Booker

Dusty

I cringed. Seriously down-to-the spine cringed when Senor Anuar Fariz tagged me to continue the Book Meme. I was like Que Pa Sa??? Because, on the contrary to some of your beliefs, I am really not a reader. Heck, I haven't picked up a novel for a gazillion years. Like gazillion gazillion years! Lately, and especially after working at a PR agency, I have resorted into reading tons and tons of magazines. Okay, sue me if I like stories with pictures by them; it's a old habit I stay dear to ever since reading the Archies and X-Men comics.

But since I have to stick to the tradition (or something creepy with long hair might come visit me), here we go!

How many books do I own?

Very, very little. I would say that 90 percent of the books I own were smuggled from my highschool library, and I guess remained permanent by my bed stand since. Overall, I can say is that my collection is *ahem* very embarrassing.

The last book you bought?

Oh God, when and what huh? Okay, if my memory is still intact, it is Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan. I bought it when I first started college, because 1) Khaylis always raved about Amy Tan and 2) wanted to know why. When I read the novel, I fell ccompletely in love at how it was delivered. It was written under the voices of two protagonists: Pearl (the Chinese-American) and Winnie (her mother). There was a moment in the story when I silently wept. For that, this novel remains quite dear and true to me.

Five books that mean a lot to me?

1. Obviously, Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan. The reasons? See upstairs.

2. 1984 by George Orwell. I originally picked up this novel because I had to for an English assignment. (Huhuhuhu) That aside, as I continued reading, I realised that the deeply pessimistic world Orwell painted was not a far-cry world we live in. Big Brother resembled so close to dis-comfort the many governments we know. In turn, I remember moaning in pain when Winston was tortured with the cage of rats in Room 101. Since then, Orwell's celebrated piece remains my most political favorite.

3. Animal Farm by George Orwell. Yes, I became an Orwell addict and wanted more! And this piece did not fail, as I remember reading it quickly over night. More political than Charlotte's Web, I was engrossed at how the pigs ruled and manipulated the other animals. The We-Don't-Do-Human-Things and then seeing the pigs turning into one was a hoot. And I remember feeling deeply, deeply sad when Boxer (the cart-horse) got shipped to the soap factory by the pigs. *Sniff sniff* Damn you, Napoleon!!!

4. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Again, I read this novel for an English assignment. (Hehehehe) Anyway, I found that Fitzgerald did a fantastic job at luring us back into America, right after World War 1. Despite revealing that many were clearly poor, there was segments of society that managed to rise above financially. More like extreme success as reflected by Gatsby's lifestyle and his elaborate parties (which would have been extremely cool to go to). The character I hated the most in this novel was Daisy. She was gedek to the max, and I felt like strangling her. Every. Damn. Time.

5. Macbeth by Shakespeare. Again, I read this novel for...yes, for English class. My superficial reason why I loved this was the Witches' spell. People rumored that Shakespeare took samples of actual spells for the infamous "Double double toil and trouble..." spell. And say that if you breathed Macbeth's name behind the theatre's walls, something bad might happen to you. Like losing an arm. Cool school!

Okay, to continue the tradition, I call upon :

1. Random Girl
2. Davina
3. Dade Ghost
4. Theroadie
5. Lissa Karina
6. Kepala Angin

...to share their reading materials with me. Enjoy!