Quote
Very often, my mentor finishes his lecture with a quote on his last slide. The quote is as compelling as the second last conclusion slide, but even more resonating. That is one of the surprises I've kept looking forward to.
An epigraph or short quote at the beginning of each book chapter serves a similar purpose. For that matter, such quote works like a hook to grab our attention to new chapter. One chapter after another.
One good example is Rosemary Grant's memoir, One Step Sideways
Hike
Lonely Planet writer says we all have a wish list at the back of our minds (or struck to the refrigerator). And I'd agree.
After return from Mt Kinabalu, I borrowed Lonely Planet 's Epic Hikes of the World . That's a reminder that we live on a uniquely scenic and precious living planet.
The book reminds me of a long-ago trek along the Abel Tasman Coast Track in New Zealand. That's a world-class beachcombing walk for 60 kilometres, manageable
Coercion
In Alka Joshi's debut novel, The Henna Artist , she tells the story of forced marriage in India – from a powerless 15-year-old Lakshimi being told to to marry a man who spent most of his time in village sleeping and eating, to her bold move to escape three years after the abusive marriage, and her subsequent life a henna artist.
To me as a non-Indian, Lakshimi's plight in 1950s seemed ridiculous, and yet also like something that we
Sparrows
To this day, the campaign of eradicating sparrows, one of the "Four Pests", by the Chinese leader Mao Zedong had remained the biggest disregard for the laws governing the natural world.
Hundreds of millions of tree sparrows were killed after Mao had come to power in 1949. The cull is also known as the Great Sparrow Campaign, as a result of the Chinese rulers' perennial fondness for slogans. Somehow Mao's philosophy "People Will Conquer Nature" led to a superficially convincing theory. It
Kauila
There are few things so simple, so heartwarming, and so very family-friendly as watching Disney movies. Especially when Lilo & Stitch is a live-action remake of the animated film, a retold story of a broken family, a six-year-old Hawaiian girl Lilo and her older orphaned sister.
I went to the theatre with my daughter to watch the movie this afternoon. The relationship between Lilo and the creature Stitch reminded me of the Hawaiian goddess Kauila. I first learned about the huge sea turtle goddess
Snowstorm
Take a walk in the forest with snowflakes glistening in the sunlight shining between the clouds. Feather-light snowflakes land on the bridge of nose and lips. The scene from the novel We Do Not Part , written by Han Kang who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, is ethereal.
If you ever find yourself being served red bean juk to confront the fury of cold and hungry journey, the juk feels like a reward nothing short of heavenly.
As I kept reading, the story of bullets shattered the romantic masquerade
Newborn
Maybe you're one of those people who are optimistic enough to enjoy your barbecue party after your wallet has been stolen. Or maybe you're the person who's putting on a smile when your computer is beyond repair before you have backup of the files. Some of us can remain positive even when we're knee-deep in troubled waters.
Except for childbirth, or the first one year of newborn. That's what Kerry Hudson wrote about in her beautiful memoir Newborn , a journey towards her
Read-a-thon
Prize-winning writer Emily Henry is celebrated for her romance novels. That isn't among my favourite genre of books, though I borrowed her book Funny Story recently. The character of Daphne, a book lover and a children's librarian, reminds me of the good old days when I kept visiting library for my daughter's book choices.
There's no place so friendly as a chidren's library. Where the side-by-side beanbags seem to be heaven for readers, and where you
River
If, after a strenuous Mt Kinabalu climb, you'd like nothing more than an easy trip, you're in for a boat ride.
Our family were simply too frazzled to go for more walks after return from the summit. All because of aches and pains, we chose to take a break and wait for the recovery of our jelly-like thigh muscles. Luckily, there is something magical about river cruising in Borneo. On the last day of our trip, I picked a late-afternoon wildlife cruise
Kinabalu
Mention the word Mounjaro and you're likely to conjure images of blockbuster drug glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist with global prescription growing at 38 percent annually. To me, the brand name resembles Kilimanjaro, or, for that matter, Kinabalu.
One good reason is my chance to climb Mt Kinabalu this week. I tried to make the ascent almost 30 years ago, but failed without the legally required mountain guide and climbing permit. My wife and I have longed to return.
After my planning of