Sunday, May 04, 2008

KLAB Curry

Went to the first day of the KL Alternative Bookfair yesterday, and it was a really fun event where I couldn't turn without getting hugged by yet another bookloving friend.

Chet was doing a brilliant job organising a free book stall where people could donate books and take up to three donated by someone else. I took along a couple of bags of books and took just one - a historical imprint about tigers in Terengganu, but I was sad when I got the book hope later and found pages seriously infected with mildew!

Noorul was selling books in aid of the Malaysia-UK Exchange.

Ted was selling books for Suara-Suara publications, and also selling off some books Raja Ahmad had culled from his shelves, so I bought Prizewinning Asian Fiction by Leon Comber.

Bought a copy of poet/singer-songwriter Jerome Kugan's excellent first album Songs for Shadows. (Listen to songs here.) Also really love Shahril Nizam's art work on the cover.

Writer-publishers Sufian Abas and RuhayatX also had a table to flog their books. I'm glad to hear that the next edition of Elarti is due out soon.

Malaysian Bookcrossers were also giving away books - the only catch - you have to pass the book on to someone when you're done with it and register it online so that its journey can be tracked.

Bersih (The Campaign for Free and Fair Elections) launched (with a little help from Bubu the Clown) Selak a stunning book of photographs of the November 10th Rally. I didn't stay long because I realised I was hungry and there was so much else on in the afternoon. Guat came with me to enjoy the delights of the mamak shop downstairs. (Best naan and tandoori in the city?)

The lovely Farish Noor (looking remarkably gym-toned) on his way to talk give his talk about post-colonial race politics.

(More pictures to come.)

19 comments:

Chet said...

I didn't organise the book giveaway table but was just helping out. I enjoyed it, especially keying in the donated books. Now I know who reads what type of books and also the type of books they give away, too!

Dina gets the prize for the most donated books - 71. It would've been 72, except when she was taking out the books from her gym bag, she saw one on meditation and said "Meditation ... oh, I need meditation in my life now, I'm keeping this."

Shahril Nizam gets the prize for donating a book with the most suggestive cover, and also for books with the most suggestive titles. Just ask Daphne - she took the latter.

bibliobibuli said...

spill the beans chet! dish the dirty!

but don't tell anyone that most of the books i donated were thriller nicked from my husband's bookshelves. (the sort of titles i refuse to amalgamate with my more literary and worth stuff). well, if he has left me to dust them for the past ... oooh ... 20 years ... (yes, i have to confess i dusted his books before we were married) he deserves to lose a few for a good cause. i bough him kassim ahmad's new book to make up.

enar arshad said...

happy to claimed that i was there today!

Chet said...

Oh yes, Sharon - forgot to tell you your relative was there today (see above comment).

BTW, is that a sweat stain I see under Dr Farish's right armpit in the picture?

bibliobibuli said...

sorry i missed you enar!

bibliobibuli said...

chet - in polite company we say that only horses sweat, men perspire and ladies ... merely glow

Chet said...

Sorry, I was among unpolite company most weekend and it (the unpoliteness) followed me home.

So, is that a perspiration imprint in the picture?

bibliobibuli said...

no, it's a special effect i can add to photos with my camera.

Anonymous said...

LOL... anyway sorry I missed this one (was it announced ? :P )

Anonymous said...

hahahahaha!

sharon, there were a few books in Jawi that looked really interesting. one had a cartoon photo of the devil or rather a goat with huge horns, and was titled, Syaitan dan Manusia di Dunia. zedeck took off with it. published in the 70s.

pity i had to work on sunday :( but all in all, i really enjoyed myself!

Unknown said...

I hugged and hugged and imprinted my glow onto everyone else!!

Unknown said...

Chet, why are you a calculator?

Chet said...

That's not a calculator but my AlphaSmart Neo, a portable word processor that runs up to 700 hours on 3 AA batteries. I was using it all weekend. You didn't notice?

BTW, I only got a sideways hug from you.

Anonymous said...

Chet, are you saying your little sidekick with the pink my little pony tatoo on her cheek was impolite?

I shall have words with her.

Anonymous said...

700 hours? Wow. Puts the Mac Air to shame.

Chet said...

That's cuz it doesn't do anything but let you write. It's a 21st century typewriter.

Unknown said...

WAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH - I also wan....
Next time will give hugs all around!

Unknown said...

Kelab was a great event, I went on the first day. It was really excited because this was my first time to listen to the real voices of M asians not a .... ones. furthermore, I joined book-street and I was given some presents it was really interesting to find people who are ready to make a change and ready to address the freedom of expression. No book should be banned

Unknown said...

corec:it was really exciting