The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf
The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf |
| Posted: 29 Nov 2012 03:19 PM PST Last week, we promised more good news for bookworms in a Christmassy, gift-giving mood, and here it is: the final part of MPH Bookstores' special offer to Star2 readers. COME one, come all, come old, young and in between, there must be something here that catches your eye – many titles certainly grabbed our attention, especially when we were writing down the prices and thinking of the special discount we can get with this page.... The titles featured here are part of the MPH Tokens Of Love Annual Catalogue 2012, which brings together unique gifts and offers so that there is bound to be something for everyone. Star2 readers, however, will exclusively enjoy a further 25% discount on the 10 titles from the catalogue that are featured in this section. Just present this page upon payment at any MPH Bookstore in Malaysia (except MPH@KLIA) to get the discount. The offer is limited to five copies per customer per original page (no photocopies allowed) and is valid, while stocks last, until Dec 31, 2012. It is not valid with other promotions and is not exchangeable for cash. Note that cover images published may differ from available stock. Here's an introduction to the 10 books on offer this week: 1) One Hundred Names by Cecelia Ahern (RM 59.90) REPORTER Kitty Logan's life is in utter turmoil: her career has been ruined by a costly mistake she made and she is about to lose her mentor, Constance. At the dying editor's bedside, Kitty asks, "What is the one story you always wanted to write?" The surprising answer is a list of 100 seemingly unconnected names. After Constance dies, Kitty becomes determined to find out more about these ordinary people that Constance deemed important – and along way, regain her professional credibility as well as her belief in herself. 2) The Columbus Affair by Steve Berry (RM 31.90) HERE'S another journalist in dire straits – in fact, Tom Sagan is actually contemplating suicide after his career is sabotaged for no reason that he can see. Then a hidden part of his family's history is revealed and Tom realises he might hold the key to a centuries old secret that could shake not only the America the world knows today but the very roots of the Christian and Jewish faiths. 3) The Twelve by Justin Cronin (RM 68.90) THE New York Times' Sunday Book Review section deemed the first part of this trilogy a "literary superthriller, driven at once by character and plot". In The Passage, we were introduced to a post-apocalyptic world in which "virals", zombie-like vampires, wander the land looking for flesh. This sequel, unusually, goes back to Year Zero, introducing us to key characters and showing how simple choices can change history. With a deeper understanding of the virals' origins, there is a sense of greater urgency in the hunt for the original 12 virals that main characters Amy, Alicia and Peter began in The Passage and continue here. 4) Encyclopaedia About Everything (RM 39.90) WHAT can you tell your child about the world's first civilisation? Craving to fill her soul with the surprising beauty of modern art? From the vast universe to the tiniest of insects, this encyclopaedia covers just about every question that could occur in your child's inquisitive mind. 5) Bunnies By The Bay (RM 29.90) ELSIE and her little bunnies pals, Blossom, Bloom and Bud, are all up and ready to have some fun with you! Catch these adorable residents of Cricket Island all together in this enjoyable slipcase. Perfect for little hands, it includes four stunning whiteboard board looks. 6) Surprise Surprise! Places by Jeannette Rowe (RM 19.90) READ the rhyme, make your guess and lift the flap to see if you're right! Bestselling author and illustrator Jeannette Rowe gets children learning about the world through a fun guessing game. 7) My Jungle Jeep Fold-Out Track And Book by Marjory Gardner (RM32.90) IT is a book, a wind-up vehicle and a track, all in one easy-to-carry paperback! This will let your little one (and the, ahem, older ones who remain young at heart) travel through thick jungle or cruise along the glistening beach of a seaside destination. Gear up an adventurous spirit, take the jeep for a spin along the illustrated track and create fun-filled voyages. 8) My First Stories For Girls (RM 19.90) ENTER a magical world of enthralling princesses and whimsical fairies with these tales of royal voyages and adventure. Stunning illustrations bring 15 enchanting stories to life. 9) My First Stories For Boys (RM19.90) WITH 15 tales of monsters, explorers, and other cheeky rascals, My First Stories For Boys caters to any robust bunch of children. Join in the fun as Robby sails his pirate ship, Alex flies a rocket to the moon and James plays a very stinky game of hide-and-seek! 10) My Treasury Of Animal Tales & Rhymes (RM 28.90) ENTER a world of magic, adventure and mystery in this brilliantly illustrated collection that brings together old-school nursery rhymes and classic animal tales from well-known authors such as Hans Christian Andersen, Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm. This is a great opportunity to introduce the original tales and rhymes to children who might not know anything but the Disney-fied versions and to spend family time together reading and remembering. |
| Posted: 29 Nov 2012 03:18 PM PST Justin Bieber: Just Getting Started CONTAINING stories from pop-sensation Justin Bieber himself, the book is a personal account of his life on the road. From the crazy highs of performing on stage to spending those precious quiet moments with his friends and family, Bieber looks to present readers with a personal backstage pass to his world. The Bieb takes fans travelling all over the world with him, from Tel Aviv to Tokyo, and provides an eye-opening narration of his rise to global stardom. A Gift of Hope IN her previous memoir, His Bright Light, bestselling author Danielle Steel shared the story of losing her beloved son. In this book, she details how she has transformed that pain into a campaign of service that enriches the lives of others. Taking to the streets with a small team of helpers, she works anonymously to aid the homeless of San Francisco, America. The narration of her experience is candid and inspirational, one that brings attention to the plight of the less fortunate. 8 Habits Of Love IN what he calls a "spiritual guidebook to living life through love and connection", Ed Bacon details the steps one can take to overcome troubling emotions. Using relatable stories, the author teaches readers to create a full, meaningful life by developing simple habits that can help develop answers to crucial questions such as: How do I know I'm living the life I should be? How do I forgive those who have hurt me? How do I best help others when they need it? And how do I let go of the past and move forward? Fade OLIVIA Rowland, having left her Midwestern life behind after graduation, now works in Los Angeles as a Hollywood talent agent. It is here that she meets Max Dalton, Hollywood's youngest and brightest movie producer-cum-director-cum-writer. He is wealthy, successful and hot, and Rowland immediately falls for him. What then ensues is a perilous, yet passionate relationship that challenges their deepest and darkest desires. Sweet Tooth SERENA Frome, a young lady both extremely beautiful and smart, is an agent working with the British intelligence agency, M15, in the 1970s. Her mission: infiltrate the literary circle of a promising young writer named Tom Haley to further the British government's goal of manipulating the cultural conversation. The operation is code named "Sweet Tooth" and through it, writers deemed to be politically aligned with the government receive funds to their aim. For Frome everything proceeds according to plan, but that all changes when she falls in love with Haley. The Omega-3 Effect DETAILING the function of omega-3s in the body, Dr William Sears gives readers a clear account of how to live a more healthy life by capitalising on the benefits of this particular fatty acid. The brain, heart, joints, skin and immune system – omega-3 plays an essential role in each of these body systems. From tips on what foods and supplements readers can incorporate into their diet, to easy recipes to follow, Dr Sears makes it practical for approaching the omega-3 solution to health. |
| Posted: 29 Nov 2012 03:16 PM PST A classic series by Studio Ghibli maestro Hayao Miyazaki gets a richly-deserved reissue. WHEN I was asked to write about some of my favourite "classic" manga, one title immediately popped into my mind: Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind by Hayao Miyazaki. Yes, THAT Hayao Miyazaki, of Studio Ghibli fame. You know this is going to be good. Originally published from 1982 to 1994, Nausicaa is an epic adventure set in the ruins of a world ravaged by the Seven Days Of Fire. In this post-apocalyptic landscape, the remnants of humanity have regressed into warring feudal states, and civilisation has to survive in the shadow of a massive fungal forest called the Sea of Corruption, with its poisonous miasma and countless rampaging giant mutant insects. It all sounds pretty bleak and grim, but like most works from Ghibli's main man, it is really a tale full of hope and humanity. It's less Mad Max and more Totoro, if Totoro was a multi-eyed, armoured (and adorable) maggot the size of Genting Highlands, that is. The titular Nausicaa is a tomboy princess of a small kingdom that was spared the worst of the post-apocalyptic pollution. Her gentle heart and courageous soul let her befriend the giant monsters in the nearby forests of miasma (a deadly gas released by the plants), but her peaceful days come to an end when a war between two nations threatens the safety of her kingdom and her monster friends. Without giving too much away, Nausicaa gets caught in the middle of a massive war; saves the lives of friends and enemies using a combination of compassion and heroic ass-kicking; and eventually unravels secrets of the apocalypse and the wasteland. Along the way, we glimpse the story of another princess who's forced to fight battles she would rather not have to fight, a shaman-priest trying to lead his people to safety aboard flying refugee ships and two ostensible god-emperors struggling against their own mortality. If Nausicaa was merely a good adventure story, we would have read it and enjoyed it and that would be that. However, it is far more than just a story about a heroine saving the world. There is a reason why it stayed in my mind as one of the best manga titles I have ever read, and why I couldn't resist sharing this decades-old series, just in case some of you missed out on this classic. It has evocative imagery that manages to be emotional without being shoujo-level sappy (the scene where one bad guy finds redemption brought a tear to my eye). Its characters have depth, and you'll grow to like them all – even the supposed "villains" and "monsters". Most importantly, at its core, Nausicaa is a story that speaks to the better side of humanity. Miyazaki's favourite themes – caring for the environment, strong female characters saving the day and kindness winning over even the worst of villains – are present here; and the story feels magical despite the death and bloodshed. This stark contrast wouldn't have worked so well if the artwork hadn't made the world so believable and engaging. Miyazaki uses clean, precise lines to illustrate his world, and every panel is packed with a fantastic amount of detail. Everything – from the dirty uniforms of the soldiers in the war, to the dents on the ancient flying machines, and the alien majesty of the Sea of Corruption and its denizens – is communicated in a robust visual language. In some moments, you can understand how the princess can actually view a poisonous forest of pollution and its monstrous insect habitants as beautiful, innocent things. If you're looking to add this to your reading library, the complete series has just been reissued as a hardcover two-volume box set. If anime is more your thing, you can look for the film adaptation, produced by Studio Ghibli, of course. Just be sure to get the newer DVD releases, and not the heavily edited 1980 (mal)adaptation called Warriors Of The Wind. I wanted to end this review by saying, "get this manga, it will BLOW you away!". But no, Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind is way too classy a series for a terrible pun like that. It is a classic story of good triumphing over evil, wrapped in the context of an epic adventure, set in a world full of wonder and horrors. I cannot recommend it enough. > The new hardcover Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind box set is now available at Kinokuniya, Suria KLCC. As part of the bookstore's month-long Christmas promotion, you can get a 30% discount off the retail price with a purchase of any other item. |
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