I took myself off to the MPH Clearance Sale yesterday. The fiction had been well and truly picked over, but there was plenty of stuff that I wanted, including three very useful books on writing.I thought my real prize was Margaret Atwood's Writing with Intent : Essays, Reviews, Personal Prose but sadly I've just discovered that I have the book already under a different title Curious Pursuits (the British and Australian title). There was also a a Canadian edition containing many of the same essays called Moving Targets. Let the book buyer beware! Looks like this is a copy I will pass on - maybe at the next Readings.
I also found Sudanese author Leila Aboulela's The Translator, which looks my kind of read.
And cookbooks of course ... how can I resist? I wanted to buy up a whole lot more.
I was happy to see so many people buying books - the place was packed out, even on a weekday, and folks were veritably shoveling books into their baskets. And it was dusty, oh so dusty ...
So what did you guys get?
21 comments:
Hello there
Been a while since I commented BUT that doesn't mean I have not been visiting.. hehehe
Got meself Jonathan Kellerman's psycho-thriller 'Obsession' (am a huge fan of Kellerman) and Gavin Menzies' 1421. But then moved on to the bookstore and bought a few more; Coelho's 'Brida', Grisham's The Innocent Man and The Broker. Spied Alexander Graham Smith's new book re Botswana but had to restrain myself.. :)
i avoided the sale like the plague. I don't think my bank account can handle anymore book buying binges. haha
I'm not in KL...aaargghhh!! I keep receiving mails about the sale and it's doing my head in not being able to get to it!
Great Hauls of Fire! :-)
- Poppadumdum
Dear Sharon,
It is so sad. I was in PJ but could not locate Plaza Mayang. I saw the notice for the sale here in your blog, but could not recall the exact address..
I am in desperate need of books on writing tips, so Atwood's is recommendable, yes?
atwood's doesn't really have writing tips as such though there is a lot about writing - they are essays. one of my finds was "the tao of writing" which looks like a nice little inspirational book, there was another on writing a novel which looks very general, and a guide to magazines and small presses in the US which might be places to send stories and articles.
but not much literary fiction. lots of business/self-help/cookbooks/kids books.
There are lots of sites and blogs offering writing tips.
Here are two I found earlier today:
http://redravine.wordpress.com/what-is-writing-practice/
http://writingtime.typepad.com/contact/
Dear Sharon..Hi Chet,
Tq so much for leading the way..:)
uau, i dont mind if you send to me that book that you bought under another title!
heheheh
xXx
Since I have been to a few booksales this year, there are very few books that caught my attention here. I also bought the Translator, Travelog Iran (in BM) by a local author, The Witch of Portobello, and the God Delusion.
However, my biggest catch are the Between Eden and Earth and Sacred Places of Asia. The former's RRP is more than RM200, but I bought four copies at RM20 each - this is unbelievable! Their covers have got minor injuries but otherwise everything else was fine. The latter has lost its cover and the spine is about 10% damaged. It was tagged at RM50 but I actually asked for bargain. The MPH staff asked me to name a price. I said 'RM20?', and he immediately said yes. I should have asked for 5or 10 quids!!!
Anyway, I hope MPH or other stores will include more Malay titles in future sales. Those that are at the sales here were not much discounted, titles are limited, and only new books are sold. It will benefit more people if they could consider getting more Malay books. After all, a well-written piece in Malay (and any other language for that matter) could be an interesting read too.
nnydd
Great buys Sharon. I was at the book sale too but there were really a lot of people and I didn't stay long...
mey - you're in brazil - that';s a bit far to pass it!
1. Aku Budak Minang - Ujang
2. Tan Sri A Samad Ismail Menulis
3. Falsafah Gila-Gila
4. Indigo - Satyajit Ray
5. A Fundamental Fear: Eurocentricism and the Emergence of Islamism
6. Hardboiled & Hard Luck - Banana Yoshimoto
7. Jibam - Ujang
Guess which is the banned one!
Ida Hariati Hashim - if you google for writing tips, you will be given lots of sites and blogs to check out.
>I hope MPH or other stores will include more Malay titles in future sales.
I hope not.
amir - i reckon the banned one is "falsafah gila-gila"!
1) Year's Best SF 11 - RM10
2) Wordsworth Book of Classic Horror Stories - RM3
3) Fermat's Last Theorem (by Amir D Aczel) - RM10
I think it's #5.
You had to think that hard? that's almost a no-brainer :P
nope, you never do know. if sponge bob can get banned so might gila-gila. that prof serbatahu is a dangerous subversive
Judging by the amount of times I've been banned/censored, some people (who shall remain unnamed) seem to think I'm a dangerous subversive as well.
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