Friday, June 08, 2007

All Aboard The Local Litblog Express

Being short of inspiration and energy this morning, it seems a good a time as any for a wander over to see what other bloggers are saying about books.

Welcome to the litblogosphera my new friend Obiter Dictum who writes most amusingly. I particularly liked this post about burning books, written in response to one of mine. His conversation starter:
If you were given a guilt free coupon to burn one book, which one would it be?
Now go tell him, not me!

Shark Gila is making a grand assault on 100 books this year and is almost halfway there! She was underwhelmed by Coetzee's Disgrace though.

K.Kim is a Penang based illustrator who is working on a children's book about a rickshaw puller who sails from China to Malaya to seek his fortune. I'd buy it for the pictures alone! She also covered Kam Raslan's reading in Borders up there for the Star.

Eric is compiling a comprehensive list of contemporary Malaysian books, and wants to know if he has missed any. He also whets our appetites for books that will hit the shops this month.

Don't miss Kaykay's piece on reading (and writing reviews) in the toilet which is hilarious.

Oh, and if you feel like working up a good head of outrage, just look at how the editor of New Man magazine in Singapore responds (in the comments) to a freelancer with a perfectly legitimate grouse. Downright rudeness passes for machismo?

Also from the land down South, Zafar blogs about Michael Ondaatje's new book (and sounds as excited as I am!) and adds to the debate about book reviewing among other excellently written stuff. Meanwhile read@peace's Deepika Shetty enjoys Two Caravans by Monica Lewycka, and catches performance poet Ray McNiece in action.

More notable blogstuff coming soon. Never mind books - I need a gallon of coffee this morning before I can feel like a human being again. Writing really does your head in, doesn't it? (I met two deadlines yesterday, but missed another, and then taught my class. Am exhausted.)

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

If everyone in the world were given that coupon, and decded to use it, there would be over six billion less books in the world.

:-) said...

If I were to use that coupon ... hummm ... must be the one I am going to write with a horrendous grammar ... roflol ... anyway, tks for the extra interesting books links ... cheers for the day ... :)

Ted Mahsun said...

psst...Sharon! Sharkgila's a she ;)

bibliobibuli said...

haha! v. difficult to tell the sex of sharks!

Shakeel Abedi said...

Anon:

And think what it would do to the environment!

:-) said...

Just came back from town, I went to Borders and Kinokuniya, and try to get the 501 Must Read Book posted by Sharkgila, but they don't have it anymore ... hummm ... :/

Unknown said...

sharanya's really fuming. and ouch... my head's still spinning from reading her blog. the colors...

it would be wise if i make it a habit of visiting her blog. need to learn more from the pro.

Amir Muhammad said...

Oh look. A Malaysian VIP is embroiled in a potential plagiarism case.

But he is already in the Rogues Gallery for all sorts of other reasons, anyway.

Anonymous said...

In this country, it appears plagiarists sue bloggers.
What an upside down country we live in ....
Sharon, hope, you're better. I lived on coffee for the past week - I felt my head completely stuffed and inhabited by my characters.

sharkgila said...

hi Nel,

I last saw a few copies of 501 Must-Read Books in MPH 1-Utama. Not sure if they're still there though.

:-) said...

Tks, I try to drop by there soon ... cheers ... :)

Setsuna Saki said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
:-) said...

Hi Sharkgila and everyone,

Got it, tks again and you are right, there are a few left at the lifestyle section. I also got another one with the title "1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die". The title is kind of sadist. I just couldn't let it down ... lol ... cheers guys for the day and have a nice weekend ... :)

Anonymous said...

So, animah, in which country does a plagiarist not have the right to sue a blogger ?