HAKKA SOUL - Memories, Migrations, and Meals

Just like shopping for shoes, I like to browse around bookstores. Since I got hold of my first Ladybird storybook, I'm hook on reading. I remember my first book is Bambi, it the hardcover Ladybird prints. Unlike most kids, who started their English education with books about Peter and Jane (also from Ladybird too), mine started in a Jesus Caritas Catholic Church Kindergarten, where we learn our words and numbers. One thing that I remembered clearly, is the library, where they keep lots of colourful storybooks, with pictures of fairies and enchanted forest, princesses and princes...and boy, was I enchanted then!

Ya...so that's the beginning of my addiction to books. My dad used to come home early on Saturday afternoon, and we'll have lunch at home before heading out for our weekly shopping trip. Without fail, I'll insist we stop at a bookstores. One way or another, I'll play my trump card, wail, beg and reason with my parent, that I need one more storybook!

Sigh...those were the days........sweet memories.One day, I'll write down those sweet memories of my reading habit.

Well, getting back to visiting bookstores, I was looking for a book by Farish A.Noor, a gift for a friend. Before this, I've never heard of Farish A.Noor....because, I don't read MalaysiaKini....The Star paper is good enough for me. Ya, so I'm browsing the Malaysiana section in the makeshift Time Bookstore at Hartamas Shopping Center, when I saw this book called " HAKKA SOUL - Memories, Migrations, and Meals", by Chin Woon Ping.

It look interesting too me, being a Hakka myself...I'm really curious to know, what's another Hakka's life and story is about. It should give me a glimpse of what and how the Hakka Clan come about. All these years, I never bothered to find out.....I just took it for granted, when the time comes, I'll just popped over to China to the land where my paternal grandparents came from, and also my maternal side too, to check out our family genealogy, which was still kept in a traditional book, stating the family trees of our clan(ok...they usually keep records of the man in the family only, I'm not too sure about the girls).

I'm intrigue, by the book and the author herself. Its such a dry topic....to talk about Hakka people and their customs. How many people in this world would want to learn about this? The author, Chin Woon Ping must be one proud woman...someone who's proud of her customs, beliefs and traditions.

And through the book, I want to try to see and look for familiarity in the way my grandparents do things, how my ma and pa thinks (they have their own Hakka way), and how my Tai Yee (Eldest Aunty from my mom side) turn out to be such a matriarch in Mom's family. Most of all, I want to know more about my people....

Understanding about the current political sentiments may be too much for my mind, but I'm totally capable of understanding my heritage.

: )

Will update on the book as I read.

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

THE HISTORIAN

My 2nd time reading the book.
The first time, I read it with haste....because time is very scarce, when I'm working as an auditor. Hardly had time to appreciate it, in fact, I was quite irritated because there's not much of vampire action involved. So, if you are reading this, I would suggest that you appreciate the history, the description of places of interest.....read it much like a travelogue cum adventure themed book. You'll enjoy it better. My 2nd attempt, took me less 1 full day to devour the whole book, of which I spend from morning till night in my room, reading it (until hunger calls, I went down for some snacks and dinner).

I've always been intrigued by the lores and legends about vampires. It all begin with watching Fright Night when I was a kid. My cousin likes to watch movies about vampires and zombies, so naturally, I followed suit. Reading books from R.L Stine and Christopher Pike (he wrote a series of really nice stories about vampires, where he linked them to some of the Hindu avatars like Krishna and Sita) and watching Interview with the Vampire.....and closer to present, Van Helsing really gave me the thrill. However, the more recent Vampire movie, 30 Days of Nights is kinda disappointing though. Its full of gore, and there's no meaning to it at all.

About the book...

The book's title, cleverly sums up the whole story......or I should say, the title tells us the objective of the book. In short, the whole story explains that Dracula hunts and targets of historian, librarian and people with vast knowledge, mainly scholars , where he will infect them with the curse of the Undead, so that he'll have some underlings to look after his archive of books and writings that Dracula had collected over the centuries. Its either refering to Dracula's hunt for well-learned historian as his keeper(s), or refering to Dracula, being the ultimate historian of all time (since he's undead and had lived through centuries). Along the line, Kostova has weaved in some love story that spanned a few generations.

The story opened with the sudden disappearance of a well-knowned historian, Professor Rossi. His student, Paul was the last person to see Professor Rossi before his disappearance. During which, Paul had shown Professor Rossi an antique book, with nothing in its pages, except for a printing of a dragon, with the imprints "Drakulya". Rossi expressed that he too had the same book and from there, Rossi passed on his findings about Dracula to Paul.......

Upon discovering the disappearance of Professor Rossi, Paul is very disturbed and with the findings that Rossi had passed on to him, he's almost convinced that Rossi disappearance had something to do with Dracula. Thus begins Paul's adventure in tracking down Dracula.......

Along the way, he'll meet the love of his life, Helen Rossi. Daughter of Professor Rossi out of wedlock. She hails from Romania, grown up in Budapest and came to London with a vengeance to upstage her father as a scholar. However, on her arrival, she was told that her father had mysteriously disappeared and that's how she and Paul get to know each other......

Kostova wrote the story, with the daughter of Helen and Paul as the narrator.

What I like about the book, is that includes a lot of facts and research on the origins of Dracula. Unlike the version created by Bram Stoker, Kostova actually linked Dracula to Vlad III Dracula, from Wallachia (a region within Romania), and along with it, tells us a lot about the history of the Balkan region. The book brings you to London, France, Budapest, Romania and Bulgaria.....you'll feel like you are traveling with Paul and Helen....across the globe in search of Dracula.

I totally enjoyed the story .....there isn't much gore involved, just a few attacks, in fact, Dracula only came into picture towards the end of the story. I personally feel that the book is somewhat like Dan Brown's Davinci Code, with Kostova bringing in the Order of the Dragon into the picture, but a check into Wikipedia (search for The Historian), its revealed that Kostova had written the book way before Dan Brown came up with Davinci Code.

A little check to Wikipedia, you'll find that Kostova had indeed put in a lot of research into the book, and include a lot of historical facts. While it might not be entirely accurate, Kostava had planted a plot, a story that's believable. Like Davinci Code, the book is classified as Fiction, hence you can't possibly expect the theories projected within is 100% true, when they called it Fiction, its really imaginery. Putting in facts here and there, is just to make the experience more surreal for the reader....which really makes me wonder why people get so upset about Dan Brown's Davinci Code...he never claimed that its real or that what he wrote is a fact.

As much as I say that the book do not include much gory details, it still give me the creeps (I finished the book at about 1 am), and with the lights off, I really can't help but hide under the comforter and will myself to sleep.....kekekeke.

White Teeth by Zadie Smith

One of my Unemployed Life's Things to do, is to read books that I didn't get to read. I've this habit of visiting bookstore (MPH, Borders, Times...sometimes Popular), and am a sucker for discounts.....so, I'll buy the books that interest me and keep it.......I used to devour a regular paperback within 3 days, but it has taken more than 1 month to finish a book when I'm working as an auditor....as my reading time is confined to the hours at night, before I go to sleep. That is, if I didn't plop on me bed and fell immediately into la-la land......coming home from work at 2am.

Yeah..so , Book review : White Teeth by Zadie Smith

(Cover of the book, taken from Amazon.com)

Borrowed the book from Shane last year? Or early this year? Never really gotten around to read it. But the book came recommended by a fellow Attic Bookclub member, Maria. And Shane had it ...so...yeah, I say, I'm going to read it.....and that was more than 6 months ago.

Its a thick book...542 pages in paperback. The bad thing is....the book is probably printed in font size 8...very tiny...

The title itself....doesn't tell what story it might be. There's no synopsis anywhere in the book....just comments from the papers (New York Times, Guardian, Observer and etc), and some commentary from Salman Rushdie.

Honestly, looking at the cover, and the title of the book, I wouldn't have pick it up. But if you look at the cover closely, it says "Funny, Clever...and A ROLLICKING GOOD READ" . The only plus point, its published by Penguin....and I've always like books published by Penguin, especially English (as in UK) authors.

The story opens with Archibald Jones, known as Archie for short....trying to kill himself. He should be in his early 40's by then (1975), with a failing marriage....and find that there's no meaning in life.....in modern context, I'll say he's suffering midlife crisis.....Yup..so he tried to kill himself...suffocating inside his car outside the neighbourhood butcher. Of course, Zadie Smith (ZS) did not kill off a character in the first chapter itself....else, this will be quite a tragic story to read.....Archie was saved by the butcher....

Suddenly, he was glad that he's alive....I supposed he felt like being born again. Wandering around the neighbourhood, he walked into a commune and bump into his wife-to-be (2nd wife in the near future), Clara..... Clara is a black immigrant child, brought up in UK....with an immigrant mother that's a stout believer/follower of Jehovah (sounds like some kind of cult to me.....the people in Jehovah, will predict when's the end of the world...do worshipping and stuff).

That's the opening....

From Archie and Clara, ZSmith brings in Samad, his buddy during World War II. Samad is a Bangladeshi soldier, servicing the Queen to fight in WWII (I supposed during the British occupation in India/Bangladesh, Bangladeshi's are considered subjects of the Queen? and they are considered to be fighting for England). The alliance is formed......and Archie and Samad ended up staying in the same neighbourhood after the war.

The story is weaved in and out of the past and future. Bringing in the children of Archie and Clara (yup, they got married, and Archie became a father at 40++) - Irie, and children of Samad and Alsana- Magid and Millat.

Its a difficult book to read (in my point of view), unless you feel strongly about the issues being projected by ZSmith. Note, i say issues....and yup, I personally think ZSmith put in too much issues in the book, for one to digest.......but its brilliant that she manage to set the scene, from WWII to the 1970's, people with different cultures and belief....and weave it all into a story.

Archie
After the suicide episode, Archie is all about finding life again....finding a reason to live. Clara knock him out....apparently with her come-hither look. I don't understand how, but ZSmith painted Clara as a buck-tooth Jamaican, lanky, with thick curly hair. They start a family, had a kid and name her Irie. Archie is not a key character in the first 3/4 of the book. He's sort of supporting character to bring out the life of the other characters.

Worthy mentioned about Archie, is that during the WWII, Samad and him stumble upon a French Scientist, supposedly with medical knowledge that'll help the Nazi in genocide...... they held the scientist in capture......and one night, Samad dared Archie to kill the Scientist. Being a pushover, Archie tried...and tried....to kill the Scientist....all Samad heard was a gunshot....and Archie came back with a limp leg, bleeding from a gash from the bullet and reported to Samad, that the Scientist is dead. That chapter was closed until later.

Throughout the whole story, Archie is pictured as a pushover....with not much opinions from him.


Clara
The Jamaican with a history. Her mom, is a strict Jehovah believer, and being so, Clara's childhood is filled with pagan beliefs and restriction. Non-believer are considered unworthy.
Eventually, Clara rebelled in her teens, ran off with a guy, also an outcast in school like Clara. Funny thing is, when the guy met Clara's mom, he soon became a convert and embraces Jehovah, which leads to the break-up with Clara. It was then, when Clara met Archie...and they got married and had a kid, Irie. Not much significance in the story, except when it comes to her rift with her mom on religion.

Samad
A proud Muslim. He intends for his sons (twins) Magid and Millat to be strong devout. The story includes an excerpt where he questions his own devotion to his religion, when he's attracted to his son's teacher and started an affair....and also, drinking beer. In short, he lived in despair....because modernisation in terms of beliefs and thoughts had changed his sons thinking.

Magid
Rebellious. Preferred to adopt a westernised lifestyle and thinking.....described to be dangerously good looking. Turned into a devout of a Brotherhood for Islam.......and tried to assassinate Marcus (a character that come in late in the story....a rich professor who take in Magid and Irie, as part of a school program ).

Millat
An academic, pro-British law student. Samad sent him back to Bangladesh so that he can have the traditional upbringing, hoping that Millat will turn out to be a "true" Muslim. But Millat became an academician and prefer the logic of science and technology. He managed to get a visa to move back to Britain, with the help of Marcus (who was awe by his intellectual), and together with Marcus, they work together in the feel of genetics and cloning.......much to Samad's dislike.

Irie
Childhood friend to Magid (Millat was sent back to Pakistan when he's a kid). Had liked Magid since a child, but being fat, awkward, and with the same buck teeth and big hair, she was not what society will consider as beautiful. Well, it wasn't very clear.... but somewhere along the way, she had a moment of Ugly Duckling turning into a Swan....not a very remarkable change, but it get her noticed, by others. Magid continue to have his strings of gf's...........


The finale : The ending is hanging......we are not sure what happened to all the character...but from what I understand is, Marcus and Millat had held a forum to introduce their discovery in genetics and cloning, and being a strong devout of the Brotherhood of Islam, which does not agree with the meddling of humanity (cloning a life is considered God's job), Magid was assigned to kill Marcus. Somehow, Archie came into the picture...saved the day, by taking another bullet.....and while he bled and waiting to be rescue....he caught a look at Marcus....and ZSmith brought the readers back to 1945, to the scene when Archie was supposed to kill the French scientist. Here, it was revealed that Archie did not kill the scientist.......ya, and it ended like tat.

I supposed, it means that Marcus = French Scientist?

Along the way, there's a lot of writing on the emotions and relationship. How Samad adapt to the Anglican way of life in Britain, working with meagre pay in a restaurant owned by his cousin, struggling to support his family, and despite all the cultural differences, remained friends with Archie. And the wives of Samad and Archie, Alsana and Clara. How Alsana play the role of a Muslim wife, and yet being a fiery lil lady, rebelling now and then against her husband's backward beliefs, and how Clara settle with living with Archie, dealing with her demons with her mother, worrying that Irie will be influences by the teaching of Jehovah.
Its like a book that opens the culture of the English, Muslims, and New Age (its set in the 1970's and New Age is referring to activist for animal rights and science), and how all these characters from different generations, different culture, different religion and different thinking...blend together as a story : That's White Teeth.

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

I was introduced to the book by Lip, a fellow member of the Attic Bookclub (not sure if its still alive...)...which he says is good. Now, Lip has always come across as a guy with taste...so when he recommended a book...you'll feel compelled (on my own accord, of course) to get the book.
[not sure if my memory fails me, Lip may have mentioned that he got the book from Kyan, another guy with distinctive taste).

Yeah, that's how I gotta know about the book. I've no idea what it is about....just purely due to the above recommendation...I got the book.

Well, that was in 2007. And Middlesex was sitting in my shelf until yesterday night. One thing that stopped me from reading it is because of the very tiny printings used. And in 2007, when my soul still belongs to my employer....where every so-called free moment felt like "stolen" .....where I cringed with guilt if I don't look at this evil thing called MYCLIENT, applying the teaching of AUDIT GUIDE and the FRSes.......anyway, those are the horrors of the past.


I've since left...the place where I've built friendships and made acquaintances with great people, amongst the horrors that had taken place. To another host, that had yet to show its true colors (I have been warned before I took the pledge to join them 2 mths ago).....Anyway, my new host allows me time to deal with things normal people do..........i.e indulge in their hobbies during their "free" time. I've since baked a tray a choc cheese brownies, which have received raved reviews from my colleagues (kudos to FBB) and yesterday night, I spotted Middlesex....in an obscure corner of my shelves.......

ITs about a descendent of these Greek immigrants, that had moved to America....yeah, all those mushy stuff how they get to Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty and etc.......yeah. But before you jump into conclusions, that this is another story of My Big Fat Greek Wedding...where loud Greek Ah Ma will shout across the living hall for the Ah Boy to get his ass in the house for dinner......its actually quite a good read so far (ok...to be honest, I'm currently at Pg 87, the book has 527 pages).


I'm at Chapter 2 (or the author called it Book Two) - it has 4 chapters. So far I've gathered that the story is about a hermaphrodite (go google it, if u dunno...) and how it all started. Well...imagine, writing a book about being a hermaphrodite?? Eugenides wrote the book, using Cal or Calliope as the Narrator. The hermaphrodite that will be telling me how it all started........i mean, its really from the very beginning ...when the mutated gene starts to run in the family.

Up to this point, I've only one thing to say.......the book is compelling....just like the introduction of its existence to my teeny small little world (i'm such a frog under the tempurung). I was first unable to resist having the book as my own, and now, I trying hard to resist the urge to finish off the whole thing..........

sigh......its such a pleasure to want to read again...to love doing it...to be free to do it......i feel liberated somehow.

- another senseless rambling by MH-