Paperback Writer

Books I'd enjoyed reading. Past and present.

Since my arrival in Cambodia, I have begun to pick up the habit of reading. Below are some of those memorable books which I have read in Cambodia and some others which I have read long ago. The list is bound to increase.

Currently reading:-

Runaway Horses (Sea of Fertility #2)

(Yukio Mishima)

Books completed

Red Dust: A Path Through China

Ma Jian

Another of those fantastic travel books. Bought in Thailand during August. Hard to say which is better - 'A Fortune Teller Told Me' or 'Red Dust'. The former is more about society and culture, of East versus West. The latter is more about an artist being restricted in his work and feeling the need to break free from all the crap that life was throwing at him and search for something more meaningful out of it. In some way I find myself quite similar to the author as we both don't see eye to eye with the society that governs us. In the end we both chose the same way out of it all... Quit that f..kin job of ours and go to somewhere faraway to discover new adventures for ourselves. Highly recommemded.

Alexander: Child of a Dream. Vol 1

Alexander: The Sands of Ammon. Vol 2

Alexander: The Ends of the Earth. Vol 3

Massimo Manfredi

Bought this trilogy when I was in Thailand during August. This is a modified history of Alexander the Great. Could only find the jpg file for the first two book cover. A very interesting read. 

Hell In The Pacific The War In Japan 1914-1945 
Jonathan Lewis, Benjamin Steele

This book is neither pro-American nor anti-Japanese. Just true accounts by veterans and survivors of both sides.

Probably the greatest book I've ever laid my hands on. The author talked about his land bound journey through Asia after a fortune teller warned him against traveling by air in 1993. In doing so he managed to witness what many would never have seen while traveling by air. He also managed to give unique and unbiased arguments on aspect ranging from politics, cultures, religions and modernization in the countries he step foot on. Most of his journey took place in South-East Asia and focus on topics that we all knew exist. All Singaporean and all Chinese in the world should read this book. 

This is a book about a little Cambodian girl who lost half her family during the torturous period of the Khmer Rouge, also known as the Pol Pot Regime. A touching book that talked about the hardship and the sheer difficulty in the quest for survival at a time when terror, hardship and hunger made it almost unimaginable to live. A good read which I picked up upon arriving in Cambodia.

 A fantastic book on drugs, sex, friendship, betrayal, and every shit about life... Whereas the movie focus from the point of view of the lead character, Renton, the book focus from that of every different characters on the cover. It was only until the 3rd or 4th chapter that I discovered that I was reading from different characters' standpoint. There is just so much more happening in the book than at the big screen. Kind of difficult to read as it was written exactly to the Scottish accent.  

A story about the misfortune of a English girl. Sworn its going be the first and last Hardy book that I'll read. His English is kind of too difficult for me. Anyway,  I don't really like fiction books these days. Nevertheless, very happy to have completed it since its a classic.

A book that made the Zeppelins sounds like god and every other band out there sound like shit. For the fans only. Enjoy reading all their excesses though.

This is a biography of the singer and guitarist. From his birth in Seattle, his first self-made guitar, to his time in UK and his legendary performance in Woodstock. And of course his untimely death. A better book than Led Zeppelin Uncensored.