After many weekends, I finally finished Haruki Murakami’s piece de resistance. 1Q84 was published in three volumes between late 2009/early 2010. Don’t believe the reviews. Yes, the book is quite detailed but it’s not a slog. The pacing is chippy and the plot, a real page turner. This is the lengthiest work, fiction or nonfiction, that I’ve read thus far. It might be a 2000-page eBook but it felt like 800 pages. Compare with others that are 400 pages but seemed closer to a thousand. 1Q84 as a paperback is about as thick as Infinite Jest but much more accessible to the average reader. No endnotes either. I haven’t read the former but it’s on my radar. If I could find the time, that is.
It’s got a bit of everything. Romance and heartbreak. Youth and old age. Longing and self-actualisation. Magical realism and ‘the town of cats’. Metaphysics and postmodern tropes. There are mentions of Anton Chekhov’s Sakhalin and Proust’s In Search of Lost Time. There’s even a Marshall McLuhan name dropping. The novel’s opening scene references Janacek’s ‘Sinfonietta’.
As the title suggests, the action transpires in an alternate version of 1984, alternating between Tengo and Aomame. The two seemed fated to be apart, until destiny had other ideas. Tengo is the part time maths teacher at the cram school. He secretly ghostwrites this bestselling novel. Meanwhile, Aomame is a fitness instructor who moonlights as a lethal assassin. She takes up the fight for battered women. They are teleported to 1Q84, with two moons and ‘truth is stranger than fiction’. The two were primary school classmates. Both were trapped in unideal circumstances. Aomame was part of a cult while Tengo’s father was a fee collector. The two kids went their separate ways.
Very clever. The ending completes the circle. Once you’ve crested 1Q84 it’s a big achievement. This is my fifth read of the year and the most rewarding. Next up is Michael Connelly’s latest, Nightshade.
Here are a sample of the finest excerpts:
Book I
Appeared to derive a good deal of pleasure from keeping others guessing
Komatsu’s eyes would take on a sharp glow, like stars glittering in the dark winter sky
The Akutawaga prize? Tengo repeated the words softly, as if he were writing them on huge characters with a stick on wet sand.
‘Someone else?’ But he already knew what Komatsu’s answer would be.’
‘You.’
‘It did not sound like all that much fun to Tengo. For one thing, he had never actually seen this “literary world’.”
‘His mouth opening in a big wide grin the likes of which Tengo had never seen.’
‘His last act had been to witness something utterly amazing.’
Apparently asking questions without question marks was another characteristic of her speech
Tengo mentally added a question mark to her comment and answered this new question
Next there was a feature that introduced a clever cat from Shimane prefecture that could open a window and let itself out. Once out, it would close the window. The owner had trained the cat to do this.
…then hung up without saying anything, no goodbye or no see you Sunday, no anything. There was just the click of the connection being cut. Perhaps she had nodded to Tengo before hanging up the receiver. Unfortunately, though, body language generally fails to have its intended effect on the phone.
Tengo’s nickname became NHK.
The difference in treatment was like night and day. It was the greatest strike of good fortune he had ever encountered in life.
When she engaged in conversation, she could only speak one sentence at a time (assuming she was not doing so intentionally).
It might go well at first, but before long people would begin to think that “something” was “funny”.
1Q84 that’s what I’ll call this new world – Aomame.
Tengo’s father was too busy trying to increase his collections, and the girl’s mother was too busy preaching the coming end of the world.
On Sundays, children…should not go around threatening people until they’ve paid their fees or frightening people with warnings about the end of the world.
His smile like a crescent moon at dawn
They would rescue him from this cramped and ugly cage and bring him back where he belonged. Then he would have the most beautiful, peaceful, and free Sundays imaginable.
Tengo had never performed on a percussion instrument nor had any interest in doing so, but once he actually tried playing, he was amazed to find that it was perfectly suited to the way his mind worked.
What did it mean tpfor a person to be free? She would often ask herself. Even if you managed to escape one cage, weren’t you just in another, larger one?
I don’t see any connection between cultural anthropology and stock trading, Tengo said.
In general, there is no connection but there is for him.
This often happened when he was talking with Fuka-Eri. He would momentarily lose track of what he was going to say. It was like sheet music being scattered by a gust of wind.
A tiger may not come out, but there was no telling what might come out instead.
He was no Hitchcockian protagonist, embroiled in a conspiracy before he knew what was happening.
The phone rang in a special way. Just as writing had a particular style, Komatsu’s calls had a particular ring.
I’m strictly a shadow figure. I don’t do well in the sunlight.
In McLuhanesque terms, the medium is the message.
‘Oh well, there’s nothing to be done about the dog’, Tamaru said. ‘She’s dead and won’t be coming back…What worries me though is what happened. It wasn’t something that any ordinary person could do – setting off a bomb inside a dog like that. For one thing, the dog barked like crazy whenever a stranger approached.
Shibuya CrossingMcLuhan
Book II
So far, the only accomplishment of which he could be proud was his role as the ghostwriter who turned Air Chrysalis into a bestseller, but that was something he could never mention to anyone.
Tengo sometimes felt that Komatsu had a certain desire for self-destruction. Maybe deep down he was hoping to see the whole plan exposed, a big juicy scandal blow up, and all connected parties blasted into the sky.
There were no phone calls, no letters…no carrier pigeons.
Hey do you smell something human? One of the cats says. ‘Now that you mention it, I thought there was a funny smell the past few days’, another chimes in, twitching his nose. ‘Me too’, says yet another cat. ‘That’s weird, there shouldn’t be any human here, someone adds. ‘No of course not. There’s no way a human could get into this town of cats.’ ‘Still, that smell of theirs is definitely here.’
The young man hears their soft paws padding their way up the stairs.
Sitting so still at the window, his father reminded Tengo of one of van Gogh’s last self-portraits.
It was, without a doubt, Tengo’s father – or rather, the wreckage of Tengo’s father.
While everything was quite vivid, he noticed touches of unreality around the edges. He had boarded a train, visited the ‘Town of Cats’ and come back. Fortunately, unlike the hero of the story, he managed to board the train for the return trip. And his experiences in that town had changed Tengo profoundly.
Someone once said that nothing costs more and yields less benefit than revenge. -Winston Churchill
Did you go to a town of cats, Fuka-Eri asked Tengo.
His chin stuck out like those of the stone faces on Easter Island.
Beware of catsTown of catsEaster Island statues
Book III
Like one of those stone guardian dogs at the entrance of a Shinto shrine, he stood stock-still.
Ushikawa put the lighter down and tented his fingers on top of the desk.
How about Proust’s In Search of Lost Time? Tamaru asked
The average woman has about 400 eggs. Each month, she releases one of them.
The more I think about it the less I seem to understand, like my brain is a tub of tofu past its expiration date.
She just showed up when she wanted to, and left when she felt like it – like a capricious, independent minded cat.
Knowledge and ability are tools, not things to show off.
In his desk drawer, he had a family photo of the four of them. Even the dog seemed to be grinning.
Sakhalin
Blood had a frighteningly long memory. And the sign of that large head would, sometime, somewhere in the future, reappear, in an unexpected time and place.
Like Gregor Stamza when he turned into a beetle, he deftly stretched his rotund, misshapen body on the floor…
If she had seen him a little longer, she would have noticed that his large head wasn’t that of a child. It would have dawned on her that that dwarfish, huge headed person was none other than the man that Tamari had described.
To him, this was no longer a fictional world, where red blood bursts out when u slice your skin with a knife. And in the sky in this world, there were two moons, side by side.
Munch painting
Maybe he had always liked to sit on top of slides when he needed to think. Maybe the top of a slide in a park by night was the perfect place to think about the plot of the novel he was writing, or mathematical formulas. Maybe the darker it was, the colder the wind, the colder the wind blew, the shabbier the park, the better he could think. What or how novelists (or mathematicians) thought was way beyond anything Ushikawa could imagine.
To rephrase Tolstoy’s famous line, all happiness is alike, but each pain is painful in its own right.
‘Cold or not, God is present.’
It was the kind of expression Munch might have painted.
Tengo could hardly believe it – that in this frantic, labyrinth-like world – two people’s hearts – a boy’s and a girl’s – could be connected, unchanged, even though thry haven’t seen each other in twenty years.
Every writer dreams of trending on the Times Best Sellers. It is, after all, the pinnacle of author success. Like the NBA, millions are after it but only 0.01 percent make it. For the rest, suiting up or charting remains a pipe dream.
Inclusive
Recently, I thought about my readership. Wouldn’t it be nice if my books sold in bricks and mortar stores? Or end up in the top ten of any list. How would it feel if I’m on the bus and some other passenger was engrossed in my book?
My reach need not be that wide. Instead, how about in the hands of all the people I know in Sydney. That’s nice haha. I can already imagine this guy crying croc tears as he struggles with tough words. He keeps checking his mobile for definitions.
Coelho
Let’s be pragmatic. A few weeks ago, I reviewed The Alchemist. Initially, the book was ignored. This went on for a while. The author, Paulo Coelho, seemed resigned that success would never materialise. Until, one day, an American suit discovered his novel. The rest is history.
Of course your work doesn’t have to cause ripples across oceans. Commercial and critical success are nice, but neither is a catch-all measure of your worth as a writer. You don’t need rave reviews or millions to validate your place. The journey and effort are just as rewarding.
Duds
When I was studying, I mentioned that I got 8.5 in the IELTS. We were discussing the English proficiency Test. The second guy wasn’t even there with us. They didn’t believe me. Thought I was bragging and exaggerating. They maligned me to other club members. The tandem was very rude. I’d ask them questions and they’d ignore me. They are *model* Catholics.
As a mixed race kid once said, ‘You might think we’re the same. You’re wrong.’
See also: my 300 page memoir. If the pair could grasp the hard copy, they probably wouldn’t believe their eyes. What is thischicanery, they’d ask. Oh, what I’d give to see the look on their smug faces.
Before, I had wished that all those uni club mates would see my work. Very recently, I’ve changed my outlook. Why is it important for these doubters to read my memoir? Why do I have to prove them wrong? They already know that I completed an Honours degree. Exit, stage left.
Shocker
I’ve seen how people have reacted upon beholding a copy. The guy at the printing press was impressed. My bookworm chiro, entrepreneurs, even family friends. They were lost for words. Some acquaintances were shocked that I had it in me. Yes, they may be physicians and accountants but that doesn’t mean that they could top my effort. I personally know two PhDs who would struggle to write such a work. Whether here or overseas, it’s easy to preen and brag but difficult to walk the talk.
Tip-in
I’m glad that my copies have made their way to people that matter. My parents. My eldest sibling, who resides overseas. Family friends in Sydney. The former chiropractor. My acupuncturist. Other professionals. My GP. Friends. My godmother. The aforementioned store owner. A civil servant. A former classmate. These are the readers that matter. Others are just a bonus.
Please note:
My nonfiction ebook, Topher Wins, is available for purchase. The price has been reduced from 12.99 USD to $7:
Last weekend, my friend asked me what I had in store.
Probably reading, I retorted. I’m fighting with this 2,000 page ebook by Murakami. He’s Japanese.
I like the plan, he said. It’s cold and very rainy. Perfect for staying indoors and reading epics.
Years ago, my teacher mentioned her Japanese friend. When she saw a roach, she asked ‘What’s that?’
Yeah, they’re hard to find in Sydney, he deadpanned.
The author
The life
Before this, I crested Mirin Fader’s latest output. Purchased on Kobo. Dream chronicles Hakeem Olajuwon, former superstar centre. This was more than a feel good story. From a skinny teenager in Lagos, Nigeria to two-time NBA champ. He started playing ball as a twelve year old. Before this, he was a soccer and handball star. Coaches saw tremendous potential in the teener, becoming a Houston Cougar. He led Phi Slama Jama to three straight Final Four appearances, losing twice in the title game. Started out as an inside force before becoming a complete player.
As mentioned, this transcends hoops. His hurdles as a young migrant. The language barrier, media interaction, and his Islamic faith. Asked if he was the shortest in his family, he replied yes. Subsequently, his older brother was depicted as 7-5 though he was 5-10. Over the years, Hakeem stories were like feeding the beast. Tales about his college recruitment become more incredible. With the main players now in heaven, it was like Chinese whispers.
Channeling Hakeem
This book was meaningful to me since I could relate to Hakeem’s early struggles. Before, I went through similar growing pains. Twice, I adjusted to a new country and education system. Though not as accomplished, I ironed my creases. True to his monicker, Hakeem inspires us to dream.
Lagos, NigeriaUni of HoustonPhi Slama Jama
Genesis
Hakeem is the first African born and bred player to make a big ripple in the league. The number one pick in 85, drafted before Michael Jordan. Mentored early on by Moses Malone, he was half of the Twin Towers. Together with 7-4 Ralph Sampson, the pair led the Rockets to the 1986 Finals versus Boston. He became the original international MVP. By his rookie year, Dream was an All-Star. He routinely had more steals than guards, a nod to his soccer skills. His leaping ability and timing were unique for a big man. Later, he became more patient and levelheaded. Fasted during Ramadan, even on game days. Upon rediscovering his faith, he gave back to the community.
He had always been a big brother to his teammates. After many playoff disappointments, he won a chip in 94. Perhaps his series altering block of red hot John Starks in Game 6 inspired Maki’s deflection of Mitsui in Slam Dunk. Quick aside: Starks should’ve passed it to Ewing. Dude was wide open. The Knicks would’ve been kings. Anyhow, the Rockets repeated as champions in 95. Ranked sixth in the west, they remain the lowest seed to win the title. Hakeem is the NBA’s all time blocks leader, with 3,830 swats.
Mentor
He relocated with his fam to Jordan. Been mentoring nba players like the late Kobe, Dwight, and LeBron. His wisdom in improving their post games is unmatched.
I’ve read Giannis, the author’s debut. Both works are well-researched and a joy to read. She’s a plus storyteller and an accessible writer. One-word chapter titles are her trademark. Though the main course was over 600 pages, the book was a breeze. Full marks from Topher.
Rating: 5/5
My favourite quotes from Dream:
‘But those acts are not much heard about because he refuses to promote them. It is, he notes, against his religious beliefs to seek praise for those deeds are between him and Allah.’
‘He asked an attendant at an airport which city had weather similar to Lagos.’
Then there was a cab driver who almost took him to University of Texas at Austin because in Olajuwon’s Nigerian accent, his pronunciation of “Houston” sounded like “Austin”.
‘Several international players have tried out for Lewis’s team over the years, claiming to be 6-10 or thereabouts, only to show up as 6-1 with a mediocre game.’
With Clyde the glide
‘Lewis assumed that would be the way with Olajuwon. ‘I never dreamed the guy would be able to play’, Lewis later said. ‘I had never heard of anyone from Africa being able to play.’
‘After the ball was inbounded to him, he caught the ball and took off without dribbling.’
‘However, the players weren’t sure if Olajuwon could handle the game’s physicality, especially his tendency to bend forward in respect; they didn’t want opponents to mistake the gesture for softness.’
‘Olajuwon told him that many students held inaccurate views of Africa, with some asking if he lived in “the jungle or a hut”…’
‘He speaks in halting English but fluent Dunkese.’
‘Hakeem was a dreamer’, says Gbemisola Abudu, NBA Africa’s first Vice President. ‘He gave everybody permission to dream.’
‘He played with a certifiable pride, an unquantifiable competitiveness.’
‘Ybarrondi was trying to teach him that material things wouldn’t truly fulfil him.’
‘One should not seek happiness from external things or people.’
‘He no longer drank alcohol.’
HoustonLagos
‘He had finally embraced a critical lesson: he needed his teammates to help him win.’
‘He (John Starks) had already drained six shots in a row. “He was hot as fish grease that night.”
‘He wasn’t just The Dream,’ journalist Monis Khan wrote. ‘To many Muslim-Americans, he was the epitome of the American Dream.’
‘Don’t ever underestimate the heart of a champion.’ – Coach Rudy Tomjanovic
‘Being a good citizen doesn’t mean taking pride in where you were born. It means being a good citizen of the world.’
‘And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.’
Some might be familiar with the phrase, taken from The Alchemist. I should’ve read this book twenty years ago but kept procrastinating. As they say, ‘Shoulda coulda woulda’.
A peer was perusing it. My mentor ‘was shocked beyond repair’. Well, better late than never. A slow starter, the novel became an international bestseller. After trending, Paula Coelho was on the map. Ergo, Alchemist is no secret. Many have found hope in its pages and many more will appreciate it. The work caters to all walks of life. Seminarians and savants have perused it. Alchemist has been a gem since the late eighties.
The 25th anniversary edition has a silly foreword. The author writes that he is Santiago, the protagonist. Any scrivener worth their salt knows that someone other than the author must write the foreword.
Personal Legend
The book introduces new concepts like the soul of the world and one’s personal legend. We follow Santiago from Andalusia to Northern Africa. He searches across seas for a treasure, reportedly in the Pyramids of Giza. Along the way, he sells his flock. Works for a merchant who barters crystals. Loses a fortune and gains another. Contends with the unforgiving wind and arid desert. Meets new faces and falls in love. Encounters the alchemist and an Englishman who yearns to be one.
Shepherd in Andalusia Morrie and Mitch Albom
Part Bildungsroman, part love story, this metaphysical read is one you shouldn’t miss. Has shades of Tuesdays with Morrie, although it was published ten years prior. Both texts ponder the meaning of life, although one is a novel and Tuesdays is a memoir. Santiago is very good-natured. He trusts people too much, even strangers. Sees the best in others. Likewise, the shepherd communicates with his flock nonverbally. Finds peace in silence. Loves the chase as much as the proverbial pot of gold.
As per above, the alchemist is but a supporting character. While powerful, he worships neither gold nor immortality. He loves the adventure just like Santiago.
Brevity
At less than 200 pages, the book is succinct. The pages are accessible yet beauteous. Coelho speaks from the heart. Alchemist strikes the right balance between philosophy and storytelling. Between historical fiction and magical realism. Despite the simple language, the narrative runs deep. Coelho reminds me of Ernest Hemingway and his iceberg theory. As they say, ‘There’s more than meets the eye.’
A timeless read, this will be appreciated across oceans of time. Four decades post-release, the book remains pertinent. I borrowed the eBook from the library.Finished it after a few days. Alchemist will influence readers regardless of their age, creed, or flag. More than the eloquent prose, I admire the author’s resilience. Whereas others would give up, he soldiered on and the rest was publishing history.
This marks the year’s third completed read. Also the shortest of the trio. All eBooks: one novel and two were nonfiction. I could see how Alchemist charted on bestseller lists. I’m getting into a groove. Reading in my spare time is easier.
Andalusia The authorPyramids of Giza
Quips
Here are my favourite quotes:
‘People call it the levanter, because on it the Moors had come from the Levant…’
‘Whoever you are, or whatever that you do, when you really want something, it’s because the desire originated in the soul of the universe. It’s your mission on earth.’
‘I only interpret dreams. I don’t know how to turn them into reality. That’s why I have to live off what my daughters provide me with.’
‘And when two such people encounter each other, and their eyes meet, the past and the future become unimportant. There is only that moment and the incredible certainty that everything under the sun has been written by one hand only.’
‘At that moment, it seemed to him that time stood still, and the Soul of the World surged within him. When he looked into her dark eyes, and saw that her lips were poised between a laugh and silence, he learned the most important part of the language that all the world spoke – the language that everyone on earth was capable of understanding in their heart. It was love. Something older than humanity, more ancient than the desert…’
‘Because I don’t live in either my past or my future. I’m interested only in the present. If you can concentrate always on the present, you’ll be a happy man.
‘In alchemy, it’s called the Soul of the World. When you want something with all your heart, that’s when you’re closest to the Soul of the World. It’s always a positive force.’
‘Each day, in itself, brings it with an eternity.’
‘One could open a book to any page, or look at a person’s hand; one could turn a card, or watch the flight of the birds…whatever the thing observed, one could find a connection with his experience of the moment.’
‘He knew that any given thing on the face of the earth could reveal the history of all things.’
‘I’m going to wait for you here every day. I have crossed the desert in search of a treasure that is somewhere near…’
Weeks ago, I rediscovered this epic song. ‘American Pie’ was released over fifty years ago. Younger generations are more familiar with Madonna’s 90s rendition. I’ve heard the original version before. Didn’t realise that it was over eight minutes long. Lost in the catchy airplay were the stories. American tackles the sixties with a plethora of pop culture references and metaphors. A postmodern tour de force. I feel inspired whenever I hear the song. One day, I hope to write a piece as epic as Don Maclean’s. So far, my lengthiest poem is nine pages, still shy of his sixteen sheets. The song resembles a short story in form. A unique narrative that transcends genres and time.
Topnotcher
In 1971, American topped the Billboard charts for four weeks. When it hit the top hundred, it was the lengthiest piece to do so at the time. Held the distinction of the lengthiest song to reach number one, until Taylor Swift eclipsed him fifty years later. Too epic was American that it was split into two cd’s. The song, at least fifteen stanzas long, exemplifies the hopes and dreams of a generation. He ends some vignettes, with ‘The day the music died’.
This refers to the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Richie Valens et al. Closed the book on the early rock era.
This shows their disillusionment at the way the decade panned out. Losing their youthful idealism. He references such monoliths as Elvis Presley (the king) and Bob Dylan (the court jester). JFK’s assassination is likewise explored. The moon landing and Chicago protests are included. The song became an anthem for soldiers and cowboys, musicians and magicians. Permeated schools and clubs, joints and proms. Even in the nineties, the song meant something as its reissue charted in 91.
ElvisThe court jester, Dylan
Fave
My fave lines are these:
‘The players tried for a forward pass With the jester on the sidelines in a cast
Now the halftime air was sweet perfume While the sergeants played a marching tune We all got up to dance Oh, but we never got the chance ‘Cause the players tried to take the field The marching band refused to yield Do you recall what was revealed The day the music died?’
Marching band
Nostalgic
There’s so much to love about this. The ‘forward pass’ and ‘the jester…in a cast’.
‘The players try to take the field…the marching band refused to yield’.
Makes me nostalgic. Memories of college hoops and NBA game winners, where crowds would storm the field. The forward pass, illegal in rugby league.
He also mentions ‘…with a coat borrowed from James Dean’.
This elucidates the court jester, as Dylan posed in a mag cover with said coat. Likewise, the jester stole the king’s thorny crown reveals how Dylan stole Elvis’s thunder.
Through the decades, people tried to decipher the song’s cryptic meaning. Maclean stayed out of it. They’ll get answers, just not from him.
When asked what his lyrics meant, Maclean jestingly replied that it meant he could forget about work from then on. For him, a songwriter shouldn’t show his full deck. They mustn’t focus on their highs. Make a bold statement and on to the next project.
Don Maclean
Legacy
No doubt, this is a masterclass. A lesser mind could not produce his piece de resistance. Hence, why it stood alone atop the Billboard perch for five decades. Maclean was in his midtwenties when he penned this. In case you’re wondering, he’s still alive. American has been described as ‘a monumental accomplishment of lyric writing’.
Nominated for song and record of the year at the 15th Grammy’s. Won neither. Perhaps its length was the issue.
He’s written other songs, like Vincent – a tribute to Van Gogh. Make no mistake: American Pie remains his obra.
Metaphysician
Someday, I hope they’ll say the same thing of my output. They’ll call me a metaphysician…of verses. Writing a poetic tome ain’t easy. Even harder? A meaningful epic poem. Where every word stands for something. Will leave people thinking for decades. As Sean Connery put it, ‘They’ve been talking about it for years. They just haven’t been saying anything.’
All was revealed when he auctioned off his manuscript. Sixteen pages, with annotations and notes. Sold, for $1.2 m. We’d learn, among others, that Dylan was the court jester.
Still, American is no Iliad. The latter clocks in at an astounding 704 pages! By comparison, John Milton’s Paradise Lost is 453 pages.
There have been parodies and covers. As mentioned, Madonna gave a valiant effort but nothing’s like the original. The raunchy American Pie film series takes its name from the song.
‘American Pie’ has been dubbed as a most debated and successful song of the 20th century. A fixture in best songs of the 1900s. It has also been described as a ‘cultural touchstone’. American proves that Maclean is the storyteller par excellence. In his time, no one wrote songs like him, save perhaps Dylan himself. In being untouchable for fifty years, he’s a once in a generation talent.
A few nights ago, I crested this nonfiction title. Careless People chronicles Kiwi, Sarah Wynn-William’s, journey as a Facebook executive. Careless trended on best sellers lists. FB tried to ban it. This piqued my sis’s interest and I borrowed the eBook. At 620 pages, it was a slog. I crammed during the last few nights or I will not finish my loan. Heaps of FB policy seemed like mumbo jumbo to the common reader. Near the end, I skipped pages. Else, I’ll never reach the finish line. The book was warranted, getting it straight from the horse’s mouth. After all, FB is our zeitgeist.
Idealism
The book is all about idealism. Sarah worked at the UN but was discontented with her former role. She was just another bureaucrat and itched to leave the sidelines. She believed that Facebook could change the world. She went out of her way to work at FB. She notes how the company is like a brick wall. Contacting them or pitching a job is almost impossible. A mutual friend gave her a sliver of daylight. Even then, she kept chasing them.
Had a grand vision for her new role. It read like a nonfiction Lord of the Flies or The Beach. In terms of movies, it reminded me of 1984. There are 48 chapters, plus a prologue and epilogue. She writes of the lavish private jet flights and the absurd amount of wealth among Facebook execs.
Lord of the Flies1984
Storyteller
Throughout the text, Sara is a plus writer who keeps you focused. When to humour you and when to extrapolate. The shark attack bit was irreverent. Funny how others were unfamiliar with New Zealand. You almost forget that you’re reading a tome. Or that this is her first book. Some people say that they already knew the details. Well, not all of us. I did not know of the Myanmar situation and the fake news. I’ve never heard of Internet.org.
The author laments that Facebook could’ve done better. Should’ve used its tools wisely. I admired how she stuck to the script. This book is about Facebook, her workplace for some time. She was stationed in their New York offices for a few years. She then joined their Silicon Valley headquarters. She talks of the perks of being an FB employee. Conversely, the long hours by the top brass was shocking. As we learn of her story, we get a better sense of the FB microcosm. We unpack the key players from her POV. We comprehend FB’s involvement in various developing countries. Here are a few excerpts from my latest read.
I don’t see it. I feel it. A force so powerful and unexpected. A shark attack is like being hit by a knife attached to a freight train.
My dad howls, “She was my favourite daughter.” I enjoy that for a moment. I have two sisters. I can’t wait to tell them. I’d always suspected it. Then my mother wails, “Just like the cat!” Because our cat Winkels had recently met an untimely end. Just like the cat. Brutal.
The fear chokes me as I anticipate the next axe strike across my neck or skull or some other vulnerable part of me, delivering the final blow.
In New Zealand, it’s easy to feel like you’re on the edge of the world.
Like Chairman Mao’s original, Facebook’s Little Red Book is filled with quotes, images, and core principles from its supreme leader, although in this case of course that’s Mark rather than Mao.
They don’t think Facebook should be using the platform to push people to do anything- donate their organs, vote, eat more vegetables, floss, adopt stray puppies, anything.
Then it’s simply a matter of plonking myself down at her table and waiting to see if anyone will remove me.
The Social Network
Stories in which Vaughan has insisted on “showing them his deck.” The New Zealand accent turns e’s into i’s, so it sounds like a lewd proposition rather than a business invitation to review some slides.
He stops and asks me to explain where the country is. This happens so frequently that a few weeks into his tenure, I offer to buy him a world map. He turns that down, but days later, a large framed map shows up in his office.
I run over from my desk and see a woman convulsing on the floor. She’s foaming at the mouth and her face is bleeding.
I notice that the newly elected president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, who credited Facebook with his election-is conspicuously napping.
SpideyThe Emperor’s Club
Quotes
After going through Careless, I recall this movie quote. ‘Great ambition and conquest without contribution is without significance.’
That was from The Emperor’s Club. FB had these sweeping plans to do good and broaden their reach. They did this. However, when trouble came to these places, they were like Frankenstein’s creator. They would not control the beast.
Another one: ‘With great power comes great responsibility.’
That was from the OG Spidey. Being puissant and ubiquitous makes you accountable.
Worth the hype
I got through most of the book within a few days. My second read of the year. A few times, I almost quit. The succinct chapters helped. Apart from the policy jargon, the language was accessible, a well-written account from a smart technocrat. This was worthy of the hype. Getting an insider’s look on FB is rare. David Fincher’s The Social Network gave an unflattering and raw portrait of FB. I saw that one with a friend at the cinemas. This delves further into the think tank’s psyche. Careless wasn’t the easiest but I’m glad that I persevered.
At the moment, Careless has a 4.32 rating on Goodreads. Over 19,000 readers have rated it. This means that the work has remained above 4 or an 80% approval score. Will the book age well? Will future bookworms remain curious about the social network? Only time will tell.
Happening now: the Easter long weekend. Here in Sydney, the options are endless. The Easter Show. The rugby action. Blockbuster movies. The Sydney fish market…and a partridge in a pear tree. Upon closer inspection, these events are not for everyone. Show tickets are 48 bucks. Factor in the rides, chow, other buys, and show bags, my sister told me that I’d end up spending $200. To avoid the stampede, why not read the good old eBook? Nothing beats sitting at your desk and devouring the latest Facebook tell-all. Of course, I do plan on exploring the great outdoors this weekend. One thing to remember is that these apps use different file types. Hence, your Kindle eBook will not work with Apple Books and vice-versa. I’ve been trending towards examining nonfiction. Here is my ranking of three popular eBook apps.
Sydney Olympic ParkRandwick Ritz @ 80 yearsGood Friday showdown
Kindle. The original and the best. Great synchronisation across your devices. Using your Amazon account, pick up where you left off. As long as your account is working, you’ll never lose books. Unlike Apple Books, which is tied to your Apple account. Kindle has possibly the most comprehensive selection of eBooks. This is the place to go for hard to find titles. I’ve read many basketball books here which I otherwise wouldn’t find. The breaks of the game by David Halberstam. Life is not an accident by Jay Williams. Bleeding Orange by Jim Boeheim.
You can highlight and look up words. There is a bookmark option, so you can easily return. A handy contents page. As mentioned, the Kindle app syncs across your devices. It’s very intuitive. Whether on your laptop, tablet, or phone, Kindle is leaps and bounds above the rest. Unfortunately you cannot purchase books directly from the app. However, the Amazon website makes book reading easy with one click purchase.
I haven’t read a book on Kindle in a while now, but I do regret buying Nike executive, Sonny Vaccaro’s memoir on Apple Books. I should’ve gotten it on Kindle. I’ve already purchased my next Kindle read: Tuff Juice by ex NBAer Caron Butler. I’ve read Kobe’s foreword.
Rating: 4.8/5
Haven’t finished any of these books
2. Apple Books. The stock reading app that came with my iPads. It replaced the now defunct iBooks. There’s a decent selection of titles. One handy feature is the reading goal, which you can adjust. It keeps track of your diligence, praising your streak. Like Kindle, there is a dictionary, bookmark, and highlighter. You can make annotations on the eBook. The pricing is similar to Kindle and you can use Apple gift cards to pay for your purchases. The big downside though is losing access to your library. Once you create a new Apple ID, you’ll lose your material, read or unread. A tourist’s guide to losing unread eBooks: I feel ya. Like Amazon, it’s got a clean interface and is mostly problem free. It also sync across devices, as long as you use the same ID. The biggest thing going for Books is that you could browse and buy titles in-app. That’s something you won’t find with the other two.
Rating: 4.2/5
3. Kobo. No offence, but this is the weakest of the trio. First off, you have to pay in Yankee $$. Secondly, you get slugged with state and city taxes on checkout. They should provide a clearer way of communicating this, not shocking you with fees when it’s time to pony up. On top of that, their app is a little spoiled. I have to turn off my WiFi every time I use their app. Is this a joke? Maybe they’re a crew of comedians. Just like Apple Books, you will lose everything if it’s tied up to your Apple ID.
Basically, the main thing going for Kobo is that they offer some hard to find books. They’ve got the John Wooden read. Ray Allen’s From the Outside. The recent Hakeem epic by Mirin Fader. They’re the only one to offer the last two.
Rating: 4/5
These three apps reveal that going digital is the trend. Even Topher aka Wellington Ong and his published books have gone with the flow. Of course, many traditionalists will pout at not scanning physical pages. EBooks will never replicate the turning and feel of the pages or low eye strain. The book’s heft is both a pro and con. EBooks will save you lots of space, but hardliners would rather fill that void with copies. To paraphrase Air Jordan, there is no E in book, but there is in eBook.
P.S. I know there are other reading apps out there. Libby, BorrowBox, and IndyReads come to mind. However, these library apps have a limited selection and limited copies, too. I’m sure that I’m not alone in facing disappointment after a few searches. The precious eBooks just aren’t there. For new releases, there’s a long wait. Plus, you have an ephemeral time to peruse your loan. That’s a dealbreaker for me.
This will be the year’s first reading list. Finishing books is like placing an order online. Turning the final page carries a feeling of finality. Months ago, I started off the season with another hoops eBook. DeMar Derozan is one the game’s deadliest perimeter shooters. In his candid memoir, he recounts his journey. From his youth in crime riddled Compton to his decade in Toronto, he provides an inside look. He recounts his shock at being traded to San Antonio. Of course, he foregrounds his battle with depression. Coming out was a watershed moment for a star black athlete. He’s gutsy. Michael Connelly’s latest was next. This time, I got the hard copy. The author is as sharp as ever. Even with Harry Bosch as a supporting character, Connelly remains a winner. Finally, Ray Allen’s digital memoir rounds out the trio. I got this from Kobo. These books were bestsellers on release. I read the first two a while back but couldn’t find the time to crest the third. Tried a few classics but got turned off. Like my previous inventory, I’ll proffer the best quotes to tell the story.
I
Above the Noise (Demar Derozan).
It didn’t matter which way you moved, I could never get anything but static snowstorm on the screen.
In the kitchen, we used an ice cooler instead of a refrigerator.
‘I have no idea how the name (Deebo) followed me to the NBA.’
On meeting Sam Cassell: ‘I was being given access to the hoops brain of a real NBA player. It was like unlocking a new level.’
‘Kobe was constantly giving out cues, like basketball was a fucking who-done-it mystery.’
‘I’m a big sneakerhead – I have a whole closet full, every shoe you can imagine in every colour you like.’
On losing his mate: ‘I remember going to class the next day and looking over to see his textbook, pencil, and shit still on his desk like everything was normal. I suppose it was in a way.’
‘Plus, across the court is one of the greatest players to ever play the game. Playing against ‘Bron seemed impossible.’
‘I wanted my name to be intertwined with Raptors basketball forever…I was Toronto for life.’
I grabbed my cellphone, opened Twitter, and typed ‘This depression get the best of me’ and hit send.
‘I keep hearing people refer to me as “the face” and I never had a clear-cut answer for what, exactly, that was supposed to mean, being a “face” of mental-health awareness.’
‘When it was finally time to play in the Bubble, the atmosphere was bizarre. Playing an NBA game in a gym with nobody there was definitely a new experience.‘
‘I still have bad days, but I feel more empowered than ever to keep fighting for the next one.’
Not only do I struggle, but when I do, the whole world sees it. My success is public, just as my failures are. It took me a very long time to accept that fact.
‘Because I know from experience how inspiring that can be. Compton raised me. It taught me to be resilient, to experience and overcome hardship.’
‘I still crave the sense of calm I’ve been chasing all my life.’
‘Just like the stars, it’ll shine again tomorrow.’
Rating: 5/5
2. The Waiting (Connelly). Another easy read from my favourite crime novelist. I loved the busybody, Colleen Hatteras. She’s annoying but a change of pace from your regular Connelly villagers. The author keeps thinking up new ways to entertain us readers. At 403 pages and 56 chapters, there’s a lot to like.
‘A lizard, and he bought it?’
‘I don’t know, but it gave him a reason to drop it. I don’t think he’ll bring it up again.’
‘Ballard got out of the Defender and headed to the back door of the complex. She was already exasperated with Colleen and the day hadn’t even started.’
‘Are you trying to scare me?’
‘Uh, no,’ Laffront said. ‘Just trying to be inconspicuous.’
They spoke in whispers even though they were more than a hundred feet away from the Purcell house.
I’m fine, Harry.’‘For now. Just hurry it up.’‘Yes,‘I’m fine, Harry.’‘For now. Just hurry it up.’‘Yes, Dad.’
…Think before you act. There are consequences. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. The laws of politic are the same as the law of physics.’
‘Colleen’, she said, ‘why don’t you go to your pod and get ready to walk us through what you found yesterday.’
‘Colleen, how did you find him?’ ‘It was easy,’ Hatteras said. ‘I just googled “Victor Best Hawaii,” and this page on the restaurant site came up. I wish it were always this easy.’
‘She’s probably at home sulking because you’ve so mean to her.’ Really? You think I’m mean to her?’ Maddie smiled. ‘I’m just kidding’, she said. ‘She just gets too in-your-face…’
As she spoke, she casually reached down to the left cuff of her pants, pulled the Rugger from her ankle holster, and straightened up with it pointed at Bennett’s chest. ‘My gun has bullets…and yours does not.’
Rating: 4.9/5
3. From the Outside (Ray Allen). In his inspiring memoir, the NBA champion talks about his work ethic, family, coaches, teammates, and playoff glory. He dissects his biggest shot, when he drilled the improbable three that effectively buried the Spurs in the NBA Finals. He gives us an insider’s look into basketball’s finest league. His stops in Milwaukee, Seattle, Boston, and Miami. His cat fights with Rajon Rondo and George Karl. Seems like he was always last to know that he was traded Lol. For such an accurate marksman, Allen was woefully underpaid and unappreciated by his teams. I’m surprised he didn’t vivisect the catfishing incident. Even at 400 pages, an easy read from a high-IQ basketball player. Wasn’t a fan though of Spike Lee’s foreword.
‘I played in Milwaukee with a guy, Tim Thomas, who could shoot lights out, as long as he stayed inbounds.’
‘People in the parking lot, I found out later, tried to get back in, but couldn’t.’
‘As proud as I am to be an American, we don’t have a monopoly on the right way to think and live.’
‘But if you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything.’
‘Earlier, along the same lines, Doc introduced us to Ubuntu….The point is, to be the best you can be, everybody around you has to be the best they can be. Ubuntu became our mantra for the rest of the season.’
‘If you are not content with who you are, a championship or any accomplishment, isn’t going to change that.’
‘So that night, I’m not proud of this, I made sure not to break the record.’
‘If I had been dealt to the moon, she would’ve said no problem, and gone to look for her astronaut suit.‘
‘Was I shocked? Absolutely not. KG would’ve snubbed his grandmother if she signed with another team.’
‘I’m not the most innately talented guy’, he told us, ‘but I have been part of winning teams. And if you win, you will have a chance.’
‘The freshman is better than I was’, Tate said.
‘No one, after all, is bigger than the game.’
‘You become a champion the day you commit to giving your best no matter what the obstacles may be’
‘Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past’.
You might have encountered this reflection in the past. It’s from the novel 1984, which has been adapted into film. I’ve reviewed the 1983 version on this site. The movie was notable as the swan song of the late actor, Richard Burton (pictured below with Elizabeth Taylor). I’ve never attempted to read Orwell. His prose is dense and full of description. Not my cup of tea. I’m not going to give a shopping list of the plot as I had already exhausted this in my 2014 review.
I saw this quote in Blake Crouch’s Recursion. The latter is about time travel. The line is circular. The past and the future. The present and the past. A play on time. The quote suggests that our hours are precious. Your past matters to your future. Your present and past are linked. ‘Make the most of now’.
The vicious cycle
Time, whether yesterday, today, or tomorrow, is vicious. We cannot stop the ticking clock. Neither can we resurrect bygone days. We cannot manipulate time, but only learn from our mistakes and grow. Be productive now or die trying. Accept and execute your responsibilities. Be kind to your elders, family, and friends. Stay healthy and thank me later. Read books. Travel the world. Plant trees. Build relationships. Avoid being bitter and obstinate. Fight for your principles. Pursue your dreams. Let nothing stop you.
We should be masters of all three timeframes. We cannot change the past, but we can make peace with it. We should give the present our all, as equals. Do not dread the future, but face it with a smile.
This is similar to the Deathly Hollows in Harry Potter. By bragging about the Elder Wand, the brother met his Maker. Ditto the middle child. Only Harry’s progenitor survived. Smart and quiet did the trick.
HemingwayFitzgeraldCamus
Transitory
Acceptance is paramount. We can’t be the fastest, brainiest, coolest, most gifted, or the cutest. We can’t live for 200 years, by the seashore or in our own manor. Can’t be the happiest souls on earth. We can’t win at everything. History is littered with skeletons of unrealised potential. In spite of this, we can change our perception. Make our liabilities into strengths. Maximise our abilities to help compensate for our shortcomings.
Orwell released his book in 1948. Animal Farm is his other great work. 1984 is not War and Peace. It clocks in at 348 pages. Some say his last spouse inspired the character Juliet. Before this, he focused on nonfiction.Orwell was in middle life when he offered his two greatest hits. In the land of the living, his days were eventful. Much like Ernest Hemingway, he had stints in various locales. He was a soldier in Spain as well as an in demand journalist.
‘Last seen’
Let us apply modern technology with analog. Before, I used WhatsApp to connect with my mates. These days, I utilise Viber. Both platforms have a ‘Last Seen’ feature. This shows the ultimate time that your contact was active on the app. George Orwell was last seen in 1950. That’s a very long time ago. Both of my parents weren’t even born then. That’s over three quarters of a century. Man hadn’t landed on the moon. Countries like South Sudan, Eritrea, and East Timor weren’t even present yet.
His neologisms are still in use nowadays. He is widely regarded as an elite British writer. Most of what the author wrote was prophetic. There is no East Asia. However, his vivid prose is a match for today’s milieu.
Blimey
I’ve consumed other great English authors. Off the top of my head: William Golding and The Lord of the Flies. Alex Garland, The Beach. J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter. J.R.R. Tolkien, Lord of the Rings. William Shakespeare. Bruce Chatwin. Others like Nick Hornby, Christy Lefteri, and Adrian McKinty are not as commanding but still delightful.
Funny how a book from the forties and WW2 remains relevant almost eighty years later. This is literature: it stands the test of time. Appreciated by all walks of life. Not that they are created equal. Some are more accessible. Others are an acquired taste. Not everyone will enjoy whiskey and rum. The same goes with these books. I’ve tried reading Camus, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Ernest Hemingway. Every book will render a different experience. Choose wisely.
