It's the national bookstore cut price book sale (great with or without the dominoes)

Saw this 5 days ago, 

Again i remembered that commercial with falling dominoes in it (They should bring back that commercial. Just show the old footage, if there's a need to save on production costs.).

And then Gener brought down the billboard.

But then it's still on, just for two weeks.

Great decision by National to retain 'Cut-price' catchphrase, and then the logo. Yeah, just show that commercial with the scissors cutting a thread, and then the dominoes start falling, falling, falling, hypnotizing,...

Book of the year

I like what was said about this book being launched like an Apple product. That Steve Jobs chose to die in time to add to the buzz and excitement big time. (A joke, yes, but we dont know how far Steve Jobs can go to support a product launch :-) ) 

Steve Jobs's estate should be receiving part of the royalties, and then donate it to cancer research. Or perhaps a Support Center for Employees Abused by Asshole Bosses. 

in the intro, Isaacson mentioned that Jobs had a hand on the cover design (and nothing more)

I like it how National had this in stores exactly on Oct 24, in fact, hours earlier than the US. Considering shipping times from US to here, did National order units way ahead of Steve's death? Does this explain why they dont have stocks less than a week after?

I didnt like how National Bookstore priced it at 1275 PhP. Could have bought it for 500+ less if I had  ordered from Amazon instead. Could have waited until January when a friend is scheduled to travel or at least waited for a mall sale to get the standard 20% savings (250+ din yon). But National Bestseller Galleria contacted me to say that the books are running-out fast (just two days after) and they will give the last one reserved for me (although I just inquired to email) in a few hours. And then this fact is supported by a colleague who mentioned that she picked up the last shelved copy the day before, and that one customer was begging for another one while she was paying at the counter.

And indeed when I was paying myself, there's a guy in line who asked for another copy. The cashier asked him to write down his name on a long reservation list. 

I liked the pictures. Steve Jobs truly opened up to the author, even up to family pictures.

Gusto ko na nagsusungayan sila sa picture dito na pamilya. If youre an Apple employee, can you try putting a horn in Steve Jobs's head?

I liked how paper is bookpaper white rather than brownish of grayish of most books. I would have like a deckle edge more though.

Im a convert to deckled edge since discovering that it is really ergonomic when one is reading fast and turning pages like an automaton. Isaacson's previous book (Einstein) is deckled edge.

(uno momento, i dont remember that magazine below Einstein)

I'll be able to finish the 500-page Steve Jobs book this during the coming long weekend. Sana.

Gotta have this on its first day of release...

Goddamnit. Should I try to arrange a US trip on November just to have this book. Or find a friend who'll be travelling that month? 

Even the number of pages is now set. Jobs can be a subject a 1000-page book like that Buffett tome and it can never be boring.

Although "I dont believe in an interventionist god," but godspeed mr. jobs. 

Bad Sex in Fiction Award

Besides the Top 10 books, movies, that TIME, Amazon, and other magazines chuck out every December, I check out who wins this contest annually.

This was the winner last year:

[Jonathan Littell’s “The Kindly Ones,” which involved a man, a woman, and a guillotine]:

Leaning over the lunette, my own neck beneath the blade, I whispered to her: ‘I’m going to pull the lever, I’m going to let the blade drop.’ She begged me: ‘Please, fuck my pussy.’—‘No.’ I came suddenly, a jolt that emptied my head like a spoon scraping the inside of a soft-boiled egg.

There are the candidates this year:

[Adam Ross, Mr. Peanut] 

“Love me!” she moaned lustily. “Oh, Ward! Love me now!” 

He jumped out from his pajama pants so acrobatically it was like a stunt from Cirque du Soleil. But when he went to remove her slip, she said, “Leave it!” which turned him on even more. He buried his face into Hannah’s cunt like a wanderer who’d found water in the desert. She tasted like a hot biscuit flavored with pee.

[Jonathan Franzen, Freedom] 

their own world. One afternoon, as Connie described it, her excited clitoris grew to be eight inches long, a protruding pencil of tenderness with which she gently parted the lips of his penis and drove herself down to the base of its shaft. Another day, at her urging, Joey described to her the sleek warm neatness of her turds as they slid from her anus and fell into his open mouth, where, since these were only words, they tasted like excellent dark chocolate.

One previous winner:

[Tom Wolfe, I am Charlotte Simmons] 

Hoyt began moving his lips as if he were trying to suck the ice cream off the top of a cone without using his teeth. She tried to make her lips move in sync with his. The next thing she knew, Hoyt had put his hand sort of under her thigh and hoisted her leg up over his thigh. What was she to do? Was this the point she should say, "Stop!"? No, she shouldn't put it that way. It would be much cooler to say, "No, Hoyt," in an even voice, the way you would talk to a dog that insists on begging at the table.

Slither slither slither slither went the tongue, but the hand that was what she tried to concentrate on, the hand, since it has the entire terrain of her torso to explore and not just the otorhinolaryngological caverns - oh God, it was not just at the border where the flesh of the breast joins the pectoral sheath of the chest - no, the hand was cupping her entire right - Now! She must say "No, Hoyt" and talk to him like a dog. . .

. . . the fingers went under the elastic of the panties moan moan moan moan moan went Hoyt as he slithered slithered slithered slithered and caress caress caress caress went the fingers until they must be only eighths of inches from the border of her public hair - what's that! - Her panties were so wet down. . . there - the fingers had definitely reached the outer stand of the field of pubic hair and would soon plunge into the wet mess that was waiting right. . . there-there- 

The winner this year seems to have won not just on the strength of one passage, but the overall book. There is just one citation about comparing one sex scene to “a lepidopterist mounting a tough-skinned insect.”

All offers fantasthilarious reading.

(winner)

Books! Books! Aklat! (Finished in 2009)

Again for posterity, Im writing down the books i finished reading in 2009

1. Snowball (Buffett Biography)

--over-written

2. White Tiger

--great! Unique.

3. A Most Wanted Man

--best by LeCarre among the ones ive read (our game, constant garnener, tailor of panama)

4. Outliers

--very good. Gladwell deserves the success. He made a niche category in nonfiction on his own. Made me buy what the dog saw.

5. The world is what it is

--the best biography of a writer that ive read!

6. Digital Photography Book vol 3

--easily the best in the series. Eveyr new photographer should buy vol 2 and

3 (skip vol 1)

7. Hot Shoe Diaries

--anyone who get their hands on two external flash should buy this book.

8. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Vol 2

--great drawings, great adventure story. Alan moore is the undoubted master

9. Gerilya

--Mahusay!

10. The Book of Genesis by Crumb

--landmark in comics. fantastic. makes you check the bible at home to confirm if there are really scenes like that. and indeed they're there!

11. The Lost Symbol

--3 out of 5 stars

 12. The Adobe Photoshop CS4 Book for Digital Photographers

--really useable!

13. Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

--a masterpiece

Read not cover to cover: (principally, because they are collections)

14. Disquiet Please

--not so "humorous," but great essays nonetheless

15. Better by Gawande

--fascinating 

16. Obamanos

--essays that should be studied at school. 

17. Twisted 8

--Zafra is one of our able writers

18. Library of America: Raymond Carver Stories

--also should be studied at schools. 


19. Christmas at the New Yorker
--great writing, trademark New Yorker. Worth the price!


20. Photoshop CS4: The Missing Manual

And so Im averaging at least one book a month. Not bad!

White Tiger at Mga Kups Julia Vargas Ave, Pasig

Inilantad nang librong White Tiger ni Aravind Adiga ang sari-saring nakakatuwa, nakakarimarim, nakakaaliw, nakakaawa, nakaka-nganga ng bibig, na paraan nang panlalamang, korupsyon, pagpapahirap, pangmamata, paniniiil, at pang-aalipin… mga sistemang bulok sa modernong India.

Halimbawa, ayon sa White Tiger, ang eskwelahan daw sa probinsya ay lupa pa ang sahig. At ang titser ay hindi nagtuturo. Ang alam lamang niya ay manghampas nang yantok sa puwit nang mga bata, at ang matulog maya’t-maya, at dumura sa dingding ng paaralan kapag nagigising. Hindi nakakarating ang mga libreng unipormeng nilaan ng gubyerno para sa mga estudyante, dahil pinitik na ang pondo para rito ng titser..

Meron ding kwento tungkol sa isang ospital na walang duktor, pero sa listahan ng attendance ay parating may duktor, kumpleto pati nars. Kasi ang logbook nang attendance ay nasa munusipyo, minamarkahan na lang duon ang logbook, nagkukuntsabahan, at naglilistahan nang attendance at parte ng kurakot ang mga ulupong. Sumusweldo ang doctor sa trabaho nya sa pampublikong ospital, pero pwede pa rin syang sumideline sa pribadong mga hospital. Duling na duling--doble ang kita, ‘ika nga,. 

Naaaliw nang husto marahil ang mga taga-kanluran sa pagbabasa ng mga ganitong anekdota. Novelty ang mga kwentong ito sa kanila, kaya pumatok ang libro. Tingin ko nga’y inilista muna nang awtor ang kung anu-anong sistema nang panggagantso na nalalaman nya nang personal at isiniksik sa isang matinding librong ito. Mahusay na naihabi ang dramas sa buhay ng bida palibot sa mga ito.

[Isang drayber ang bida na rumangya ang buhay mula sa pagkakalugmok sa pinakailalim na sistema ng korupsyon sa probinsya. Sa istruktura nang nobela kunwa’y sinusulat nya ang kwento nang buhay para ilahad sa Prime Minister ng Tsina na kasalukuyang bumibisita sa India].

Maeengganyo rin naman ang sinumang pinoy na magbabasa ng White Tiger, dahil malalaman nya na mayroon din tayo nang panraraket na tulad nang mga iniksplika sa libro. May mga matitindi rin, at may mga maliliit na makakapagpangiti sabay makakapagpailing na lamang sa ating bansa.

Halimbawa, kapag napadaan sa Julia Vargas, patulak nang Megamol, mapapansin mo na sa huling bloke bago mag-megamol mismo, magiging one way ang mismong Julia Vargas. Pag napadaan ka nang gabi rito, mamamataan mo na di nawawalan ng traffic enforcer sa mismong gitna bago maging one way ang dalawang kalsada na hinahati nang island. Pinakamababa ang tatlong magagaling na enforcers ang nakatayo, hindi nagtatrapik, hindi nagsesenyas, basta nakatayo lamang at nag-aabang. Kasi, pag natyempo ka sa pinakalabas na lane nang kalsada, at di ka lumiko sa biglang nag-one way na kabilang kalye, tiklo ka. Kikil at tatakutin ka nang inconvenience eklat sa pagtubos nang tiket. Ituturo sayo ang isang sign na di mo napansin dahil gabi. Dabest na raket. Ito marahil ang real source of income nila gabi-gabi.

Syangapala sa dulo ng WhiteTiger (dapat kunin mo ang cover ay tulad nang nasa picture sa itaas) ay meron pang reading guide. Parang eksamin ito para mas malasap pa ang mga dapat matutunan sa libro. Parang Noli at Fili. Anggaling,

Pero nabanggit na rin lang ang Noli, parang White Tiger nga rin pala itong nobelang ni Rizal sa isang banda. Nakaispat nga lamang sa mga prayle, kaya malamang boring na siya ngayon sa kabataan. Oras na siguro para gumawa tayo nang pang-kontemporaryong lipunan. Yung mga payola system eklat na naglipana sa lahat nang ahensya nang gubyerno. Ultimong mmda enforcer e pag nakadama nang konting kapangyarihan, e talaga namang pang-iiskor ang mga nasa isip. Kayang-kaya isulat yan ni Norman Wilwayco. 

They went out for Christmas Gifting...

I bought these Vintage Classics because during the last Cutprice booksale that they are real steals (Inferno went  for just 80 PhP), and I knew upfront that they'll look good on any bookshelves..

But then I discovered that in this new Corporate eklat environment I revolve in, gifting is almost a must. And it does gets you favor; it appears to helpget your work done fast, if you know who to give presents to.

I used to think that giving books is plain pretentious. Would the person assume that the book you gave him/her youve already read? Should it mean that that you shouldnt gift books that you havent read yourself? Do you want to send off a deep, learned, well-read, genius image when you give books?  Are you telling the person whom your gifting to to read a bit more as you do?

Ah, basta. I think 99% of unexpected gifts are appreciated.

For posterity (notes to self): I also gave out the following books that Ive finished reading: White Tiger, Oscar Wao, Shalimar the Clown, Outliers. And then some Twisted 8 1/2 Zafra books (signed).
And then one red Scribe notebook, fireman toy, and chocolates bagged in scotchtaped giftwrappers.

Rakenrol Comics: The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb (Review)

MESMERIZING drawings, discomforting panels... this book is easily a landmark of the graphic novel genre.

I first saw an excerpt from this book in The New Yorker magazine’s cartoon issue. The teaser captured cleverly the Adam and Eve episode of Genesis—which of course is the tastiest to draw and capture in comics. It is what attracted me to buy.

Of course the whole book is not as entrancing as that one episode. For example, there are boring chapters explaining lineage—man 1 and man 2 are the sons of man from his “seed” to this woman, and then Crumb did his best to draw unique faces of these persons (with distinct facial hair, headwear, accessories, etc.) to differentiate them and maintain reader interest.

But then the chapters showing the semi-savagery, primitiveness, and weirdness of this first book of the bible are depicted brilliantly. Those make the book's price worth it.

At the minimum, it will make you open that thick bible languishing at your shelf to check if the various narratives, characters, and scenes are really in there. And indeed you’ll discover that everything is in there! Incest, massacres, bludgeoning, generous amounts of sex, a selfish, “love-me, praise-me, you-are-my-servant" God (He seems to be competing with other Gods on some parts), Abraham pimping his wife, rape,... as the cover says--everything illustrated "nothing left out!"

How Crumb draws his people and frame a scene bring out that very unique appeal. It is raw talent to imagine and draw Noah, for instance, as looking like a bumbling, confused old man, and Rachel to have the nose ring, and with a face of seeming perpetual condescension. I also love how we God was depicted here as the "traditional" long beard and flowing white dress... but with a twist of a very expressive face (you'll know when he's really mad).

Definitely worth the price! Deserves a place in your bookshelf. As a coffee table book, it would entrance any guest who casually picks it up. Radical.

Review: Digital Photography Book Vol. 3

This series is truly progressing. And I think Scott as a photographer (Photographer, not as a Photoshop Wizard) has also improved tremendously since volume 1. Just one prime indication: in vol. 1 many pictures used to illustrate the tips are from istockphoto, rather than the author’s own takes. Here in volume 3, I remember only the two pages on Underwater Photography are from istock, the rest are either by Scott himself or his assistants.

The really useful tips have increased widely from Vol 1, Vol 2, to Vol 3. The chapter on Sports Photography in this book, for example, is meatier and useable. The studio shots are also more complicated and more varied. There’s even a devoted chapter for Product Photography (new chapter)   Just to cite two pages of solid tips: there is one regarding experimenting on white balance, and another on getting that starry effect from sunshine. You’ll feel the sincerity in the informal teaching. Imagine: there’s even one recommending to shoot puddles during travelling. Well that’s been a technique not straightly being said in many books on Urban Photography, but you see it indeed every now and then on portfolios of “good, creative”  travel photos. 

 The studio shots and setups are great, and the guides to getting these shots are very clear. There are even more inputs on manipulating sofboxes.   The instructions are now longer, no feeling of being rushed. The accompanying website is also very useful and on a teaching mode. Other useful bits: a clear line drawn between continuous and hot-shoe flashes, a whole chapter on lenses (not afraid to take a stand and recommend what he actually uses). I also like how Scott shows what he packs for wedding, portrait, travelling shoots.

One of the unintended consequence though: Scott’s recommendation for gears is getting more and more EXPENSIVE. From just discussing the several sizes of softbox in volume 2, we know have strip banks, grids, ring lights, beauty dish, cubelite, triflectors,… and these are just from one chapter!   I think that’s the point, however. If you are serious a photographer, your expense will also increase. You have to spend to get to the next level.

This is a very good book to complete the selection. But if you’ve started at Vol 3, best to just go back to Vol 2… then skip Volume 1. You’ll feel shortchanged by Vol 1, and most tips in there are repeated in the last two volumes. I have no idea what is left to discuss for volume 4, except perhaps even more expensive gears, more serious location shoots, more complicated “recipes."

One other thing: Scott should also be congratulated for the choice for the girl model. Very expressive, very versatile, very pretty.  :-)  

I rambled too much here. But in a nutshell Im just saying, this book is easily the best in the series... so far.

Rebyu: Gerilya Fighter, Good Novel (akda ni Norman Wilwayco)

(sinandwich ng sedaris at rushdie para ipakita ang manipis na librong ito--na sa sobrang galing ay kayang tapusin sa isang upuan)

Simula nang mabasa ko ang maikling kwentong ito na itinuro nang isang blog, aba kaagad-agad na humanga ako kay Norman Wilwayco.

Agad kong pinuntahan ang Bookay na tindahan sa Maginhawa St. Diliman (nanduon daw ang mga libro nya) para bilhin at basahin ang kanyang mga nalimbag nang obra nya. Nabili ko ang Gerilya. Matindi ito.

(nilimbag sya gamit ang papel nang parang sa Precious Hearts romances. Ang galing. Parang personal project talaga. Walang padri-padrinong negosyante! Rakenrol!)

Mahusay si Norman. Panalo ang nobela. Maaksyon, matapang, hindi boring.

Bagamat ang mga hardliner ay pwedeng punahin ang panggigilid ng awtor, sa pagpipigil at matamlay na opinyon tungkol sa relevance ng kilusan ngayon, hindi na dapat ito gawin. Ito ang kanyang piniling tirada ng nobela, hindi na dapat pakialaman iyon. Pinili marahil ng awtor ang mabilis na daloy ngkwento at wala nang pahina pang magugugol sa pampabagal ng anumang disertasyon pa.

Bagamat sa aking pagbabasa, di ko napigilang isipin: hungkag na nga ba ang pakikipaglaban mula sa kuta sa bundok? (Tandaan: si Satur ay congressman na. Si Popoy naman ay dinedbol sa UP pagkatapos mananghalian sa mamahaling Chocolate Kiss sa loob ng UP Diliman). Hindi tinumbok ang paksang ito ng diretso, pero pinahapyawan sya nang sapat kung tutuusin. Pinahapyawan din ang iba pang mga katanungang ito:

--Kailangan pa ba ang mga kasama para maipagtanggol ang naaapi sa kanayunan? Parang ang sagot ng nobela ay: oo, kailangan pa sila laban na rin sa patuloy pananamantala ng naghaharing maylupa. Nandyan pa rin silang mga ulupong. Mga bisnesman na gahaman, isama na ang mga ulol na cafgu at sundalo.

--ang mismong conflict ba sa loob ng kilusan ay puspos na rin ng lamat (tulad ng ibang organisasyon,  parating may iringan, parating may nananamantala, maraming dudahan), kaya kailangan nang baguhin organisasyon ng pakikipaglaban???  

--o talagang sa panahon ngayon, nasubukan na ang komunismo—at hindi na sya tenable bilang purong ideyalismo, patungong minimithing utopia. Kailangan nga itong pag-usapan. 

---Sinabi senyo mabibigat ang binanatan ng nobela. Ano pang sustansya ang hahanapin mo sa isang librong napakanipis at mahigit sandaan lang ang bentahan?

Oo, may mga maliliit na pwedeng i-gripe. Katulad nang maraming typo. (Hindi kaya naasar ang mga hurado nang Palanca (na madalas may pagka-OC sa mga typo na ito?) . May mga habi ng istorya na di naibuhol sa huli. Sana rin iniba na lamang tono nang chapters nang para kay Ala, at hiwalay rin ang para kay Tony, para maarok sya nang mabilis nang masa. Pero napakaliliit ng mga angal na ito kumpara sa matinding dating at daluyong nang nobela.

May lovestory pa, may saysay, at tila may mala-Rambong eksena pa nang pagsungkit nang nakabaong bala sa katawan. Meron ding pag-ibig at trahedya ng ina, ama, at anak.

Wow. Bibihira ang ganitong babasahin. Kailangang suportahan ang librong ito. Ikalat. Basahin nang marami. Ipanregalo sa Pasko

-----
POSTSCRIPT

Hinahanap ko ang Mondomonila at Responde.'Ala na sya sa bookay ukay, ubos na raw. sinabi sa akin na magpunta sa Junkie Shop sa Cubao X. pinuntahan ko pero sarado. Gabing-gabi yata nagbubukas ang tindahang yaon.

Nakita ko ang Mondomanila sa Mag:Net sa may Katipunan, aba, ang presyo, limandaang piso! Alam kaya ni Mr. Wilwayco ito? Magkano kaya ang kanyang royalty sa mga kopyang maibebenta nga nang mag:net nang limandaan ang isa (samantalang medyo lukot na ang pabalat nang mga kopya sa establisymentong ito)

Review: Einstein: His Life and Universe

The book is a well-researched and well-referenced biography. Walter Isaacson is the former Managing Editor of Time mag and CEO of CNN. (He’s a distinguished biographer though even before he assumed many of these executive roles). His own fascination--bordering on idolatry--with Einstein is evident on the pages. Why bordering on idolatry? For one, I think the book’s treatment on Einstein’s first wife is unfair or not balanced. But save for this one minor quibble, the book is near perfect. I can imagine that the author has an army of fact-checkers, archivists, and professional reviewers (Professors/Physicists) in the making of this book. The book benefited from these assets, evident up to the bibliography (for further reading). If you consider that the author probably paid for these services, the book should be a good buy, like a machine delivered after thorough R&D :-)

The first chapter until the part on Einstein’s Miracle Year and formulation for General Relativity are remarkable. The arguments with Bohr and the delving into thought experiments are engrossing. Chapters near the end (discussing politics and immigration to America) bored me a bit. This is probably not the fault of the book. This should be natural for most biographies formatted from birth death (not all decades will be full of excitement and achievement. Then the Epilogue on the strange journey of Einstein brain—the literal chopped-up, stored in a jar, and ferried-in-a-pickup-truck brain—propped me up again for a fascinating ending.

In ending, if I may digress a bit, there are so many quotes and anecdotes that are attributed to Einstein by so many people with vested interests--like the one about Einstein as a kindergarten proving the existence of God as an absence of heat whatever (there's even a youtube video for this). This book more or less contains all of Einstein's snippets, aphorisms, 'quotable-quotes,' and surely all major milestones in his life. There are even lengthy discussions by the author on possible 'misquotes.' So if the quote/anecdote is not in here, it's probably urban legend. 

And on hindsight yes, you can even use this nonfiction as a reference book for real, academic discussions. Some sort of 'semi-textbook' on certain topics on Theology, Physics, and Math. 

Definitely worth anyone’s money and time. The most expensive hardbound that Ive bought ever at that time. Im happy with the purchase.

Review: The Lost Symbol

I made a reservation for this book with the expectation indeed that I wont get Literature with a capital L. As an extra mileage of the book, yes it can prompt me to Google and research more on some of the purported "Facts" used in the fiction

But in the end this really is something you finish very fast, more of a junk-food of a book. You won't expect going back to any sentence to savor any well-turned phrase. Instead one should expect the clichés, and overused adjectives.

Dan Brown repeated so many times "staring right in the face," "so obvious," "it was so simple" too much in each revelation, it's a bit annoying. There's also "starled," "stared in horror," "held his breath," peppered in generously. To any reader, as an appeasement, I recommend you just credit everything to writing style. Just plow long. Dan Brown anyway is now a confirmed master of cliffhanger chapters. He makes it a point that you keep on reading--this is a credit.

My primary problem in the book is in its building up to a very shallow prize (relative to the Da Vinci Code). The last pages are almost a disappointment because of this. The ending made me ask... "that's it?" To my mind, it's unbelievable for an organization to go to great lengths to hide in symbol something so not worth it. This makes the book weaker than the Da Vinci Code. I wonder whether the author tried to avoid too much controversy in writing this one or this is really the conspiracy thing lined up for discussion. I think even the first National Treasure movie (also regarding masons) one-upped the book in this regard.

Also as mentioned elsewhere, it's almost the same package, half of the book: the single assassin who had to be naked again, an intelligent lady partner with a personal stake, running from authorities, the running, and escaping so close, etcetera. Im sure Ron Howard is now scratching his head, thinking about putting into film another book of the same exact flow.

Finally, was it worth my money and time nonetheless. I believe, yes. Still good entertainment. And Circumpunct is a funny word, I don't know why it sounds funny to me. Circumpunct! Say it out loud! Makes me smile everytime.

Bargain! Bargain! Books! Books!

Vintage Classics Limited Edition at National Bookstore. Bargain!





I first saw these Vintage line as packages of two books "Vintage Sin, Vintage Satire, etc," costing above 500 PhP. These twin editions might not have clicked on the local market so National repacked the two books into singles. I was surprised to see that the price fell down to 99 PhP each. With the current booksale, they're just 79.25 each! Even cheaper than Happy Meal! Good for gifting!

Ive read Sabbath's Theater and I still consider it inside the top 10 novels that Ive read. Out of respect, I bought two already. (Again, for gifting!)

I intend to buy Possession (Byatt) and Trainspotting (Welsh)--to add to my pile of after-you-go-i-can-catch-up-on-my-reading things. And two Atonement--Ive also read this one, so again, they will be for gifting.

I parked today, and this I saw...

National Bookstore Cut Price Book Sale!
(I used to put nasyonalbukstorcutpricebooksale! at the flyleafs of books I bought during this season)

I also like how theyve brought back that scissor image from long ago. I wish they can also find the tv commercial with falling dominoes from the 90's, and show it again.

It's that time when we can buy books cheaper than anywhere in the US, etc.

I owe a lot to this yearly event. Couldnt have read those Rushdie, Roth, Vonnegut, et al books if they were not on sale. I remember seeing an out-of-my-pocket's-reach book called Sabbath's Theater (400 PhP during college days), and marked that it will go on sale in one year at a big markdown,and it did go on sale! Thank you Nanay Socorro for your superb negotiation skills.

Former expat colleagues used to wait for this as well. Ah, them Dutch.

So went out for lunch today, first day of the sale. And these are the initial loots:




p.s. Fullybooked also went on sale one weekend a month ago. I was able to buy Christmas at The New Yorker, Heat (hardbound by Bill Buford) for 300 pesos! at the branch in Boni High Street. But that bookstore in general prices on the higher side relative to NBS.

Review: A Most Wanted Man (John LeCarre)

The first John LeCarre that Ive read [twas more than 10 years ago] was Our Game. His characters in this book get tremblingly jealous, nauseatingly vengeful, furiously indignant. The protagonist himself is languishing on moral dilemmas. I have read Constant Gardener, Tailor of Panama, Absolute Friends, since, Our Game remains his strongest for me... until this one.

Some people, as with Absolute Friends and Constant Gardener, would probably dislike the book for its ending. Lecarre could have wrapped it up differently by revising just the last 20 page, and the book will sell a couple of hundred thousands more, but LeCarre chooses the most plausible ending that he thinks happen today (same case for his the books I mentioned above). It's his own little way to fan the ember of activism and awareness/alertness on what's happening.

Well even if you don't like spycraft stories and the political underpinning in the book, you will still enjoy the very human characters. They are brilliantly framed, most probably rigorously pre-studied, and the drama is taut. This book is guaranteed worth your while.

To us who work 8am to 8pm, we cant really hope to finish a novel anymore in one week. Much less, expect to start it. But how LeCarre waves real breathing people will take you to finish a book once you started. The tension is always there even without the gunfights and explosions. Last 75 pages especially are fire-y, frenzy.

Review: Age of Turbulence by Alan Greenspan (Paperback, Expanded)

[picture from Amazon.com]

There's a typo on page 527! It's annoying, but everything else in the book is, to say the least, worth your while.

No one can deny that the first part, the real memoir part, is brilliant. There is no grandstanding, no self-aggrandizing, very modest. And the swipes on the personalities that he disagrees with are nothing short of perfect in rationality; and in using a relaxed tone in doing these, the personal hits appear even more effective.

The book also tries concisely to explain how FED works in the macro- and microeconomic environment. For one, you will understand why it is not possible to do that proverbial "when I become President" idea to eradicate poverty--i.e. it's impossible to just print more and more money to get your country richer and richer.

In trying to just pass by some important concepts though with just a quick footnote, the lay man may not fully get some of the `levers,' impact of controlling money supply, the give and take of increasing and decreasing reserves and interests, etc. The best place of course to learn all these is in an economics classroom with a textbook, but if you get the concept at first pass, the illustration flows perfectly into solid learning.

The writing is sometimes academic, and Greenspan loves to use "to be sure", to have transition between sentences or paragraphs. My advise is: if you don't get the thought in one pass, read the sentence/paragraph again to get full learning. (I would believe that one of the intention of the author here is to teach and let the public be aware of how, most of all, market economies work).

Greenspan's opinions on some of the contentious issues of present and future are short and just give options, but on others they are solid like there's no other choice (like in allowing immigration)--so you cant accuse the author of fedspeaking without standing for anything all the way.

Now on the most important part in this paperback edition... I think there's a sudden shift of tone, towards a bit of `fedspeak,' on the bonus chapter. I think if Mr. Greenspan has a chance, he would re-write this epilogue. It would be sour if he wrote this with a pure intention to excuse his tenure as having no influence at all to the current crisis. (Lehman did not fold yet when he wrote this update). This epilogue is more like saying nothing could have been done, except there should be more enforcement and laws on corporate governance, although he admitted in one of the public hearings already that there is a `flaw' in the system. Mr. Greenspan ought to write another book, even if just to extend this chapter. (I would also buy it).

But overall, this book should be judged on its merit and original intent, regardless whether we blame the person for this crisis or just plain hate or like his past policies on hindsight. When you read the book, everything is presented with reason and beliefs based on intelligent data and experience.

The book deserves 5 stars, no doubt.

Reading lined-up

....that in a recent three-week buying frenzy of books from Amazon and Powerbooks. which brought me back 155 USD + 3335 PhP, the most that ive spent in one month for books, have now me saddled with reading materials, which I cannot finish in two years!

Id like to comment on some, and hope to check back this blog entry in one year to check, which one Ive read...

1. god is not great by christopher hitchens--saw this cited first in an esquire article, entitled "thank god for christopher hitchens." then a couple of other reviews somehow, in divine providence, got to me in succession. It appears that this is cited as the best among the recent deluge of "anti-god" lit. i hope to god it's really an interesting read.

2. nobody's perfect by anthony lane--a good writer. best reviewer of movies that has to be deservingly dissed. i'll put a quote in the next edit.

3. batman. the dark knight returns--when in college, i was already hearing about this. It was supposed to be the basis of the first batman (tim burton) movie. then i saw it at national bookstore branch in cubao again during that same week ive heard about it. But i know i cant afford it. also too big to pilfer. only thought of buying it at amazon again upon knowing that christopher nolan is directing the next batman movie. niwey, was a fantastic feeling when i finally opened, and smell its the pages recently.

4. insanity defense by woody allen--been a fan of woody allen ever since seeing his movies in succession in wowow (that fantastic japanese channel which shows boobies, but now nowhere on air here in the phils now). i think it was mighty aphrodite then annie hall then bullets over broadway in succession that got me... what a line up in one weekend. But the first time i've read him in print was only a year ago. it was "the kugelmass episode" from a collection of love stories (called nothing but you) from the new yorker (which i consider inside my top 3 magazines of all). that short story staggered me. he also knows how to write 'em in real prose (not just screenplay). there is one recent tribute that he wrote for ingmar bergman (not included in the book)... "I learned from his example to try to turn out the best work I'm capable of at that given moment."

5. mere anarchy by woody allen--latest collection. picked up in singapore and charged to the company (daily trip allowance) :-)
i wanna quote one more from his bergman article... "But I did manage to absorb one thing from him, a thing not dependent on genius or even talent but something that can actually be learned and developed. I am talking about what is often very loosely called a work ethic but is really plain discipline."

6. einstein: his life and universe by walter isaacson almost finished. interesting initially... but seems to wane in the last chapters. will quote a memo he served his wife after a fight...

7. stories by t.c. boyle pilfered from national cubao his short story collection "if the river was whiskey," because that store priced that thin book unconscionably.

8. the complete polysyllabic spree by nick hornby read some of hornby;s book review. oks lang.

9. curious incident of a dog in a night time by mark haddon 3/4 read might not be able to finish after all, but i think i got the fantastic impact of empathy from the novel's half

10. america: democracy inaction by daily show was attracted by the textbook-approach cum parody. wondered if we can adapt to a local setting. "philippines: democracy in small portions"?

11. Naked by sedaris. tried three essays. Good but if youve read dress your familyand me talk pretty already, you might feel short changed. pieces in those last two collections, I think, are way better.

12. god delusion by richard dawkins was intending to follow up with this after finishing hitchens. read the new material for this paperback. compelling.

13. this is my best by various bought this thick collection of authors who supposed to have contributed what they think was their best. havent tried anything yet except the one from sedaris (already included in me talk pretty).

14. iv by chuck klosterman bought also at bargain. been reading him at esquire. liked his profile of steve nash there (also included in this collection). tried his 80's cruise piece... great writing style (can it be more a technique?). but i think all essays must not be consumed in straight. the style appears too a smartass-sy. you seem to expect it (the smart turn) too much, loses it's surprise and magic

15. i also finished the last harry potter book--appeal is similar to the satisfaction give by Dragonball Z. was bought by talampunay my love.

anyone who wants to borrow must have something interesting to offer in exchange.