Hooked With Books

It's been six month since I've been here in Bangkok spending most of my weekdays time alone while my husband is working his butt off in the office. Aside from growing another human being inside me, I look for alternative activities to make my days productive. I've finished multiple seasons of my favorite American and British TV shows continuously and read books to my heart's content. 

One of my favorite Tyrion quotes. Googled photo. 

Before I left, my father worried that I may succumb to idleness by being a stay-at-home wife. Being the greatest influence on my love for reading, he closely instructed me to never waste a single day without reading. "Read good books everyday", he told me. Now, he frequently keeps track on what book I am reading whenever we go on Facetime! Haha! Pressure si Papa! In this entry, I'll wrap-up all the books I read (one is a re-read) for the past six months. 

1. Eat, Pray, Love (Elizabeth Gilbert) 

    This one's a re-read from four years ago. I wanted to refresh in my memory the author's journey to three countries (Italy, India and Indonesia) in her quest to finding happiness, balance and a profound meaning to her life. I was re-reading this while I was in a yoga class before I got pregnant, so it made me understand more of the concepts of yoga and meditation. I love how she stringed together all her experiences throwing out the dirty ones brought about by her divorce, exploring new places, learning a new language, embracing new ideas and concepts and meeting awesome people. All of those were major influences in her realization that her happiness resides within the the balance between worldly enjoyment and divine transcendence. 

2.) The Winner Stands Alone (Paulo Coelho)

    From one of my favorite authors, this book tackles about passion, materialism, power and fame. Set in the backdrop of the Cannes Film Festival in France, it's a psychological thriller about supermodels, fashion designers, film producers and capitalists grappling for the sweetness of  money, reputation and world dominion. It reminds us of the reality wherein the so-called Superclass reign one side of the world while creating wars on another.

"People are never satisfied. If they have a little, they want more. If they have a lot, they still want more. Once they have more, they wish they could be happy with little, but are incapable of making the slightest effort in that direction." -The Winner Stands Alone

3.) The True Secret (Amira Ayad) 

     As Muslims, we perceive Islam as not merely a religion but our complete way of life. This book by an Egyptian author is a guide to evaluating one's self and changing actions or beliefs that may have been a hindrance to achieving eternal happiness, meaning in this world and in the hereafter. It is like the Islamic counterpart of Rhonda Byrnes The Secret which I wrote about here, with citations from the Holy Qur'an and the Hadith (traditions of the Prophet Mohammad peace be upon him) as the main foundation of how Muslims are supposed to lead a balanced and happy life.

4.) Sunset Oasis (Bahaa Taher)

    Written by a winner for International Prize for Arabic Fiction, Sunset Oasis depicts the story of a 19th-century Egyptian government official who was dispatched by the British colonizers to govern a remote oasis occupied by Berber settlements in the deep desert. It gives us a glimpse to the ancient history of Egypt down to the British colonization and its impact to the culture and beliefs of the desert bedouins. It also emphasizes the courage of the women fighting for their rights during those days largely dominated by machismo.

5.) Haroun and The Sea of Stories (Salman Rushdie)

     It's a classic children's novel! Hahaha! I know. I guess, we don't easily outgrow Alice in Wonderland in us. Haha! Well, I grabbed the book from the rack because it's Salman Rushdie without flipping through it first so I was quite surprised when upon reading, it brought me back to my favorite cartoon shows about exotic landscapes, magicians and talking animals! But hey, I did enjoy it the same way I would enjoy it if I read it 20 years back. Hehe. Nevertheless, I think it is an allegory to the present day society afflicted with power greed leading to imperialism. The most important thing that the author wamts to convey is the strength of literature or journalism (as symbolized by "story-telling" in the book) in shaping the minds of the masses.

6.) A Song of Ice and Fire: Game of Thrones (George R.R. Martin)

7.) A Song of Ice and Fire: A Clash of Kings (George R.R. Martin)

       Who doesn't know Game of Thrones? The TV series on HBO based on the epic fantasy novels A Song of Ice and Fire is a huge hit. I heard people talk about it but I previously had no spare time to read or watch the shows until now. I gave it a try and finished the first two books. I initially liked it as the story unfolds and the twists are very interesting. However, while I was nearing the end of the second book, the loathsome harshness of some characters compelled me to take a pause until I recover from the emotional pain it caused me. Hahahaha! I fell in love with some characters who died off and since I was on my first trimester when I was reading the books, I had a strong emotional attachment to them I felt the need to let go. Lol!

 8.) Diplomatic Baggage: The Adventures of a Trailing Spouse (Brigid Keenan)

      This book was given to me by my husband's embassy colleague as she thought I might relate. It's a hilarious account of a British diplomat's wife (the author) trailing her husband in posts, she also happens to be a London journalist. She talks about her funny experiences in the mountains of Kathmandu, the dramas and traumas in Ethiopia, giving birth in Brussels, their family's first Christmas in Trinidad, the children's struggle of adjusting in their new school in Barbados, the colorful and rich culture of New Delhi, her adventures in Gambia and later on in Damascus, and living on the steppes of Kazakhstan. She opens up about what a wife has to go through, leaving her profession behind and raising a family, while undergoing several adjustments whenever the husband is posted in a new country. In return, she met a lot of important people in history which makes her experiences priceless. I laughed at almost every page as she tells about her story!

9.) Love, Rosie (Cecelia Ahern)

     This is a story about two best friends who are supposed to be together but are not courageous enough to confess their love because they just can't seem to get it right, each eventually ending up in failed marriages. Being a married woman, here are my thoughts: a.) marry your best friend; or rather, make your spouse your best friend. b.) when you have issues in life, pour it all out to your spouse before anyone else, make him/her your first priority. The moment you open it up to someone else, that's when your marriage starts going downhill. c.) I don't think it is safe to open a communication with someone you have had romantic feelings with in the past, unless it is work/business related. Finally, d.) what's meant to be will always happen. :) The book reminds me of One Day by David Nicholls, they have a similar theme except that Love, Rosie is much more fun to read and it leaves you guessing until the end of the book.

10.) The Book Thief (Markus Zusak)

     One of the best books I have read this year, I must say. It talks about the struggle of a nine-year old girl in Nazi Germany to become literate by reading books other than what the dictatorial regime limits them to read. It is a beautiful story about family, love, friendship and the German struggle during the time of Fuhrer Adolf Hitler. The author also portrayed all the different kinds of Germans at that time, from the truly committed Nazis to the likes of the girl's adoptive father, Hans, who is indebted to a Jew, therefore resists the anti-Semitic propaganda. It is a thought-provoking and wonderful page-turner which I highly recommend.

11.) Have a Little Faith (Mitch Albom)

      From one of my favorite authors, this book is a true account of two men from two different backgrounds of two different faiths. It inspires the reader to reflect on his own faith and find purpose in life by creating that divine spark inside all of us. This book does not preach nor does it talks about the technical aspects of any religion, it simply illustrates the spiritual journey of the two main characters: a Jewish rabbi and a Christian pastor. Being a Muslim, I love reading books that tackles other religions. It made me find the convergence and the commonalities of these controversial religions that create division in the world since time immemorial. The truth is, all major religions have a lot more in common than differences. We all believe in one God, in the hereafter, and we all encourage doing good that will benefit our community, and at the same time, we all abhor evil.

12.) Act Like Success, Think Like Success (Steve Harvey) 

      The first book I read from the same author was Think Like a Lady, Act Like A Man which was lent  to me by my medschool classmate and friend. That book inspired me so much that it made me value myself more as a woman. So when I saw this, I didn't think twice about buying and reading it. The author Steve Harvey, a famous American comedian and host, talked about his ladder to success, the setbacks that he encountered along the way and how he dealt with those. He basically talked about recognizing our individual God-given gifts, pursuing our dreams, preparing for failures, and acquiring the character of not giving up easily for our unlimited dreams.

13.) Life Without Limits (Nick Vujicic)

       Have you heard about that limbless man who tour around the world to spread motivational and inspiring words? Yeah, he's Nick Vujicic.  In this book, he laid down his life growing up without limbs and how he lead an extraordinarily independent and fulfilling life. He is inspiring and at the same time challenging the reader that he, a man born without limbs, can pursue a happy life, then why can't a normal man with complete appendages and senses like the rest of us? He is a proof that no adversity, physical or economic, can hinder a man from living his dreams. I was really amazed and impressed by Nick, he can do so much better than a normal guy with complete limbs. What amazes me more is the kind of mindset and character that he has, and how he can just laugh at his condition like it doesn't bother him at all..

14.) Oracle Bones: A Journey Through Time in China (Peter Hessler)

     This is a narrative non-fiction of the twenty-first century China as it opens its doors to the outside world. The author illustrated the modern-day China through the lives of the ordinary people he met while living in the country as a journalist. I learned a lot about China's past history, its impact on its present people and how the ordinary Chinese view the government's efforts to become the world's superpower. In here, I also encountered the story of the Muslim ethnic minority in Xinjiang and how they are subtly oppressed in the past and even in the present. Their story is quite similar with that of my own Bangsamoro, both are accidentally included in the colonized territories and are now seeking for self-determination and independence. I love how this book has transported me across the vast land mass of China, its relationship with its neighboring countries, its ancient past and its modern-day aspirations.


There you go, fourteen books in six months!! Haha! Considering that my time is not occupied by anything super relevant right now, fourteen books are way too few. I know I can do better. I initially aimed for one book a week, but sometimes the TV and the internet gets the better of me. Hehe. I have one book in hand right now which I hope to finish this week, and hopefully, I will be able to read MORE before I pop out this little munchkin inside and before I go back to the loving arms of my medical books. :)

Alhamdulillah.