Malaysian Reads discussion

OK - so this is the first Reading Challenge I've ever participated in. It's kind of daunting.

My average is reading 24 books per year. So, for this challenge, I am going to let a book knock up off up to 2 point on the list.


THE BOOKS
'The War of the Running Dogs' by Barber Noel
A book on the communist threat in Malaya from the late 40's to early 60's. Spanning the threshold between pre-independent & independent Malaya.

Communism is one of those topics that's rarely talked about in Malaysia, so I found it to be quite enlightening. A side of Malaya that's feels both faraway and not-that-long-ago.

'Without You, There Is No Us' by Suki Kim
A story about a woman who pretended to be a teacher by pretending to be a Christian missionary so that she could get some inside knowledge on North Korea.

It was a fascinating insight into the secretive nation. Although, I was very much aware that it was a woman writing the book - it is extremely heavy on sentiment.

'The Reason I Jump' by Naoki Higashida
Written by a 13-year old autistic boy, he answers some common questions people often ask of those suffering from autism.

What I know of autism is mainly what is portrayed in the media. This book revealed that those suffering from autism, while seemingly simple on the outside, are capable of surprising depth & complexity. It really made me aware of just how trapped these people are within themselves, not being able to communicate and live as they would like.

'The Gates of Dawn' by Robert Newcomb
This is the 2nd book in the trilogy. The first book was interesting enough; but this 2nd book was pretty bad. His characters (especially the protagonist) are incredible one-dimensional. "OK - you hate your enemies and wanna kill them. I get it. You don't have to remind me every 10 pages. Now, what are you going to do with the innocent citizens of your nation that hate your ass?? (Answer: Apparently nothing).

'The Bell Jar' by Sylvia Plath
Slyvia Plath's first and only novel (she had committed suicide shortly after its release). The book follows Esther Greenwood for a summer of feeling lost and confused between what she wants to be and what she feels the world wants her to be.

I think they should make this mandatory reading for all girls in their late teens & early twenties as, I feel, many girls feel the same pressure (I certainly did).

'Candide' by Voltaire
Voltaire wrote this as a satire of "over-optimism". We follow Candide through a series of misadventures that tests his belief that "everything that is happening right now is the best possible outcome."

I've had this book on my shelf for ages thinking it would be a boring read, and was pleasantly surprised to find it quite entertaining.

'The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch' by Joseph Delaney
'The Last Apprentice: Curse of the Bane' by Joseph Delaney
'The Last Apprentice: Night of the Soul Stealer' by Joseph Delaney


'Paradise Lost' by John Milton


THE LIST
1. A book with more than 500 pages - 'The Gates of Dawn' by Robert Newcomb
2. A classic romance
3. A book that became a movie
4. A book published this year
5. A book with a number in the title
6. A book written by someone under 30 - 'The Bell Jar' by Sylvia Plath
7. A book with non-human characters - 'The Last Apprentice' books by Joseph Delaney
8. A funny book
9. A book by a female author - 'Without You, There Is No Us' by Suki Kim
10. A mystery or thriller
11. A book with a one-word title
12. A book of short stories
13. A book set in a different country
14. A non-fiction book - 'The War of the Running Dogs' by Barber Noel
15. A popular author’s first book - 'The Bell Jar' by Sylvia Plath
16. A book from an author you love that you haven’t read yet
17. A book a friend recommended
18. A Pulitzer Prize winning book
19. A book based on a true story
20. A book at the bottom of your to-read list
21. A book your mom loves
22. A book that scares you
23. A book more than a hundred years old - 'Paradise Lost' by John Milton
24. A book based entirely on its cover - 'The Last Apprentice' books by Joseph Delaney
25. A book you were supposed to read in school but you didn’t
26. A memoir - 'Without You, There Is No Us' by Suki Kim
27. A book you can finish in a day - 'The Reason I Jump' by Naoki Higashida
28. A book with antonyms in the title
29. A book set somewhere you’ve always wanted to visit
30. A book that came out the year you were born
31. A book with bad reviews
32. A trilogy
33. A book from your childhood
34. A book with a love triangle
35. A book set in the future
36. A book set in high school
37. A book with a color in the title
38. A book that made you cry
39. A book with magic - 'The Gates of Dawn' by Robert Newcomb
40. A graphic novel
41. A book by an author you’ve never read before - 'The War of the Running Dogs' by Barber Noel
42. A book you own but never read - 'Candide' by Voltaire
43. A book that takes place in your hometown
44. A book that was originally written in different language - 'The Reason I Jump' by Naoki Higashida
45. A book set during Christmas
46. A book written by an author with your same initials
47. A play
48. A banned book - 'Candide' by Voltaire
49. A book based or turned into a TV show
50. A book you started but never finished - 'Paradise Lost' by John Milton

Sherryl wrote: "OK - so this is the first Reading Challenge I've ever participated in. It's kind of daunting."

Welcome to the challenge! This is my first time too. Don't sweat it, take it as a fun challenge :)

Hi Sherryl!

It's really great to see you joining us. This might not be my first challenge but it surely is the first that ask for specific requirements. Have fun! I can't wait to see the other titles that you're going to read next.