Saturday, June 11, 2005

Literature or a bloody rip-off?

I walked to KLCC yesterday because I craved for 1901 New York Chicken, it is my latest obsession.

Also, I can not and will not miss dropping by Kinokuniya, if ever I happen to stop by KLCC and it is on a weekly basis that I will go all the way up to the 5th floor (or is it the 4th? dont matter, it is way up there) to check what's hot and what's not.

There is three writers I find intriguing, one of which is already my favourite as I have read three book of his (Coelho). These three are:


  • Paulo Coelho - whose writings are like food to my soul. He's made me look at life as a blessing rather than what I thought it was, a curse.
  • Chuck Palahniuk - love his writing style, the way he expresses himself. Simple yet, fascinating.
  • Milan Kundera - this one is pretty heavy, very poetic, or philosophical. Makes you think while you are at it. Nevertheless, he's managed to captivate me with it.
It is a pity though... because I haven't read a whole book by the last two authors. Why? I go crazy over books, but bloody hell, they are one hellavu expensive interest. RM35, is the cheapest you can get on any of these books. The second hand shops sell the books by 'normal' writers like Steven King, John Grisham, a whole bunch of soft-porns (and yes, Judith McNaught is one of them). And I dont do them anymore.

And yesterday I kinda figured out the latest 'dirty' trick the publishers used on us, people who love reading. I make all the first editions in HardCover rather than the affordable Paperback version. And that annoyed me sial... Most of the books displayed on the new-comers shelves are either, HardCover, like:


haunted - chuck palahniuk
Palahniuk's latest Haunted is printed only on Hardcover and cost something like RM96. It's crazy..

zahir book picture
Coelho's latest The Zahir is not in Hardcover but it is the enlarged version and cost something like RM56.

I thought it was pretty ridiculous to print them in hardcover or in that 'enlarged' version, because:

  • We are all NOT BLIND or something we cant read the usual paperback, been doing that for ages. Thank you
  • And we are all not gonna present it as a gift to someone that we all need some special HardCover
  • And bloody hell, I carry my handbag which is gives me enough weight to carry around in the Komuter, I dont need a HardCover to add on it
  • And it is just overated. I dont need this. Not everyone of us are earning a phat five figure pay or something
  • I bet there are tonnes of others who are thinking of the exact same thing

So you tell me.. Reading, a bliss or a damn rip-off?

posted by WaBBa Fe$H @ 3:10 AM