Song of Kali (Dan Simmons) is a contemporary novel about Calcutta, India with its dark underground cult of Kali aside from city’s many flaws like unhygienic practices (by Western standards). This book offers culture clashes, when West meets East, there’s bound to be repulsion and culture shock. India may be exotic but it’s one of those countries which I don’t plan to visit for fear of contacting diseases. This book lies in contrast to the film Eat Pray Love where India is seen as the ultimate locus of spirituality and colorful not to mention, exciting culture.
The Art of the Deal in China (Laurence J. Brahm), a book my sister bought, is patterned after Sun Tzu’s The Art of War with applications in today’s business world. It is basically a guide on how to close a deal with businesses in China, that is Western-based knowledge and savoir-faire does not work in the Chinese setting and that one must learn and master the ways of the Chinese to gain the upper hand. The one thing I really appreciate about this book is that it introduces me to the classic work which I have not read at all. The other nice thing is that it offers funny anecdotes which helps relieve stress, especially at this point when I’m in danger of yet again getting another INC from my prof. Other than these, you might as well throw the book away. Why? Data are made to fit theories, enough said.
Night (Elie Wiesel) tells the story of a boy and his family during the Holocaust and how the evils of his time contributed to his eventual loss of faith. Heartbreaking and dark, this book won the Nobel Prize in 1986 for its courage to voice out the grimness of life in the concentration camps set up by the Nazi regime.
for Miracle's friends and Miracle's family
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