Can Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka compile a similar list?

I love words. Because they mean something. I especially love Malay words, though not many words can be truly originals, but those adopted by the language are just as cool.

Dear DBP, how bout doing something like this?

Can you read two books at the same time?

Yes.

For me it's not really a problem keeping up with two books at the same time. I've been doing it for some time and the practice became kind of a habit fueled by my forgettiness. Is there such a word? If I just coined it, it is just my usual way of denying that I'm growing old.

When I was younger take two buses or two trains for each trip to work, so I bring a book to read. I just keep forgetting to bring one book from the office to home, and that left me without a book to read at night. So I pick up another book at night, then bring that one to work. After that, depending on which book I remember to bring home for the commute back, I continue reading that one.

Anyway. Back to the two books. Right now I'm finishing off The Last Continent by Terry Pratchett as well as starting on The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp by Rick Yancey.

I'm quite used to Pratchett so it wasn't too hard to continue where I left Rincewind off, something I would not have been able to do if the year was 2003 (the year I discovered Pratchett). I am quite excited to find out more about the wizards and their delicious adventures, and I'm hoping the Kangaroo would resurface.

As for Yancey, I've never read anything this guy wrote before, but when I stumbled upon the very shiny blue cover of the book, I picked it up to read the synopsis. It wasn't as intriguing as the cover, but I read the first page and decided it would make a great light reading.

So far the story is progressing well, and I really like the writing style. Storyline-wise I have to use the word cliche to describe some parts of it, but I truly kept on reading because I have fallen in like with Alfred Kropp who started his story by telling me that he's dead. He's teaching me a lot about not being selfish and the importance of being earnest (not in the Oscar Wilde way). Give Yancey's book a go, you'll find yourself rooting for him after the second page...

Google Reader who?

Apologies, as much as I like books, and the digital realm, I really have no clue about the Google Reader. All of a sudden my Twittersphere was buzzing with the word of its impending (and eventual) death.

What did I miss?

What's so fun about Google Reader?

Is it because Google Play is still not offering e-books to the Malaysian market that I find this piece of news totally irrelevant?

Ah well. Something better might just be in the pipeline, and perhaps this time Google won't tick Malaysia off its list.

Found Soul Music!

The smaller reincarnation of Big Bad Wolf sale last coupla weeks may not have attracted as much attention as the round before, but I am sure glad I went!

Cause not only I found The Colour of Magic, I also found Soul Music! In hardcover too! You must understand my excitement here.

To tell you the truth I've been a long time fan of Terry Pratchett, but ten years ago I wasn't making much money so the salary goes where it is supposed to go first, and what's left can't be spent of acquiring more Pratchett books.

In fact my first Pratchett, The Truth, is actually a gift from four friends, who back then was making probably a bit more or a bit less than me. Before that all my Pratchett readings came from borrowed titles..

Last couple of years I noticed that if I want to instill the reading hobby to my son, I should do my parents did for me, surround me with books. While he still can't appreciate words, he certainly did appreciate the Pratchett book covers. I've come up with a lot of five minutes stories just using the cover of The Last Continent. I mean, who wouldn't be inspired with a wizard, a kangaroo and a case that has legs?

While the hard cover version of Soul Music do not come with those nice colourful covers as the paperbacks do, I still look forward to reading it.

Now if only I can start up on Dahl, Woodehouse and Mayle... Hopefully it won't take me another ten years to complete the collection.. Though I sense a future filled with Blyton and Adibah Amin and Marvel Comics...