SluggerBookie Chart

autobiography of santa clause, ..., santa who?

2006-02-22T09:16:00.000-08:00

Going through Christmas book batches.

Having seen "Polar Express" on a plane back from New Zealand, "Autobiography of Santa Clause" seem somewhat appealing.

I think I'm shipping it off to someone else, or to local library for donation.

I'm not sure how this made to bestseller list.

I'd believe it if the book was renamed to "Autobiography of Donald Trump".

The beginning was somewhat appealing, how the writer/editor is visited by one of the santa's helping elves and all. Once St.Nicholas begins his narration, however, it sounds like self-selling brag.

Maybe historical background is the most appealing aspect of the book, but that, too, I may not absorb all that much. Good or bad, a book must be read in order to deliver messages and information. I stopped reading it half-way, and am not sure if I'll ever pick it up again.

Maybe it's just matter of taste. Afterall, it did make to bestseller list, as Amazon advertised. Anyone want a donation of a bestseller book?

Ya-Ya in bloom -- a good read for Spring

2006-02-04T09:18:00.000-08:00

With so many new movies pouring out everyday, movie buffs may vaguely remember "Divine Secret of Ya-ya sisterhood", but then again may not. Well, hopefully at least female book groups, sipping coffee at local cafe or sipping wine at some quiet wine bar, may still remember the book they loved so much it became national best seller, which in turn became a well loved movie.

It's one of few movie I was able to convince both my mother and sister to go see with me, so it's something dear to me. Story of a mother-and-daughter fallout and bonding, seen by a mother and two grown daughter, it couldn't have been a better selection. We also selected an old styled graceful theatre with classical interior, and as we saw it well a month after the movie was released it was nice, quiet and comfortable.

My sister liked the movie enough to get the book, which in turn I read it as well.

I tend to read books laying around in the house that seem somewhat interesting.

The book was quiet insightful in human nature, interaction between friends, mother-and-daughter, and insightful of emotional difficulty a young woman faces growing up as a southern belle, becoming a mother in 60s, and embracing her old self.

The book was quiet fixed on this heroine called Vivian Walker, better known as Vivi.

I think the characters were pretty well picked, as the book was well translated into movie, and neither would interfere commanding audience(viewership or readership) of the other, yet it was intriguing enough to leave the audience with questions and be mesmerized with each individuals in the movie.

Well, when I was told that the author wrote a several books with same characters, to dwell different stages of life, with perspective of different characters, it was interesting. I'd let my sister buy another book, and read? Well, it didn't happen before she moved, and I happen to get amazon.com giftcard; while surfing amazon.com site, I saw this 'Ya-Ya in bloom' on bargain.

I was hoping it was about Vivi's early childhood, as I was wondering how difficult it was for Vivi that made her this somewhat insane primadonna, living with self-righteous father with belt to discipline children and devoted catholic mother who's viewed as unhappy and jealous of her own daughter.

Is it possible parents are more poisonous to children than actual toxics at times? Or was it just genuine mismatch of personalities that if two grown adults were stuck with they would easily seek a divorce and moved on?

Anyways, it turned out 'Ya-Ya in bloom' is that and it isn't. It's focus is to visit chapters of their lives, as recollection of Vivi after her reconsilation with Sida, her eldest daughter.

It briefly covers how Vivi and her three friends met, and also briefly covers how each of her kids lives were and her own in happy times of their young childhood. And, the book finishes with more recent incidents with focus on Vivi's grandchildren and an incident where one of her grandchild is kidnapped, and how the whole clan reacted and coped with.

It seems Vivi's husband Jim Walker still remains in the dark. Why would she marry him, why would he marry her? Why would they stay married throughout her crazy times, throughout his absentness as a father that would drive her even more crazy?
His involvement in the plot remains quiet a mystery to me. Hopefully there'll be yet another book with more emphasis on Buggy, Vivi's mother, and Jim?

The book is cute in writing styles and character the author choose to depict for each chapter.

It's a good commute read for me, and I might look up that other book with Ya-ya saga, and may lookup the DVD that should lie around somewhere once again.
A nice heart-warming read...

Living History -- autobiography of Hillary Clinton

2006-02-04T02:38:00.000-08:00

bruce's giftcard at amazon is the reason i got to know this book.
done about 1/2 way so far, and it's a bit interesting.
that how i do judge a book by cover, i mean figuratively.

still not the biggest fan yet, but ...

tho personal touch nor sense of reality seem lacking, Hillary's book does narate some of things completely unavailable to me prior to the book, her childhood stories and what'd be so called her perspective in things.

a few things hard to accept at face value are:
that she was persued so by Bill Clinton the way she claims so
and that it was Bill Clinton's idea that she persues universal health plan and not her own.

it's a long, detailed book with many names mentioned, many events narrated, and she does try to offer her own insights, if indded hers and not a write-aide's.

her description of white house life, especially in comparison to George Bush the seniors', is rather interesting.

When both Bill & Hillary are alive, and her serving the state of NY, and that there are constant rumor of her returning to white house this time as president, it indeed is living history; a thought still rather foreign to me.

Anyways, though acquisitioned rather per chance than by intent, I would recommand any one living in the states in 21st century to peep at this; not so much to boost Hillary's campaign fund, feel free to buy 2nd hand or utilize local library, heehee ^^

Spam Kings -- By Brian McWilliams

2005-11-28T13:22:00.000-08:00

Read Spam Kings from "Safari Tech Books Online" today.

Unlike what I expected the book wasn't about how the spamming is analyzed in technical sense, but it's more of a history book on big spammers.

List of a few spammers, where they rooted from, and how they got caught, and what some victims have expeirenced, and so forth.

It was quiet a novelty reading, but not so nice a reading for online fine-print reading materials. Straining my eyes. Also for short-chapter book, it was a bit confusing who's spammer and who's anti-spammer, and who's hacker catching spammers, and so forth.

But it was an interesting reading enough. I didn't know Hawke began as Nazi-worshiper before he turned into a spammer, and also I didn't know much of other personal stories of other spammers & their reaction upon being hacked.
I also didn't know of a lady who got over 10,000 spam mail in her inbox in 2 days. I thought my inbox was flooded w/ mails both ham & spam. I don't even have a thousand per day, and many of them are from mailinglist not spam.
Yike~~~

Now, I gotta search a bit more technical aspect of spam/anti-spam reading materials.

Sudoku mania

2005-11-15T16:44:00.000-08:00

Since the trip to UK, I've been addicted to Sudoku.
Sudoku Easy to Hard Presented by Will Shortz, Volume 2 was first victim to my mania, and sadly I only am done 2/3 of way. I've scratched about 1/8 of the rest, and some of hard sudoku still make me scratch my head w/ no single field filled in 30minutes. Just frustrated. Since then I got two more new sudoku books.

My recent trip to bookstores make me realize that sudoku's catching up in US, too, as more and more sudoku books fill the shelf. At this rate I wouldn't be able to catch up w/ new sudoku books. heh.

The book of Sudoku, a small pocketbook version, is the one I got as a prep to my Korean vacation two weeks ago. I'm done w/ gentle ones and am on moderate ones. Funny thing is that gentle ones were pretty tough ones, some taking a few hours, for me. More difficult than beginning of moderate ones.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Other sudoku books I'm familiar w/ include Sudoku
by Tammy Seto, with cool coverpage containing japanese characters for 'sudoku'.

Lonely Plannet Korea

2005-10-15T17:08:00.000-07:00

Lonely Planet Korea (Lonely Planet Korea) (Paperback) can't cover everything for everybody, but it's a good intro to someone visiting Korea. It covers the whole country pretty well and covers much of practical tips. A few interesting vocabulary lessons are also quiet useful, such as 'Ajime' for the fishmarket ladies in Busan, a regional dilect of standard-korean 'Ajumoni'.

Master Sijo Poems from Korea -- Classical and Modern --

2005-08-17T14:40:00.000-07:00

This is available at UC Berkeley's East Asian Library, with number
PL 975 .6 M3 1982 EAST
published by 'Sisa' and translated by Jaihun Joyce Kim.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

some of translated poems I collected include works of U T'ak, Yi Pangwon, ..., etc.

=============================================================================

U T'ak (1262-1342)
was one of the first Koryo scholars to be concerned with neo-Confucianism. When most of the sijo written by scholars are lacking in humor, U's work contains humor and ironical laugh.

Holding thorns in one hand
and a stick in the other,
I tried to block with thorns the road to age
and strike the white hair with my stick.
But the grey hair knew better than I
and outwitted me by a short-cut.

=============================================================================

Yi Pangwon (1367)
later became King T'aejong as the fifth son of King T'aejo, founder of the Yi dynasty. An eminent general, he was largely responsible for his father's successful achievements. A legend says that Yi Pangwon tried to win the support of the influential figures of the old regime of the Koryo dynasty. He toasted to Chong Mongju, the loyal subject of Koryo, with a taunting song at a party, in an effort to persuade him to join the new regime.

What does it matter
if you do this or that?
Who cares if the arrow-roots
go entangled on Mansu Hill?
We could be like those vines,
enjoying ourselves for a hundred years.

Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood

2005-07-24T21:48:00.000-07:00

Understanding closed ones, family members, especially parents and children seem rather tricky thing.

Even famous people seem to have some parents-children issues unresolved that are publicly known, including Sigmund Freud, Jean Paul Sartre to name few.

A few years back this movie was rather popular chic-flick movie, and had many promotional interviews on TV as well. I went to see it with my mother and sister in Oakland's Piedmond theatre. I went to see movies there and was impressed with some movies having organ playing at an opening night and took my sister, and she was impressed with its old sytle design. So when we tried to setup some hangout time the movie came up and my sister was eager to take my mom there as well. The movie was already been showing for a few weeks and thus we got a smaller theatre with few people.

The movie was fairly impressive for fun hangout but I quickly dismissed it as a typical chic-flick drama, and forgot all about it. My sister, on the other hand, took it seriously and got herself a paperback. I've later heard from some friends that the book is a second of a sequel and that it was well known book that many women have read.

Just a random search got my sister's book landed in my hand, and as I was reading it I found out that there were much more to the story than 2 hour movie could tell. I think I ended up watching the movie after finishing the book and now the movie's plot and sequence mean more to me and I seem to remember the scenens better.

Anyways, it was pretty complicated story.
A successful playright is facing a review that makes her mother upset and upcoming marriage when she's not sure of herself. And, thus the adventure of her relationship with her monther in present, past as well as her mother's past are reviewed.
And, the moral of the story is that all parents do try their best, and life tends to be a little difficult. Also, it seems most kids do blame themselves for their parents' unhappiness.

Subconsciously I've been thinking of this concept, yet it was buried under other thoughts and other ideas. I was watching a Korean TV drama, while online, and saw this movie director scolding a budding actress to ponder the heroine's past as well as present when she didn't seem to digest the character's theme, that a girl fell in love with the lead actor because she was lonely and scared growing up without parents.

I'm not a best daughter to my mother. And, I think my mother and my sister also aren't perfect. We do try, and sometimes it seem we try too hard. And, also explain less of how and why things do happen in certain ways. Like Vivian in the book, my mother tends to talk more of her glorious days then her pain, I know.

I think the book certain does make one think. The movie also seem pretty well made, although it could easily have been dismissed the way I originally did.

How do we survive our own selves? How do we survive our loved ones?
It is certainly a question on many people's mind, and also rather a private ones for each of us to just blot out a simple solution. It takes heart, open mindedness, and patience. Aboveall, it takes knowledge which we all seem to be quiet shy to share. Why I've acted certain way toward certain individual, what am I trying to get at, ...

Also, motherhood seem a lot more difficult, in emotional sense, that one would normally think. Perhaps we should all condemn Tom Cruise for critisizing hastily about Brook Shields' post-pregnancy depression.

Why did Vivian's mother so cold to her only daughter?
How did Vivian and Walter have so many kids yet lived lives apart without helping each other at raising children?
How was it to have a distant father and drunk/abusive mother?
There are much questions.

Perhaps reading other books by Rebeca Wells will give insight to all these questions, or perhaps will provide more questions.

I'll have to try Rebeca Wells' other books, and will also try reviews and other clipings I can find.

Agenda - by Bob Woodword

2005-07-06T09:12:00.000-07:00

Without realizing it I've got 2 copies of 2 of Bob Woodword's non-fictions, "The Agenda" and "All the President's Men." W/ recent reading of Greenspan biography which mentioned this and that of Clinton-ties, and w/ another unrelated event of 'Deep Throat' coming out of closet, I've been lured back to reading past first 2 pages of "The Agenda." To get to know how the election of '92 came about.

True Crime - Deadly Medicine (Blue Code Addict Nurse in Texas)

2005-06-08T08:39:00.000-07:00

In Berkeley, California there's this bookstore Moe, that's been there for-a-while. The 4-story tall bookstore accomodates all sort of books, and the staffs there are quiet amazingly well knowledgeable of what they have, under what category and such. In it there also is a bargain used book section in basement, almost all paperback fiction & non-fiction at half price. Most of the bookstores that specialize in usedbooks do have limit, of minimum $2.00 or $3.00. Moe doesn't! When considering that some rather old books do turn up there, that had original price of 50-cents or $1.10 from back in 60's and 70's, the saving is pretty delicious one.

Thus I do ensure I stop by the bookstore on my way to Berkeley trip, spending anywhere between 10minutes to some 3 hours scanning the basement used book section. Not only do they have some good bargain, they also have excellent collections as well.

Sometime in 2003 or 2004, I acquire "Deadly Medicine" from Moe, then just piled up in bookshelf and neglected it until last week. Wednesday June 8, 2005 evening is when I pickedup the book, and on commute train, and in the evening I quickly paced through the book, and now completed it, on tuesday June 14,2005. I woke up with headache, mild fever, and sore throat and planned to work from home. Incidentally there were some issues w/ beta environment of integration and also because the weekly tuesday meeting got cancelled, I had time to rest and got to finish the very last part of the trial, the closing statements, verdict, and the authors' followup. I must say the book was an easy reading, rather a page-turner, that enabled me to finish it in such a short time. About 10 hours total reading time? Or a bit more?

There were very few direct references, with numeric bullets and a huge reference section at the end of the book. Some fiction, such as Philipa Gregory's "The other Boleyn Girl" had more of that than "Deadly Medicine."

==> References
* All about Genene Jones by Katherine Ramsland

True Crime - Black Widow (A case of Arsenic Poisoning Lady)

2005-06-08T08:37:00.000-07:00

When reviewing old historical documents, some true crime articles and old style mystery arsenic poisoning seem rather a popular method of killing that we often overlooked.

Linux Kernel Internals

2005-06-01T12:51:00.000-07:00

Picked up the book, on the way to Tahoe again.

Sartre's "The Flies"

2005-05-18T12:50:00.000-07:00

Positioning himself far from the fatalists, Sartre renders himself in a willful little boy named Orestes in the play 'The flies.' The ill treatment meted out to Electra after her father's death, together with the heroic return of her brother Orestes to avenge their father's murder, has always been a popular subject for many playrights.

O'Reilly CS Series

2005-04-27T16:10:00.000-07:00

Writing Apache Modules with Perl and C 2nd edition is out.

Perl Cookbook is quiet useful as well.

O'Reilly seems to be expanding quiet a bit in these sectors, now conquering 'hack' series as well.

Kate Chopin's Short Story -- The Storm

2005-04-15T09:12:00.000-07:00

The Storm
A Sequel to "The 'Cadian Ball"

by Kate Chopin

Chap. I
-------

The leaves were so still that even Bibi thought it was going to rain.
Bobinot, who was accustomed to converse on terms of perfect equality
with his little son, called the child's attention to certain sombre clouds
that were rolling with sinister intention from the west, accompanied by
a sullen, threatening roar. They were at Friedheimer's store and decided
to remain there till the storm had passed. They sat within the door on
two empty kegs. Bibi was four years old and looked very wise.

"Mama'll be 'fraid, yes," he suggested with blinking eyes.
"She'll shut the house. Maybe she got Sylvie helpin' her this evenin', "
Bobinot responded reassuringly.
"No, she ent got Sylvie. Sylvie was helpin her yistiday," piped Bibi.
Bobinot arose and going across to the counter purchased a can of
shrimps, of which Calixta was very fond. Then he returned to his
perch on the keg and sat stolidly holding the can of shrimps while
the storm burst. It shook the wooden store and seemed to be ripping
great furrows in the distant field. Bibi laid his little hand on his
father's knee and was not afraid.

Chap. II
--------

Calixta, at home, felt no uneasiness for their safety. She sat at a side
window sewing furiously on a sewing machine. She was greatly
occupied and did not notice the approaching storm. But she felt very
warm and often stopped to mop her face on which the perspiration
gathered in beads. She unfastened her white sacque at the throat.
It began to grow dark, and suddenly realizing the situation she got up
hurridly and went about closing windows and doors.

Out on the small front gallery she had hung Bobinot's Sunday clothes to
air and she hastened out to gather them before the rain fell. As she
stepped outside, Alcee Laballiere rode in at the gate. She had not seen
him very often since her marriage, and never alone. She stood there
with Bobinot's coat in her hands, and the big rain drops began to fall.
Alcee rode his horse under the shelter of a side projection where
the chickens had huddled and there were plows and a harrow piled up
in the corner.
"May I come and wait on your gallery till the sotrm is over, Calixta?"
he asked.
"Come 'long in, M'sieur Alcee."
His voice and her own startled her as if from a trance, and she
seized Bobinot's vest. Alcee, mounting to the porch, grabbed
the trousers and snatched Bibi's braided jacket that was about to be
carried away by a sudden gust of wind. He expressed an intention
to remain outside, but it was soon apparent that he might as well
have been out in the open: the water beat in upon the boards in
driving sheets, and he went inside, closing the door after him. It
was even necessary to put something beneath the door to keep
the water out.
"My! what a raint! It's good two years sence it rain' like that,"
exclaimed Calixta as she rolled up a piece of bagging and Alicee
helped her to thrust it beneath the crack.
She was a little fuller of figure than five years before when she
married; but she had lost nothing of her vivacity. Her blue eyes
still retained their melting quality; and her yellow hair, dishevelled
by the wind and rain, kinked more stubbornly than ever about her
ears and temples.
The rain beat upon the low, shingled roof with a force and clatter
that threatened to break an entrance and deluge them there.
They were in the dining room--the sitting room--the general utility
room. Adjoining was her bed room, with Bibi's couch along side her
own. The door stood open, and the room with its white,
monumental bed, its closed shutters, looked dim and mysterious.
Alcee flung himself into a rocker and Calixta nervously began
to gather up from the floor the lengths of a cotton sheet which
she had been sewing.
"If this keeps up, Dieu sait if the levees goin' to stan' it!" she
exclaimed.
"What have you got to do with the levees?"
"I got enough to do! An' there's Bobinot with Bibi out in that
storm--if he only didn' left Friedheimer's!"
"Let us hope, Calixta, that Bobinot's got sense enough to come
in out of a cyclone."

Tribute to Dr. Hunter S. Thompson

2005-04-08T21:39:00.000-07:00

Pope just dies, and there's much coverage worldwide on his burial ceremony.
All the traditions, all the procedures, and all the people coming to Rome to watch his burial.

Not long ago, back in Feb to be exact, 2 public figures took own life, one here in America, and another in Seoul, South Korea. Lee, Eun-ju, who killed herself by hanging in Seoul was a young girl of 25, and was actress. The other who took his own life w/ gunshot wasn't suffering depression, if you don't count his life-long wrecklessness and drug abuse. He was way over 60s, been married 3 times over, and lived in Colorado, publishing many well known articles in Rolling Stone magazine as well as publishing his books, of which is a famous made-to-movie "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas."

He sure did publish quite a few books, and had fair number of followers at the time of his death. A living icon, so to speak.

Home Depot's "Home Improvement 1-2-3"

2005-04-05T09:25:00.000-07:00

Anirban let me borrow his "HOme Improvement 1-2-3".
The book si pretty comprehensive, covering wall paper/painting, wiring, even how to install carpet or dish washer.

Bet it'll save time and bundle of $$$ installing and fixing everything yourself.

Perhaps buy run-down ghost house and re-wire, re-paint and fix up the wall and it'll be a brand new house!

Gotta say the book makes things a lot simpler & easier than in realistic sense, I think.

For their 'expert', 'handy', and 'novice' there should be an extra category or should double the time estimated for 'novice'. Well, if I can be counted in novice category, that is.

Anyways, it's fairly thorough & inspiring book to get started with house fixing.

The Catcher in the Rye

2005-04-04T22:30:00.000-07:00

Still sorting out the books and clothings out of boxes from moving a month ago.
Picked out infmous 'The Catcher in the Rye' and had to hesitate a bit before placing it next to Toni Morison's "Beloved."

Where does this book belong?

This is one of more discussed, more banned, and seemingly more controversal than most books.

It's rather thin, and isn't all that shocking in nowadays' standard, 21st'. The background, I belive, is back in '60s.

I went through a serious disliking of this book, to becoming quiet fond and creating rather surprising mutual understanding/identification w/ the character in the book. And, after end-to-end binge, it's a bit bland now. Perhaps I've become an uninteresting person. Perhaps I've grown up.

I do have quiet a bit of criticisms, both pro and cons, I've collected over the years.

Seems like many American literary critics in '60s and '70s wrote in favour of this revolutionary piece of work, and others, especially the Russian critics placed this book to be of typical of spoiled American brat attitude.

And, the fact that the author couldn't handle the fame and is in hiding for over 30 years so far.

If he's living in hiding, where did he get such an idea and courage to write this work and publish it in the first place, I wonder.

2 female GEORGE authors in literary history

2005-04-04T22:22:00.000-07:00

George Sand and George Eliot are both Female.
George Eliot is well known for her books 'Middle March', 'Silas Marner', 'Adam Bede', 'The Mill on the Floss' and more.
George Sand, in addition to her inflamatory writings was well known for cross-dressing, cigar in her hand, and men she kept that included famous Alfred de Musset and Frédéric Chopin.

Both of them drew my attention for their need to rebel as much as their novel. Perhaps their life choices at times seem more shocking and attention grabbing than their fiction.

I've read most of George Eliot's, and none of George Sand, yet.

sci-fi attraction : stephen king's

2005-04-03T18:49:00.000-07:00

Sci-fi/mysteries are like sweet cookies.

Most of the times, it's not as meaty as serious fictions, non-fictions, or classics.

Yet, once I get my hands on them, it's hard to let go of it. Stay up all night 'til 5am sometimes, missing bus stops at others, and suffering bad dreams at others, there are many reasons to stop. Yet, it's not all that easy. Like that addictive substances in fast food that makes you want more, these page-turners keeps me hooked for hours at times.

I did my best to stay away from Stephen King's. I've seen some of his books made into movies, such as "Fire Starter" or "Salem's Lot." And, recently there was a movie w/ Anthony Hopkins made, as well as that famous "Misery" and a summer scary movie "Dream Catcher."

Well, I picked up "Fire Starter" at a local library's sale for a quarter(25cents) in downtown Berkeley.

Then, when I was going to Boston for 4th of July vacation w/ my sister 2 years ago, I started on "Salems' Lot" and actually went to Salem when I was about finished with the book. I had both "Salem's Lot" and "A Long Walk" in my back-pack, and they kept me up at night in fear.

I do like "Fire Starter" a lot and I think this momentum carried on to "Salem's Lot." Not so familiar to me, yet was pleasantly surprising was "A Long Walk." I kinda sensed both "Fire Starter" and "A Long Walk" had government conspiracy/secret activies in background. "Insomnia" is the only book so far that I had hard time getting into. The title was quiet amusing. Yet, I'm still struggling at 1st chapter. Perhaps if I get through this 1st chapter, it'll move faster and more exciting?
I put it down since last summer, and have been pretty busy and uninterested in it.

Whatever his formular is, it's amazing how many books Stephen King as produced so far, and how many of them became popular and into movies.

more on henry viii & 6 wives

2005-04-03T18:29:00.000-07:00

at: http://tudorhistory.org/boleyn/

henry viii and 'the other boleyn girl'

2005-04-03T17:52:00.000-07:00

about 2 years ago, the book club i used to frequent based in sf, was rather active.
we tried to read at least 1 book per month, and not be intellectually snub. just purely enjoy the books and purely enjoy the company of other women.

one of the book i got to read through this book club was 'the other boleyn girl'.

i was vaguely aware of king henry, who was crazy, and drama around his many wives. i also heard of name anne [boleyn]. but, until i read this book, it seemed like a boring history from long past.

perhaps because i had recently finished reading about princess elizabeth of austria, known as princess 'sisi', court drama consumed me rather passionately. since then, whenever i hit local bookstores, i have a habit of casually strolling to history section, european history to be precise.

and, this want to get all other phillipa gregory books. she's written quite a few, i've learned.

the book 'the other boleyn' has an interesting section onf question sheet and historical data on the back of the book. it's juicy to be a pure historical archive, and yet much of the plot are pretty accurate historically to call the story a pure fiction.

i find the book quite interesting, and this book made me read through 3 more of 'pure historical/biographical' non-fictions on henry viii and his 6 wives, 1 of which i do own(6 wives of henry viii) in my posession now.

some rather gross details of anne boleyn's deed to attain the seat of queen, how henry's other wives became and lost their seat at queen-ship. and, when i see the portraits, more mystery at henry's obsessions w/ these women. and, to know that anne boleyn and mary boleyn who bore henry a bastard son are sisters.

who needs a fiction when fact is more dramatic like this than fiction!

Classical Korean Poems - 시조 모음 (WATCHING THE STARS by NO, CH`ONMYONG)

2005-04-01T21:38:00.000-08:00

WATCHING THE STARS

As a tree tilts heavenward
So we must go watching the stars overhead,
Though our feet kick dust on the ground.
What if you should be placed
Higher than the next fellow?
What if your name should be made
Greater than those of others?
What if you should take revenge on your enemy?
All end in trifles
Not worth a penny for a drink.
We must go ahead watching the stars overhead
Though our feet kick dust on the ground.

-- From "Korean Poetry Today : Selected and
translated with an introduction by Jaihiun J. Kim"
at UCB East Asian Library (PL 959.5 K68 1987 EAST)

==> No, Ch'onmyong ( 노 천명, 1913-1957)
Born in Chang'yon, Hwanghae province, No began writing while she was at
Ehwa Womens University. Affiliated with 'The Poetry Garden', No distinguished
herself as a rare talent and a great woman poet. Single all her life through,
No made her solitude and self-torture her weapon against the hostile universe.
In 'The Song of Deer' she outgrows the netting solitude and introspection
and enters the world of love and repentance. Her work includes 'The Coral
Reefs' (1938), 'The Window Side' (1945), 'Looking at the Stars' (1953), 'The
Song of Deer' (1959) and 'Complete Works by No Ch`on-myong' (1960)

Classical Korean Poems - 시조 모음 (THE CROSS by YUN, TONGJU)

2005-04-01T21:31:00.000-08:00

THE CROSS

Yun, Tong-ju (윤 동주)

The sunlight that has been chasing me
now hangs on the cross
on the top of a church.

How could it have scaled
its steeple, so high?

No bell is ringing;
I fool around giving a whistle.

Were I to be allowed the cross
as was Jesus Christ,
who suffered but was happy,

I would gladly hang my head
and let my blood flow in quiet
like a flower flaring
under the darkening skies.

-- From "Korean Poetry Today : Selected and
translated with an introduction by Jaihiun J. Kim"
at UCB East Asian Library (PL 959.5 K68 1987 EAST)

Classical Korean Poems - 시조 모음

2005-04-01T21:30:00.000-08:00

서시 (PRELUDE)

- 윤 동주 (Dong-ju Yun)

Let me have no shame
Under the heaven
Til I die.

Even winds among the foliage
Pained my heart.

With a heart that sings of the stars,
I'll love all dying things.

And I must fare the path
That's been allotted to me.

Tonight also
The winds sweep over the stars.

-- From "Best Loved Poems of Korea"
at UCB East Asian Library (PL 984 E3 B4 1984 EAST)

==> Yun, Dong-ju (1917-1945) wrote many poems which have become favorite
poems. He published his poems in The Sky, the Wind, the Stars and Poems, 1950.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE PROLOGUE

For a life to be led until death
without a patch of shame;
under the scrutiny of heaven
I felt painfully hurt
by a single breath of wind
that stirs the leaves of grass.
I must love all things mortal
with a spirit to sing the stars;
I must follow the path
destined to me.
Again tonight
wind rustles against the stars.

-- From "Korean Poetry Today : Selected and
translated with an introduction by Jaihiun J. Kim"
at UCB East Asian Library (PL 959.5 K68 1987 EAST)

Classical Korean Poems - 시조 모음

2005-04-01T21:29:00.001-08:00

사슴 (Deer)
- 노 천명 (by Chun-myung No)

The long neck makes him a sad creature,
Always gentle and quiet.
The fragrant crown betrays
His noble birth.

Looking at his image
Reflected in the stream,
He recalls the lost myths,
Then in helpless nostalgia,
Cranes the sad neck
To gaze at far-away hills.

-- From "Best Loved Poems of Korea"
at UCB East Asian Library (PL 984 E3 B4 1984 EAST)

==> No, Chun-myung (1913-1957) has become one of the favorite poets with
several books of poetry, which include: Coral Reefs, 1938; Windowside, 1945;
Looking at the Stars, 1953; Deer's Song, 1956. She also publishe books of
essays.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Deer

That long neck of yours
makes you a sad creature.

Always quiet and gentle
with the fragrant crown
You must come of a noble tribel.

Watching your own image
mirrored in the stream
you recall the lost legend.

Lost in irresistible nostalgia
you crane your sad neck
to gaze at the hills far out.

-- From "Korean Poetry Today : Selected and
translated with an introduction by Jaihiun J. Kim"
at UCB East Asian Library (PL 959.5 K68 1987 EAST)

==> No, Ch'onmyong (1913-1957)
Born in Chang'yon, Hwanghae province, No began writing while she was at
Ehwa Womens University. Affiliated with 'The Poetry Garden', No distinguished
herself as a rare talent and a great woman poet. Single all her life through,
No made her solitude and self-torture her weapon against the hostile universe.
In 'The Song of Deer' she outgrows the netting solitude and introspection
and enters the world of love and repentance. Her work includes 'The Coral
Reefs' (1938), 'The Window Side' (1945), 'Looking at the Stars' (1953), 'The
Song of Deer' (1959) and 'Complete Works by No Ch`on-myong' (1960)

Classical Korean Poems - 시조 모음

2005-04-01T21:29:00.000-08:00

RETURN TO HEAVEN

I will return to heaven
hand in hand with the dew
that distills in the dawning light.

I will return to heaven
in company with the evening-glow
when cloud beckons while I stroll on the shore.

I will return to heaven
the day when my beautiful earthly trip ends.
In heaven I will tell all was so lovely on earth.

-- From "Korean Poetry Today : Selected and
translated with an introduction by Jaihiun J. Kim"
at UCB East Asian Library (PL 959.5 K68 1987 EAST)

==> Ch`on, Sangbyong (1930- )
Born in Ch`ang'won, south Kyongsang province, Ch`on went to Seoul
National University for a short period. His literary career started
with his first poems being published in 'Munye(Literary Arts)' in 1952.
He has three books of poems to his credit: 'Bird' (1971), 'At Tavern' (1972)
and 'Ch`on Sangbyong Is a Born Poet' (1973).

Classical Korean Poems - 시조 모음

2005-04-01T21:28:00.000-08:00

엄마야, 누나야 (MOTHER, SISTER)

- 김 소월 (So-wol, Kim)

Mother, Sister! let's dwell by the river.
Gleaming golden sands in the garden.
Outside the back-gate, a chorus of reeds.
Mother, Sister! let's dwell by the river.

-- From "Best Loved Poems of Korea"
at UCB East Asian Library (PL 984 E3 B4 1984 EAST)

Classical Korean Poems - 시조 모음

2005-04-01T21:26:00.000-08:00

님 의 침묵 (LOVE'S SILENCE)

한 용운 (Yong-woon Han)

Love has gone. Ah, my love has gone.
He has left, shaking me off, and breaking
the green mountain light along the small path
toward the maple grove. The old promise that
was firm and bright as golden flowers has been
carried away like cold dust by a breath of breeze.
The memory of the keen first kiss has receded,
changing my fate's course. Your sweet voice has
deafened me and your fair face has blinded me.

Love after all is a human affair; so I feared
our parting when we first met. But this parting
has been too sudden, and my surprised heart is
bursting with fresh sorrow. To make parting
a source of idle tears will only mar love itself.
So I have poured the hopeless sorrow into a keg
of new hope. As we dread parting when we meet,
so we believe in reunion when we part.

Ah, my love has gone, but I have not let him go.
A love-song that cannot bear its own music
hovers over the love's silence.

-- From "Best Loved Poems of Korea"
at UCB East Asian Library (PL 984 E3 B4 1984 EAST)

==> Han, Yong-woon (1879-1944), the famous Buddhist priest-patriot,
wrote many poems which are among the best loved Korean poems. Among
others, his poetry often reveals flashes of Buddhist insights into
the inexplicable and paradoxical nature of existence. His poems were
collected in Love's Silence, 1926. He also wrote novels.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE SILENCE OF LOVE

Love is gone, gone is my love.
Tearhing himself away from me he has gone
on a little path that stretches in the splendor of
a green hill into an autumn-tinted forest.
Our last oath, shining and enduring
like a gold-mosaicked flower,
has turned to cold ashes, blown away
in the breath of wind.
I remember his poignant first kiss and its memory
has wrought a complete change in my destiny,
then withdrawn into oblivion.
I hear not his sweet voice; I see no his fair looks.
Since it is human to love, I, alert, dreaded a
parting to come when we met.
The separation came so suddenly
it broke my heart with renewed sorrow.
Yet, I know parting can only destroy our love if
it causes futile tears to fall.
I would rather transfer the surge of this sorrow
onto the summit of hopefulness.
As we dread parting when we meet, so,
we promise to meet again when we part.
Though my love is gone, I am not lost to love;
an untiring love-song envelops the silence of love.

-- From "Korean Poetry Today : Selected and
translated with an introduction by Jaihiun J. Kim"
at UCB East Asian Library (PL 959.5 K68 1987 EAST)

==> Han, Yong'un (1879-1944)
Born in Hongsong, south Ch`ungch`ong, a devoted Buddhist monk since his
early years, Han was one of the 33 members who in 1919 signed the historical
documents to declare Korea independent of the Japanese colonial rule. His
poems concern his philosophical meditation on nature and the mystery of
human existence. 'The Silence of Love' (1926); 'Complete Works of Han
Yong-un' (1973)

Classical Korean Poems - 시조 모음

2005-04-01T21:24:00.000-08:00

NAMELESSNESS

The sunset so beautiful
beyond expression
was fading out

In the presence of this moment
and the oncoming night
I was thinking of tomorrow

Spring is over.
Yesterday and this very moment today
are blazing -- O the burning sunset about to fade.

Why I have to cut a slice
from the far-away sky and etch my namelessness
without a day's delay

I wish to know,
I wish to know.

-- From "Korean Poetry Today : Selected and
translated with an introduction by Jaihiun J. Kim"
at UCB East Asian Library (PL 959.5 K68 1987 EAST)

==> Ch`on, Sangbyong (1930- )
Born in Ch`ang'won, south Kyongsang province, Ch`on went to Seoul
National University for a short period. His literary career started
with his first poems being published in 'Munye(Literary Arts)' in 1952.
He has three books of poems to his credit: 'Bird' (1971), 'At Tavern' (1972)
and 'Ch`on Sangbyong Is a Born Poet' (1973).

Classical Korean Poems - 시조 모음

2005-04-01T21:23:00.000-08:00

LONGING

My heart is on fire,
burning ceaselessly for something.

I reach out my hand, waving far into the distance.
Forgetting that my hands and feet are in chains,
I gasp in a desperate self-struggle.

Who was it that played flute once?
I do not know where its notes still
linger, here or there.

There must be some place that calls me;
Somewhere in the far distance
something seems to beckon.

My heart is burning, burning ceaselessly.

-- From "Korean Poetry Today : Selected and
translated with an introduction by Jaihiun J. Kim"
at UCB East Asian Library (PL 959.5 K68 1987 EAST)

==> No, Ch'onmyong (1913-1957)
Born in Chang'yon, Hwanghae province, No began writing while she was at
Ehwa Womens University. Affiliated with 'The Poetry Garden', No distinguished
herself as a rare talent and a great woman poet. Single all her life through,
No made her solitude and self-torture her weapon against the hostile universe.
In 'The Song of Deer' she outgrows the netting solitude and introspection
and enters the world of love and repentance. Her work includes 'The Coral
Reefs' (1938), 'The Window Side' (1945), 'Looking at the Stars' (1953), 'The
Song of Deer' (1959) and 'Complete Works by No Ch`on-myong' (1960)

Classical Korean Poems - 시조 모음

2005-04-01T20:00:00.000-08:00

LETTER

Now my belly is full, treted to a lunch,
I write to myself that has been starving.

You are not overly depressed, are you?
You are used to going hungry, aren't you?

Remember that there were times
when you lived like a lord.

I've been living these twenty years
counting on tomorrow.

And, I write
to you, myself
lest I forget
I am full now.

-- From "Korean Poetry Today : Selected and
translated with an introduction by Jaihiun J. Kim"
at UCB East Asian Library (PL 959.5 K68 1987 EAST)

==> Ch`on, Sangbyong (1930- )
Born in Ch`ang'won, south Kyongsang province, Ch`on went to Seoul
National University for a short period. His literary career started
with his first poems being published in 'Munye(Literary Arts)' in 1952.
He has three books of poems to his credit: 'Bird' (1971), 'At Tavern' (1972)
and 'Ch`on Sangbyong Is a Born Poet' (1973).

Classical Korean Poems - 시조 모음

2005-04-01T19:35:00.000-08:00

GOLDEN TURF

Turf, turf, golden turf!
The flames in the deep vale,
The golden turf o're Jane's tomb.

Spring splendour alights
On willow trees and
Slender boughs.

Spring splendour has come
To the golden turf
In the deep vale.

by So-wol Kim

-- From "Best Loved Poems of Korea"
at UCB East Asian Library (PL 984 E3 B4 1984 EAST)

Classical Korean Poems - 시조 모음

2005-04-01T19:33:00.000-08:00

DOES SPRING COME TO THESE STOLEN FIELDS

Does spring come to this land no more our own,
to these stolen fields?
Bathed in the sun I go as if in a dream along a lane
that cuts across paddy-fields like parted hair
to where the blue sky and the green field meet.
You mute heaven and silent fields,
I do not feel I have come here on my own;
tell me if I am driven by you or by some hidden force.

The breeze that whispers in my ears
strokes my garment at every step;
the larks behind the clouds are caroling
like maidens across the fence.
You rich green fields of corn,
have you washed the cataracts of your hair
in that gentle rain that fell last night?
I feel so refreshed and light in the head.

Alone as I am, my steps are cheerful
for the kind water in the ditch
rushes past the thirsty fields
with rippling songs of lullaby.
Swallows and butterflies, be gentle and modest.
I must say hello to the cocks-comb-flowering village.
How I wish to have another look at those fields,
weeded by women, their hair oil-shining.

Hand me a hoe that I may work in an honest sweat;
that I may walk on this earth soft as rich breasts
till my ankles grow numb with pain.
My soul yearns for the infinite as that of children
frolicking on the riverbank.
Tell me what it is you are craving for,
whither you go.
Soaked in the smell of the greening earth
I walk all day long limping between the green of sorrow
and joy as if possessed by the spirit of spring.

But now that the land is no more our own
spring can no longer be our own.

-- From "Korean Poetry Today : Selected and
translated with an introduction by Jaihiun J. Kim"
at UCB East Asian Library (PL 959.5 K68 1987 EAST)

==> Yi, Sanghwa (1900-1941)
Born in Taegu, north Kyongsang province, Yi studied French at Tokyo
University of Foreign Studies, Japan. Affiliated with 'The White Waves'
circle, Yi wrote in early years romantic poems with a touch of sentimentality.
Later, Yi succeeded in crystalizing the misery of the oppressed nation into
"Does Spring Come to These Stolen Fields?" Yi's poems were posthumously
collected by Paek Ki-man in 'Sang-hwa And Kowol' (1951).

Classical Korean Poems - 시조 모음

2005-04-01T19:30:00.000-08:00

Boy

Everywhere the sad autumn drops like maple leaves,
yielding its place to the spring. The sky
spreads beyond the branches. As I gaze at the sky,
a blue pigment dyes my eyebrows. When I touch
my warm cheeks, a blue dye stains my palms.
I look at the palms again. A clear stream
flows along the palm-lines, reflecting a face
sad as love -- fair Suy's face. Enraptured,
I close my eyes. The clear stream still
reflects the face sad as love - fair Suny's face.

by Dongju Yun

-- From "Best Loved Poems of Korea"
at UCB East Asian Library (PL 984 E3 B4 1984 EAST)

Classical Korean Poems - 시조 모음

2005-04-01T19:27:00.000-08:00

BIRD

Flitting onto the vacant site in my soul
that has lived alone and will live forlorn
a bird sings with flowerbuds unfolding
the day I die
or the day after.

When a song is sung loudest
for the joy of living,
for things of beauty,
or for love,
I am a lonely bird
left in the ditch or sitting on a branch of a tree.

Seasons of tenderness,
weeks of sorrow and joy.
O bird,
sing aloud your age-old notes,
known, unknown or forgotten.

The bird cries
as if to say
that he has seen better days
and had bad luck too.

-- From "Korean Poetry Today : Selected and
translated with an introduction by Jaihiun J. Kim"
at UCB East Asian Library (PL 959.5 K68 1987 EAST)

==> Ch`on, Sangbyong (1930- )
Born in Ch`ang'won, south Kyongsang province, Ch`on went to Seoul
National University for a short period. His literary career started
with his first poems being published in 'Munye(Literary Arts)' in 1952.
He has three books of poems to his credit: 'Bird' (1971), 'At Tavern' (1972)
and 'Ch`on Sangbyong Is a Born Poet' (1973).

the blindness - more on existentilism

2005-03-31T22:35:00.000-08:00

When CJ left the book at my desk, I didn't know. I didn't know how much I'd grow fond of this book, 'The Blindness' by Saramango.

Afterward, I started scanning web and local bookstores for more of Saramango's writing.

This brought back my memory of 'My lime Orange Tree' I read in Korean translation when I was a kid.

Are all south american writers favour this style? It's almost like a landscape, probing under human skin in most quiet and unnoticed way. Before I know it, I was completely hooked. Hooked on the concept, on writing style, ...
Thinking deep, deeper, and deeper. Probe into my own limit, and trying to find out how much of life is common and how much of it is so grand and spectacular.

like tropical weather, there's calm sea with beautiful sand, clear water, and most terrifying big-scale storm lurking behind hot blazing sun.

how will I fare?
The book actually surfaced what I've been asking in back of my mind, forever and ever.

Do I really understand what the author's trying to narrate?
I wonder.

A book that has more question than answer, shakes one's world more than giving reassurance.
Simply unforgettable, tho.

How do we all fare under certain circumstance? Like sudden and unexplainable blindness that would leave one completely unprepared and feeling inadequate?
How would I fare under this circumstance?

unbearble lightness of being - is existentialism dead?

2005-03-31T22:22:00.000-08:00

Solitude,
Loneliness,
Fight w/ self,
Fight against world,
...

the title 'Unbearble lightness of Bing' describes the concept behind existentialism well, I think.
the reason I readily accepted the book when recommanded.

after reading this book, the fever caught me to the point where I madly collected all Kundera's work, and all works about him.

and, by pure chance, I even saw this book made into a movie. well, I wasn't all that crazy about that movie.

Unbearable!
For some reason that word was very attractive.
unbearable,
unbearable lightness,
unbearable lightness of being!
Does this mean feeling invisible? Or does this mean responsible & dutiful all the time, and not knowning own self, own worth?
What does this mean?
And, how much of lightness?
Why so unbearable?

psych of four main characters, and their native self and how they're modified by each other, and how much their relationship to each other affects them.
There's certain mystery in it.

Of course, one can easily read it as just a love story.
But, that's just a basic plot to give context to the narrator's true intention, I think.

For some reason, I enjoyed these charactors' struggle for his/her own existence much more than classic anti-hero Holden, from 'The Catcher in the Rye' by J.D. Salinger.

젊은 느티나무 -- 강 신재 작

2005-03-30T19:17:00.000-08:00

1

그에게서는 언제나 비누 냄새가 난다.
아니, 그렇지는 않다. 언제나라고는 할 수 없다.
그가 학교에서 돌아와 욕실로 뛰어가서 물을 뒤집어쓰고 나오는 때면 비누 냄새가 난다. 나는 책상 앞에 돌아앉아서 꼼짝도 하지 않고 있더라도 그가 가까이 오는 것을 -- 그의 표정이나 기분까지라도 넉넉히 미리 알아차릴 수 있다.
티셔츠로 갈아입은 그는 성큼성큼 내 방으로 걸어 들어와 아무렇게나 안락의자에 주저앉든가, 창가에 팔꿈치를 짚고 서면서 나에게 빙긋 웃어 보인다.
"무얼 해?"
대개 이런 소리를 던진다.
그런 때에 그에게서 비누 냄새가 난다. 그리고 나는 나에게 가장 슬프고 괴로운 시간이 다가온 것을 깨닫는다. 엷은 비누의 향료와 함께 가슴속으로 저릿한 것이 퍼져 나간다 --

고전 책들

2005-03-29T14:03:00.001-08:00

내가 가장 좋아하는 현대 작가중 잠결에라도 언뜻 대답할 수 있는 이름이 바로 김 동인 이다.
'젊은 그들', '배따라기', '감자', '발가락이 닯았다', ..., 등.

Jane Austin -- now that hype's dead

2005-03-29T08:45:00.000-08:00

a few years back, there was a serious hype about Jane Austin's works.
Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, ...,
so many movies and so many tv-movies were made that year.

What was that, I wonder.

And, where does her work stand now, that the hype's dead, I wonder.

I enjoy almost all her books.

There are a few scenes and lines from Pride and Prejudice I used to memorize.

Sense and Sensibility, I found the book boring, but the movie was pretty comical. This one was made before the year of Jane Austin, I think. Hollywood flick.

life of pi

2005-03-28T12:55:00.000-08:00

March 14th was the 'Pi' Day.

The book 'Life of Pi' still is in top selling charts at local bookstores.

Read it last winter, when my german ski resort roommate had it for practicing his English.

Somewhat quirky on side, it's mildly amusing.

Not sure it's all that great and captivating to be nominated for best selling book.

It's everywhere, though.

The beginning part, of exotic foreign lifestyle was cute and made me burst into laughter, here and there.

The transport in cargo ship scenario made me think of rather a trite Hollywood flick movie scenes.

It's definitely interesting writing style, to employ 1st person writing approach, mainly because the author's 1st person narration tone's not as common.

:)