The Sunday Salon – June 04, 2012

This is an interesting reading week for me since I have finished two books that won literary awards, one being my favorite and the other one being the award that least convinces me. I will try my best to post my write-ups on these two as soon as time would allow me. Anyway, here they are.

Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem

Date Started: May 26, 2012. 9:15 PM.
Date Finished: May 30, 2012. 2:15 AM.
Book #31 of 2012

Norton as Essrog!

I love this! I love Lionel Essrog. I don’t care if the ending was a little too neat and even a little sentimental. At the back of my head, I was hoping that some film maker would do a film adaptation of this. And guess what?

Edward Norton (Fight Club) is going to direct one! And to make matters better, he going to direct himself as Lionel Essrog. I was a little surprised because I felt that Lionel should be somewhat bulkier than Norton. A corpulent yet unmuscular man, maybe? But Norton will do. I think he can be Essrog.

Write-up to follow.

Charming Billy by Alice McDermott

Date Started: May 31, 2012. 7:30 PM.
Date Finished: June 3, 2012. 11:30 PM.
Book #32 of 2012

Sleep after each chapter

First, I have something against the title. I don’t buy the adjective + name formula, and to make matters worse, why choose common names and adjectives? My friend is a witness to my revulsion of this book every time I see it on the shelves of bookstores. He even jokes about it possibly becoming the book of my life.

So I went ahead and read it. I should have trusted my guts; I didn’t like a single page of it. I have a problem with the narrator. I have a problem with the dialogues. I have a problem with the central conflict. And I have a problem with Billy, whom I didn’t find a tad charming.

More problems on my upcoming write-up.

The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien

Date Started: June 4, 2012. 1:15 AM.
Current Page: 21 of 398
Book #33 of 2012

No longer unexpected

I bought my copy of this online and had it delivered at our office. One of my bosses saw me opening the package and remarked with incredulity why I haven’t read the book all this time. I would have barked at him had I not been on a jolly mood (it was the last office day before Christmas 2011). I might have said, this is a classic, I can read it anytime I want because it’s supposed to be timeless.

This is our book club’s book of the month, and before I started reading it, I thought it better first to read its prequel, The Hobbit. I enjoyed that one a lot so I’m expecting the first book of the trilogy to be just as fun. By the way, the note on the text of my edition says that The Lord of the Rings is not a trilogy; it’s a long novel divided into three books. Okay, that’s something new to me, but I still prefer to call it a trilogy just because I have it in three books.

I have only been able to read the preliminaries (notes on the text, foreword, prologue) since I started late (or early) at night. A lot of geeky information regarding typographical error history, issues on appendices, and stuff for the nitpickers.

* * * * *

On other stuff, I’ve been recently listening to audio books. I am currently listening to Gilead, The Remains of the Day, and The Sense of an Ending. These three I have already read and love so much, which is why I am listening to them. A common denominator, aside from my love for them, is that they are written in the first-person point of view.

I think audio books work best on this point of view. It’s more of a conversation than a story. I haven’t tried listening to audio books with a different point of view, but I have a feeling that they would sound different. There would be less intimacy because of the absence of “I”.

Since I mentioned Gilead, I came across an article regarding Marilynne Robinson, particularly on why the author of the article loves the novelist. I adore and respect Robinson. In fact, if there is that kind of writing that I would like to achieve, it would be hers. There’s a quiet grace in her sentences. I am not a religious person, but I don’t mind the theology in Gilead just because the words are too beautiful to care about the subject matter.

One final news, the winner of the Orange Prize has been revealed. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think this will be the last “Orange” Prize since they will be renaming the award next year, no?

I forget the winner for I really do not follow the winners of the prize, not because it doesn’t convince me, but because it is focused on women writers. Please don’t think of me as a misogynist, but I think a lot is missed by not considering the works of male novelists. I think men and women are both capable when it comes to writing, so I don’t think it’s necessary to have awards for women only, as if women can’t beat men.

Case in point: Marilynne Robinson, who is, coincidentally, a past winner of the Orange Prize with her recent novel Home. I haven’t read it yet, but I have it in trade paperback and audio. It’s a sort of sequel to Gilead, so I am excited about it.

April’s Book of the Month

I am always reminded of my planned write-ups regarding our book club’s discussions when the next one is just a few days in the offing. So yes, this is, again, a little outdated, but what can I do? I have a job to do and some books to read and sleep hours to complete.

And I’ll stop whining now and move on. April’s theme was classics. Jane Eyre won the polls, trouncing The Tell-Tale Heart and Other Writings, and Les Miserables. Because a lot of readers are intimidated by classics, I feared that this would turn out to be the least attended book discussion so far (the lowest record is 12, which is the first one), but the number of participants who arrived even doubled that number. There were a lot of people who showed themselves for the first time, and there were even a couple who resurfaced after a long time of absence.

So what happened is that our noisy group of almost 30 was broken into three. I was asked by our discussion leader Tina, along with our other two moderators, to assist her in leading the mini-group discussions. It’s a quite impossible to handle the group alone with that searing April heat, no? So yes, I think it’s better to delegate mini-tasks.

Not Jane Eyre, and yes, not Mr. Stevens!

Tina handed out a set of questions to each of us moderators, which we will be addressing to each group after a certain time period. I don’t know what questions the other two had, but I assigned the questions that pertain to Jane Eyre’s, uhm, love life.

Questions that hint at May-December relationships are unavoidable, what with Jane Eyre being just half of Rochester’s age. Team Rochester versus Team St. John questions were also raised, like whose love is more self-serving, who is more manipulative, or who is more “bangable.” Stuff like that.

The importance, or insignificance, of passion in marriage was also discussed. I think I had the very interesting questions, and Tina even attested to that. They pull out a lot of little details about the person answering each question, like their views on relationships, their individual potentials as lovers, their measure of modesty, and other stuff that are not normally talked about.

One slice for Charlotte Bronte

I also think that it was a very auspicious day because the date of the discussion coincided with Charlotte Bronte’s 196th birthday. Talk of coincidences, huh? I imagined her spirit guiding us in our discussion, but we didn’t get into heavy debates about the book’s literary merits since the book is generally liked. Or probably we didn’t entertain that thought because of the heat.

Anyway, it’s not always the book’s details that ultimately matter during book discussions. The socialization affects the turn of events too, and in this month’s case, I think the number of new faces is the mark that it left on me. Charlotte Bronte would have happily nodded her approval at this.

St. John, Jane Eyre, Mr. Rochester, Bertha

Finally, I am very happy because a number of the participants explored the world of classics for the first time. Jane Eyre proved to be a good book to start sampling out classical works because it’s not daunting. I wonder how the book discussion would have been had Les Miserables won the polls. Would someone have finished it on time? Hmm.

By the way, some of the attendees participated as observers (or as film buffs since they have seen the most recent film adaptation). Now, the film adaptation is a topic that deserves its own spotlight, so let’s leave it at that.

The Attendees of the Fourth TFG Face to Face Book Discussion

Jane Eyre Book Discussion Details

• Date: April 21, 2012
• Place: Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, F. Ortigas Jr. Ave., Pasig City
• Time: 3 PM to 7 PM
• Attendees: Me, Aaron, Ace (comeback), Aenna, Aldrin (cameo), Alexa (newbie), Alona, Aprilyn (newbie), Beejay, Camille , Cary, Charles, Ella, Ingrid, JL, JM (newbie), Jzhun, KD, Kwesi, LS (Newbie), Maria, Atty. Monique, Noelle (newbie), Patrick, Po, Rollie, Sheryl, Tina (discussion leader), Tricia, Miss Veronica, Wilfred (newbie)
• Food I Ate: African sunrise iced tea, some cake, some chocolate bars with raspberry filling, home-baked revel bars (they are really, really good!) from Tina, and some elaborate Singaporean cigarettes from Maria that require you to crush the filters until something pops.

(Photos courtesy of Ella.)

First Five

Before we examine the entries and announce the winner, I’d like to say thanks to everyone who sent greetings through WordPress, Goodreads, Twitter, Facebook, and SMS. Now, let’s proceed to business.

We have three qualified entries. As I mentioned, only WordPress followers as of April 24, 2012 or previous commenters may join. Why this rule? I don’t feel comfortable giving away stuff to people I just talked to. Besides, don’t parents tell their kids not to take candies from strangers? So strangers, don’t take candies from me.

Let me remind you that the sole criterion for judging is the appeal that the entries have for me. Here we go!

Entry #1 is from Atty. Monique:

Oh Buddy, you sneak! Why didn’t you just tell me last weekend that today’s your birthday??? I hate you. Huhuhu.

But, okay, since it IS your special day, I will indulge you (and forget that you made me believe your birthday is April 31st, hrmmppppff). I just read your qualifications for contenders, and I think I am very much qualified, even if my blog’s not signed up with WordPress. 

My favorite post from you? I have so many! Of course, I especially love your not-so-standard review about David Mitchell’s books. But the post that first came to mind when I read your giveaway guidelines was your Little Prince post.

http://bookrhapsody.wordpress.com/2012/02/23/what-was-the-little-prince-doing-on-earth-the-little-prince-by-antoine-de-saint-exupery/

This made me laugh out loud! 

Your age? Hmm. I think you’re in your mid-twenties, same age bracket as Tina. Maybe 26? 

All I wish to say I’ve already written on that little note I gave you, the one with the “small memories.” That being said, enjoy the day, my dear Buddy, and have a wonderful, lovely birthday! 

Coincidentally, Contestant #1′s favorite post is also my most visited post so far. I also enjoyed that post about The Little Prince. Having nothing much to say about it, I just gathered some evidence that the Little Prince is gay.

26? Hmm, not a bad guess. That still counts as middle twenties, no? For her message, it’s a short and sweet thank-you note about our friendship. It’s been roughly a year, right?

***

Entry #2 is from Miss Jillian:

Happy birthday!! I think you are… 25? I most love your post declaring you are joining The Classics Club because I got to meet you and join your reader journey  –

http://bookrhapsody.wordpress.com/2012/03/15/joining-the-classics-club/

And for #3: which is your favorite post on my blog? 

(No worries if this entry doesn’t actually count. Mostly I’m just saying Happy Birthday.) 

Contestant #2′s favorite post is one of the most painstaking posts that I did because I had to check and recheck my list of classics. It entails running a CTRL+F on my spreadsheet and cross-checking my book shelf. It was fun though, and because of The Classics Club, I have more drive to catch up on my classics.

25? Just like my birthday! And to answer her question, my favorite post on her blog is when she defended The Classics Club from the detractors. Defend might not be the right term, but what a passionate post! I loved how she put out her beliefs and convictions, defending both herself and the participants, and shortly, the little ruckus was resolved. I cannot find the exact post because I think one spawned after the other and it turned out to be a discussion of literary canons. I was not even able to post a comment; it was resolved that fast.

***

Entry #3 is from Nurse Tricia:

Happy birthday, Angus!

1. I don’t exactly have a favorite post because you reviewed books I’ve read or been meaning to read. It’s a lot, like Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay (to-read), Lolita (still reading), and Oscar Wao (read). To be honest, the post I always watch out are your book hauls and finds. I know how much you and our book buddies in TFG hoard books from Booksale! IDK, you have good taste in book with literary-insert-prize (in which I only read a few). It’s fun to read posts how people like you find gems in secondhand bookstores. It feels like I did found a gem, too 

2. Formidable Chairwoman, I’ve know for almost a year na but I still don’t have any idea how old you are. Can I base it with the hairstyles you had?
2.1. Long-hair – you look like a teenager with this hair. (I’m referring to the picture of you with the To Kill a Mockingbird book at Monique’s blog). You look 18 there. IDK how recent was that photo but you look 18.
2.2. Curly – girl, you have Young Neil Gaiman the hippie look, but that looks so hot. Hey, I’m not hitting on you. Anyway, I guess you are around early twenties (24?).

2.3. The Brush-up – IDK but it gives me an impression that you are Rochester. Or Malfoy. Not that you look old, but you look mature. Intelligent. Intimidating. Fierce. Ferocious? Maybe 26?

So my final answer is between 24 and 26. Haha! Dami kong sinabi.

3. Wish? Oh you know my wish for you  no, not books (because you already have them). It’s MICHAEL FASSBENDER.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANGUS! EVEN IF I’M AWKWARD AROUND YOU, I LOVE YOU 

Contestant #3′s favorite posts are the book hauls. These often get a lot of hits, probably because there are more tags on them than the other posts. I hope there’s one particular post that was mentioned that we could refer, but she made mention of my posts on our common books (The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, Lolita, and The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao).

24-26? Another indecisive answer after the longish explanation, but still, it’s the middle twenties! Yes, I love changing hairstyles! I’d like to think that I almost tried most hairstyles, from long to short, from no hair to colored hair, from asymmetrical cuts to squeaky clean cuts, and yes, from straight to curly. And thanks for the wish, I’ll be waiting for a Fassbender android in the next few weeks!

***

Before we announce the winner, there’s a non-entry from Anonymous H:

Hey! Happy Birthday!! I’m not going to join the “contest” because I already have a copy of Remains of the Day…I just wanted to greet you hehehe. My birthday wish for you, is that you finish and understand Ulysses someday hahaha…just kidding 

Thanks H, you could have joined because as I mentioned, if you already have The Remains of the Day, you could pick any Ishiguro book. Probably you just scanned the post as usual? Hahaha, yes, I will finish Ulysses, come hell or high water!

***

Okay, I’ve been delaying like one of those multi-sponsored award shows, so let us declare the winner. Atty. Monique, congratulations! If you have qualms on my judgment, let me explain that she’s been the most inquisitive bookish fellow regarding my birthday. She was asking for it everywhere that I just ignored them until that day when we met and I just had to give her a non-existing date, hahaha!

She also promoted the contest, making my birthday the busiest day in my blog. Hurrah! Talk about doing more than what is necessary, right? And here’s the message that she mentioned in her entry:

Small Memories, Short Notes, Big Thanks, Huge Love

Buddy, please post the Ishiguro book that you wish to have and the book store of your choice for the gift certificate. To Jillian, Tricia, and H, thanks for the participation and the messages. This was fun, see you soon!

Anyway, instead of asking for gifts, I am going to give away freebies. Yes, all you need to do is answer, in more or less than 500 words, the following questions (on the comments section):

1. What is your favorite post in this blog and why? Please include the link.

2. How old/young do you think I am?

3. Do you have any wish for me or anything that you’d like to say?

Qualified participants are WordPress followers of this blog. If you are not from WordPress, you must have made comments (meaning more than one) in the past on any of my posts. If you are going to follow just now or flood me with comments, it wouldn’t count. I think I have to restrict the participants to those readers who indulge me. So yes, thank you!

Oops, I almost forgot to say the prize. It is The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro! I picked this book because I will be moderating our book club’s book discussion of this on July. I’ve already read this, and all I can say is, magnificent! Five stars!

Or if you already have a copy of it (be honest), you may pick any Ishiguro book:

First Five

And of course, I am not forgetting this:

And the Sixth

I will try my best to look for the exact edition displayed here. Also, yes there’s more, I will be giving away a Php 500.00 gift certificate from a book store of your choice! I’m feeling generous today despite the fact that I myself have not completed my Ishiguro collection. Anyway, for participants who are not from the Philippines, I am sorry, but you will have to settle with only the book in case you are declared the winner.

Contest runs only today! Comments after 12 midnight are no longer eligible. Comments will not be published until I have reviewed the entries. I will be announcing the winner on April 30, so please watch out!

Wait, how will the entries be judged? The participant with the most appealing answer will, of course, win. By the way, this is a scheduled post, and I might be wandering some place, or eating, or reading, or maybe still sleeping. Which means I won’t be able to entertain any questions today. Just leave your comments and I’ll get back to you.

Happy Birthday to me!

(Images from Knopf Doubleday)

March's Book of the Month

This is super late, and I only remembered to write something about it had I not imagined seeing the group photos somewhere. I asked my bookish friends if they have seen these photos on social networks only to find out that these haven’t been uploaded yet. Is that strange or what?

In addition to that, I am in no mood to write something about the book discussion. If you have read my initial reaction on it, you must realize that I did not enjoy it. I’m not inclined to put the link here, but it’s just somewhere here.

In our motley crew, I gave it the lowest rating. Most of the attendees at least liked it. During that time, I said that it was just okay, only to admit later on, a couple more weeks after, that I hated it despite a couple of laughs that I got from it.

I will stop discussing my feelings about the book and focus more on the discussion. It was a light discussion, with questions like what we would like to change in terms of geography, to which I responded an eternal autumn with a temperate climate, leaves falling constantly, wind blowing smoothly, but never having to sweep the streets for dead leaves. I actually got the idea from my seatmate. Not an original, I know, but I like her idea. Besides, it’s not a strictly geographical wish, no?

Another question is if we would like to have that translating Babel fish stuck inside our ears. It’s a little gross, I know, like getting a goldfish from a bowl and squeezing it inside your ear, but I didn’t dislike the idea because of that. The Babel fish didn’t appeal to me because I still prefer to have the sense of strangeness and awe when I hear a language I do not understand. I don’t want to kill the fascination of hearing the Spanish S or the French R.

The other questions, I don’t remember them now, except for the final question: do you think that this book has some literary merit? I think it does not. Of course, I was met with silent antipathy and probably some seething anger at my answer. Someone countered that of course, it does have some merit, like the cultural references that it has and that were popular during its time of publication. It might have some cultural impact, but if we just keep to strict literary merit, I insist that it doesn’t.

Please don't panic!

First, the themes are underdeveloped. We are offered clumsy inferences from whimsical premises about the nonexistence of God. Second, there is not a lot of technique or style in the narrative. It’s a straightforward form of writing. Nothing fancy, just plain adventures and humor, which by the way, I mostly understood, being the dry and sometimes sarcastic person that I am.

I guess I’ll stop now. I hope people would understand that I just don’t like it. I enjoyed the discussion though because really, a lot of the questions do not really draw answers from the book. And I love the food! It’s nothing fancy, and what can I do? I am cheap. I feasted like there’s no lunch time to come, and I ended up with a minor tummy ache, me being unaccustomed to heavy breakfast.

The Blurred Attendees of the Third TFG Face to Face Book Discussion

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Book Discussion Details

• Date: March 25, 2012
• Place: Chocolate Kiss, A. Roces Ave., Quezon City
• Time: 9 AM to 12 PM
• Attendees: Me, Aaron, Aenna (sorta newbie), Beejay (newbie), Camille, Ella, Jzhun, KD, Kristel, Kwesi, Maria, Marie (newbie), Po (super late), Doc Ranee (discussion leader), Tina, Miss Veronica
• Food I Ate: Cornflakes cereal, champorado, Vigan longganisa, sausages, chicken and pork adobo, omelet, papaya, ripe mango, pineapple, mango juice, coffee, some cakes, and what else? It was a breakfast buffet, by the way.

(Group photo courtesy of Kwesi and invitation designed by Jzhun.)

I remember telling one of my bookish friends that I’ll be joining this on my birthday month, and I think she also did the same. So yes, you are now free to call me a copycat.

Enough of that already. Here’s the question:

How do you feel about fictional characters who are obviously closely based on the author? Is this an example of authorial superego? Or just a natural extension of the “write what you know” advice?

First, about what I feel: It still depends on how the characters are portrayed. A character resembling the author or any real person does not necessarily make him or her interesting. On a larger scale, the same is true with novels based on real life events. I do not mind though wherever the author draws the inspiration for the characters. It’s more about the execution.

Second, about the superego versus the write-what-you-know advice: I think it could be either. Oh well, let me explain. Sometimes, a writer may unconsciously portray a character without taking heed of the advice. Although the superego does not always reside in the subconscious, little slips occur here and there. This I was told when I attended a creative writing workshop years ago.

My characters were portrayed differently from the way I wanted them to act. I was told that I may be writing subconsciously, which can be crippling and which I have to curb and control. I was not told how it could be done, but anyway, I no longer write fiction. Maybe in the future. Let’s see.

On second thought, maybe a writer, a published writer, is quite trained in controlling subconscious writing, probably through constant practice and editing. It could then be said that they are merely writing what they know, no? But really, that is not a teeny piece of advice; it’s a must if one wants to create beautiful and solid literature.

Anyway, I don’t really know many characters based on the author. You see, I don’t really do background research on books and authors. I just dive straight to the text. Whatever information that I get in the introductions, if any, satisfies me. And when I find some interesting info about books and authors, particularly from overthinking bookish friends, I feel like an imp ooh-ing and aah-ing.

Now, I am reminded of my favorite author, David Mitchell. His Black Swan Green is semi-autobiographical. And then there’s Henry Miller’s Tropic of Cancer also based on the author’s life. I loved the former, and the latter is ugh, so far the worst book that I ever read. Do you see what I’m saying now?

Why was I there? These three didn’t want to go with our other bookish friends to watch Hunger Games. I cannot be counted to shell out money for something that I am not too interested to watch despite the presence of people that I like. Besides, people are supposed to sit and watch and not chitchat while watching a movie in a cinema, no?

So I just joined the three for the book signing of someone I am not familiar with. Besides, I quite approve of this. There’s a feeling of elation when you meet an author that you are particularly fond of and have your copies of his or her books signed. I am not so sure what the rabidity level of these friends’ fanaticism is for the author, but still, I tagged along.

The book signing was held at the same venue where Junot Diaz held his last year. I am not a huge fan of Diaz, but a Pulitzer Prize winner visiting Philippines does not happen frequently. Besides, the venue is so near our office. I could walk my way there, so this opportunity is something that I can hardly miss.

My fresh and signed copy of Drown

I noticed a difference: a young adult author can draw more people than a literary one. I was baffled when my friends were assigned line numbers. This was something not distributed during the Junot Diaz book signing. We were just asked to register and get a seat. And there were seats enough for people who were on time.

A worse occasion was the Edward P. Jones book signing. There were seats for everyone, even stray shoppers. And a heartbreaking observation: less than ten people lined up to have their books signed.

This has its pros and cons. A crowded book signing consumes more time and energy than necessary. Besides, all you can get from it is some chitchat with the author. I could imagine a hi, hello, what’s your name, you want our picture, sure, thanks, happy reading. I don’t know how the fleeting minutes of my friends’ respective turns turned out, but they must have been spent in a rush.

With Junot Diaz and Edward P. Jones, I had a real conversation. The one with the former might just be a pivotal conversation, because after the hi-hello-I’m-Junot (and it was only this time that I found out that his name is pronounced as Juno, like the moon or the movie), he asked me what my name is and what I did. I didn’t want to say what I did for my living because most of the time, people get intimidated. But I couldn’t think of anything else, and how could I intimidate this published author?

So I told him I was a technical writer. He looked at me. I was flustered. Oops, now he’s going to ask me if I like what I did. He asked me if I liked what I did. I answered his question about my job honestly, albeit hesitantly, so I might as well be completely honest with him. No. It’s quite boring, but I need a job. Let me tell you something, why don’t you start writing about what a crazy day today is. Are you going to do that? Uhm (a piercing stare, expecting me to really do it like he was some successful distant elder cousin), uhm, yes. Have a nice day, Angus (a more expectant stare). You too, Junot. Thanks.

I ran off. Junot, I may not write about what a crazy day that day was, but I will write something and I will hunt your head down and force you to read it.

Wow, a signed Oscar Wao!

Now, let’s go to the latter. These two actually took place just a few days apart, so you can just imagine the literary high that I got. With Edward P. Jones, it was a little quiet. The audience is not too participative. Heck, I could tell that half of the people were just people who happened to be killing time in the venue, which was a book store.

And when we were asked to line up, each person had more time to talk to the writer. He’s a little quiet and maybe timid, so I had to think of something to extend my few minutes with him. So when it was my turn, there’s the usual hi-hello, and then he flipped through my copy because it was a little battered. He was looking for marginalia, which I am not guilty of, and I told him that the only writing that he could find there were my initials and the date that I bought it.

He was pretty impressed, me having bought that copy five years ago. So when I saw his shy smile, I ranted about my favorite character in the novel. I told him how Luke’s death broke my heart. And then he went on about Luke, explaining that his death was necessary to break all the lies that were going on in the novel. I never thought of it as that, and I apologize for spoiling this detail in the novel. I can’t help it. And then, as a side comment, he said, Hmm, it’s been a long time since I talked about Luke. Thank you, Angus.

I ran off. During these two occasions, I didn’t dare look back. I don’t know why, but I just sped off with my heart beating wildly with joy. There’s something about authors writing your name on the title page and signing it.

A heartwarming message from a wonderful writer

Really, the book’s content will still be the same, and it wouldn’t make you understand the novel more or less. But admit it; authors are celebrities in their own rights. A signed book is sure to increase its value in due time. But surely, we don’t get our books signed just so that we could sell them in the future, no?

Oh well, maybe some do that. At least not me. I had Oscar Wao and The Known World signed because I loved them. I considered buying new copies for the signing, but that would be different. I want the copies that I read to be the ones signed. It’s like an affirmation, like this here, Angus, read this book and understood it to the best of his abilities and hopefully loved it, I therefore affix my signature on the title page as a symbol of his great love for literature.

I only have four signed books in my library. So what is the fourth one?

I just pool-ordered this so no name for me

Half of the Classics Pile

Most people think that I am a huge classics reader when in fact, I haven’t read a lot of hardcore classics. Sure, I’ve been reading literary fiction and contemporary classics, but classics in the lines of Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, or Henry James: not yet. I even checked the number of classics that I finished, the ones that match my set of criteria; they only amount to 35. 20 of those were read last year.

Although I have a lot of the James’s novels. I haven’t touched them yet. So when I chanced upon The Classics Club, I thought that here is a good way to go back and finish my classics.

But what constitutes a classic? That entails a long debate, but generally, a classic is a work that has a theme that will endure the passing of time. This explains why classics are often associated with works published way, way before even our gramps and grams were born.

If you are interested, you can read more of The Classics Club at A Room of One’s Own. If you are up for the challenge, by all means, let’s join!

And for my list of classics, click this.

February's Book of the Month

It’s most probable that the attendees overthought and overanalyzed this short book. Yes, anybody can read The Little Prince in one sitting. In fact, it’s so short that it’s hard to write something more than 500 words about it if you decide to do that right after reading it.

But writing about it right after a book discussion is a different matter. There are little thoughts here and there that open a can of yucky worms. Seemingly innocent questions can fry your brains, particularly me who got the infamy of being the only person who was unable to answer a discussion question.

A little background: I was in a little bashing mood that day. I felt that I had to do that for humor’s sake. Why do I always feel that? I don’t think I am a funny person. I can be funny, but I definitely am not that sort of person one would consider the life of a party. Oh well, it must be the food that I was eating.

The discussion improved significantly from last month’s. Instead of picking a number and passing around a piece of paper where the list of questions is printed, the participants for this month picked envelopes where the questions were sealed. I felt that I could at least give a thought or two to the questions picked by the others, except for a couple that seemed to me too rhetorical a question. And of course, mine.

So why am I harping about that unanswered question? It was something like this: Explain the difference between matters of consequence and matters of indifference in the text. It’s longer than that and structured more complicatedly, but of course, you don’t expect me to memorize that. It was embarrassing, what with me bashing the others. That’s what one may call karma, I guess.

The most beautiful page of the book.

But one question stuck with me until I got home. It was uprooted when one rambled something about the little prince achieving wisdom and going to wherever he is supposed to go. I said something about growing up and wisdom being two different things, and the possible wealth of wisdom in what children have to say. And then someone said something about gullibility and innocence. And then someone asked about innocence.

I admitted that I couldn’t find the words at that time to define innocence. It was a humble non-answer to a sincere question. I had a feeling that I will be taking the question to bed when sleepy time comes. And it did.

So how do I define innocence? It is a virtue devoid of malice. It is borne from stuff where good intentions come from. It is not gullibility or childish curiosity. It is not always about believing something, hence the innocent face, smile, et al. So is it possible then to have innocence even if one is technically an adult?

I think it is. It doesn’t need to be lost. It just needs to be sort of maintained. Just like that Jewel song. Argh. I’m supposed to stop liking her. Oh well. Lest you think that The Little Prince is only about innocence, it is not. Wait, what is it about?

It’s about children and grown-ups. Dear, it’s a conspicuous book. It is one of the most translated books in the planet. One can read it in an hour while milling about a book store. Go get a copy, or go lounge for an hour or two at your favorite book store and find out for yourself. Or maybe you already know?

Anyway, I’d like to give a hundred claps to the discussion leader, Jzhun, for drumming up those ideas on how to make the discussion engaging. We don’t mind the hard questions and the harder nonquestions. We don’t mind that he shut me up when I said a stray sentence about Voltaire. How could you mind if you have a set of goodies?

The Little Prince Goodies

A daily planner, a bar of chocolate, a print out of a favorite quote from the book, and roses. Roses? Wait, those are from Patrick. It’s a little gimmick devised by the discussion leader. You give roses (for men) or scarves (for women) to the attendee whose quote you liked. Patrick gave them to me. Sweet! I would like to believe I blushed, but I didn’t feel my face warming up a one-watt bulb. Perhaps the muffler I was wearing blocked the blood from rushing to my cheeks?

Some Attendees of the Second TFG Face to Face Book Discussion

The Little Prince Book Discussion Details

• Date: February 25, 2012
• Place: Kitch Cafe, Amorsolo St., Makati City
• Time: 1 PM to 5 PM
• Attendees: Me, Aaron, Alona and her boylets, Aries, Ayban, Camille (newbie), Charles, Ella (sorta newbie), Han (sorta newbie) and her posse, Ingrid, Jzhun (discussion leader), KD, Kwesi, Maria, Patrick, Po, Sheryl, Tina
• Food I Ate: Baked salmon, watermelon-flavored soda, apple streussel bar

(Most photos courtesy of Kwesi, including the one below.)

For my buddy, Atty. Monique

Harper Lee and Jostein Gaarder Books

Not to you, but to the teenagers of Virlanie foundation. I am giving away To Kill a Mockingbird bird for reasons that you could read about at the pilot post of The Spark Project. The three Jostein Gaarder books, I haven’t read them yet. But I trust Mr. Gaarder, my sole basis being Sophie’s World. I want to give away a copy of that too, but I couldn’t find an affordable copy.

But first, before we give them to the teens, whom we hope are as excited as we are, we need to cover them. Not only them, these four, but other books that will be donated by members of TFG as well. I don’t cover my own books because I want to feel their nakedness whenever I read them. Besides, I’m too lazy to cover all of them. It would take a lot of management and OC-ness for me to complete this task.

And I swear, I’m never going to cover any books again, at least for this year. There are more or less 200 books that will be given away, both old and new. So what I am donating is more or less only 2% of the total count of books. And just imagine the number of books that I was able to cover in one afternoon.

I thought I was good at covering books because I distinctly remember that I did a good job at it back in my younger years. However, the first batch of books that I covered were too sucky. They bulged at the edges. I tried to redeem myself by cutting off the excess plastic at the edges of the next batch of books. I even further challenged myself by neatly covering a trade paperback with flaps and a hardbound. The later was more like covering the dust jacket and devising a way so that it would not slip off the book.

Of course, I redeemed myself from the bad covering that I did with the first few books.

Not that it was laborious because there are the usual random book talks and random talks about randomness. And there’s food for everyone. There’s coffee. There’s tea. There’s something to stuff your mouth with if you aren’t busy ranting about something. Overall, it was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon.

We actually finished until evening. It was drizzling, but that’s fine because someone had the sense to bring a car with him. So yes, that’s free transportation.

It was also one of the member’s birthday. What a meaningful way to celebrate one’s birthday. Happy birthday!

Book Covering Details

• Date: February 12, 2012
• Place: Miss Veronica’s house. Thank you so much for the food and the hospitality!
• Time: 9AM to 7 PM
• Attendees: Me, Alona, Anna, Aries, Ayban, Charles, JL, Jzhun, Patrick (newbie), Po, Doc Ranee, Rollie, Rowell (newbie), Ruby, Sheryl, Tina, Miss Veronica
• Food I Ate: Coffee, apple-cinnamon-raisin tea, soup with quail eggs, roasted chicken, fish fillet nuggets, pancit with mushrooms, coke, iced tea, chips, et al.

January's Book of the Month

I figured I should write something about this. I figured that I should do this monthly feature because I have both the fortune and burden of being one of the moderators of an online-offline book club. I have mentioned this book club in passing in some of my past posts, so let’s do a little background.

The Filipino Group, or TFG, is a book club based on Goodreads. I know, the group’s name could mean anything. The Filipino Group for what? It could be a Filipino Group for stamp collectors, or dog-lovers, or lunatics that still manage to maintain lucidity online. I do not wish to explain, because the group creator and the past moderators, who are now inactive and who could be dead as of this moment, have that job to do. Besides, it’s a name that is indelibly stuck to our minds so changing it isn’t something that we are inclined to do, although it came up once or twice.

TFG has been around since 2007, I think. I only joined the group last year, and after a year of lounging on the threads, trolling, flooding, spamming, and ranting about books and reading along with bookish friends and joining the meet-ups, I was promoted as a moderator. I don’t know why; perhaps the other moderators are fond of me? Perhaps they saw something in me? Perhaps the potential to lead?

Really, when they informed me of this, I told them to put it off. Of course I’m not going to be too modest about this: I want to be a moderator of a group that I enjoy. It’s just that I think it’s too early. I mean, there are other members who are, I think, more qualified than I am in terms of seniority, management and organization skills, influence, number of books read, et al.

And let’s not dwell on that anymore. Being one of the moderators, I feel that I should maintain a regular feature of the books of the month that the group selects and discusses, online and offline. This is a good thing to do because the first ever face to face book discussion kicked off last January. Sure, there had been books of the month in the past, but these were not really discussed like how they do it in real life book clubs.

I know it’s February already, but it’s better late than never, so to speak. And besides, we haven’t met yet for February’s book of the month. I have no format in mind on how to do this thing. Besides, it would be tough to relate everything that happened during the book discussion. It would take a week’s worth of regular posts to do that. So I’ll just write anything in first person POV style. Here we go.

I didn’t bother to reread this book because I rely too much on my waning memory. And besides, 2666 ate up my January reading, and its effect is still rippling even up to this month (read: a reading backlog). So yes, I went to the book discussion without reviewing anything. My copy is somewhere else. Yes, it’s in Baguio City. Besides, people can still attend just for the sake of listening to the discussion. Actually, there is one member who has not read the book yet and who was quiet all throughout. After that, I decided the member is just really quiet.

I think this is a pretty successful attempt in bringing an online discussion to real life. It’s very spontaneous. No holds barred. I sometimes find myself trying my best to control my potty-mouth. Yes, I swear like a ghetto gangster, especially when I find myself groping for a precise word in a heated discussion.

So first, we were asked to introduce ourselves for the sake of the newbies. There are always newbies during meet-ups. A good thing, because that means the group is growing. Then we were asked what our impression of the book was in one word. There were some who answered in nouns, like warning, prophecy (or was it prophetic?). There were some who answered in adjectives, like boring, prophetic (or was it prophecy?). And there was me who answered with the word unsettling.

When I read this back in college, I found the world of 1984 detestable. I couldn’t imagine living in such a world where a single facial twitch could alter your life. I don’t like the idea where one is conditioned to like or hate something. I find it utterly horrible when people undermine your fears and use them to their advantage. So yes, the book dislodged me in my rather comfortable thinking that life is good, that I can write whatever for the campus paper, that I can do almost whatever I want.

And then each of the persons who have read the book were asked to pick a number, and this number corresponds to a question that one has to answer. On the spot. Sure, there are no wrong or right answers, but I really felt tense when it was my turn. Actually, some members felt that way, too. The question that I got was, thank goodness, one of the easier ones, which is about the symbols used in the novel. Good thing that the telescreens of Big Brother are omnipresent all throughout the novel that they stuck to my memory. But that’s not it; I had to explain how the symbols were used to achieve an effect.

Well, I couldn’t wring an answer out of my moldy brain. I think I was thinking that the telescreens were employed by Orwell to show how invasive totalitarianism is, but I didn’t say that. I don’t remember what I said, but there were other ideas that were pitched in. Good thing, because I didn’t need to finish answering my question. Actually, I think most of the questions were left unanswered because of the digressions, which is really mentally productive, if you don’t care about digressing and if you listen.

One interesting question that popped out is this: is the proletariat incapable of starting a revolution without the help of the middle-class? Does an outsider always have to stir the masses to get started? I had no opinion on it at that time, and I was more interested in the opinions of others. I was both listening to the arguments and thinking of the novel Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, because the question is very reminiscent of that novel.

This question was quite unresolved because the proponents of each side could not be swayed to switch teams. Not that we are forcing others to swallow our opinions. And besides, time was up. So I brought the question home and consulted it with one of my strong-headed and intellectual friends. Her answer is no. The masses would not start any revolution because they don’t care. They don’t care because they are poor. They have other things to think about, so why bother?

I am inclined to believe her. I should invite her to one of our book discussions.

The Twelve Attendees of the First TFG Face to Face Book Discussion

1984 Book Discussion Details

• Date: January 28, 2012
• Place: Baang Cafe, Tomas Morato, Quezon City
• Time: 1 PM to 5 PM
• Attendees: Me, Aries (newbie), Jzhun, KD (discussion leader), Kristel, Kwesi, Maria, Atty. Monique, Po, Rollie, Tina, Miss Veronica
• Food I Ate: Country style ribs, a grape drink, nachos courtesy of KD, a pastry shared with Maria, some of Maria’s leftover adobo

(All photos courtesy of Kwesi.)

The Spark Project's First Feature

This is coming from the Department of Shameless Self-Promotion.

Kindly visit the first installment of The Spark Project, a blog project of my bookish buddy, Atty. Monique. She is a wonderful blogger, so if you enjoy reading my posts, I think you’ll also enjoy her blog. Besides, she’s a more diverse reader than I am.

Okay, I’ll now let her do the talking. So go clicky and find out a little something about the project and, of course, me. Tee-hee! Thanks buddy! I am humbled. Really.

Wait, let’s check out the entries first. Here they are:

Entry No. 1: From my buddy, Atty. Monique. She blogs at Bookish Little Me.

Okay, 12 years old. Hmm. I remember wanting to learn how to cook so much that I offered to cook (read: fry) the chicken that my dad prepared for our dinner one time. (Yes, my dad’s the unofficial cook in our house.) After my dad gave me the specific instructions, I donned an apron (no, it doesn’t say “kiss the cook” on it), prepared the pan and the tongs, and proceeded to cook. Well, I didn’t know that I was supposed to let the water on the pan dry up before putting in the oil, or else, puputok. So what happened was, I drizzled the oil onto the pan and before I realized what was happening, the hot oil spat at me right in the face – somewhere within the vicinity of my right cheek, just beside my right nostril. It hurt so much and grew into a huuuuge scab, but I proudly wore it and did not disguise it as a pimple. Whenever my schoolmates or teachers would ask what it was, I’d always say, “Natalsikan po ng mantika,” with a certain glow and pride in the words. See, it was a testament to my attempts to learn how to cook.

Yes, I do know how to cook now, thank you very much.

What we like about Entry No. 1: The nostalgic humor! And we love food! I’m thinking of eating fried chicken soon. We also love how the contestant borders on ranting, an activity that we are inclined to do.

Entry No. 2: From one of my bookish friends, Tricia. She blogs at In Lesbians with Books. No, she’s not a lesbian.

When I was 12, it’s full play. I didn’t think about things seriously. So innocent and temporary. So I don’t remember much anything except this guy:

I
You always have that serious look on your face.
You’re always the most obedient kid on the planet.
I watch you going in and out of the room.
I always wonder if you can stay for a while so I can stare at you.
I always wonder if you notice me.
You seem to be busy with errands all the time.
I wonder if you can stay for a while so I can introduce myself.

II.
You tease me a lot.
I wonder if that’s cute or frustrating.
At least I have some of your divided attention.

I always long for your laugh and parade of funny sarcastic insults.
Quite a martyr? Not really. I don’t mind or take them seriously.
At least I have some of your divided attention.

I was twelve, then. What happened next? After ten years of shit and happiness, we’re still together.

What we like about Entry No. 2: We love forms and structures. We love attempts at poetry. We love recalling our puppy loves. And we love the last line!

Entry No. 3: From one of my new bloggy friends, Skye. She blogs at Book Rain.

The year I turned twelve was the year my mom and I moved to Florida to attend Bible school. She worked in a coat closet in the balcony of this church because that’s where the translation department equipment was. The church services went to all hours of the night and sometimes early mornings. I have memories of my mom telling me to go to sleep because I had school but we had to stay so she could work. I fell asleep many nights underneath the jackets in that coat closet. It sounds odd but I remember it fondly looking up and seeing ushers coats, hearing my mom translate the service and hearing people worshiping in the service outside the door.

What we like about Entry No. 3: The contestant admits the oddness of this memory. We love such eccentricities. There’s a lot to be said about strangeness. And the contrast of sleep and worship.

Hurray! There are three entries! Just to let you know, I would have given away the book and the gift cheque even if there was only one entry. And really, each entry has its merits. So who should take away the book about a twelve-year old boy and the gift cheque for a new book?

After deliberating with my multiple selves, we have come up with a conclusion. The winner of Happy Bloggy Birthday Book and Gift Cheque Giveaway is Tricia! Congratulations! Please leave a comment on this post and tell me how you’d like to receive the prizes (by mail or by meeting up). Also, please tell me your preferred book store for the gift cheque.

To Atty. Monique and Skye, thanks for participating. See you on the next giveaway, that is, if I still have an excess of the spirit of giving.

More details of the contest here.

In the meantime, I’d like to make a sort of announcement. If you are willing to be my reading buddy for any of my selected books for the month, feel free to say so by leaving a comment on any of the posts. I usually do this buddy reading at GoodReads – TFG, but since most of the buddy reading threads were deleted there, I think it’s better to keep them here.

I felt bad when those threads were deleted. It’s like my thoughts and memories were erased. I actually still feel bad about it, but there’s nothing I can do.

I’m currently reading 2666 with the bloggers from The Misanthropologist and Kikay Reader, and the blogger from Fully Booked .Me showed an interest in reading Housekeeping together. I still don’t know though how to really go about this, like the format and stuff like that, but that can come later.

And yes, don’t forget the deadline.

If you really want to know, this blog died and was just resurrected last year, January 7, 2011, with a comeback post regarding Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Apt enough since that is the first novel that I ever read. I think I should stick with that date as BR’s birthday because posts before that day have all been deleted, dating back to as far as October 2009. Those are a handful of posts regarding Death at Intervals and The Heart is a Lonely Hunter.

But that’s not the point. In the spirit of goodwill and sharing, and in gratitude of the attention that you are indulging me by reading what I have to say on books that I’ve read and half-forgotten, I’m giving away a book and a gift cheque. Oops, with feelings now: I’m giving away a book and a gift cheque! Don’t try rereading that sentence because I am dead serious. Call it promotion or whatever, but I still am going to do it.

But I can only give these two goodies to one person. I’m not Santa Claus. I’m too thin to be him, and even if I were sickeningly obese, Christmas is over. So let’s settle this with a contest.

I won’t ask you to like a link or repost this somewhere or follow me on Twitter (because my Twitter account has long been deleted) or whatever similar to those. I’ll just ask you one thing. On the comments section, please post a memory when you were 12 years old.

Additional rules: entries should be between 100 to 300 words. Contest will run for 12 days, which means you can still submit your entries until January 19. If less than three participants join, the contest is nullified. Entries will not be published during the duration of the contest, just to avoid sneaking into the entries of others. But they will all be published afterward.

Everyone is invited to join. For participants not living in the Philippines, they can only vie for the book. For participants actually living, breathing, thrashing in the Philippines, they can vie for the book and the gift cheque worth Php500.00, either from National Book Store or Fully Booked or whichever book store. It’s your choice.

You must be thinking what the criteria are for judging. Well, the most striking and beautifully written memory wins the loot. That’s all. I’m not inviting any authorities on this. You just have to trust my judgment.

By the way, here’s the book that I am giving away:

Happy Bloggy Birthday!

Go figure why I’m asking you to wade through your 12-year old memories. Anyway, Black Swan Green is one of the twelve books from 2011 that I love. This is a trade paperback edition, but it’s almost as big as a hardbound edition. This is an extra copy that I bought brand new. Yes, it’s not from the sale bins, but after all these months, it experienced a little discoloration. Just a little, otherwise, it is unread and new. The copy that I read is a different edition, which I am keeping.

If this book doesn’t appeal to you, I think the gift cheque will. Oh, I’m sure it will. And please join, someone!

So I prefer planning things that are achievable. A reading plan sounds nice. To others, it is the act of the obsessed. Never mind that. I figure planning the books that I read actually makes me read the books that are just sleeping in my book shelf.

I started plotting and following reading plans maybe the first quarter of this year. I was staring at my pile of books and I was wondering when the hell can I ever get to read all my books. Seems impossible for every bibliophile, but I am dead set at reading all the books that I buy, especially the ones listed on my compiled list. This might have been borne out of, yes, obsession, but I don’t care what people think about reading anymore. What I care about is a future generation bereft of readers. Hence, more or less, this blog.

Going back, I feel that I need to give justice to the books that I hoard. I really don’t care about the money because it makes me happy when I go book shopping. Besides, a lot of my books are not brand new, and I don’t care about that as well. As long as the pages are complete and the spine is intact, I’d still buy a book if I like it.

Enough of buying. So how do I plan the books that I read? First, I check my library, a spreadsheet that classifies the books that I own into multiple lists. Such lists are those Top 100 Books from Time, Modern Library, et al, and winners of big book awards. I try my best to have an even distribution of books to be read among the lists, but I have to admit that National Book Award winners are a little behind because I just recently started on them.

Then after the first cut, I sort the books according to length. I distribute the selected books through a given number of period, say three months, to make sure that I don’t overread on a particular month. And voilà, a reading plan is done.

Before, I just pick out whatever book that I wish to read. I used favor books that are listed in Time’s Magazine 100 Novels and National Book Critics Circle Award winners. I still do, but I try my best to pick less books from these two. It is my way of sort of expanding my horizon, although it is really not that because doing that means I would have to explore a lot of genres, which I am not willing to do. Perhaps ever.

And while I can still hold my tongue and keep myself from ranting about my being a literary snob, I would just like to say that my reading plan for 2012 is already done, from January to December. Which means I will have to read books that I will be buying this coming year next year or even the year after next year. Which is fine because I am not the person who immediately buys a book once it is released. In fact, I’d rather wait for books on thrift stores. If I can help it. But there are times I can’t.

I think this is not going anywhere. I just intend to write how I do my reading plan, and I think I accomplished that in two paragraphs. So I have 60 books targeted for 2012. Five books a month. I will not list all of them here, but here is a sneak peek.

Books I Am Excited To Read

McCarthy! It’s been a while since I last read him. I have been warned to be drained of energy after reading Blood Meridian. I also have high expectations for The Bell Jar. This book seems like it is in the same sphere as that of The Catcher in the Rye, angsty, depressing, but I could be wrong. Housekeeping looks like the odd one out here, but I love Robinson’s prose.

There’s Mysteries, from the author of my 2011 Favorite Book, Hamsun. I actually read a couple of pages of this after I paid for it. It seems as crazy as Hunger. And should I say more about number9dream, and Baltasar and Blimunda? In case you don’t know, the two are from my favorite authors.

The Longest Books In My Reading Plan

I intend to open the year with a giant read, with a book as huge and probably as lethal as 2666. This is supposed to be five books, but the publishers decided to spine them into one, disregarding the author’s wish to have them separately published.

Chabon and Grass I’m also quite excited about. There’s Ulysses winking beside the two, and I expect this to be one of the hardest reads of 2012. It may even be the hardest. And don’t be fooled by the two mass markets. An American Tragedy is the second longest book in the lineup, next to 2666. Andersonville is a few pages shy from the 800 mark. The pages are really thin, like onion skin. Really deceptive

The Shortest Books In My Reading Plan

The shortest books look like serious works. Three are from Nobel laureates: Beckett, Shaw, and Solzhenitsyn. I’m good with this because the former two are plays, and it’s a first for me. Frankenstein and The Red Badge of Courage I’m not too crazy about.

And to wrap this sneak peek is the notorious A Clockwork Orange. It was given to me after the original owner gave up on it because she couldn’t make anything out of it. That is intriguing because I do not doubt her literary comprehension. This should be a challenge.

There are already a lot of book blogs with similar posts, and I am tempted to pattern my best and worst list from some. I chose not to because I know I would never finish this post. So what I did is that I thought of a pseudo-award for each book included in my list.

Let me just state for the record that 2011 is the most voracious reading year in my life. Ever. Hurrah! That’s 52 books, if you want to know, which is more or less one book a week. I hope to do an encore next year. Or even beat this record.

Below is the list of books that I gave five stars, in alphabetical order. They are 12, so I might as well call them The 12 Books of 2011. Titles with an asterisk (*) are books that are in my Top 5. Without further ado here they are.

Best of 2011

Atonement by Ian McEwan (Best Movie Tie-In) – I have a different experience with this book because when my friend and I were ranting about it, he inadvertently told me the structure of the novel. That is a major spoiler, and I almost killed him for it. But when I think about it, I think it made me love the novel more. Cecilia’s “Come back” haunts me every time I think of this novel. Spoilers aren’t so bad after all.

Black Swan Green by David Mitchell (Best Young Adult Novel. Okay, this is not really YA, but since the protagonist is twelve years old…) – Okay, call me a rabid fan. I admit it. I might have given this five stars just because I am a fan, but let me just say that it really, really deserves the rating that I gave it. This is what I would call a literary young adult novel. It is nostalgic and subtly heartbreaking. And if you want to have a brand new copy of this book, keep tracking this blog. I am brewing something.

The Bridge Of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder* (Best Graphic Novel. Well, my edition has beautiful illustrations.) – Short but heart-wrenching. Poignant and unforgettable. The characters have all something to say. Their loneliness is recognizable. And why did that bridge fall? Is it an architectural problem? Or is it the weight of the people’s hearts? I even bought an extra copy so that I could shove it to other people’s faces and make them read it.

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell* (Best New Author. Not necessarily new, but new is used relatively here.) – By god’s nightgown! Yes, this is a staggering literary achievement. And yes, two David Mitchell novels in a Top 12 list might send eyebrows orbiting, but really, this novel pushed the limits of the novel form. I don’t think there is nothing that Mitchell cannot do with a novel. And should I still mention that I am more than excited to watch the upcoming film adaptation?

Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell (Best Drama Series. Drama series translates to a looong novel.) – A literal doorstopper. Not as literary as it seems. It is a surprisingly easy read despite the breadth. Wonderfully annoying. Scarlett O’Hara will always be an unforgettable character. She will be remembered as the strong-headed woman. Never mind her scheming and devious ways. You have to give her credit for that.

The Gospel According To Jesus Christ by Jose Saramago* (Lifetime Achievement Award) – Thought-provoking, funny, bittersweet. Not for the faint of heart and for the faithless. I think this is a more intelligent version of the Robert Langdon series. But I haven’t read those, and it is not a fair comparison because Saramago is seated on a higher level. And how can I forget this line: One has to be God to enjoy so much bloodshed.

Hunger by Knut Hamsun* (Best Novel of the Year) – You saw this coming. This is my favorite read of the year. How could a late 19th century novel sound so modern? It’s because this is set to become a classic. One of the frontrunners of pantheism, this book is a wild ride that takes us to the recesses of a man’s mind who is trying to achieve transcendence through hunger. I committed myself to buying every copy that I see in Book Sale branches and give them away. I already gave a fellow blogger a copy.

Independent People by Halldor Laxness* (Best Child Actor, the poetic Little Noni) – They say it’s about coffee and sheep. Even the person who wrote the introduction said that. But aside from these two is the battle between a father swallowed by pride and a stepdaughter engulfed with contempt. And the persistence of people to defy the laws of fate and nature. And there’s Little Noni who imagines apples are red potatoes.

The Known World by Edward P. Jones (Best Soundtrack. Soundtrack translates to being a real lyric page-turner. Okay, I am just forcing that to make two things connect.) – A new take on black slavery. Blacks owning blacks. A race within a race. Regardless of that, this is a stunner. At the end of the book, it poses this question: are you sure you are lucid enough to know what the world is made of? And then there’s Luke, the boy who has to die just to break the chain of lies. And that little something about Luke is something that the author himself told me.

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov (Best Screenplay. Screenplay translates to narratives, writing, passages, etc.) – A blog I am following is whining so much on how the subject of this book is not his cup of tea. Stop that already and grow up! We do not read Lolita because we have an interest in pedophile. We read it because Nabokov is a genius. He is capable of drawing sympathy from the reader and making the ageing narrator’s love for his stepdaughter probably one of the most convincing love stories ever written.

The Remains Of The Day by Kazuo Ishiguro (Best Actor, the dignified Mr. Stevens.) – After reading this, I became an official Ishiguro fan. I really felt like a dignified butler while I was reading this that it even got to the point that I was emulating Mr. Stevens. I would walk around our office with square shoulders and measured steps. And the subtlety of the narrative! It just hits you without even knowing when.

The Sense Of An Ending by Julian Barnes (Best Short Film. Short film translates to single-sitting reads.) – Finally, a book that is actually published this year. I read this in one sitting as demanded by the book jacket. I’ve dilly-dallied with my rating for this, but I decided it deserves those five stars because of the narrator’s semblance to real life, which makes me further believe that we don’t own our memories. Our memories own us. And what we mistake for our memories might be just the workings of our twisted minds.

If there is a best list, it’s only fitting that there is a counterpart. And if I have a dozen books that I rated five stars this year, I only have five books that I rated one or two stars, which means I was pretty satisfied with most of the books that I read. And instead of a pseudo-award, I will make an attempt at humor by providing a title that I assume would summarize the whole novel to save others from misery.

Only two out of these five books were axed with a one star. And oh, the books that I rated with two stars do not necessarily mean that they are bad. They are relatively the worst because of the rating.

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton (Why You Should Not Flirt with Others When You Are Expected to Marry an Archer for a Very Long Time, 2 stars) – If this book were a color, this is the color mauve, a color trying to be either pink or purple that it ends up lost in the blandness between the two. I may have missed a lot, and how dare I diss this book, but I’d rather read a Russian or a 19th century English novel than this one.

The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje (Perform Euthanasia on a Severely Burned Man or Wait Forever for Him to Die, 2 stars) – I am surprised at myself for not liking this because this is the sort of book that I like. Or should like. Perhaps the narrative is too dreamy that it ended up not registering in my head. Like a dream. Yes it’s too dreamy, it’s about a man talking about his last days before he was burned. And a nurse who apparently likes dying burned men.

A Passage To India by E. M. Forster (The Accusations of a Sexually Deprived and Disillusioned English Woman, 2 stars) – Kiran Desai, in her The Inheritance of Loss, said something about the horror and pretense of non-Indians writing about India. Enough said. I’m sure at least one fellow blogger would back me up on this. And this fellow blogger, we both took the pain of reading this together. But still.

A Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man by James Joyce (How to Write a Novel in the First Chapter and Fill the Next Four Chapters with a Lot of Muddled Talk, Talk, Talk, 1 star) – The narrative is clumsy. The thoughts are disjointed. There isn’t really anything going on. It feels like reading the first draft of a novel. Sure, the theme of the book is overarching, but I daresay it was not delivered as it would had it been written with more skillful writing.

Tropic Of Cancer by Henry Miller (How to Write a Novel in the Last Chapter and Fill the Previous 300 Pages with Words Synonymous with the Female Sex, 1 star) – Incoherent and bordering on trash, there’s not a lot to have this whole book redeemed. There are some good parts though, but the protagonist goes out of his way to return to that bombastic language that he uses. I tried counting how many times the word cunt was used. Of course, I lost track.

There you have it! More good books to come for the coming new year!

Wait, I have a 2012 reading plan? Yes, but let’s not talk about that now. And going back to the challenge, why not?

Anyway, the challenge has nine categories. Here are they along with the books that I picked.

Back To The Classics Challenge 2012

Any 19th Century Classic – The Red Badge Of Courage by Stephen Crane

There are a lot of 19th century novels out there, so the choice for this category is the easiest.

Any 20th Century Classic – Ulysses by James Joyce

I’m both excited and terrified to read this. Excited because this book is Modern Library’s Number 1 book, and terrified because reading A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man was a bad experience. There might be an encore, but I hope not. I might be reading this with a fellow blogger if she’s still up to it. And oh, she’s the one who made me join this challenge. Not by coercion, but by posting a similar post a few weeks back. She blogs at The Misanthropologist.

Reread a classic of your choice – Hunger by Knut Hamsun

I cannot really promise to reread, but if there is anything that I’d like to reread, it would be this. But speaking of rereading, aren’t we losing time since there are a lot of good books to read? But yes, this is a challenge, so I have to do it.

A Classic Play – Waiting For Godot by Samuel Beckett

This is supposed to be his masterpiece. Not those three novels, something about Molloy, Malone, and the Unnamable. I’m not too sure. And this is also a part of a lifelong challenge that I will undertake next year. More details about that in a few more days.

Classic Mystery/Horror/Crime Fiction – Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

I had a little problem with this because I am not a fan of this genre. Then I remember I have a copy of Dracula. No, that would not do. It is a huge read. Then I saw a copy of Frankenstein at one of the Book Sale branches here. This counts as a horror fiction, right?

Classic Romance – The Sea, The Sea by Iris Murdoch

I found this also tough because I am not a fan of strictly romantic novels. This category almost made me not join the challenge because I couldn’t find a romantic classic in my reading plan. And by some sort of accident, I found out that this novel will make the reader fall in love. That is according to a book that lists books according to moods.

Read a Classic that has been translated from its original language to your language – The Tin Drum by Gunter Grass

This is problematic because my first language is Filipino, and Filipinos are not huge fans of translating books, so I guess a book translated into English counts. And that makes sense because I speak and write in English better. Yes, it’s a shame, but I can’t help it. I studied in a school where kids are penalized for speaking in the local language.

Classic Award Winner – The Magnificent Ambersons by Booth Tarkington

This is an early winner of the Pulitzer Prize. I think it’s the third book to win it since the body started awarding novels.

Read a Classic set in a country that you (realistically speaking) will not visit during your lifetime – Nostromo by Joseph Conrad

I first picked a German-set novel, but what the hey. What if I win the lottery one day? It would be nice to go backpacking around Europe, right? So I changed my book for this. I picked this work from Conrad because it is set in a fictitious South American country. So there, realistically speaking, I will never, ever be able to visit it.

Now, here’s an interesting question: what constitutes a classic? If you ask me, a classic novel is one that has a theme that will endure regardless of the generation that reads it. That’s why there are books called contemporary classics because despite their recent publication, their themes seem to outlive us. And I think they are labeled as contemporary classics because of the strong notion that classics are only published at least a century ago, which should not be the case. That is because time, the supreme judge of classics, can tell us if this book is a real classic or not. Hence, the confusion.

For more information regarding this challenge, visit Sarah Reads Too Much.

Back To The Classics Challenge 2012

What are these lists for anyway? For one, I could say that these lists are out there for recommendations. A reader who’s looking out to venture to new genres could pore through these book lists. In this aspect, book lists can help in increasing the reading activities of a person.

And then, lists bring about healthy, although verbally violent, debates. Which books deserve to make it? Which books should be dropped? Which writer should have a prominent number of works in a list?

These debates call for an understanding of what makes a book really worth it. Is it the style? The plot? The techniques employed? The theme? The appeal to the reading masses? The overall effect? Everything comes into play, so coming up with a list of the top books is a herculean task.

I am a huge fan of book lists. If you haven’t noticed yet, I am collecting nine lists: five award winners and four top 100 lists. There are more lists out there than the ones I am collecting, but if I try to collect all of them, I am afraid I will not achieve my goal of reading all the books in my lists.

Let’s take the 1001 list. The number itself is staggering. If you are a speed reader, fine, go ahead and pursue the goal of reading all the books. The problem is, the list changes every certain number of years. Another one is that the books in the list are not always available. They might even be out of print. So what do we do?

Take only what your cup could hold. I know I can’t read all those books, so I’ll settle for my nine selected lists. It’s not a list I could truly call my own, but what the hey, don’t all these lists belong to someone else?

Which brings me to another point. The book group that I am a member of is recently tackling the task of listing its own 100 best novels. Unfortunately, you have yours truly to blame for this idea.

As one member said, this is an exciting endeavor because it will reflect our literary taste as a group. But coming up with the list that will represent the group’s reading choise is not an easy task. I have made my proposals. I thought of allowing participating members to submit their top books that are ranked in order. Points are given to a book depending on its rank.

However, the pointing system is not foolproof. Think of this: if three members rank Twilight as their number one book, this would be a huge advantage, or disadvantage if you’d like to look at it that way. I am looking at it the latter way. Anyway, another proposed to quash the pointing system to eliminate the complications it brings. Still, another proposed to vote ten members that will come up with an initial list which the members will vote on.

And that’s not all, there are a lot of factors that need to be considered. The genres, the language, the book’s period of publication, et al. Whew. This is proving to be a big, hard, exciting, and endearing task.

I don’t know yet if our group’s goal of coming up our 100 best novels will push through or not. We just started talking about it yesterday. I hope though that it will.

Filipino Friday

Filipino Friday is almost over. It’s actually over since it already is Monday. And it’s not really over because it will be returned to Filipino Book Bloggers, the original blog where it came from. And if you’ve only been visiting this blog because of my responses to the weekly meme, thanks for reading them. And thanks for posting your comments. And before we break out into a tear-jerker, please, please, if you have the time, please drop by Filipino Readers Make It Social: The 1st Filipino Reader Conference. That’s on Wednesday already.

Now, for the final week’s topic

What do you hope will happen in the Filipino ReaderCon? What are you expecting from the event?

I can only hope for good things to happen. I hope the event starts on time. I hope there would not be logistics-related problems. I hope to meet new people, particularly the bloggers who also participated in the book meme. I hope to go book hunting with my bookish friends. I hope to learn something about book blogging and book clubbing, not that I want to be a professional book blogger nor be a book club head. I am happy enough blogging on my own and being a member of a book club. And I hope the event will be a success. Many returns for it!

And oh, I guess I have to say that I might not be able to make it on Wednesday. What?! After all these weeks? Don’t shout at me, okay? This is work-related. My leave request was not granted because of the amount of work that I am expected to do. But yes, I might catch up. I can make it around 5 PM, which sucks because the event is almost over by then. Oh well.

Thanks again! It has been a pleasure.

Filipino Readers Make It Social: The 1st Filipino Reader Conference

Filipino Friday

I guess I’m back to regular programming. Filipino Friday on Mondays is now airing. It’s been almost a month since I started to join this weekly book meme, thanks to the Filipino Readers Make It Social: The 1st Filipino Reader Conference. I have to say that this weekly thing is fun.

So let’s get to this week’s topic:

Reading Filipino Literature

Do you read Filipino literature? If you do, tell us your favorite books by Filipino authors and name a few that you’d like to recommend to fellow readers. If you don’t read much Filipino lit, then tell us why.

The question looks simple, but the implications are serious, especially if one’s answer is no. My answer is an ashaming sometimes.

Alright, you can move on to another blog, throw tomatoes at me, and swear never to get associated with me. But what can I do? With the sheer number of good books everywhere, it’s hard not to be colonial.

And wait, my answer is not no, so do not overreact. Let me list down the smattering number of Filipino books that I read:

• Ibong Adarna, Florante at Laura, Noli Me Tangere, and El Filibusterismo – the latter two are by our national hero Jose Rizal, and these are required high school readings, so I guess they do not really count.
• Youngblood Series – this is a column in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, one of the biggest dailies in the country. The column features contributions from people who belong to the younger generation. Now the adjective young is arbitrary, but I feel, after reading three of the books in this series, that the letters are from senders aged 13 to 33.
• Ladlad Series – gay literature compiled by gay lit frontrunners J. Neil Garcia and Danton Remoto. I only borrowed these series, not because I am ashamed to buy them but because I devoured them when I got my hands on them through the library and a friend. I don’t think I have read the third installment yet. Should I buy the three or not?
• Twisted Series – Okay fine. I admit I am a fan of Jessica Zafra, but I don’t worship her as rabidly as I did before. Now, I find myself contradicting some of her points, which is a form of growth on my part, I guess. The series is now composed of 12 (?) installments. The last one is Twisted 9, but there is Twisted 8 1/2, which I borrowed from a former coworker and was borrowed by my former housemate and which she didn’t return, Twisted Travels, which I haven’t read, and Twisted Flicks, which I also haven’t read. I also haven’t read Twisted 8 because the same housemate borrowed it as well. And yes, I also borrowed it from the same coworker. And oh, let me include two other books of her that I read and borrowed, Womenagerie and Manananggal Terrorizes Manila and Other Stories.
• ABNKKBSNPLAko?! by Bob Ong – I also borrowed this one, and I think it would be the first and last Bob Ong book that I will ever read. I think he is okay, but it just bothers me that Bob Ong is faceless. Is he even a person? Persons? He or she? Who or what is he?
• Shadowboxing in Headphones by Lourd Ernest de Veyra – I also borrowed this from a former colleague at the university paper. It was the time when I wanted to be a poet, so yes, I had to read some poetry in order to be one. But I am too wordy to be a poet. And it’s pretentious to claim yourself a poet. I think you should let others call you a poet. And I think it’s a responsibility to be a poet. And I am digressing.
• Ilustrado by Miguel Syjuco – a recent read and something that I bought. Hurrah!

I notice that I mostly borrowed these Filipino books listed here. I should buy them, I know. I should support Filipino writers. The problem is, they are not always available. Maybe they are out of print?

I have never found a copy of de Veyra’s books of poetry. Once, I found a copy of Nerisa Guevara’s book of poems, Reaching Destination, but it was too expensive. I think it was around Php650.00. And then there’s Jim Agustin Pascual’s poetry, Php 400.00 each.

I think you have just noticed what I am hinting at. That Filipino books are expensive. Actually, I shouldn’t be pointing that out because I buy books that are of the same price range. Geez.

Okay, I’ll make it a point to buy all the Ladlad and Twisted series. I cannot do anything about Bob Ong. I think my decision is final, sorry.

And the books of poetry? de Veyra, Guevara, Agustin? I’ll pass on them. I no longer appreciate poetry as much as I did before. I’ll focus on some great Filipino novelists, like F. Sionil Jose and Nick Joaquin. And also some short story writers, like Genoveva Edroza-Matute. Does anyone remember her story Ang Kuwento Ni Mabuti? That teacher who always says, “Mabuti,” and who is waging an inner war despite the kind words that she says to her students? That is strong Filipino writing. And that one is written in Filipino.

Mabuhay, mabuhay!

Filipino Readers Make It Social: The 1st Filipino Reader Conference

Filipino Friday

Oh my, it’s Wednesday already and I have not written anything yet for the Filipino Friday meme. And this is supposedly every Friday, and that’s two days from now. At least it’s still within the third week. And to all those who do not have any idea on what this meme is about, this is a sort of promotional thing for the Filipino Readers Make It Social: The 1st Filipino Reader Conference.

Let’s go to the topic for this week:

Being a Reader in the Philippines

How hard or easy is it to be a book lover in the Philippines? What are some of your frustrations as a Filipino reader (e.g., availability of books)? And what are the positive aspects of being a reader based in the Philippines?

Is it easy or is it hard? It’s easy if you are not a picky reader. There are a lot of books that one can get his hands on in this country, local books or international books. Never mind that this is a third world country, but there are a lot of second-hand bookstores here that makes reading so much cheaper. Book Sale can almost be found in every mall, and malls here are not as posh as Beverly Hills. One can get inside a mall wearing pajamas, but try not to look like a beggar or a terrorist to make entry less complicated.

Filipinos are also adept in the use and abuse of the Internet. If one has a Kindle or a Nook or anything of that sort, he can find his way to downloading the e-books of his choice. Anything can be downloaded for free; it just takes a little skill. And don’t point your finger at me because I don’t have a Kindle or a Nook or anything of that sort, and I don’t think I will get one soon because I am still uncomfortable with the electronization of books and because I have a lot of expenses to prioritize, making the e-book reader an unwanted expense.

So what makes life hard for a Filipino reader? Well, since most Filipinos are colonial, it is frustrating that there aren’t a lot of author visits here. Or maybe I am not keeping myself updated. I think Nicholas Sparks is going to visit the country in a couple of months, but sorry, I am not a fan.

Also, books aren’t always available in the local book stores. I have not seen a single copy of the most recent Booker winner, The Finkler Question, which is really annoying because I have to read and own all the Bookers. But yes, there’s Amazon and the recently turned over Book Depository. Yes, it was recently consumed by the former, which is a whole different topic. But I don’t have a credit card or PayPal or any means to buy books online. Call me Jurassic, but what can I do? The credit card is a huge liability for something that fits inside your wallet. And don’t get me started on PayPal because there’s nothing to talk about it. I just simply don’t know how it works.

And I have never attempted to understand it because it would only lead to relentless online shopping. Oh dear, I know myself.

Last question: what are the positive aspects? I do not wish to classify the aspects I have in mind as either positive or negative, and I am not sure if you could really call these aspects, so let me just roll them out. The Filipino reader is an escapist. Hence, the fantasy, chic lit, romance, young adult, easy reads, et al. Otherwise, there would be a lot of people who share my reading choices. Throw away modesty. You have to agree that the books that I read are not easy reads. If there is such a reading severity as reading hard, I do it 90% of my reading time.

Which is not always true because I don’t always vivisect a book whenever I read it. I don’t always look for hints, for symbols, for themes, for anything. Example: I read Lolita as it is. I did not try to figure it out. I did not know what it meant to say to the reader. And when I finished the book and read the afterword written by the author himself, the book is not supposed to mean anything universal. Good thing that I just let the books that I read grow on me. If I understand a book, I commend the author. If not, it doesn’t mean that the reader or the writer has a problem or that there is a communication gap between the two. A book is open for everyone, but it is not for everyone.

Going back to the aspects, I also think that the Filipino reader is easily influenced by the mass media. If the mass media is hyping about something, the Filipino reading community will jump at it. Example: Harry Potter, Twilight, A Song of Fire and Ice. But this is not exclusive to the Filipino reader. I think this is true for every other culture. Even the escapist thing I mentioned before this.

But it’s a good thing that books in the Philippines are not heavily censored. I wonder how reading is in other conservative countries. I have a feeling that erotica is not read in other countries. Not that I am a huge fan of erotica, but I hope you get my point. And I hope I am wrong.

But really, aside from the literary censorship in other countries, I never thought of the reader as someone who has a race. All readers are the same to me. It is nice to think of reading as such. That way, people around the world would have something to bind themselves with without worrying what the color of his skin is.

So what do we do to the censors?

Filipino Readers Make It Social: The 1st Filipino Reader Conference

Filipino Friday

Here we go again with the Filipino Friday meme on Mondays. That only happens here, I think. Or maybe not. I think I read somewhere that the posting day does not really matter, as long as it is posted within the week. Wait, I think I am making up that rule. Please don’t rely so much on me. You can get more information regarding this book meme and Filipino Readers Make It Social: The 1st Filipino Reader Conference by clicking on their respective links.

So here’s the topic for this week:

Your Reader’s Story

How did you become a reader? What factors influenced you to take it up as a hobby? For instance, was it your mom who read to you every night? Or was it a high school friend who started lending you books? Or maybe it was a really inspiring teacher whom you wanted to emulate. Whatever it was, we hope you tell us all the story of how you became a leisure reader and what it is about reading that you enjoy so much.

Let’s tackle the questions in the order they are presented. I became a reader thanks to my inquisitive mind and to my mom. No, my mom is not a lover of books, but she taught me how to read with those yellow booklets found in those small-scale book stores with the then official Filipino alphabet. Abakada, anyone? It only took one afternoon for my mom to teach me how to read, another afternoon to polish my reading skills, a couple more to write, and another more to write cursive. Okay, I am not really sure about the number of afternoons, but I know it was only a really short time because first, I am a smart-ass, haha. Second, I was jealous of my older cousins who could read, so I was really eager to learn. Third, I was mystified with all the letters that I see everywhere, which were merely squiggly lines of varying forms to a four-year old boy. And fourth, I have a vague feeling that I already taught myself how to read even before the afternoon lessons with my mom.

I remember one morning with my grandma, whom according to my mom was illiterate. I don’t know about that, but anyway, during that morning, we were supposed to go to Check Point (it’s in Angeles City, my home town). I asked my grandma what jeepney should we be hailing. She told me we should wait for those blue Check Point jeepneys. After a few seconds, a blue jeepney passed us by. I berated my grandma for not flagging it down; I told her that it was a “see po int ho lee hee why” (C. Point Holy Hi-way). My grandma laughed, probably thinking what a smart-ass I was. Heck, I do not even know how I was able to read the jeepney route. I even corrected my grandma, telling her that it shouldn’t be “check point,” but “see po int.”

That is one of my fondest memories of my late loving grandma, who spoiled me so much, who had grand dreams for me when she had the chance to go to the US, and who is now in a place where she would not be judged by how much education she got.

Alright, so I have not fully answered the question yet. How could a no-read-no-write grandma and non-book-reader mom come up with a voracious me?

Okay, so this might get a little personal. I am just saying lest you accuse me of digression, which does not really matter because I am always guilty of that. Anyway, I always knew there was something different in me. Most kids didn’t like to play with me, although they didn’t bully me because I was such a little bitch. Yes, bitch is the term because I am no bully; I am a queen. I knew I was gay as far back as I can remember. Even my grandma and mom knew it, even when I was a baby. How is that possible? Go ahead and ask my conspirators.

My being gay disappointed my father, so I was left mostly to my grandma and mom. My grandma left the Philippines when I was about five, and I couldn’t always have my mom to myself. I have sisters, and I mean biological sisters, and she has other motherly duties to attend to as well. I was always left to myself so I would live in my imaginary world. I like playing school alone. Now how is it possible to play school by yourself?

Please try to understand the workings of the weirdo. Or just ignore them; that’s the least someone can do because really, I don’t understand them myself.

Anyway, since I like playing school, I have school supplies for props. I take whatever books that I would condescendingly slap down on an improvised desk and imperiously say, “Children, let us pray!” No child responded. My games went on, however empty the classes were.

When I got tired of playing, I would flip the books. I’d read them. These were mostly my reading and writing books back in the early years of elementary. Then a classmate brought this book about the planets and the universe. I borrowed that. Another classmate brought a book about dogs. I borrowed that, too. Still another brought one about birds, the animal. Yes, I borrowed that.

Then I had an interest in fairy tales, thanks to Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin. I collected those fairy tales that you get for free in Nido milk packages. When I was nine, old enough to go to the supermarket alone, I’d buy those fairy tales in the school supplies section with my own savings. I even bought those Tagalog to another local language translation books. It’s funny now that I think of it; it must be the wannabe linguist in me. I didn’t ask money from my parents then because I knew my father would throw his scorn at me for such “gay” things. Even though I was the only one who read these fairy tales, I marked the books as “This book belongs to Miranda family.”

Then X-Men was aired on local TV. I asked my grandma to buy me comic books, and boy, she bought me a lot! She bought me 50-ish of the X-Men Adventures series. She also bought me a globe and an atlas. And oh, my mom also bought me a couple of things to read. One book was about dinosaurs, owing to the books that I borrowed from my classmates, and an X-Men comic book. It’s about Gambit versus Bishop. I don’t recall which particular X-Men series was that, although I think it was just plain X-Men. And she sustained my weekly supply of the local Kick Fighter comics.

Then an aunt and uncle hauled some of their stuff to our vacant room. I think they were then leaving for Saudi Arabia. The most remarkable piece of furniture that they left to us was the book shelf that was filled with encyclopedia, Collier’s and a set of kiddie encyclopedia. I’d randomly pick a volume from either set and pore over them for hours. And there’s this little anthology of short stories entitled “Children Around the World.” I think this is the first non fairy tale book that I devoured. The stories in it were set in different countries, portraying the particular country’s culture and the moral that it wishes to communicate to the young reader. Heck, I even memorized the introductory poem of this book just because I wanted to. The first line goes something like, “Some children are brown, and some children are white, some children eat fish, and some children do this or that blah.” I ended up shyly asking my aunt to give it to me, and of course she did. I don’t think her daughters even read it.

The Nido fairy tales, the supermarket children’s books, the X-Men comic books, the atlas, the book about dinosaurs, the Kick Fighter comics, the sets of encyclopedia, the “Children Around the World”. I wonder where they are now.

Yes, they are no longer in my possession. Don’t judge me for being such a careless owner. There are a lot of circumstances that took place that would make up for a novel if I go through them. Let’s just put it to rest. Besides, this is supposed to be about the weekly book meme. Yes, about the meme for this week, I think I pretty much covered the questions. There are a lot of factors that can influence one in becoming an avid reader. Classmates, the mass media, hunger for knowledge, interest in an array of disparate subjects, and an innate solitude in my case.

If you are wondering why I am not into reading young adult or nonfiction or fantasy or graphic novels, given that my initial readings would most likely lead me to those kind of books, I could not answer that because I actually just realized that now. Perhaps I’ll rant about it one of these days. Oh, I think I have already written something about it in one of the Quarterly Rhapsodies.

Filipino Readers Make It Social: The 1st Filipino Reader Conference

Filipino Friday

Wow, I think I have just surprised myself more than anyone else. I figure that I write mostly for myself. Just mostly because now, I am posting something in support of Filipino Readers Make It Social: The 1st Filipino Reader Conference. And besides, I think it’s about time to get out of my nook and try being a little social.

So you might have noticed that little banner at the top of this post. It says Filipino Friday, if you are having doubts. I am not trying to insult anyone or be my obnoxious self, it’s just that it’s already Monday. So yes, I am participating this weekly meme. There have been some stray visitors here lately, so I might as well say something about myself. However, I apologize to everyone who’s behind this meme because I’d rather do this on Mondays. I hope you don’t mind; I post my pseudo-reviews every Friday.

Anyway, here’s the topic for this week:

Introduce Yourself

This being the first topic, let’s all get to know each other better. Tell us what kind of reader you are. What are our favorite genres and books? Who are our favorite authors? Do you have a comfort read? And what’s the best book you’ve read so far this year? You can also include links of where other readers can find you online, such as your book social networking sites, etc.

Alright. I read mostly novels. I am a picky reader. I don’t read something that can be labeled as just-about-anything. I rarely do that. The book has to be something, so I make my picks based on recommendations. And from whom do I get these recommendations?

From award-giving bodies. If a book is stamped with the Pulitzer Prize, Man Booker Prize, National Book Critics Circle Award, and International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, I’ll buy it and hopefully read it soon. I also get my hands on books that are on the All-Time 100 Novels, Modern Library’s 100 Best Novels, Radcliffe’s Rival 100 Best Novels, and The Novel 100. And oh, I am not including those 1,001 books because it’s just too huge of a reading task to complete in this lifetime. And yes, I also read some books written by Nobel laureates. And anything that people might call serious books, contemporary classics, or literary fiction.

So what does all that collecting say about me? That I am a literary snob? Alright, I admit that, I am a snob. Someone has recently told me that when she was urging me to join her in reading the first book of The Song of Ice and Fire series. I understand her; my expression told her to drop it because I am not going to budge. Go ahead and bash my brittle bones. Go ahead and cast stones on my way. But what can I do if I can’t help it and if these books are giving me a lot of pleasure?

I think this is rooted from my desire to make the most out of my time. I am a slow reader so I want to make sure that I am always reading a very good book. That way, I can justify the way I spend my reading time. And I think that the critics behind the prizes and the lists are the best sources of recommendations.

Well. Not always.

But I have been into it for years, and it has become a hard habit, almost biological, pathological. And I am enjoying the books anyway, despite the unimpressive number of readers who read the same books that I do.

So that’s the kind of reader I am, those are the genres that I read, those are my comfort reads. And now, for my favorite author: Jose Saramago!

He’s like a grandfather to me. Reading his books is like spending an afternoon with coffee and biscuits and talking about the heat, the dust, the dog, folklore, legends, random stories, both real and imagined. Just like having a chitchat with your grandfather. And you have to give it to the old man. The surreal plots, the distinct voice, and the overall storytelling are just mind-blowing.

A runner-up would be David Mitchell. The irony of it is that none of his books have won any of the four aforementioned awards or made it to any of the four aforementioned book lists. I don’t know why, but it actually started on a crush. Then I read a couple of his books and got really impressed, and then I decided to have a contemporary favorite writer. Saramago’s in a different realm now, if you haven’t heard yet.

And I always say this: I love Saramago like my grandfather, I love Mitchell like my lover.

For the last question, here are my favorite reads for this year:

• Hunger by Knut Hamsun – the first person narrative gets more gripping as it moves along. It’s a book that’s very hard to put down. I even read this on a jeepney. Just imagine pantheism on a heavy traffic.
• Independent People by Halldor Laxness – all that talk about coffee and sheep may put a reader off, but the love and rivalry of the father and daughter is more compelling than the sheep matter.
• The Gospel According to Jesus Christ by Jose Saramago – the simple inversions from my grandfather makes a grand statement about theology. Make sure not to have a shaky faith in religious matters lest you suddenly have a reevaluation of beliefs.
• Atonement by Ian McEwan – one word (cunt) and one phrase (come back) produced a magnificent novel with a worthy film adaptation.
• Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell – the style, the layers of plot, the sheer skill of my lover! How could it not win the 2004 Man Booker?
• The Known World by Edward P. Jones – the only grand slam winner to date, grand slam meaning bagging the Pulitzer or Man Booker Prize, NBCC Award, and IMPAC Award.
• Black Swan Green by David Mitchell – you can accuse me for being biased, but really, this is just as good as any 5-star novel. The raw emotions and anxieties of a tweener and a stammerer are sympathetic. This is a revelation, especially since it is semi-autobiographical.
• War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy – although I didn’t give it five stars, it is a real door-stopper, a huge brick, a reading milestone that grants anyone who finished it the ultimate bragging rights.

To wrap this up, people can find me at GoodReads. It’s the only book social networking site where I can be found.

Filipino Readers Make It Social: The 1st Filipino Reader Conference

Every book is obviously different, catering to various people with various tastes. People’s taste on books depends on a lot of factors, which would take more discussions than I have in mind. They also have different sets of criteria in judging books.

When I say judging books, I merely mean rating them. Giving them the number of stars you think it deserves is an act of judging, which may or may not affect other readers. One may give a high rating to a certain book just because he loves the genre it falls under. Another may do the same just because he adores the author. And so on.

So how do I rate my books?

I loosely base my system on rating books from the descriptive text that Goodreads.com has on its rating system. For those of you who are not familiar with the site, I am strongly suggesting you to create an account to expand your reading horizon. Anyway, to make things easier, here is the five-star rating system of Goodreads.com:

• 1 star – didn’t like it
• 2 stars – it was ok
• 3 stars – liked it
• 4 stars – really liked it
• 5 stars – it was amazing

Aside from that, I also have things in mind to make my judging more objective. Come to think of it, it is impossible to judge objectively because judging is essentially subjective. Anyway, here are the five factors that I use in rating my books:

• Style, Technique, Tone, Mood, Overall Writing - If I understand the narrative without referring too much to a dictionary, if the literary technicalities fit my taste, add one star.
• Plot Development, Ability to Sustain Interest, Pace – If it can make me read all night, if it makes me lose my sense of time, add one star.
• Emotional Attachment – If I care about certain characters, if I love particular scenes so much, add one star.
• Themes, Messages, Meanings – If I agree with what it seems to be telling me, if the book feels like it has an all-encompassing theme, add one star.
• The “Umph!” Factor – If it makes me laugh or cry or rant and rave about it, if I think and wonder about it long after reading it, add one or two stars.

Whenever I start reading a book, I begin with three stars. The easiest star that a book can gain from me is my first criterion. Usually, if a book fails at this, it ends up getting one star. How can you love a book if you could not understand the printed text? All else follows because of comprehension, or lack thereof.

It’s not enough that I understand the words. I demand from a book to keep me engaged. If I feel that a book is dragging me, it would fail this criterion. Again, it would hard for me to attach myself to the book if I am just forced to read it.

And then there are my emotions. I love reading because I like experiencing a life outside my own. New experiences involve a jolt in your emotions. I usually detect this jolt when I close a book at mid sentence, close my eyes, and breathe. An obvious one would be a laughter or a tear.

And then there are the themes. Does the book have a lasting message? Is it only a cheap thrill? Is it a must-read for everyone? Is it a smart book?

The third and fourth criteria can stand alone. There are books that I like just because they were able to tap my emotions. These can be called emotional roller coasters. There are books that I like just because they are smart reads without having to be fun reads. These can be called mental exercises.

The last and the most important factor is what I call the “Umph!” Factor. Anyone can call it anything; it may be the usual X-Factor that we hear about anywhere. This is much like an aftertaste. If I can’t help thinking about the book, if it sticks to me so bad that I want to have a reading hiatus, if I often come back to my copy and flip the pages to catch a glimpse of some passages, a huge bonus. I can even give two additional stars just because of this factor, which could make a book reach six stars.

I even go back from time to time to the ratings that I gave the books that I read so that I could make adjustments because of the “Umph!” Factor. That’s why I write about the books that I read long after reading them to test that “Umph!”