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Posted: 20 Jun 2011 06:45 PM PDT

WHATEVER did ties do wrong to Borders? The bookstore chain has begun an ad campaign that says "Die, tie, die!".

But look closer at the ad (right) and you'll realise that it's not the ubiquitous neck adornment that Borders has a problem with; it's cliched Father's Day gifts in general. Clever campaign!

The bookstore, which pitches itself as being "Beyond books", suggests that there are other more interesting gifts items for dad than the boring tie every year. There is, for instance, a full range of Moleskine products, including – for dad's latest love of his life – the iPad folder.

But the main deal are the books, of course, with tons that would be great for fathers of all sorts. Among them, Adel Faber's How To Talk So Kids Will Listen (hint, hint, dad!) or those titles by macho, macho men like Mario Puzo (The Godfather) and Ernest Hemingway (For Whom The Bell Tolls) as well as something for fathers who feed (he'll love the convenience of Jamie Oliver's Jamie's 30-Minute Meals) and fathers who want to feed their brains (try Bill Bryson's A Short History Of Nearly Everything or, for some self-discovery, The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari).

Look out for stickered books; for every purchase of such items, there is a discount of 50% on the second one (the least expensive item is discounted).

Just don't expect to see any ties anywhere....

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Challenging bestsellers

Posted: 20 Jun 2011 06:43 PM PDT

They're bestsellers — and also so controversial, some people want them off library shelves.

AMERICAN author Suzanne Collins didn't expect everyone to approve of The Hunger Games.

"I've read in passing that people were concerned about the level of violence in the books," Collins says of her dystopian trilogy that's sold more than a million copies around the world. "That's not unreasonable. They are violent. It's a war trilogy."

In what's become a virtual rite of passage for young adult fiction sensations, a Collins novel has made its first appearance on the American Library Association's (ALA) annual top 10 list of books most criticised in their communities. The Hunger Games, the title work of Collins' series about young people forced to hunt and kill each other on live television, has been cited for violence and sexual content. In recent years, J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books and Stephenie Meyer's vampire novels (The Twilight Saga) also have been on the association's list.

Hunger Games ranked No.5 this year and was joined by Meyer's Twilight (No.10), which made its debut on the list last year, as did Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary Of A Part-Time Indian, winner in 2007 of the National Book Award for young people's literature. Criticisms of Alexie's novel include language, racism and sexual content.

"It almost makes me happy to hear books still have that kind of power," Alexie says. He laughs at the idea his work might be harmful, noting that he receives fan mail every day from readers thanking him for his story of a bright but bullied teen estranged from his fellow Native American Indians on a reservation and from the rich white kids at the high school he attends.

Alexie acknowledges one disappointment; his book only ranked No.2, trailing And Tango Makes Three, a picture story by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell about two male penguins who hatch a donated egg and raise the baby penguin. It's the fourth time in five years Tango has been No.1, with reasons for criticism including the book's discussion of homosexuality.

The library association reported 348 challenges to books in 2010 and at least 53 outright bans, with other challenges and bans likely undocumented. The ALA defines a challenge as an effort "to remove or restrict materials from school curricula and library bookshelves."

Barbara M. Jones, director of the ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom, says some books on the list reflect current trends and changes in technology, including Hunger Games, inspired in part by reality television; Aldous Huxley's classic Brave New World, (No.3), which anticipates antidepressants and artificial fertilisation; and a work of non-fiction: Nickel And Dimed (No.8), Barbara Ehrenreich's despairing account of trying to get by as a waitress, maid and supermarket worker.

"The closer books come to things that are really happening in a lot of lives, the more they become a reminder of what people don't like to think about," Jones says, noting that Ehrenreich's book "really hits hard on what it's like to have a low-paying job".

Nickel And Dimed has been criticised for language, drugs and for its political and religious viewpoints.

Also on the list: Crank by Ellen Hopkins (drugs, language, sexual content); Lush by Natasha Friend (language, sexual content); What My Mother Doesn't Know by Sonya Sones (sexism, sexual content); and Revolutionary Voices, a collection of gay-themed stories edited by Amy Sonnie (homosexuality, sexual content). – AP

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SMS to win in Popular-The Star Readers’ Choice Awards

Posted: 20 Jun 2011 06:42 PM PDT

DID you know you can vote via SMS in the Popular-The Star Readers' Choice Awards?

In this fourth instalment of the only local literary award that rewards local authors as well as participating readers, registering your vote is as easy as texting from your phone.

Choose your top three books from the lists below; that is, your top three fiction and top three non-fiction titles.

If you are one of 100 readers whose ranking matches the overall vote, you will receive a RM50 gift voucher as well as a one-year-free-membership Popular card.

And your favourite authors will be rewarded, too, with cash, trophies and certificates of recognition.

If you haven't read all the books, check The Star Online (thestar.com.my) for last Sunday's introduction of this year's fiction nominees and look out for the non-fiction intro this Sunday. You go can also go to popular.com.my to find out more about all 20 books.

To vote via your phone, note that RCAF is the SMS code for fiction and RCAN is the code for non-fiction.

Once you've decided on your choice, type RCAFNRICCODESSLOGAN (not more than 120 characters) and send to 36600. For non-fiction, type RCAN, followed by the rest.

Here's an example of what your text message should look like: RCAF 123456011234 AFI Reading enriches the mind, heart and soul and can bring people, families and nations together. (Note that each SMS will cost RM.0.30; terms and conditions apply.)

Apart from SMS voting, you can also vote online at thestar.com.my (keep refreshing your screen until you see the contest banner). Also, look out for entry forms in Star2 On Sunday's Reads pages that you can mail in.

Entry forms are also available at all Popular and Harris bookstores nationwide and can be downloaded from popular.com.my and book festmalaysia.com.

The deadline for entries is July 17, 2010.

Fiction (SMS code: RCAF)

1. Rojak: Bite-Sized Stories by Amir Muhammad (SMS code: A)

2. Madness Aboard! by Yvonne Lee (SMS code: B)

3. The Rice Mother by Rani Manicka (SMS code: C)

4. Kebaya Tales by Lee Su Kim (SMS code: D)

5. Orang Asli Animal Tales by Lim Boo Liat (SMS code: E)

6. The Embrace Of Harlots by David T.K. Wong (SMS code: F)

7. A Bit Of Earth by Lim Suchen (SMS code: G)

8. Inspector Singh Investigates: A Bali Conspiracy Most Foul by Shamini Flint (SMS code: H)

9. Sweet Offerings by Chan Ling Yap (SMS code: I)

10. Under The Sun by O Thiam Chin (SMS code: J)

Non-fiction (SMS code: RCAN)

1. Lim Lian Geok: Soul Of The Malaysian Chinese by Dr Kua Kia Soong (SMS code: A)

2. Moving Forward: Malays For The 21st Century by Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (SMS code: B)

3. The Man From Borneo: An Autobiography by Brother Michael Jacques (SMS code: C)

4. From Poor Migrant To Millionaire by Chan King Nui (SMS code: D)

5. Islam In Malaysia: Perceptions And Facts by Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin (SMS code: E)

6. Katz Tales: Living Under The Velvet Paw by Ellen Whyte (SMS code: F)

7. Behind That Shiny Resume by Jasmine Yow (SMS code: G)

8. Syed Hussein Alatas: The Life In The Writing by Masturah Alatas (SMS code: H)

9. The Quran And I by Anas Zubedy (SMS code: I)

10. Footprints In The Paddy Fields by Tina Kisil (SMS code: J)

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Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Selasa, 21 Jun 2011

The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf

The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf

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