells in first, getting angry then to scold but when one is driven by passion & a sense of duty, the “need to” becomes alot more obvious………and necessary.

  122. Hi Mary and fellow readers…I don’t know if this book has been mentioned….(I didn’t go through all the 121 comments above)…EXODUS…it is a very interesting book.

  123. HI ALL YOU READERS! I’m back! Had a great time in Bangkok, mainly eating and shopping, hehehe. And what do you know, it was Loy Krathong too although we didn’t bother much about it. Learnt a few words of Thai apart from the Saswadee and Kopkunka and counting one to ten ;-)

    I finished this short book, “Singapore Rendezvous” by Karen Holmes on the flight there and found it to be quite good. It’s a woman’s (caucasian) story of passion and deceit set in Singapore and the idyllic beaches of Malaysia.

    Any one interested? I got it.

  124. Hey June Lim,
    Welcome to the reading circle.
    Sorry for not replying earlier.I was already on the plane when your comment on the “Exodus” came in. Has it got anything to do with the show, The Exodus”? Who is the author, by the way?.
    Happy Reading! :-)

  127. Hi Mary, welcome back.
    I read this book in my teens so that’s a looooooong time back:-) can’t remember the author’s name. Set in the time of the Germans getting rid of the Jews. Very entertaining…sorry not entertaining, very sad but u get very wrapped up by the book…very well written..I rememebered very clearly that whn the book ended I felt so sad, not bec of the killing of the Jews but bec that’s it, no more to read. Only “powerful” writers can make u want to go on and on. Of course if the book ended with Hitler being stripped naked, and sweet sweet honey poured all over him and left in closed pit with thousands and thousands of big red ants, that would be a splendid ending. :-))

    I don’t know abt the Exodus show, so don’t know if it is same as the book.

  128. Hi JuneL,
    Thanks for telling me the gist of the book, the Exodus. I don’t know if I want to read it at the moment but I will keep it on my list of books to read.
    Happy reading. :-)

  129. You know, Mary, Lina is a very very smart gal. Like June’s book which can do wonders such as wrapping its readers, my eyes can tear clothes. Lina knows I dont hv eyes on the back.

    June, you asked to strip Hitler?

    Maybe you dunno Hitler was a male, a not too good looking male. So when a pretty strips an ugly man, the gal receives more than 1 salute from him……….

  131. Hi Mary,

    So happy you are back? Did you have a good holiday? Our friend, Tim is giving me a hard time here. Am glad you came back early to sort him out for me.

  132. Haha Tina. Me? Sort Tim out? You gotta be kidding. I would get all tangled up.
    But yes, it’s good to be back. It was fun, eating and shopping and eating and shopping and…. Just had a bowl of instant noodle and will probably have simple porridge tonight.
    Aiyah, Tim is only asking for attention from you lah. So give him some lor. ;-)

  133. Hi Tim,

    You see Mary misses you so much, she spelt my name with a ‘T’.

    Anyway, I don’t invests in bonds and FDs myself. I have an aggressive portfolio of resources and single country funds, but how can I recommend to our dear SilverHairs. Not good for the heart! Their money is for retirement and it is hard-earned money.

    I make sure that my money works for me!

  134. Strong swimmers or not, not ghost of a chance for them to swim out under the drag of the currents or pop their heads thru the pontoon to breathe……….it was like trapped in a can of water, all sealed up. It hurts everytime you think of it.

    Read no book, no time leh but wont mind if steve mcqueen wants to his Exodus to me.

    Lina, me hard? No, me soft like maggie mee.

    “It was fun, eating and shopping and eating and shopping and…. ”

    Haha, Mary, yr tummy must be bloated with what you shd hv let out over the last 6 days.

    Sure, it must be fun………….

  136. Hi Mary,

    Sawadee Ka.

    Good to hear you in “high” spirits and learn some simple Thai.

    And traditional Thai songs are very soothing to the ears although I do not understd Thai.

    I remember the musical play on “Loy Krathong “night in 2005 at the Phuket Fantasy Theatre.

    It was just great. they even brought in elephants and goats as a backdrop.

    The Thais really go all out to create the real village scenery.

  138. Tim, no worries over that. I’m the sort that “chiak chik kerng, bung chap luck nio” . I think Lina should understand this as it’s in Teochew. Simply put, “eat one kati, let go 16 tahils”. Hahaha.

  139. Hi Steven,
    Thanks for the welcome. Sawadee ka. So any books to recommend? You should read the one I just mentioned, Singapore
    Rendezvous. It’s light reading and interesting.

  141. Tim, if you still want the book, I can lend it to you. Perhaps you can suggest a venue, and not Pasir Ris Park please, where I can pass you the book? And maybe reward me with a drink? Hehe. ;-)
    Come to think of it, perhaps I could arrange for all you avid readers to meet somewhere to exchange books, say, once a fortnight? Like in a library somewhere. There are libraries everywhere. What say you?

  143. Bell ring, can go fetch my daughter liao. Play with you all later if kid will lend me her computer………..she good gal, think sure lend one………whizz……………

    Meanwhile, if need to p.s., pls do.

  144. Hi Norlinda,
    Am back. Sorry missed your comments. You were right. I was already flying when your comments came in. So how have you been? Good? When do we meet? Will you be at the Dec 3rd gathering?

  145. hi Mary…welcome home to the forum!
    ive been very good..thank you so much..
    Im sure u had wonderful holiday in BBK..
    ya..its always eating & shopg there lah..wat else?..but i had very little time at chatucak ..hhhmmm..so did u shop so much?

    Met yr other half..Lina Ng..nice,smily quiet girl..sori Lina, din talk 2 u much that nite..so busy socialising!

    Mary…u missed the fun & laughter at talentnite party..everyone very sporty..we so noisy & happy..ask Lina, if don believe me..rite Lina??

    Sure..i will be there on 3 Dec…then we can shake hands at last!

  147. Oooppss!…sori, i misinteprate..i thot she always ‘accompany’u in the forum lah..
    i mean yr ‘forum pal’?..more like it?..hehehe..
    so..tell me yr ‘story’ when we meet up ok..ssshhh :)

  148. June lim& MaryC,

    Exodus was by Leon Uris. He wrote many epic novels and they were all bestsellers….like Exodus….the story just goes on and on.
    A similar book which is more recent is Exile by Richard North Patterson. Its about Arab/Jew conflict and the tussle for “Israel” from after WWII to modern day time.
    Very good read, and it keeps you abreast of current affairs.
    They are available in the library.

  149. Hi Mary Chan,

    Right now still reading
    Chicken Soup for the Singapore Soul.

    Just started with one, 59 more to go.
    Very Inspiring stories of the lives of Sporeans.

  151. Hi Mary,

    Our suave, witty, professional gentleman Mr. Tim Liu takes on the job as a trishaw puller and calls himself by the name of Lim Tiu.

    ‘Mai tiu, mai tiu, Ah Lim lai liao’.

  153. Lina, a quickie for you b4 me heading for lunch…

    Know why you dont find crabs in the morning?

    If dunno, wake up early 2mrw morning & observe what’s outside. Otherwise, go ask a cantonese………….

  156. Hi Lina, I understand now what ‘mai tiu’ means. I don’t know what Tim means by crabs, but I have a feeling he’s not referring to the sea creature that we all love to eat.

  157. Hi Mary,

    Even if it is crabs (that we eat), I won’t understand as I am quite hopeless in Cantonese. But if it is something else, that is even worse. Only he can explain.

    Must twist his arm to make him tell.

  158. Lina,
    I wouldn’t if I were you. He probably has some crude meaning attached to it if it’s in Cantonese. The other crab is a parasitic louse that infests hairy parts of the body, if you know what I mean.
    But then again, it might be fun to see what his explanation is.

  161. It all begins with Lina’s Mai Tiu…….

    Morning breaks

    Wind ….. light

    Dew……high…………….

    Haha……………..

    Ok back to what this thread actually deserves.

    I got it all wrong when i said steve mcqueen acted in The Exodus………I had The Great Escape in mind, really.

    One bearded guy acted in The Exodus, and for sure, he wasnt Lee Van Cleef or Clint Eastwood……..the name just escapes me.

    Good movie it was and no doubt, the book is as interesting if not more…..you cant act out the sting in a book.

    I cd only share some heroes from the chinese books i read, like Qiao Feng (or Seow Feng) whom I adore. Altruistic, selfless and live thru his life in honor, preaching & practising yi zhi – the unwritten code of honour. Born a babarian; raised by the Chinese and was torn btwn protecting the Chinese or stand together with his race. Died a tragic death.

    Next,pls………………?

  162. Tim,
    Agree. Books can express things that a show can’t.
    The hero Qiao Fengsounds like an unbelievable character. “Unwritten code of honour”? Mythical stuff found only in story books, but good reading I guess.

  164. Hi Mary Chan/Lina Ng/ Norlinda ,

    The peculiarity of Cantonese dialect.

    With one word but spoken in different tones,High, Medium and Low can have different meanings.

    For eg, a simple spoken word ” Hai ”

    Hai = hello, high tone.
    Hai = XX , v.h.tone
    Hai = shoe , low tone.
    Hai = crab , medium tone
    Hai = yes , v.low tone

    Canto dialect is full of “quat” or “bones” or meanings and sometimes difficult to swallow.
    Whatever T intended may have “deeper” meanings.

  165. Hi Tim,

    Give up! Give up!

    I’ll take it as a quiz/joke, don’t want to twist that arm of yours.

    Well, I don’t find crabs in the morning ‘cos they were all eaten up the night before!

    When I wake up 2mrw morning, I find ‘pak cik’ sweeping the void deck on my lift landing while I go for my mornng swim!

    Correct? What’s the prize?

    Sorry Mary, this supposed to be the reading posting, not some crap on quiz/joke.

  168. Hi readers, just a recap on the books mentioned here.

    1.A Round-Heeled Woman by Jane Jushka
    2.Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie.
    3.Chicken Soup for the Singapore Soul, Frank 4.McCourt’s Angela’s Ashes and Tis’
    5.Neil Humphrey’s Notes from an Even Smaller 6.Island and Sribbles from the Same Island
    7.David Brazil’s No Money No Honey
    8.Catherine Lim’s The Shadow of a Shadow of a Dream
    9.Singapore Women Re-Presented by Audrey Chin and Constance Singam
    10.Robert Yeo’s Asean Short Stories
    11.Mende Nazir’s Slave
    12.Red Dust by Ma Jian
    13.When God Winks by Squire Rushnell
    14.Blink by Malcolm Gladwell
    15.Animal Farm by George Orwell
    16.Little Red Book Mao’s
    17.For Better or For Best by Gary Smaller
    18.Krakatoa by Simon Winchester
    19.God is not great by Christopher Hitchens
    20.Hello Chok Tong, Goodbye Kuan Yew
    21.Unaccompanied Woman by Jane Jushka
    22. Roots by Alex Haley

    I hope I haven’t left out any but for those who are interested, look them up at the library or borrow from some of us who have them.

    Happy Reading! :-)

  169. Hi all,
    Another Book that’s worth a laugh or two is “Hello Chok Tong, Goodbye Kuan Yew”. It’s more cartoons and caricatures of the two people. Very light reading indeed.

  171. Hi again All Readers,

    I mentioned earlier about getting together once a fortnight or once a month to exchange books. Perhaps you could give me your comments about that?

    We could make it a get together session for tea or just briefly, to exchange books? Like a book club? It could also be sometime in the early evening.

    If we can get even a small group of 3 or 4, it would be worth a start.

    Please give it some thought.

    Happy Reading. :-)

  172. Mary @ #62, Louis Cha conjures up all kinds of make-believe heroes in all his wuxia novels some of which have now been used as literarure textbooks. Unlike Gu Long who enjoys creating webs of sub-plots within plots of treacheries & betrayals, Cha glorifies love, trust & honour of spouses, friends, masters & disciples….. Both write very well altho their expression of linguistics skills are very different.

    (However hard Liang Yu Sheng has tried to spice his books with flowery poems, he still lacks that bit of oomph & warmth that Cha & Gu have). But Gu writes no more…..he died aged 42, drunk to his death like his hero marvels depicted in his books.

    Other Chinese epics shd include The Liang San heroes like “hei shuen feng” Li Kwe, the blacky hurricane who was most bullied ironically by non other than his own sworn big bro Song Jiang, and finally sent to be executed.

    And in San Kuo Yenyi (The Romance of the Unromantic 3 Kingdoms), how astrology – movements & formation of star-patterns helped Zhue Ge Liang see the beginning of the end of Su, and how, in the name of loyalty, many sacrificed themselves to protect A Doe, the useless son of Liubei.

  174. Hi Mary,

    It would be nice if there is a place and time where book readers can meet to exchange and share their books.

    Each month, we do have a monthly gathering. That can be a start. Look forward to the Reading Circle, enlarging and having its own group too.

    Terence Seah

  176. Hi READERS, Jie, Lina, Tim, Steven, Norlinda, sbkhoo, Benson, Charles, June Lim, Yew Kwong, Ronald Wi, Philipong, Audrey Wong and Jeremy and any others interested.

    Thanks to Terence who suggested that we use the monthly gathering as an opportunity to exchange our books. I will be at the Dec 3rd SHC gathering at Bali Lane. If there’s a book you would like to borrow from me, please let me know so I can bring it along.

    JIE, could you bring the one by Gary Samlley please? Thanks. I will bring along ‘When God Winks’ for you.

    TIM, shall I bring the one by Mariana Capland for you?

  178. Thank you, Mary, for wanting to Marinate Capitaland for me.

    On 3rd Dec 2007, I wont be at Bali Lane but if you dont mind crossing the road to Landmark hotel, I’ll be up at suite 73088………hehe, see the significance of the number?

  181. Hi Mary, if you hve a book with big text, easy for “lau nang mak” (old people’s eyes)can lend to me pls? Anything will do except supernatural, heavy cheem cheem stuff :-)))

    Btw, I won’t be at the gathering on 3rd Dec. So if you hve a book for me, pls pass to Norlinda and Ah Nee. They are my fiends,,,oops I mean friends and working colleagues.:-))

    If none available, it is ok, thanks much.

  182. Hi June Lim, big text? Hahaha. I should have kept my kid’s readers lah. They were the only ones with big text, apart from my music books which have big notes for beginners, hehe.
    Hope to meet up with you one day.

  183. Hi Mary

    Let me share a book too, “The Greatest Miracle in the World” by Og Mandino. He has written many inspirational books, this is the one I like most.

    The only book that I would read again and again! To the extend that I went out to buy 3 more copies to pass around.

    One comment from the publisher. THE GREATEST MIRACLE IN THE WORLD is one of the most beautiful and most moving pieces of writing that I have ever had the privilege to read — and to publish. – Frederick V. Fell. Publisher

    This book focus on the four laws of happiness and success.

    Count your blessings.
    Proclaim your rarity.
    Go another mile.
    Use wisely your power of choice
    and one more, to fulfill the other four. Do all things with love…….

  184. Hello Mary,

    I have a collection of “Ah Q” Magazines when I was a schoolgirl and like cartoons too.

    Now, I am too bz with work and don’t have much time to read except forcing myself to catch up with financial news.

    I will be at the 3rd Dec gathering, May I borrow your “Hello Chok Tong, Goodbye Kuan Yew” to destress?

    Cheers
    Rene

  185. Ref Comment #65

    2 copies of “the gift of age”. Its abt personal reflections on e challenge of age which were produced by a orgn 4 seniors.

    They r still avail 4 loan out.

  186. Hi Dan,
    Thanks for sharing your book. If you are going to the SHC gathering, could you please bring a copy along? I’d like to borrow it. Thanks
    And thanks for forwarding that “push pocket” warning.

  187. Hi Rene,
    Jie has reserved the book so you will have to wait for her to be done with it.
    Btw, this is one of the books that I treasure very much, so I hope the borrowers will take good care of it.
    Happy reading.

  188. Hahaha June Lim.
    Don’t you believe Joy. She’s just exaggerating lah. I’m as Chinese as you all are.
    But I have to admit, I was born a British subject as some of you will relate to. My dad was very “anglocised” if there’s such a word and we all spoke English right from birth, much to my mum’s dismay I should think. She used to be a Mandarin teacher, hehe.
    Yes, I drink English tea, Earl Grey, if any. Otherwise, it’s Lipton’s, like most people, so don’t let your imagination get the better of you.
    Perhaps my thinking may be a little more westernised, but I still have certain Asian values in me, something I hope my daughters won’t forget in time to come.
    Btw, have we met yet? I know I’ve met a June Chin, but don’t recall ever having met a June Lim.
    Glad to have you in our reading circle.

  189. aiyah…I met u at the “Bali” place!!. I understand, too many people tht nite, u couldn’t possible remember all.

    Remember someone said….”wah u look so pretty..I imagined u to be frumpy, big and round !!!”….remember? that was me!!! :-)))

  190. First, congratulations Mary, for starting this thread which continues to receive warm reception. We do hv book-worms in our midst and this is good as it does add refinement & deflects tim’s gibberish.

    I hv nvr stepped into Landmark hotel, not even the lobby altho in the 90s, the shopping centre adjoining it was known to house many barber shops, their barbers only knew how to wash & clip hair other than on the head.

    tim is a goon boy; he stays away from the dubious.

    Yes, you hv to read 73088 in canto (and some english at the end) to undersatnd it. I aint quite ready to explain it in open forum so anyone who is curious will hv to forward me her ear into which I’ll whisper & blow.

    June’s “lau nang mak” brings to mind smthg I thot very strange, and that is, why the teh chews call tears “mak sai?”…..really, where’s the resemblance with sai?

    Next, imagine the publisher of that Book didnt say this :

    ” THE GREATEST MIRACLE IN THE WORLD is one of the most beautiful and most moving pieces of writing that I have ever had the privilege to read — and to publish. – Frederick V. Fell. Publisher”

    but this :

    “THE GREATEST ORACLE IS THE WHORE” is one of the most pitiful and most boring pieces of writing that I have to read it under the bridge — to kill the fish. – Frenetic A.S.S He Fell. Publisher

    Finally, can “Hollow Chok, Goodbuy Yew” de-stress meh?

    I said it a few times and kind of like it…..smooth, soothing & easy to blow out from the lips, like kissing…….

    Try it.

  191. Aaah June. Yes of course I remember you. See, all it needs is a reminder to trigger the memory. It was very sweet of you to say that of me, the pretty bit, not the frumpy… bit, hahaha.
    Yes, there were so many people and it was hard to remember so many names and faces.
    I hope to meet you again some day soon. :-)

  192. Hey ‘goon’ boy Tim.
    I have to credit you for contributing many interesting comments, some very well written, but please do write stuff that can be understood lah. I no speakie Cantonee leh. Otherwise you will be obliged to explain in English,what you have written.
    Btw, what is the answer to your riddle, regarding crossing a frog with a hog? Don’t tell me it’s another of your !#%! ones?

  193. I got nothing better to do so I tried crossing a frog with a hog not knowing that the dog which was a friend of the frog but didnt like the hog unlike the cock which was the friend of the hog but didnt like the frog and so the dog tried to cross the hog and the frog tried to cross the cock as I started to time them with a clock and so engrossed was I that unaware of Terence’s creeping he got us all locked where the only opening for air was a window but there he hanged his smelly socks and if you have read my gibberish this far you’re sure to have a mental block and if you get lost in yr next long walk it’s all yr own fault bcos you asked me to cross a frog with a hog…………….

    Heeeheee, my mouth got very tired, yours leh??.

  194. Tim, sometimes I marvel at how your mind works. So many cross wires, so may criss crosses. How do you stay sane? Perhaps sanity is not one of your concerns?
    No, no mental block. Just simply exhausting to sift through your garble.

  195. Hi Dan

    I am not a fan of books…. but your book titled “The Greatest Miracle in the World” sounds interesting. May I borrow ? Is it very thick ? hope not, as don’t know how long I’ll take to read…..he..he..

  197. There’s only a fine line separating sanity & madness. Was Adolf Hitler sane? Or was he mad? Likewise, for general Yamashita, king Nero who was strumming the harp even as Rome was set aflame..

    Till today, no one can say with confidence.

    And here, we hv Dan.

    Was he sane or mad to ask to be chopped?

    Btw, Leung Siew Chor wd hv been hanged this morning btwn 5.30-6.00 a.m. for chopping another into 7 pieces………..7 again, what a number !!

    So gals, do think of the consequences if you’re baited by the invite……..

  198. Hi Dan

    No problem at all. Let Mary finish it first. Think she won’t take long… unlike me…he..he..

    Anyway, I am in no hurry… as and when it’s available then. Hey, I thought you hv 3 books huh ?? Where’s the other 2 ?

  200. hi Dan..
    Thot u said bringing the book for Mary on 3Dec…but u told Sue u did not get the books back?..apa macam lah u?..hhhmmm..something ‘fishy’leh??
    today…some pple so quiet..no reading or talking…cos they hv eloped to a ‘secret’ place!..a pity i cant tag along! :(

    Anyway…Mary, why not u bring any books u hv to share with us,pls…we can like hv ‘book-xchg’ session on 3Dec?…i don hv books,poor thing lor…so may i borrow?

    I wonder..u all must hv a wonderful time jalan2 & makan2..next time, i must chope!hehehe!

  201. Hi Nor,

    Dan meant his one & only 1 left will lend to Mary lah….he.he… ssshhh…Nor, cannot say “eloped” lah… apa macam ?? anyway, 10 of us have soooo much fun, jalan2 & makan2…ya lah, next time chope early, k??

    Wei,why so quiet tonight also har? all of you went dancing with John & Dan is it ?

    John, hope you have recovered from your after- shock last night…he..he..

    Hope to catch up with you guys on Monday.

    Cheers,
    Susan

  202. Hi Norlinda and Suzhang,
    Sorry lah. I choped first, but you can have it first if you want as I have 2 other books still unread. Then when you are both done, do remember to pass it to me ok?
    Happy Reading.

  204. Hey Mary chan,

    Looks like we both no date leh, so we talk lah, but hor, don’t talk about books hor. Me don’t like books, haven’t finish 1 paragrah, I will “tido” already. Only like to read or rather look at “Her World”, “Female”, “Elle”, “Simplicity” magazines. Yesterday met you for the first time. Hope to meet you again…what you like beside books huh? :)

    Ah Nee

  205. Hi Ah Nee.
    I like magazines like Her World, Female Etc too. That’s reading too. So welcome to the reading circle, hehe.
    I like shopping ;-) hehe, used to do craftwork, but not much interest now. Must be age lah.
    I also like to eat, hahaha. And ‘gallivant’. Sometimes will play mahjong if I can find the right ‘kaki’.

    How old your kids?

  206. Mary, I am using the “reading circle” and “SHC Jokes” thread, you may want to read from the latest comments, so that you can read every postings. I can’t play mahjong, don’t have the interest yet, maybe in near future when I retire, I may want to learn how to play MJ. My son huh, working as an engineer in DSTA but thinking of switching to Banking industry after he finished his Bond, that’s why he is taking this self sturdy CFA exam. No lah, I am just joking, not supervising him to sturdy, just feel like staying at home. :)

    Ah Nee

    Ah Nee

  208. 27 this year, last time got many gals, now only 1, so I don’t know whether attached or not? At this moment he can’t do anything because he is bonded, he took up CFA just in case he may want to switch in future. My son has the same interest like you, love to read a lot. I have seen many many books in his room. To name a few like “The 48 Laws of POWER”, “The Art of SEDUCTION”, “Sun Tzu and the Art of Modern Warfare”, Tom Clancy CARRIER”, “Tom Clancy SPECIAL FORCES”, all so thick. He also have this book “Memoirs of Lee Kuan Yew”. He told me all this books are worth reading and ask me to read. heee….heee…when I see the books I already yawning… :)

    Ah Nee

  209. Hi Mary

    Thanks for giving way to Nor and me ?? wei, Nor, you want to read also meh ?….apa macam… I thot I wanted to read as it sounds interesting…anyway, Mary, actually Lena wanted to pass it to me on Friday when we met, but I thot you were 1st, so I told her you can hv it… anyway, let’s see if Dan bring tomorrow, k? I also noticed that it was quite a thin book, so it’s shld be fine with me..he..he… I tend to give up halfway… think I am like Ah Nee, doesn’t like reading too much. I can only read short short stories like those found in Chicken Soup for the Soul.. as it is inspiring and kind of uplift our spirit after reading it. I can lend it to you if you are interested.

    Aiyoh, I was also bored last evening, so read a little of SHC website then log out liao and went to bed extremely early cos I had a very tiring day…. if I’d stayed alittle longer I wud hv chatted with you, Dolly & Ah Nee… he.he…

  213. Hahaha, Dolly. You too? Oh we play chicken stakes (not steak), but you people live in the west right? So how to get together? I’m in the far east.

  214. Dear Mary, if vry gian, den distance shd not b a problem rite… good.. chicken stakes ho say…wu woooo… john, where r u har… we both at west mah… take ur xport hor, ai sai anot…

  215. Dolly, I don’t host any mj session though. My place too small lah. If you can find a place, let me know and we’ll see how ‘gian’ I am, haha.

  217. Thanks Mary. I’m not too gian lah as I usually play with family members… only play for fun and yah lah… play small small can lah…. play too big, wait my heart cannot take it… too “qi gek” leh..he.he..

  219. THE USE AND ABUSE OF WORDS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

    Before anybody jumps down my throat for ‘daring’ to put up this comment, let me clarify myself. I have nothing against colloquial English or Singlish. In fact, I thoroughly enjoy certain people’s ‘brand’ of English here on the SHC website. ? The mix of English and Mandarin and Malay and dialects, punctuated by exclamations and interjections like ‘adoi’ and ‘lor’ and ‘meh’, etc. add a uniquely Singaporean flavour to our conversations. I’m not an ‘expert’ in the English language and I don’t use highfalutin word, but I can say that I try my best to use it as well as I can. I am in no way “looking down” on anyone as is being implied by some sour grapes.

    What bothers me is the misuse of words and the effect it has on people, including me, when certain words are used, some examples of which are bang, bugger, cock, crack, drug, pussy, suck and many more. These words are all perfectly normal English words which have been misused or should I say ‘abused’ as wonderful pharmaceutical products like heroine and opium have been.

    When I was growing up, I used to recite and enjoy poems with lines like,

    “the cock crows in the morn…”

    “ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross…”

    “pussycat, pussycat, where have you been?…”

    “ding dong bell, pussy’s in the well…”

    “lavenders blue diddle, diddle, lavenders green…”

    Can anyone remember them?
    When I had my daughters, I taught these to them too.

    All that ‘ignorance’ was shattered one day when I was teaching a class of Secondary Three students. I mentioned the word “cock” and horror of horrors! 8-( Some of the students gasped and accused me of using a ‘BAD’ word!
    Well, I remember making them look up the meanings and writing them down in their vocabulary ‘bank’ and never got more than a snigger or two from then on.

    Such is the mentality of some people that they cringe when the word ‘cock’ is mentioned, as ALL they know is that it’s a crude reference to a man’s male organ. The dictionary (a comprehensive one, not a primary school one as we are no longer primary school kids!), has a long list of meanings and usage of the word, so do go and make yourself knowledgeable with it (the word, I mean).

    Do the same with other words, some of which I’ve already mentioned above and don’t allow a small number of narrow minded people twist your minds with their limited understanding of words. Feel free to use them in the right context without the urge to ‘cringe’.

    I was raised speaking English, hence what I say or write may be viewed as pompous or bombastic, but too bad for you if you can’t understand me. That is my ‘brand’ of English. I can as easily lapse into colloquial Singlish as anyone else if I wanted to, but when I write, it’s pure, straightforward English. That’s Me.

  220. Hi Mary Chan @9,

    …All that ‘ignorance’ was shattered one day when I was teaching a class of Secondary Three students. I mentioned the word “cock” and horror of horrors! 8-( Some of the students gasped and accused me of using a ‘BAD’ word.

    That reminds me of my Sec 2 students too. When I asked them to write about the process of fertilisation in Man , some of them made a MESS out of it with full details of ssXXX foreplay than the actual process leading to fertiisation.

    I was “stunned” so YOUNG yet they know so much abt sssXXX from the internet.

    SC

  222. Norhayati, I’m replying from my Reading Circle post. I guess I should revive it now.
    I will look for the authors you’ve mentioned the next time I visit the library. I have to admit I seldom borrow from the library. I tend to ‘borrow’ from my daughter when she borrows from the 2nd hand book shop or from her collection of novels.
    Ah, “Roots”. Of course I’ve read it and watched the movie as well. It was a long time ago and I’ve forgotten quite a bit of it now. It’s a movie I won’t mind watching again.

    Actually, Christiane Northrup’s books are more sexually orientated. They are very helpful for women but I think if men were to read them, they would become better partners/ husbands. So, MEN, you should go read them to understand your wives/partners better.

  223. Tim,
    I was reading what you had written about the Chinese novels. Have you found any in English yet? Properly translated ones. I’m still keen on reading the “Romance of the 3 Kingdoms” and stories about the Chinese Dynasties.

  224. All who have contributed to my Reading Circle, I have revived it!

    I guess I have neglected it for quite a while. Shall we continue our discourses on the various books that interest you?

    I mentioned earlier that the last book I read was “Pillars of the Earth” by Ken Follett.

    Anyone interested in the book?

  225. sbkhoo, are you still around? no, I’m not mixing you up with Benson (God rest his soul).
    I’m still looking for some of the books you mentioned. Can’t find them in the library leh. Perhaps Pasir Ris library isn’t comprehensive enough.

  228. Charles Chua. I haven’t read the book “World Without End” yet. It’s a follow up of the one I just finished entitled, ‘Pillars of the Earth’.
    Pls note that I’m replying from my Reading Circle post.

  229. Hi Mary and Norhayati

    I love reading but have difficulty identifying the books which interest me, so its good if we can share on what each other is reading.

    I used to like thrillers by Jeffrey Archer, Jeffrey Deaver, Robert Ludlum and John Grisham but am now more interested in inspirational fictions and epic novels eg A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks, The Glass Palace by Amitav Gosh, The Kite Runner by Khalid Hossein? and Not Without My Daughter by Betty Mamood (real life account of an American woman, Betty, imprisoned for a few years by her husband in Iran , whose family are Muslim fanatics, and how she finally managed to escape via Turkey with her daughter).

    Many a time I want to share a book after reading but do not have anyone around really interested in reading it. So it would be good to have a reading circle to share what we have read, though our interests in reading topics may differ.

    Its indeed a luxury to be able to sit down and read a good book without having to do anything else!

    As for mahjong, I love playing too, but this needs at least 6-8 hours so…

    By the way, Norhayati, who is author for One for the Money?
    (is this the correct title you mentioned somewhere?)

  230. Siew Hoon,
    thanks for your response and welcome. The books you mentioned, A Walk to Remember, The Glass Palace, The Kite Runner etc are all famous pieces, but I have yet to read them. Do you have copies of them and would you be willing to lend them to me? If not, then I will have to hunt them down in the library.
    I have quite a bit of free time and I should be reading more than what I’m doing right now, but I have my moods, haha.

  231. Dear Mary

    Usually borrow the books from the library or book stores.
    Definitely good if say maybe we can circulate around what books we have with name of owners? so that anyone in search of a book can borrow it? Just a suggestion – besides sharing some reviews of books we read.

    Ya reading requires the right mood too besides time.

    For light-hearted reading and real amusement, try David Lodge, a British author. Read ‘Therapy’ and ‘Changing Places’. Cannot remember the full details but Therapy deals with a sitcom scriptwriter in a mid-life crsis, divorced and quite a hypochondriac – psychologist, acupunturist, amotherapist, you name it he uses it. He decided to have a romantic weekend fling with his long-time platonic girlfriend. It was really amusing how each other realised the nasty little habits each has (including some very intricate toilet habits, yaks!) and that maybe its better to be real good platonic friends after all. Very interesting and funny.

    Changing places deals with a British professor and American professor swapping places in two universities. The novels revovles through letters each wrote recounting their new projects and though a little draggy in the beginning; the story gets exciting when they they both had affairs with each other’s wives without knowing it….

    Certainly would not mind re-reading these two titles again for some fun and laughter.

    Happy reading.

    Siew Hoon

  232. Siew Hoon,
    the two books you mentioned sound very interesting. I will keep them in mind.
    Actually hor, I haven’t been reading much recently. My list of ‘must reads’ is getting longer and longer and I haven’t even got one to read yet.
    Feeling rather guilty, hehe.

  233. Hi Siew Hoon and Mary Chan,

    Sorry for the late reply to your mail. I didn’t look into Reading Circle until today.

    Siew Hoon,

    One for the Money was written by Janet Evanovitch. It’s a simply written funny book. You can borrow from the library.

    Norhayati

  234. Hi Mary C,

    Am replying to your email in this thread rather than your daughter’s wedding thread. I haven’t had the right mood to read lately. Who was it in this Reading Circle who said that to enjoy reading, one must have the right mood. Started reading two books but didn’t even complete them. Not because they were not interesting but rather had no mood. What about the rest of the gang in here? Read any interesting books lately?

    Norhayati

  235. Hi Norhayati,
    Yes, I’m the same too. When I get into the mood, I can read continuously and finish a book within a few days. Like now, I just can’t seem to settle down to a book, probably because of the wedding and now, the impending trip.
    I wonder what happened to the rest. They probably have the same hiccups that we have. Well, hope they continue reading.

  236. Just as expected….was searching for a reading corner to exchange books left at the shelf etc. Anyway, aunties and uncles, I have the following books available to give away. If you have a title that I have not read, we can trade but if no have….never mind…just take what you will read:

    LABYRINTH by Kate Mosse: Three secrets, Two women, One Grail.
    VALHALLA RISING by Clive Cussler: Adventure Thriller
    THE FOOTPRINTS OF GOD by Greg Iles: Cutting-Edge Thriller
    THE CAMEL CLUB by David Baldacci: Spy Thriller
    STATE OF FEAR by Michael Crichton: Spy Thriller
    THE ALTMAN CODE by Robert Ludlum with Gayle Lynds: Spy Thriller
    THE HAEDS FACTOR by Robert Ludlum with Gayle Lynds: SpyThriller
    THE SIGMA PROTOCOL by Robert Ludlum: Spy Thriller
    THE DA VINCI CODE by Dan Brown: This one needs no introduction
    THE THIRD SECRET by Steve Berry: Similar theme as Da Vinci Code
    FLOATING CITY by Eric Lustbader: Thriller

    Happy Reading!!
    Ivan

  237. Hi Patsy and Florence.
    In case you are not aware of the existence of this ‘book club’. It’s right here.
    We could share, discuss recommend or exchange books here. If you are keen, we could even meet occasionally to exchange or chat about books that we have read.
    How about it?

    Ivan, you are also welcome here, like everyone else who is interested to join in.

    Happy Reading!

  238. Hi Mary #237,
    These days I only borrow books from the National Library Branches in the Heartland areas. Had stop buying best-sellers since 18 months ago. Whatever books that I had/could give away to another, I had already given. Those that I still have remaining, I am trying to give them away this Wednesday at the Monthly Gathering. Only those romance type novels and horror type novels (passed on to me by my nieces), I will have a hard time giving away.
    Thereafter, I will stick to borrowing from the libraries…..as part of cost-cutting and belt-tightening measures. In view of this, I foresee my “contribution / participation” in your reading circle will be of insignificant value ….sorry to say this… anyway, you have a great week ahead and see you on Wednesday.

  239. Hi Ivan,
    I understand. I have not bought a book for quite a while now. Books can be very expensive. Besides, there’s the library just round the corner.
    Oh yes, you can still contribute in various ways, one of which is recommendations of books that you think might interest us. You could also give us your comments and perhaps ‘analyses’ of books that you have read.
    You have a great week ahead too and hope to meet you on Wednesday as I will be pretty late.

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