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- We've switched!
- Penny has read 'The Four-Hour Workweek' by Timothy Ferriss
- Alvan has watched 'An Autumn's Tale'
- Charles has watched 'Disclosure'
- 2007 Man Booker Longlist
- Thomas has read 'The Coma' by Alex Garland
- Penny has read 'Make your travel dollars worth a fortune' by Tim Leffel
- Ying Wen is reading 'A Bend in the Road' by Nicholas Sparks
- Elizabeth has read 'The Prophet' by Kahlil Gibran
- Dr Goh Keng Swee, a Founding Father of Singapore
HIGH BROWSE NEEDS YOU!
- We're feeling desperate generous.
- We want to bribe encourage readers to contribute their reviews and articles to High Browse.
- We're giving away one $20 voucher monthly!
So what must you do to get this $20 voucher? [Read More]
August 21, 2007
Penny has read 'The Four-Hour Workweek' by Timothy Ferriss
WHO'S READING WHAT . reader's recommendations
New York : Crown Publishers, c2007.
Call No.: 650.1 FER -[BIZ]
Click here for item availability.
Tim Ferriss' new book has created a buzz online and is now on the New York Times bestseller list. He explains how he went from overworked and underpaid to working less than four hours each week and achieving this lifestyle all in record time.
Continue reading "Penny has read 'The Four-Hour Workweek' by Timothy Ferriss" »
August 18, 2007
Alvan has watched 'An Autumn's Tale'
WHO'S READING WHAT . reader's recommendations
Qiu tian di tong hua [videorecording] = An autumn's tale / D & B Films Co, Ltd.
Publisher: [Hong Kong] : Distributed by Mega Star Video Distribution (HK) Ltd.,c1987.
Call No.: 791.4372 QIU -[ART]
Available only at library@esplanade
Click here and here for item availability.
An Autumn’s Tale has the perfect ending.
Not as in a fairy-tale happily ever after, but one which leaves you with a warm glow, a wistful smile and wondering what happens to them after the last scene. You do want, desperately, to know what happens next to Figgy and Jenny, yet you are, in some kind of inexplicable contradiction, contented to let it be. And as the final scene is freeze framed, you just gaze at it and keep smiling. Smiling. And smiling. (I know I look stupid like that, but I couldn’t help it!)
I say these are the finest roles Chow Yun Fatt and Cherie Chung ever played – a star-crossed couple who never jumped into bed, or locked lips or even progressed to the little matter of holding hands. Yet this is arguably one of the most romantic films the HK movie industry has ever produced, a "quiet love" like no other.
August 14, 2007
Charles has watched 'Disclosure'
WHO'S READING WHAT . reader's recommendations
Disclosure [videorecording]
Warner Bros. presents ; a Baltimore Pictures/Constant C production ; produced by Barry Levinson, Michael Crichton ; directed by Barry Levinson.
Call No.: English 791.4372 DIS -[ART]
Click here for item availability.
This item is of restricted use. Please approach the Service Desk at library@esplanade to enquire about usage.
Based on a novel by Michael Crichton ( Jurassic Park, The Terminal Man, Congo, Airframe, etc) this adaptation turns out to be a very good movie with both Michael Douglas and Demi Moore giving powerful performances. Michael Douglas is good when he acts in thrillers such this. He was excellent in "The Game" and "Basic Instinct" and in this movie, his performance is just as riveting. Moore, young and beautiful in this role, impresses.Tom Sanders (Douglas) is a happily married computer engineer anticipating a promotion and big bucks when his company completes a corporate merger. Much to his chagrin he finds that he has been passed over and Meredith Johnson (Moore) who is credited for engineering the merger is now his boss -- a strange situation for Sanders to be in because Johnson was once a subordinate and lover of his.
Read the full review here.
Contributed by Charles Remedios
Have you read this book? Do you have something else to recommend?
Post your comments, or send a longer book review to HBeditor@nlb.gov.sg
August 08, 2007
2007 Man Booker Longlist
HB Squad ALERT! . gossip + snippets
The judges for the 2007 Man Booker Prize for Fiction announce their longlist of books in the running for the prize this year.This longlist of 13 books, the ‘Man Booker Dozen’, was chosen from 110 entries; 92 were submitted for the prize and 18 were called in by the judges.
The longlist is:
* Darkmans by Nicola Barker (4th Estate)
* Self Help by Edward Docx (Picador)
* The Gift Of Rain by Tan Twan Eng (Myrmidon)
* The Gathering by Anne Enright (Jonathan Cape)
* The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid (Hamish Hamilton)
* The Welsh Girl by Peter Ho Davies (Sceptre)
* Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones (John Murray)
* Gifted by Nikita Lalwani (Viking)
* On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan (Jonathan Cape)
* What Was Lost by Catherine O’Flynn (Tindal Street)
* Consolation by Michael Redhill (William Heinemann)
* Animal’s People by Indra Sinha (Simon & Schuster)
* Winnie & Wolf by A.N.Wilson (Hutchinson)Chair of judges, Howard Davies, comments: “This year’s longlist is very diverse, with four first time novelists as well as some more familiar names. All the books chosen are well-crafted and will appeal to a wide readership.”
Other reports
The Guardian
The Independent
BTW, Tan Twan Eng is Malaysian! And yah, use this catalogue if elibraryhub is not working.
What do you think? Know of any interesting book-related news? Want to join the Hb Squad?
Email us at HBeditor@nlb.gov.sg
August 07, 2007
Thomas has read 'The Coma' by Alex Garland
WHO'S READING WHAT . reader's recommendations
London : Faber and Faber, 2004.
Call No.: GAR
Click here for item availability.
Say the name, Alex Garland & I doubt it rings a bell. But say the movie, The Beach & I guess you will have heard about it. Yes, no thanks to the rather chubby Leonardo DiCaprio acting in that show.Anyway, the movie was adapted from the similarly titled novel—also his first one—written by Alex Garland.
This review is, however, not about that novel.
It’s about his third novel, published 10 years later: The Coma.
Contributed by Thomas Robertus Salim
Have you read this book? Do you have something else to recommend?
Post your comments, or send a longer book review to HBeditor@nlb.gov.sg
August 03, 2007
Penny has read 'Make your travel dollars worth a fortune' by Tim Leffel
WHO'S READING WHAT . reader's recommendations
Palo Alto : Travelers' Tales, c2006.
Call No.: 910.4 LEF
Click here for item availability.
We often have that nagging feeling after traveling to a popular destination that we can get more mileage out of our dollars if only we stayed at less ‘touristy’ places or dined where the locals do. Now in his latest book, Make Your Travel Dollars Worth a Fortune: The Contrarian Traveller’s Guide to Getting More For Less, value travel expert, Tim Leffel shares how he and his family can travel around the world at a fraction of the cost.
He shares his tips through two families, the Smiths & the Jones. One travels to popular destinations at the most popular time aka, peak seasons and pays more. While the Jones family plans their family vacations in such a way as to avoid the crowds and saves a bundle while getting more value for their travel dollars.
Continue reading "Penny has read 'Make your travel dollars worth a fortune' by Tim Leffel" »
July 30, 2007
Ying Wen is reading 'A Bend in the Road' by Nicholas Sparks
WHO'S READING WHAT . reader's recommendations
London : Bantam Press, 2001.
Call No.: SPA [RO]
Click here for item availability.
The Audio Book is also available for borrowing at these libraries: Woodlands, Tampines, Jurong and Central Lending.
Unlike typical love stories where two characters usually fall in love and have a happy ending, this novel does not follow the insipid path that other love stories often take. Rather, the story revolves around a teacher and a widower who came to know each other by a twist of fate.
Miles’s wife was killed in a hit-and-run accident and had been spending more than ten years of his life on investigating the case to do justice for his wife who was practically his everything. Having lost the one person who meant the world to him, Miles lived with his young son alone. He met his eight-year-old son’s teacher, Sarah Andrews, by chance and discovered that they shared a lot in common because each of them had had a traumatic past to deal with.
They gradually developed a fondness for each other which unfolded into a strong relationship, therefore decided to rebuild their lives together. However, the revelation of a devastating truth that had been long-hidden put their love to the test and questioned the strength of the relationship which they had thought would last for a long time to come. This is a heartwarming novel which highlights the importance of forgiveness through a test of personal beliefs. As the poet Alexander Pope once said, “To err is human, to forgive is divine.” Nothing matters more in life than an open heart which is always willing to accept others.
Contributed by Ying Wen
Have you read this book? Do you have something else to recommend?
Post your comments, or send a longer book review to HBeditor@nlb.gov.sg
July 27, 2007
Elizabeth has read 'The Prophet' by Kahlil Gibran
WHO'S READING WHAT . reader's recommendations
London: Penguin, 2002
Call No.: 811.52 GIB
Click here and here for item availability.
After twelve years in the city of Orphalese, the prophet. Almustafa, is beginning his return journey home. As he makes his way to the ship, the townsfolk question him on the meaning of various issues central to daily life. On topics like love, marriage, friendship, giving and many others, Gibran offers his mediations through the prophet’s imparted advice and sayings.
Hailed by many to be Gibran’s best work, The Prophet was published in the 1920s and contains 26 poetic essays that will invite you to contemplate the inner self. It enables one to have a clearer sense of yourself and of those that surround us all.
Continue reading "Elizabeth has read 'The Prophet' by Kahlil Gibran" »
July 23, 2007
Dr Goh Keng Swee, a Founding Father of Singapore
The recent publication of a biography of Dr Goh Keng Swee, has re-focused attention on the distinguished career of one of modern Singapore's founding fathers. Both the Straits TImes and Business Times published a flurry of articles on the life and achievements of one of the key architects of Singapore's economy and system of government.
Continue reading "Dr Goh Keng Swee, a Founding Father of Singapore" »
July 19, 2007
No comment
Hi all,
Just a note to let you folks know that we're in the midst of migrating to the Wordpress platform, so for the time being, we've switched off our comments. We should be up and about in a while - do email us at HBeditor@nlb.gov.sg if you've got something you wanna get off your chest for the time being!
July 18, 2007
All Things Harry Potter, and then some
(Editor’s Note: As the countdown to the final Harry Potter book continues to gain in frenzy, we’ll like to add to the mix by presenting our own take on all things Potter in this article by our very own ardent Harry Potter fan, Yasmin Muhammad Asslan. Warning! Spoilers and conjectures ahead…)
I can't believe it! Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows the 7th and final book will be out on July 21st, barely a few days from now!
10 years ago, a single mother named Joanne Rowling took the world by storm with her first published book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, way back in 1997. The original fans (like myself), were probably in secondary school then, and are now working adults. It is timely that we look back at how the series has evolved over the years (I’m assuming one has read all 6 books so far, otherwise this article will be one gigantic spoiler for you). There’s simply too much happening throughout the whole series, so I’ll do my best to condense the important highlights relating to Harry Potter.
July 16, 2007
Little Blue Herring has read 'Shadow of the Wind' by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
WHO'S READING WHAT . reader's recommendations
New York : Penguin Press, 2004, c2001.
Call No.: RUI
Click here for item availability.
The Shadow of the Wind is a book that reads like Umberto Eco’s Name of the Rose without the clinical detachment of an astute monk unraveling a series of murders in a Gothic monastery. Haunting in its splendid prose, this novel draws you in with its sensuous imagery and vivid painting of Barcelona in the early 20th century. Unraveling its plot is akin to navigating the twists and turns of this Spanish city—you never know what you are going to get.
This is a book about a book titled The Shadow of the Wind written by a mysterious author Julian Carax. Young Daniel, our protagonist, reads this book and finds himself deeply drawn by it, so much so that he starts to seek out the life of Julian Carax and mystery of his sudden death.
Continue reading "Little Blue Herring has read 'Shadow of the Wind' by Carlos Ruiz Zafon" »
July 13, 2007
Charles is reading 'Dreamcatcher' by Stephen King
WHO'S READING WHAT . reader's recommendations
London : Hodder & Stoughton, 2001.
Call No.: KIN-[HOR]
Click here for item availability.
This is the first Stephen King book that I have read and I must say I was surprised because I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
I know King by reputation -- the writer of "horror" novels such as Carrie, The Shining and the like. This is not one of Stephen King's scary novels; there is almost nothing here to the curdle the blood or make your hair stand on end. It is about the supernatural but not of the disembodied ghostly type. The focus is on extra-sensory perception, telepathy and dreams. There are passages that describe violent and bloody deaths. These are vivid and stomach churning at times but they will not make you fear the things that go bump in the night. The title comes from a device, somewhat like a net, that Native Americans sometimes hang in their lodgings to capture their dreams or to weave it into some kind of reality.
Continue reading "Charles is reading 'Dreamcatcher' by Stephen King" »
July 08, 2007
Deadpoet's Cave has read 'Singapore Samurai' by Penrod Dean
WHO'S READING WHAT . reader's recommendations
East Roseville, N.S.W.: Kangaroo Press, 2000
Call No.: RSING English 940.547252092 DEA-[WAR]
Click here for item availability.
acroamatic from Deadpoet's Cave wrote:
In a nutshell, the book is about an exceptional Australian soldier during World War II. His first hand account read like a fast-moving tv series. Penrod Dean, who passed away last year, wastes no time in plunging straight into the action. In part, it is his breezy writing style. Being thrust to the battlefront of retreating forces created a sense of urgency barely a chapter into the book. The pace relented only after the Japanese surrendered. Even then, his amazing story continued.
Have you read this book? Do you have something else to recommend?
Post your comments, or send a longer book review to HBeditor@nlb.gov.sg
July 05, 2007
Heartlands Book Discussion July 2007
HAPPENIN' . programmes + events
Heartlands Book Club is pleased to invite poet Mr Takalah Tan Kok Liang for their book discussion in July.
A victim of a horrific accident at his prime of his career and personal life – Mr Takalah had to relearn everything again due to the severe brain injury.
His poems are raw truths and deep reflection of life values and how to cherish them. One of his poems “Against the Wind” was included in a USA compilation of best poems of 2003.
A short snippet of this poem:
Against the wind, older, but no wiser. I still find myself inextricably running against the wind.Whilst it could have been easier
rowing with the tide.
Something within me beckons!
“Do it otherwise! ”Defying instincts, &
rejecting the norms.
Living my Life on its edge,
I refuse to conform.Perhaps one day
when my time is done.
Laid down to oblivion,
my life has just begun!
Mr Takalah's courage to overcome his ordeal resulted in him changing his name to Takalah or in Malay "Cannot lose". A Mediacorp documentary featured his life under the "Amazing Courage" series. You may like to read about his life here.
Join Heartlands for an inspiring afternoon of poetry with Mr Takalah. The details:
Date/Time: 4.00pm, Friday 27 July 2007
Venue: The Activity Room, Bukit Batok Community Library
Author: Mr Takalah Tan Kok Liang
Facilitator: Mr Kweh Soon Huat
Both hard and soft copies of Takalah's poems are available via email upon request and at the Bukit Batok Community Library's Customer Service Counter.
If you are interested to join this session, please email Soon_Huat_KWEH@nlb.gov.sg.
Contributed by Kweh Soon Huat, Librarian, Adult and Young People's Services
Have you participated in this event?
Post your comments, or email to HBeditor@nlb.gov.sg
July 04, 2007
BookCross@SG: Books need to be freed!
HAPPENIN' . programmes + events
Remember this post: BookCross@SG Collection Drive: 24th May - 3rd June?
Well, just a note to let you folks know that BookCross@SG was officially launched yesterday.
You can read more about the launch at the ramblinglibrarian's blog or more about BookCross@SG at the website itself.
BTW, you can still continue to donate/contribute books if you want to - just drop them off at any NLB public libraries - but let the staff know that it's for BookCross@SG. The other thing is, remember, BookCross@SG is only asking for fiction titles, k?
And yes, check out the title above - please 'free' the BookCross books after you have read them - not hog them...
Have you participated in this event?
Post your comments, or email to HBeditor@nlb.gov.sg
July 03, 2007
Special Fiction Issue from NY Review of Books
HB Squad ALERT! . gossip + snippets
NY Review of Books has just published a special fiction issue and is chockfull of interesting stuff.
Main highlights:
· Anita Desai on Primo Levi · Al Alvarez on Ian McEwan · Tim Parks on Elfriede Jelinek · Hilary Mantel on Mischa Berlinski · Claire Messud on Andrew O'Hagan · Francisco Goldman on Roberto Bolaño · Joyce Carol Oates on Amnesiac Novels · and an excerpt from J. M. Coetzee's new novel, Diary of a Bad Year
What do you think? Know of any interesting book-related news? Want to join the Hb Squad?
Email us at HBeditor@nlb.gov.sg
June 28, 2007
Guess who's back?
HAPPENIN' . programmes + events
Nope, it ain't Slim Shady, but Neil Humphreys! (otherwise known as Singapore's Fav Ang Moh). A popular columnist and bestselling author of 3 books about our little island, Neil had immigrated to Australia in 2006 and is now back to launch his omnibus. So, instead of lugging 3 books around, you can lug just 1!
Neil will be visiting the library@orchard this Sunday (1st July, 3pm) for a special meet-the-fans cum signing session. We'll also be starting a lucky draw at the library, with 3 signed copies of the omnibus to be won. Yup, the magic number is 3, since it's been a year of trilogies!
Anyway, this new omnibus contains his previous books (Notes From an Even Smaller Island, Scribbles from the Same Island and Final Notes from a Great Island), a foreword by fellow funnyman and columnist, Colin Goh, as well as a new introduction, epilogue and illustrations. Also, check out HBOnline reader - Little Blue Herring's review of Final Notes >>here<<
Neil's previous books as well as his omnibus are available in the libraries, just do a keyword search: "Neil Humphreys" via our online catalogue to find out where to pick 'em up. They're also available at all good bookstores should you wish to buy them!
Have you participated in this event?
Post your comments, or email to HBeditor@nlb.gov.sg
June 27, 2007
Dreamy Reader is reading 'The Pact' by Jodi Picoult
WHO'S READING WHAT . reader's recommendations
London : Hodder, 2005.
Call No.: PIC and PIC [RO]
Click here and here for item availability.
Chris Harte and Emily Gold have been together since they were born. The parents are best friends and neighbors. They're inseparable, like two sides of a coin, like brother and sister, then, as lovers. The girl is dead on the first page.
It's suicide pact gone wrong. Or is it? ;) The guy is alive and therefore charged with murder because he's the only one at the scene of the "crime".
Continue reading "Dreamy Reader is reading 'The Pact' by Jodi Picoult" »