The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf
The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf |
| The MPH Distributors Warehouse Sale starts today Posted: 20 May 2013 04:47 PM PDT Here are more titles that Star2 readers can get at a special price at the MPH Distributors Warehouse Sale. ARE you interested in military tactics and important battles from the Ancient World? Do you play golf or spend your evenings baking cookies? Are you all grown up, but want to read about other people's coming of age stories? Head over to the MPH Distributors Warehouse Sale starting today to pick up titles that cover these and many other topics. Star2 readers will also get to enjoy further marked down prices for a selection of titles. Just present this original page (no photocopies) upon payment to enjoy the special prices. This offer is valid only during the sale from today till May 26, while stocks last. It is not valid with other promotions and is not exchangeable for cash. One page is valid for up to five of the titles featured on this page. Fiction Fallen In Love by Lauren Kate (warehouse sale price: RM25 / Star2 price: RM18) – Four extraordinary love stories involving the main characters from the Fallen series combine over the course of a romantic Valentine's Day in Medieval England. This novella is a must-have for fans of Lauren Kate's Fallen series. Rapture by Lauren Kate (WP: RM25 / SP: RM18) – In this final book in the Fallen series, Luce finally discovers her destiny and must make a difficult decision. And whichever choice she makes, great sacrifices will have to be made. Fiction bundle comprising Moonlight Masquerade by Jude Deveraux, I Heart London by Lindsey Kelk, and 77 Shadow Street by Dean Koontz (WP: RM25 / SP: RM20) – A fantastic value-for-money fiction bundle containing one thriller and two romance titles at a fraction of the retail price. Fyre (Septimus Heap #7) by Angie Sage (WP: RM 20/ SP: RM15) – In this grand finale in the Septimus Heap journey, our young hero continues to battle the Darke Domaine. Ever powerful, the Darke will remain until the power of the evil Two-Faced Ring is destroyed. Fyre weaves together every character from the series and incorporates many of the Magykal places from each book. Killing Time by Cindy Gerard (WP: RM13 / SP: RM10) – He is a hard-living hero. She is a beautiful rogue operative who is on a mission to dig up the secrets of his past. Their search for a traitor takes them halfway across the world and opens up a world of deceit, seduction and deduction. Moonlight Masquerade by Jude Deveraux (WP: RM13 / SP: RM10) – The final book in the Moonlight trilogy follows the story of Sophie Kincaid who has just been jilted. She flees to Edilean, the small town her friend Kim calls heaven on earth. But after her car breaks down on a country road and she is nearly run over by a speeding sports car, she wonders if it is really the paradise Kim says it is. Swimming Pool Sunday by Madeleine Wickham (WP: RM18 / SP: RM15) – No one expected tragedy to strike when the Delaneys opened their pool to the village for charity. But when a terrible accident happens, people begin taking sides, the needs of a child are neglected and long-forged friendships crumble. The Tennis Party by Madeleine Wickham (WP: RM18 / SP: RM15) – A weekend of tennis at Patrick's new house isn't what it seems when tempers, shocks, revelations and the arrival of an uninvited guest take centre stage. The Perks Of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (WP: RM16 / SP: RM12) – This coming-of-age story (which was made into a movie that showed here recently) is all about navigating the uncharted territory of secondary school. The world of first dates, family drama, peer pressure, sex and drugs combine in a wild and poignant roller-coaster journey known as growing up. Non-fiction 100 Best Foods For Pregnancy (WP: RM17 / SP: RM12) – What you put on your plate during pregnancy will affect you and your baby for years to come. This book contains facts and figures on the key benefits of 100 nutritional foods and offers 100 delicious recipes to try out. Atlas Of Military History (WP: RM35 / SP: RM28) – A book on military tactics, weaponry and important battles from the Ancient World to the present. This book also contains special features on the greatest warriors with over 600 images. Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology And My Harrowing Escape by Jenna Miscavige Hill with Liza Pulitzer (WP: RM15 / SP: RM10) – In this tell-all memoir, a prominent critic of Scientology who now helps others leave the secretive organisation, offers an insider's profile of the beliefs, rituals, and secrets of the religion that has captured the fascination of millions, including some of Hollywood's most well-known figures such as Tom Cruise and John Travolta. Collins Best Practices Series, assorted titles (WP: RM15 each / SP: RM12 each) – This series offers new as well as seasoned managers the essential information they need to achieve more, both personally and professionally. Designed to provide tried-and-true advice from the world's most influential business minds, the books feature practical strategies and tips to help you get ahead at work. Cookie Jar (WP: RM16 / SP: RM12) – From classics like Chocolate Chip to fruity favourites such as Raisin & Hazelnut, these 80 recipes have something for everyone to enjoy. Contains beautiful gift labels allowing you to create personalised gifts for friends and family. Great Battles of WWII, with DVD (WP: RM38 / SP: RM32) – An introduction to 28 of the most important actions of World War II, including the Siege of Leningrad, the Battle of Britain and many more. The book also features more than 250 colour and black-and-white photographs and artworks illustrating the soldiers, uniforms and military technology of the era with a 30-minute DVD highlighting 10 key moments of the war. How I Play Golf by Tiger Woods (WP: RM 40 / SP: RM 32) – A lavishly illustrated instructional book with colour photography, original artwork, unique sequential shots of Woods in action, and easy-to-follow diagrams for golfers of all abilities. Mojo: How To Get It, How To Keep It, How To Get It Back If You Lose It by Marshall Goldsmith with Mark Reiter (WP: RM10 / SP: RM 7) – How do we find – and keep! – our "mojo"? The author breaks it down into four key factors: identity, achievement, reputation and acceptance. This book outlines the positive actions leaders must take, with their teams or themselves, to initiate winning streaks and keep them coming. Steve Job's Way by Jay Elliot with William L. Simon (WP: RM 10 / SP: RM7) – Packed with exclusive interviews from key figures in Apple Computer's history, this revealing account provides a rarely seen, intimate glimpse into the Steve Jobs you never saw on stage, thoroughly exploring his management and leadership principles. The Usborne Pocket Scientist: The Blue Book (WP: RM16 / SP: RM12) – A pocket-sized guide that tackles the mysteries of everyday things, from nature to science and technology. Concise text, colourful diagrams and illustrations and simple experiments to try at home combine to answer children's questions on astronomy, geology, human biology, magnetism, natural science, weather and much more. The MPH Distributors Warehouse Sale will be held from 8am to 6pm, from today to Sunday (May 21-26), at Bangunan TH, No.5, Jalan 13/4, Petaling Jaya. For inquiries, call 03-7958 1688. 'Like' the sale at facebook.com/MPHDistributors for the latest updates. |
| Latest book from Khaled Hosseini Posted: 20 May 2013 05:17 PM PDT That's what Khaled Hosseini's latest book made our reviewer do. To mark the worldwide release today of the much anticipated title, we offer a discount coupon so you can get the book and experience Hosseini's prowess yourself. And The Mountains Echoed AFTER the enormous successes of The Kite Runner (2003) and A Thousand Splendid Suns (2007), author Khaled Hosseini has become synonymous with stories that tug at the heart, strip the reader bare, and leave a lasting impression through mesmerising narration. His much-anticipated third offering, And The Mountains Echoed, is testimony once again to the story-telling prowess of this writer and doctor from Kabul. As if responding directly to fans who have waited six years for this book, the novel starts with the lines, "So, then. You want a story and I will tell you one." But of course, it would be a terrible mistake to call this a mere story. This is an expansive epic, travelling over six decades across Afghanistan, the United States, France and Greece with a myriad of characters and intertwining plots. The book starts with inseparable siblings Abdullah and Pari listening intently as their father narrates one of his many bedtime stories. He tells them of the fate of Baba Ayub, who sacrifices his youngest son to a monstrous devil in order to save the rest of his family. But Baba Ayub could not suffer the guilt and goes back in search of the monster only to find his son living in paradise. Baba Ayub decides to leave his son there for a brighter future and the monster grants Baba Ayub another boon – a potion to forget the pain of separation. This tale of separation, sacrifice and selfless love sets the foundation for the many intertwining stories within this book. What follows is a no-holds-barred account of the lives of numerous characters, all strung together by the unending cord of time and consequence. Hosseini ventures further and beyond the themes of his previous two books, opting to expand the cultural experiences of his characters. He not only focuses on Afghani sentiments, but also explores European and American culture using the backdrop of common human sentiments. Some of the most poignant chapters introduce new perspectives on values and emotions that I, for one, have otherwise indulged in without much thought. For instance, Hosseini offers the tragic aspect of love, which has become his signature skill as an author. In a relationship between a needy father and his daughter, we see "a kind of love that cornered you into a choice: either you tore free, or you stayed and withstood its rigor even as it squeezed you into something smaller than yourself". Hosseini's power of observation and descriptive ability works handsomely in putting such ideas across. The novel also dives deep into sacrifice and the true nature of people who are seen as selfless heroes. Through the reflection of the characters, we suddenly witness hypocrisy and a deep selfishness in their acts, like the disfigured Thalia who lives with an ageing woman just to hide from public scrutiny, or the man-servant Nabi who brokers the adoption of his niece by a rich woman, only in hopes of winning the woman's love. The novel questions motives and draws conclusions that the truest love is never spoken, sometimes never seen but is there all along, weathering conflicts and insults, as undeserving minds try with outstretched thoughts to fathom its magnificence. As for those who make a song and dance about their love, they are seen as illusory heroics with cowardly motives. Another of the key themes in the book is the search for meaning and purpose. Markos, a Greek plastic surgeon who volunteers to work in Afghanistan, is told by his mother that people think they "... live by what they want. But really what guides them is what they're afraid of. What they don't want." Through these remarks we find, yet again, that the book challenges perspectives. This is best described by the Rumi saying that Hosseini chose as the novel's epigraph: "Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I'll meet you there." Hosseini maintains his poetic writing style, with countless quotable quotes within this book. His words sometimes feel like passages out of epics or the lyrics from beautiful songs. Some of the best writing appears in the letter that Nabi writes to Markos, who, during his stay in Afghanistan, lives in the house where Nabi works. In the confessional letter, Nabi tells his story with very descriptive passages and honest opinions – like his take on life: "I suspect that we are waiting, all of us, against insurmountable odds, for something extraordinary to happen to us." I have to say, though, that a work of this magnitude does have its drawbacks, such as some loose ends that do not find closure. And midway through the book, one might be overwhelmed by movements through time and geography as Hosseini takes us on a roller-coaster through 1950s Afghanistan, France of the 1970s, America in the 21st century, and the economically suffering Greece of 2010. However, I advice readers to let the master storyteller weave his magic and allow the stories to unfold. And The Mountains Echoed is a novel that will make you laugh, cry and think. It is a pilgrimage, across time and space and perspectives. And when all else is said and done, just as the book started, what remains in the end is only people and their insatiable hunger for love, meaning and purpose. |
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