So this semester, one of the subjects I've taken up is Critical Reading Skills. And our major assignment is to do a review on an award winning book. I am not much of a book reader, I prefer flipping through pages of magazines, or books, with lots of pictures in them, the newspaper at times, and other than that.. uhhh.. nope, not really.I remember somewhere back in 2009 I wrote an entry pledging to pick up on reading. Years after, I've yet to oblige to my own oath. Tsk tsk tsk. I even asked for you peeps for some book recommendations. Semangat lah konon. However, I did purchase a few books, but never got through them. If I do ever get to read them, then perhaps I'll share them with you, or not malulah kalau duk tunjuk je kan tapi ngak dibacaiin.
So yesterday, went to Kinokuniya to get a book for this assignment of mine. Spent about an hour - two in there, mostly being clueless as what to get. I tried googling up prior to this trip for award winning books, but uhh, still couldn't decide which. It wasn't easy to search, because they don't have a special rack for that. The only award winning rack I found was at the children's section. Doubt that would be appropriate for class. But, I'm definitely gonna head to that section again cause I did see some interesting books despite it's category. I think it's fine really, like how I still enjoy watching Sponge Bob and some stuff on the Disney Channel. Hey, it's simple, don't-really-need-to-think-much-entertainment. So why not right?
I was reluctant at first to head on over to the best sellers sections, as I wanted to manually search for it around the Literature rack. But as I said, wasn't any special category for 'award winning', so I had a tough time finding one. So I ended up at best seller area, and finally found two books that I thought would be interesting. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides and Let The Great World Spin by Colum McCann.
What got me to getting Middlesex; the author wrote the Virgin Suicides, and I've watched that movie and enjoyed it, so I assumed the same for this. Ashamed to say I didn't realize I picked up a book that was talking about the journey of a hermaphrodite, uhh khunsa so to speak, a person that has both male and female genitals. Raised as a girl, but as she grew, she starting having more of a male characteristic.
I didn't really notice this while reading the short synopsis at the back of the book which said "To understand why Calliope is not like other girls, she has to uncover a guilty family secret, and the astonishing genetic history that turns Callie into Cal..". I was thinking hmmm, family secret, interesting, genetic history, interesting, and never really picked up on the Callie/Cal name, well I did, only thinking that it was her new identity and nothing along the lines of biologically having both sex organs.
I slap myself on the forehead for being so clueless, even the title of the book was a hint, Middlesex-hello? Can't it be more obvious? If I knew of this, I would have most probably picked up a different book. Because honestly speaking, the whole hermaphrodite thing is kind of is disturbing. Being a mother, you get so many crazy thoughts going through your mind especially when you're pregnant. These things do happen in real life, and I can't imagine the conflict the parents and especially the kid goes through being torn by gender. It's like those things you know, you think of, but you just don't want to speak of.
But now that I have the book, and after reading reviews, it actually does seem very very interesting. And I shall shove my personal issues aside and go on reading this book. As for the other book, Let The Great World Spin talks about characters set in 1970's in New York after the now no longer existent Twin Towers was just built. Seems interesting enough.
Not sure which book to review since I've two, so, will bringing them to my lecturer to help me decide. The book in the middle in the photo above is our text book. Asking The Right Questions, A Guide To Critical Thinking. I'm really liking it. Will be extremely helpful in a lot of things, might even improve how I write, so being a blogger, that's a bonus! Might even share some tips here as well.
I'm actually, really really glad that I am 'forced to read'. It's a great way to get me started to a more beneficial hobby. Can't wait till I get addicted and start collecting books and neatly or perhaps disorderly displaying it on a bookshelf, konon macam intelligent. But it is true, most intelligent people do read a lot. So marilah kawan-kawan, kita menanam sifat suka membaca! Baca Qur'an pon kenalew rajin. Erk!
{ANNA}
