Anyone who has ever visited me at my house will know that books take up most of the space. After ‘outgrowing’ the two shelves in my bedroom, my mum had to get a big wooden one to accommodate the ever rising number of books. Most of these I got from bargain bookstores or year-end cheap sales, but because I also have chronic compulsive book-buying disorder: meaning that I will buy books for the heck of it – I have many new, untouched ones as well. It gives me the same rush as when some ladies buy clothes and shoes. More than a third of the books I have now have not been read, and I’ve been trying really hard not to buy anymore before I’m done with them. .___.”

Anyway, I decided to clean and sort them out properly so I can have more space.

Took me the better part of four hours.

Autobiographies/Non-fiction

While cleaning and sorting out the stuff, I realise that my tastes in books have changed.. a lot. When I was younger, I liked reading fantasy fiction like Harry Potter (which are in permanent storage at this moment so they are not shown here) but when I got to working, I’ve been buying more serious titles, especially autobiographies, war-novels and foreign life-drama titles.

Favourite pick:

Only 13: The true Story of Lon by Julia Manzanares and Derek Kent

– It tells the story of Lon, a young Isaan girl in Thailand, who was forced into prostitution to help her family make ends meet. Based on a true story, the narrative takes us through the life and mind of a troubled teenager roped into Thailand’s lucrative and seedy sex tourism trade, the buyers and sellers of flesh, and the lasting impact it has on impressionable young lives who are often driven to depression and suicide. It’s a depressing read, but it’s also heartening to know that people like Lon, who are one of the few who have left the trade, are able to help others by speaking out and bringing light to Thailand’s notorious flesh trade.

Non fiction / motivational 

Some of these are my dad’s books. I bought What to Eat in a fit of wanting to ‘be healthy’ and never got down to reading it.

 

Classics/ Thriller /Pulp Fiction 

Favourite pick: 

Animal Farm by George Orwell

Written at the height of communist influence in the 1960s, Animal Farm is part fantasy fiction and part clever social commentary on the possibilities of a utilitarian society, very much like 1984. I can’t describe to you how cleverly Orwell has weaved a seemingly ‘innocent’ tale of talking animals planning a mutiny on a farm against their human masters with superb references to a ‘future’ of communist rule. Legendary storytelling.

Fantasy Fiction 

No favourite picks here – the stories are okay but I feel like they are just afternoon reads to pass the time. The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo gets bonus points for originality (the writer is Malaysian and incorporated many Malaysian Chinese beliefs and cultural elements into the story.)

Fantasy fiction /pulp fiction 

Favourite pick(s): 

There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that I’m a huge LOTR fan. Tolkien is one of my favourite fantasy writers of all time and I admire him for his amazing depiction of a world that is so detailed (down to the language syntax and histories of each race) it feels almost… real. Like Middle Earth is a place that actually exists and has real people and characters in it.Having said that, the Hunger Games is also an exciting, thrilling read – one of the pioneers of the whole ‘Dystopian’ genre. Both are very good reads that everyone should have in their personal book stash.

** Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park/Congo deserves a special mention for its fast-paced, thrilling action and nostalgia feel trains. I mean, I grew up watching the JP series so it will always have a special place in book throne-dom. 🙂

Horror 

Favourite pick:

No points in guessing which horror writer I love the most. It was hard picking out one that I like over all the rest, but I think Doctor Sleep is my favourite. Probably surprising, seeing that it’s a newer novel (sequel to The Shining), but I like the story of how Danny in the original Shining series is all grown up and must now help a kid with similar power battle against the forces of evil while facing his own demons.

My favourite King novel of all time is It, which I borrowed from my school library. Nightmares for weeks, man. I think it traumatised me so that I didn’t even buy it when I had the chance.

** Koji Suzuki’s Ring. Absolutely do not read after dark and alone. Although it has virtually no gore, the opening chapters had my neck hairs standing on end (something which not many horror novels have managed to do to this seasoned horror fiction lover!)

Foreign life-drama fiction 

I guess I have a streak of the morbid in me: instead of happy-go-lucky cultural stories, I prefer reading fiction which talks about the dark side of things – the ones we don’t see when visiting tourist attractions, or experiencing ‘fun’ and ‘exciting’ cultures.

Favourite pick:

The Banquet Bug by Geling Yan talks about a young, unemployed and newly married village youth who is sucked into the world of lavish banquets by posing as a journalist at events. While at first, he enjoys the scrumptious food and over-indulgence, our protagonist slowly realises that all of it is a farce, as the local media do not care about the people as how the media should do. A very interesting read and insight into China’s polarisation between the rich and the poor.

Historical fiction 

I’m a history buff, and I particularly enjoy European (Middle-Age English) history.

Favourite pick:

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. Started off very slow, but picked up the pace in later chapters to become a book I couldn’t put down – I stayed up late reading it and brought it around everywhere I went. The way Brown weaves historical facts and items into his story makes it all seem legit, and he also discusses contexts which make you question all you know about current major religions and philosophies.

Light reads 

Favourite pick: 

The Further Adventures of an Idiot Abroad by Karl Pilkington

If you’ve watched the podcasts…. well, just watch the podcasts and you’ll know why the book is hilarious.

I tried reading more popular stuff that girls like, like Tony Parsons and John Green. I can’t. I’m sorry.  tried. I like Green’s prose. Not so much his themes and ideas. The Fault in Our Stars was not ‘heartbreaking and beautiful’ to me. Maybe it’s coz I’m an emotionless INTJ.

Halp.

 

The shelves were all nicely stacked and sorted by night. I have to start reading up all the books that I haven’t read yet before buying anymore. No more bookstore trips until then.