Book Meme

I was first "tagged" by Anispice and then later by Anthony (coincidence that they both start with 'A'). Time to get over this procrastination and post a long over-due reply:

Total No. of books owned: Around 50.

Last book I bought: There were two, actually. From the MPH booksale a few months ago.

Seabiscuit: An American Legend/ Laura Hillenbrand [Click to check NLB catalogue]
NLB Call No.: 798.400973 HIL (Adult General 700s section)

Bought this because I'd watched the movie on a flight one time, and was totally moved by it. Told my wife about it and bought the book for her to read. I also read the book and it's way better than the movie.

The Fiery Cross/ Diana Gabaldon
NLB Call No.: GAB (Adult Fiction collection)

This one, I have absolutely no idea what it's about, and I have not read it yet. Decided to buy it because (1) the blurb says it's a historical fiction (according to NLB catalogue entry, it's a "time travel fiction" set in North Carolina colonial history -- cool!), (2) it was within my cheapo-budget of $5.00 per item, (3) it was 1,443 pages and therefore further bargain if the book is as good as it says it is.

Last book I read:
O Singapore!: Stories in celebration/ Catherine Lim
NLB Call No.: SING LIM (Singapore Collection)


Five books that mean a lot to me:


1) Starship troopers/ Robert Heinlein
Read the original by Heinlein, not the movie tie-in. It's pretty intellectual, really (so unlike the lousy movie). One of the first Military/ Socio-political/ Sci-Fi books I read when young. It left a lasting impression and probably paved the way for my interest in Sci-Fi. (Must get the library to buy newer copies).


2) Fields of Fire/ James Webb
Read this when I was 15, and I think I re-read it again when I was 17. I had heard about how US lost the Vietnam war, and about war protests etc. But didn't really know what the whole anti-war movement was about. Then I read this book (the Vietnam war told from the eyes of the soldiers). It moved me. Vividly. And at that young age, I realised that "War is Hell"; "There are no winners, only losers".


3) Dune (Dune Chronicles, Book 1)/ Frank Herbert
Another book that I read in my formative years (between 12 to 16) and no surprises, it's Sci-Fi. But it's not not really about the Science, nor the Fantasy (there's quite little, relatively speaking). What I discovered was about human stories -- betrayal, trust, hope, bravery, courage, triumph, politics, religion -- as well as ecology.


4) Charlotte's Web/ E. B. White
Again, something I read in in my early teens. This was not my literature text. I don't know how I got the book, but it was there at home one day. I picked it up and was moved by the friendship, love and sacrifice that a spider had for pig. I still get goosebumps thinking about it.


5) Ten ancient scrolls for success: from The Greatest Salesman in the World/ Og Mandino
This one I read about 3 or 4 years ago, when I was about midpoint through a stressful period in my career. I turned to self-help motivational books and somehow discovered Og Mandino. He writes brilliantly, so much so I decided to buy a copy of this book. I can honestly say it changed the way I looked at life, and came at the right time when I needed to break out of a rut.


The five people I tag:

1. Real Public Librarian
2. Filipino Librarian
3. Sybilla
4. Biblioacid
5. NTUC Income CEO Tan Kin Lian

Tag: book meme