IMPOSTER by Philip K Dick

Okay, okay, I know this wasn’t on the ‘Coming Soon’ list but I read this last night (at the time of writing, not posting) and happened to find it a very interesting read. Interesting enough to get me out of this lazy mode and get writing for a change. So that makes this book pretty damn good, doesn’t it?

Well, a little background for starters. Philip K Dick writes science fictions and he writes them so well, Steven Spielberg chose to turn his ‘Minority Report’ into a feature film. Too bad Spielberg didn’t have as good a taste in the main cast as he did in the script. But I guess we should be thankful that it’s Tom Cruise and not Shia LeBeouf. Anyway, back to Philip Dick. Now here’s a writer who really knows how to produce a page turner. I’m not really a huge fan of futuristic science fictions (The fact that I’m a fan of Star Wars and Star Trek should not be held against me now), but Imposter made my heart pound so fast, I thought it could burst.

A picture of no real relevance. But I like the rocket.

It’s not a novel, it’s just a short story of about 15 pages so that must be welcomed news for people like me out there (read: people with short attention span). The story takes place in the future, we are not told exactly when, amidst a raging war between the people of Earth and some outerspacers (read: aliens!). Times are tough, people are wary of differences and they don’t exactly have the time to go investigating into an accusation when one occurs. At times like this, when they call you a traitor, you are one. No trial, no ‘innocent-unless-proven-guilty’ shit, and you’re certainly not expected to care. Unless you happen to be the alleged traitor.

Spence Olham wakes up one day to the fact that he is now going to be eliminated on the grounds that he is not really Spence Olham and actually an alien-humanoid spy with a U-bomb (a very powerful bomb) inside his chest. One that can annihilate the entire planet. Intelligence has shown that humanoids are sent to replicate a specific target (in this case, Olham), kill the target and adopt all his feelings, emotions and even memories. Once the replication is made, no one can tell the difference and it’ll be as if the target is still alive, albeit with a ticking bomb in his chest.

So, Olham has to prove that a) he’s not that humanoid, b) he really is Spence Olham, and c) that somewhere out there a humanoid is walking free among humans. And he has to prove it soon, since these men out to get him will not listen to reason.

Now… how about that? I’m not gonna spoil the experience for you by providing too much background, but if I managed to get you slightly interested in the story, I guess it wouldn’t be so hard to get you clicking on the link below. Yes, folks… you can find the story online from a portal called Scribd. You can even download it if you want. God bless the net. So get reading, people, and enjoy the ride! =)

http://www.scribd.com/doc/2916509/Imposter-by-Philip-K-Dick

P/S: The language employed is so very simple I really think the Ministry of Education should use this short story in the PMR syllabus. Alongside ‘The Pencil’ and ‘Of Bunga Telur and Bally Shoes’. Okay, penning off.

Coming Soon

Okay, in order not to be misleading, I'll make it clear clear that in Ede talk, "soon" should read "soon-ish" which falls within the range of one to two months.

Now that we've established that, there are several books whose reviews I'm interested in writing. It's just that I'm not sure if people are being fed too much classics and American stuff. Which makes me fret over the diversity of my reading materials (or the lack thereof). The books are:

1. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

Now, this is the real deal! I mean, this is Steinbeck's "Great Gatsby". If there is any definitive work of the misbegotten, then this would be it. The trouble is, writing too much about Steinbeck mght just get people to be sick of him and I don't want that. He's a wonderful author and I want people to discover just what he has to offer the way I did, by having my interest and curiosity piqued slowly yet surely. So I'm gonna leave this review off until later, I guess.

2. Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt

Here's a little gem that's done everything under the sun to me. It made me laugh like hell in the toilet (my mum got a bit concerned), it made me feel disgusted, it made me think and it made me cry. But most of all, it made me feel, which is no small feat. I come from a pretty stable family and over the course of my childhood I never had to worry about not having food on the table and stuff like that. And sometimes, I forget that not everybody is as lucky as I. This book provides an intimate insight to poverty and social struggle so insidious you'd think twice before whining about how your room's AC sucks.

But here's the catch: This book is so famous already. What's the point of reviewing a book that doesn't need the promotion right? Still, if you wanna know what the book is about and would like my personal feedback, leave a comment and I'll get to it, InsyaAllah.

3. Midaq Alley by Naguib Mahfouz

This Nobel-winning work is often overlooked for the more famous Cairo Trilogy. I've read both (well actually I've read all four, since the trilogy has three volumes. Duh!) and I'd recommend both but Midaq Alley was the first of Mahfouz's works that I read, so naturally, I lean slightly towards this book. I don't think the subject of voluntary prostitution has been widely explored in literature. This book takes us along the journey of how a woman gets herself into this ancient profession. What stunned me the most is how convincing it is. Really.

I can't find a catch for this book, so maybe I'll review this first in the future. I like this book. It'll make a good one to review, I think.



So that's it from me this time around. I'm going back to CSI: NY in a couple of minutes. Oh, on a completely different note, why don't people like CSI:NY? I can understand why people are put off by Miami (I mean, Horatio is such a cartoon) but CSI:NY is pretty cool, good stories, cool crimes (I don't mean it like that) and good looking cast. I love it =)

OF MICE AND MEN by John Steinbeck

You know how A Samad Said is a pretty awesome laureate and all Malaysian students ever think of is that poem of his, “The Dead Crow”? It isn’t his best work. Hell, it isn’t even one of his best. But kids all over Malaysia will be thinking of that obscure little poem and associate that with A Samad Said. And not read his other works, which is a real shame.

People do the same with John Steinbeck’s works. “The Pearl” is a masterful portrayal of human tragedy but it is nowhere near as good as Steinbeck’s other giant novels. And because SPM students get so bored out of their wit reading “The Pearl”, they get the impression that “The Grapes of Wrath”, “East of Eden” and “Of Mice and Men” are the same. Again, a real shame, because “Of Mice and Men” is probably one of the best books I’ve ever read. It’s not in my top 5 list only because it made number 6. Seriously.

So forget about the lengthy description of Salina, California that Steinbeck has waiting for the reader at the very beginning of the novel. It’s a pretty tedious task if you don’t dig descriptions of nature in its very detailed way, but once you get through that, you’re in for a real human drama. The novel is about an unlikely friendship between George Milton, a small framed man and Lennie Small, a gentle giant who is a bit of a simpleton. He is probably born that way since Steinbeck made it clear that “he wasn’t kicked in the head by a horse”. But beyond that little piece of information, we’re left with no clue as to what caused Lennie’s stupidity. George has been taking care of Lennie since forever and he’s not always tolerant with Lennie’s forgetfulness. Nonetheless, behind that harsh and strict exterior, the reader can tell that George wants no harm in Lennie’s way.

Gary Sinise as George and John Malkovich as Lennie
in the film version of Mice and Men (1992)

If you strip the humour away from the friendship you got a very depressing situation that ties up two men with no hope of ever finding that light everyone dreams of. But Steinbeck wouldn’t let that happen. On almost every page, there’s bound to be something that cracks the reader up, whether it be George’s awkward way of telling Lennie that he cares despite the seemingly harsh treatment, or Lennie’s constant blundering and funny remarks at every little thing that George does. At this point in the novel you get a feeling that in another world, these two would be happy together because they do love each other. But that is not to be. The reality is a nasty place for simple men. In a world that confuses Lennie, things happen to each of them that makes it impossible for them to continue living without being hurt.

It’s the bond between these two men that makes “Of Mice and Men” a difficult literary work to forget. The kind of selfless acts that George commits to get himself and Lennie out of trouble’s way is just too moving. You’d have to be a cold-hearted person not to be touched by this little tale of friendship at its most endearing. There’s a story that George keeps telling Lennie whenever the latter gets a little too excited, a tale that George would repeat to calm Lennie down,

“ Guys like us that work on ranches are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don’t belong to place. They come to a ranch an’ work up a stake, and the first thing you know, they’re pounding their tail on some other ranch. They ain’t got nothing to look ahead to.

With us, it ain’t like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us. We don’t have to sit in no bar room blowin’ in our jack jus’ because we got no place else to go. If them other guys get in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn. But not us.

But not us! An’ why? Because... because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that’s why.”

At the end of the novel, you’d cry your eyeballs out as these words play in your head. A really powerful invocation of how far a man is willing to go to take care of another. I dare you to read this without crying at the end. And good luck with that! =)

Tempat: Dewan Utama Pelajar, USM
Tarikh: 23-26 Julai 2009 (Hari Jualan Buku)
Tarikh: 24 Julai 2009 (Majlis Pelancaran Buku Penerbit USM)
Waktu: 9.00 pagi - 10.00 malam


Visit:http://www.penerbit.usm.my/hb2009/index.html

I need recommendation and i need it fast!

Due to the heavy loads and luggage, I can only bring back these books to USM

1) Dilema Melayu- Tun Dr Mahathir (read the English version, feel like reading the Malay version)

2) Saya Pun Melayu- Zaid Ibrahim

3)Brida- Paulo Coelho

4) Persuasion- Jane Austen (Guilty pleasure? Sorta)

5) Life is An Open Secret- Zabrina Abu Bakar- half way to go.. enlightening. Will post up my review, insyaAllah.

6) A Son Of the Circus- John Irving (Still in consideration)

..and a few to be decided because yes, I need to bring text books some more (prioritize please!). But no worries I can still come back home once every two weeks :)
And John Grisham readers, I need some recomendation please. So far i think I've read 3,4 of John Grisham, pity me. One of them is The Testament which I most remembered. Its remarkable surprises towards the end turned me on.

But most importantly, my most important list right now is of course (ahem,) my text books since it is my first year majoring. Can't wait!

One of my dear friend asked about Faizal Tehrani books, to be honest I always am interested to read his books after all these while of silently becoming his blog and short stories reader. I went to some major book stores, sadly his books are no to avail. Hmm, more reason to open up your own bookstores? But i still havent viewed the new bookstore in Penang, so I hope I can find one.

That's it, my holiday wraps up. But that doesnt mean that this is the end of it.. Will be more reviews to come! :)

Solat: Kebaikan dari Perspektif Sains

During the last week of the semester, we were having a discussion with one of our beloved lecturers, Dr Hasanah. She later recommended this book, in which I wished I could buy it right away. But of course I did not, all thanks to the emptying bank account running fast to the deep, dark abyss. However, lucky for me! When I was back home in Ipoh, I found my mother was reading the very same book. Mothers! They're just too good at reading minds, don't they?

A bit about this book. It was written by three researchers and educators from our very own Universiti Malaya (OH! no wonder she bought it.). They are Fatimah Ibrahim, Wan Abu Bakar Wan Abas and Ng Siew Chook. All in all, these findings resulted from a series of experiments and studies conducted by a team of lecturers and students. I never knew its existence before, but they really had one project named as "Projek Kejuruteraan Biosolat". Cool eh?

The objective of the whole project is to find how prayers (solat) is correlated to the efficency of your bodies compartment; your cell membrane, your body capasity, your cardiovascular system, your muscle activities, erection dysfunction (yep!), all in all your anatomy. It also explains on how the experiments were done; the equipment used, the methods being done, the variables being considered etc.

Lets take one example. Basic Biology: so you know that human body consists of cell as basic living unit. And, one of must-have specification of a cell is its membrane, right? A cell membrane's permeability helps in preventing foreign objects to enter the cell, so that the cell won't get damaged. Long story short, that's how you get one healty body. So, one way of measuring your cell membrane's permeability is your phase angle (PA).

So you ask, what is phase angle?

Phase angle is one of the terms they use to measure the angular component of the polar coordinate representation. As phase angle is higher, the integrity of the cell membrane's permeability will get higher. One optimum for a Malaysian male is 7.4,as stated in this book.

Now, if I already bore you with those scientific gugu-gaga.

5 disciplines, and 47 males were divided into that 5 groups. First discipline was to complete all five prayers. Second discipline was to observe the proficiency in reciting the verses. Third discipline was how the solat is performed, jamaah or on his own. Fourth discipline is how their spine was while doing the ruku' (horizontally straight or not) and lastly, how the toes were bent correctly while prostrating.

And voila! the result shows that only those who completed all 5 diciplines passed the 7.5 of their phase angle (PA).

Okay, so i might not be the best Biology, Mechanics, Chemistry teacher you have here. But trust me, the book is worth your RM30.00. How does it work? Well, I'm sure you've heard how performing solat helps you in getting a healthy body before, but the story used to end there (for me, before). In this book, these three researchers have done their best in analysing and explaining how solat works in science perspective. This to show you, that solat is not some routine, but it is your cure to every physical aspects of your body. Your remedy spiritually, and how the doa it consisted brings you closer to the Almighty. Your own meditation, without having to fight over the yoga hoo-haa!

The book comes in full color graphic, that's a bonus. It is made available in both English and Malay Language.

My God, Tell Me it is NOT a battle!

Because if it is, then the hell I'm sure gonna lose!

So Ede came up with her list. I've asked her for a book, shockingly she came up with A LIST OF BOOKS. Well, not that shock, actually if you know that person named Ede. A walking, talking book-worm featured in a human form. Now, that's a compliment!

Okay, let's start off with my humble list.

My first 4 years of school histories started off at 12.00 noon. While waiting for the bus (or van), I've found books, are indeed the best companion, next to my late Opah. We used to have shelves of books near the main door, so when the van came I just put the book wherever and whenever I could make it, waved bye-bye to Opah, and surely Opah would pick it up for me and put it back to the shelves. Nice.


So this is one of my earliest book. "Menumpang Kasih Mengharap Sayang" by Salimi Salimon. Excuse my third-class photo, it was taken from a web anyway. And yes, I do read Malay literature, in case if anyone is wondering. I hate it when people go, " Whoa? Aini? Novel Melayu?". Er, Cop! I thought I'm a Malay, so what's the fuss here?

Okay, back to the topic.

Don't get me wrong. This is not just any typical "novel Melayu". Not your can-tell-the-whole-plot-of-the-story (You know, one of them hate the another, were forced to get married only to find out that he/she is made for him/her.) This is, in fact one of the best Malay novels I could remember. From family values to friendship, you are sure those two are at least among the littlest thing money can't buy in the end of the day. Revenge, or more like a sympathy, for what left are memories of what long gone and nothing much you can do but to move on.


I've been missing for the past 3-4 days. No, I was not abducted by aliens (though it'd be fun). I was in Singapore, in case if no one is reading my not-updated Twitter. When I was in Singapore, I've gotten myself a companion, entitled, " As I Was Passing" by Adibah Amin.

Reading this book has brought me back to old-times kampung memories. I've found myself lucky and unlucky at the same moment- knowing that, despite the age gap, I've experienced some of the chapters (that's the lucky part) and likewise, I'm not lucky for I missed out some of them. All thanks to the modernization of whatever they might call it.

Sneak Peek: Of Ghazal and the Golden Girlhood

Encik Daud ke Pulau Pinang,
Mencari kain tujuh warna,
Karam di laut boleh direnang,
Karam di darat papa kedana.

(p.s: thanks for that good person for paying for this book!:D)


My pick from the classic rack would be (drum roll, please). It'd be unfair to choose only one, because I like both (and many more) equally the same. There are "Little Women" by Louisa M Alcott and The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. Little Women definitely reminds me of the chaotic of me and the sisters. My favorite character will be Jo, despite the boyish trait and bold nature. Her independence and empathy amazed me, enough said.


The Wizard of Oz is a masterpiece. I used to read the book and watch it on tv, and never get bored of it. I used to envy my sister for she once had played "Glinda" in one of the school's play. Okay, that was random. But what I love about the book is, like any other have-been children, despite the easily condensed storyline, is the fantasy adventurous world created by Baum. One light reading material, yet, you can always remember the vividness, the charm and the spark from one journey to another.

So if you could choose, between a heart, a brain or courage, which one will it be?



These two are basically the best from the Asian's genre. Wrote by Adeline Yen Mah, I remember pulling The Chinese Cinderella from the dusty shelf of the library. I don't know, the child in me just have to read this book, judging from the title upfront, and yes, despite the minutes were running fast towards the Final Exam in 2006.

And I cried. (Not because of my result, Alhamdulillah my result is doing okay.)

You know, at one moment, you might think that you have the worst bunch of family members. Family drama(s) here and there. It's tragic and horrid mixed at the same time, for every family sometimes hid one skeleton in the closet. But this story, my oh my, it is more like a mummy filled of maggots, rather than a skeleton.

There is no other uglier family than her family. How could one called himself a human for treating her like that? (and if you wanna know how they treated her, read this. Worth it!)


And as for the Fallen Leaves, it might be one elongated version of The Chinese Cinderella in the beginning, but towards the end, you'll know what happened and that makes you wonder how discontented and jealousy will turn one to even an uglier form of mortal.

Heart-throbbing, compelling but you better read this during the holiday/free time because I promise, you're going to be attached to it!

I'd love to proceed, but something came up. House chores, anyone?

What's next: Angels and Demons ( A pure review, because I havent watched the movie so dont fret, I wont be biased!), One More Day, or maybe the Autobiography of Kurt Cobain.. (Yes, he was awesome, i know!)

Okay la Ede, you won.