Searching for Shangri-La by Laurence J. Brahm

Here’s another book I read and reviewed for a local newspaper, but I’ve modified it a bit for this site. Where and what is YOUR Shangri-La?

This travelogue records not just the author’s search for Shangri-La, but takes us through a journey of discovery as he travels from Beijing into the heart of Tibet and across parts of western China.

His search is not a lonely one. It was sparked by James Hilton’s classic ‘Lost Horizon’ written in 1933. Since then, generations have asked where Shangri-La really is. Some actively sought out the location, but is it just a place?

How and where Shangri-La is found is entirely up to the individual. Brahm’s travels into and out of Western China brought him face to face with many prominent figures – famous pop stars, living Buddhas, Dalai Lamas, artistes and other visionary folk.

Among the icons he interviewed were pop singers Ai Jing, Dadawa and Kaiser Kuo; famous song-writer and composer, San Bao; living Buddha His Eminence Beru Khyentse Rimpoche; fashion diva, famous designer, brand, label – Flora Cheong-lin; China’s legendary dance performer, Yang Liping.

Through his conversations with these prominent figures as well as humble Tibetan folk, he slowly unveils the different definitions and understandings of what and where exactly Shangri-La is to them. The definition of Shangri-La really depends on the individual. Some people find it, some people never do. Brahm’s experience in his search is as common as any person’s which, in the end, makes his search a universal one.

It is also through his meetings and discussions with the local people that Brahm showcases the simple beauty, cultural richness and wealth of the different Tibetan peoples. I felt as if I was there looking at the people, listening to them and being awed by the great expanse of the natural environment. Despite poverty and hardship, the Tibetans still manage a warm smile and extend whatever they could offer to Brahm.

You could say that his experiences with the Tibetans are surprising, mystical and inspiring at the same time. The Rimpoche and nomads mysteriously seek him out when he consciously stops searching for them. The Dalai Lama could sense Brahm’s presence and answers his question even before he utters it.

‘Searching for Shangri-La’ is also an exploration of Buddhism and of the history of Tibet. Brahm’s dialogues with the monks reveal profound snatches of discussions on the religion, which is better known as simply a philosophy of life. The book brings to attention issues such as materialism, loss of culture and environmental protection.

.
Brahm’s style of writing evolves with his change of mindset the nearer he approaches ‘his’ Shangri-La. His travelogue is literally written as and how we hear his mind speak. The book begins amusingly in a style reflective of a sarcastic, somewhat agitated businessman.

As Brahm progresses in his journey, discovering many truths about life, people and Shangri-La, I can see his sense of observation sharpen and thoughts deepen. It seems to me that even the edge and sarcasm have dissipated from the voice in his writing.

Brahm’s travelogue is printed on thick matt paper with stark and beautiful photographs of the scenery and people he met. This made it so much easier for me to comprehend what he tries to share. It is an enjoyment just studying the pictures and relating them to the text. Poems are interspersed between chapters highlighting thoughts to ponder on.
What and where then is Shangri-La? It really depends on the reader’s interpretation. To me, it is both a place and a state of mind.
The travelogue had since initiated a documentary series, dedicated to preserving the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau or regions, its ethnic minorities and culture, which inspired the idea of Shangri-La in the first place.

Other travelogues of a series written by Laurence J. Brahm are Conversations with Sacred Mountains, Shambala and New Age Sutra. A lawyer and political economist by profession, Brahm has written many books on finance, business, China and Asia. Apart from publishing, Brahm is viewed by many as a barometer of China’s economic and political environment.

Where Underpants Come From – a book review

‘Where Underpants Come From’ is by Joe Bennett.

Another book review coming up in The Star! I will post it up once it’s published.

Son of a Witch – book review

Yes! Another review out in The Star. Here is the link: http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2008/8/17/lifebookshelf/1658611&sec=lifebookshelf

And here is the original version:
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Author : Gregory Maguire

Published by Headline Review

Published in 2007

ISBN 978 0 7553 4155 9

399 pages

 

Reviewed by Koay Ee Ling

 

A unique fantasy novel for adults

 

‘Son of a Witch’ is the fifth adult fantasy novel in the WiCKED series written by Gregory Maguire. It is something like a sequel to Disney’s movie ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ an all-time classic famous for its yellow brick road.

Prior to this book, Maguire wrote ‘Wicked: the Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West’ which is about how the Wicked Witch came to be in ‘The Wizard of Oz’.  This book was a great success and received many good reviews.

Just as a refresher: in the Wizard of Oz, the protagonist is a girl named Dorothy who is blown by a tornado into the world of Oz. In this story, the Wicked Witch of the West is the villain whereas Dorothy is the hero. Elphaba, the Wicked Witch, was a green woman and supposedly pure evil.

Son of a Witch is the story of what happens after Dorothy kills the witch. Taking this as his starting point, Maguire built an entirely new epic journey with the focus on an obscure boy called Liir, instead of the focus being on Dorothy.

Son of a Witch is about Liir, vaguely suspected to be the son of Elphaba though nobody could be sure where he came from. Even Liir is not sure.

Maguire kept this mystery throughout the entire novel until the very end without making me frustrated or irritated. This is one of the factors which made it a good read for me.

He revealed it bit by bit in a series of memory flashbacks through Liir’s coma. Liir was discovered almost dead by a traveller who brought him to a mauntery – Oz’s strange version of a nunnery.

The old maunts (nuns) try to heal Liir and find out why some of their younger maunts were murdered, their faces literally peeled off their skulls.

The Superior Maunt, oldest and leader of the mauntery, remembers Liir as the little boy who was last seen tagging along with Elphaba. If Liir was found to be truly the son of a witch, he would be persecuted and crucified.

But then, we are never sure of his real identity until the very end. Instead, we’re brought through a series of adventures through his memories during coma and after he awakens from the coma.

The adventures are indeed bizarre and unpredictable. The plot gave me a number of pleasant and unpleasant surprises, which I would rather leave for the reader to find out.

I find Son of a Witch quite an ingenious piece of work though I was initially not quite used to Maguire’s style of writing.

He has his own peculiar style and does not use as much descriptive language as regular fantasy writers do. I had to use much of my own imagination to cook up images of his characters and sceneries.

However, I love the way the story is unravelled; even more so for its witty humour and  creativity.

Yes, in Maguire’s Oz, nuns drink alcohol; some tribes of animals talk and get harassed to convert to the government’s religion; scarecrows are cunning politic-players and the prison is a maze under the city of Oz.

There is one particular scene in the book which still tickles me: Sister Liquor (nun in charge of the brandy store) swinging and singing on a ladder while ‘checking’ on the brandy.

I also love the episode where Liir travels to Oz with Dorothy, the cowardly Lion, Tin Woodman, Scarecrow and Toto. Maguire was very sarcastic in his portrayal of these characters.

This fantasy sparked from a children’s story is truly for adult reading and enjoyment. That’s how starkingly real it can be. I say this because Maguire revealed all the rotten sides of human nature, set in the magical world of Oz.

He explored different sexual preferences, political corruption, hypocrisy, perversions of human nature and religious oppression.

On a serious note, Maguire gave me a touching insight into the heart and mind of an orphan (Liir) while experiencing his insecurities and realisations.

Gregory  Maguire has published five novels for adults and more than a dozen for children. His other adult novels are ‘Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister’, ‘Lost’ and ‘Mirror Mirror.’

His works have been published abroad and many titles have been translated into 8 foreign languages.

There’s a fly … on your back

(Sometimes even the slightest anomaly can be the funniest thing on a mundane day)

This Friday morning I went to work as usual, entering the office building lift with that bored-neutral-sleepy look like everybody else.

Three of my colleagues were also in the lift. I stood at the back of the lift with the 2 female colleagues. Our new male colleague stood at the front near the door, so obviously we had nothing to stare at but his back.

Suddenly I noticed a huge fly perched on his back, clinging on to his shirt. My eyes popped open while I pointed out to Alice, the colleague standing right behind him.

“Khm-khm-khm” she stifled her laugh while I still stared in surprise with mouth shaped in an ‘O’.

“Oh, my pet fly,” I whispered to her, my finger put against my shoulder to support an imaginary fly.

“KHM-KHM-KHM” she chuckled louder and added “Fifi”

This time I chuckled, “KHM-KHM-KHM” and added “Fufu … Fufu didn’t follow today”

“KHM-KHM-KHM, KHM-KHM-KHM” we both chuckled. By this time, the poor guy already felt self-conscious and realised that we were both talking about him. He glanced back but I think he wasn’t very sure what was going on.

I could see him fidgeting … khm-khm-khm.

We work on the second highest floor of the tower so there was plenty of time for the fly to enjoy the ‘ride’.

The lift door opened and we both expected the fly to fly away, but Nooo… the fly loved this guy so much. It started to climb higher up his back towards his neck! EWWWW!

Two of us looked at each other in shock and surprise, and started laughing out loud. The fly didn’t leave his back at all.

Poor guy … we must have made him soooo uncomfortable!

How to avoid shopping with girlfriends/spouses

Here’s a joke I received via email from a friend. I laughed until tears streamed down my cheeks. By the way, I did NOT write this joke, but I think some guy who is really sick of being dragged by the spouse to the mall wrote it! Walmart must be a really nice place to shop at. Otherwise, its name wouldn’t be used. Perhaps one day I will have the $$$ to fly to the US and shop at Walmart.

BANNED FROM WALMART……….. This is why women should not take men shopping against their will. “DON’T TAKE ME IF I DON’T WANT TO GO……….”

After Mr. and Mrs. Fenton retired, Mrs. Fenton insisted her husband accompany her on her trips to Wal-Mart. Unfortunately, Mr. Fenton was like most men–he found shopping boring and preferred to get in and get out. Equally unfortunately, Mrs. Fenton was like most women – she loved to browse. One day Mrs. Fenton received the following letter from her local Wal-Mart.

Dear Mrs. Fenton,
Over the past six months, your husband has been causing quite a commotion in our store. We cannot tolerate this behavior and may be forced to ban both of you from the store. Our complaints against Mr. Fenton are listed below and are documented by our video surveillance cameras.

1. June 15: Took 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them in people’s carts when they weren’t looking.

2 . July 2: Set all the alarm clocks in Housewares to go off at 5-minute intervals.

3. July 7: Made a trail of tomato juice on the floor leading to the women’s restroom.

4. July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an official voice, ‘Code 3 in Housewares. Get on it right away.’

5. August 4: Went to the Service Desk and tried to put a bag of M&M’s on layaway.

6. September 14: Moved a ‘CAUTION – WET FLOOR’ sign to a carpeted area.

7. September 15: Set up a tent in the camping department and old other shoppers he’d invite them in if they would bring pillows and blankets from the bedding department.

8.. September 23: When a clerk asked if they could help him he began crying and screamed, ‘Why can’t you people just leave me alone?’

9. October 4: Looked right into the security camera and used it as a mirror while he picked his nose.

10. November 10: While handling guns in the hunting department, he asked the clerk where the antidepressants were.

11. December 3: Darted around the store suspiciously while loudly humming the ‘ Mission Impossible’ theme.

12. December 6: In the auto department, he practiced his Madonna look’ by using different sizes of funnels.

13. December 18: Hid in a clothing rack and when people browsed through, yelled ‘PICK ME! PICK ME!’

14. December 21: When an announcement came over the loud speaker, he assumed a fetal position and screamed ‘OH NO! IT’S THOSE VOICES AGAIN!’

And last, but not least ..

15. December 23: Went into a fitting room, shut the door, waited awhile, then yelled very loudly, ‘Hey! There’s no toilet paper in here!’

Regards,
Walmart

Origin of the Malaysian interjection “lah”

LAH… That special particle of language endemic to Malaysia and Singapore…

Almost all foreigners who have dealt with people from these two countries have asked what LAH means and what exactly it is used for. Many people have tried in vain to give them a decent answer.

It is sad to say that there has been no official explanation given by educational authorities to enlighten these poor foreigners. Therefore, I shall attempt to unravel this challenging mystery of LAH.

Some people claim that LAH originates from one of the chinese dialects. I disagree.

I believe it comes from the Malay language. The main function of LAH is to emphasize or stress a point.

Sample
(Malay)
Ali bertanya, “Awak pasti awak cinta dia?” Zaidi menjawab, “Tentu-lah pasti, sebab itu saya akan kawhin dia.” 
(Translated to English)
Ali asks, “Are you sure you love her?” Zaidi answers, “Of course I’m sure. That’s why I’m going to marry her.”

However, LAH has become so popular that it is being used indiscriminately. In fact, …… (to be continued)

Public Toilet Poetry

Here is something funny I received through forwarded email. Poetry and literary work by not so famous poets on not so famous toilet doors and walls. Laugh away!

A budding poet trying his best:

Here I lie in stinky vapour,

Because some bastard stole the toilet paper,

Shall I lie, or shall I linger,

Or shall I be forced to use my finger.

Before he graduated to be a poet, he wrote this:

Here I sit

Broken hearted

Tried to shit

But only farted

Someone who had a different experience wrote:

You’re lucky

You had your chance

I tried to fart,

But shat my pants!

Perhaps it’s true that people found inspiration in toilets

I came here

To shit and stink,

But all I do

Is sit and think.

There are also people who come in for a different purpose:

Some come here to sit and think,

Some come here to shit and stink,

But I come here to scratch my balls,

And read the bullshit on the walls.

The “future” is in your hands, hold it gently!

Thought for the day

Today I finally wrote my interpretation of the song Return to Innocence by Enigma. So people, check it out but you need to find the entry in General Ramblings. Some people will understand exactly what I wrote, some will never. If you’re at that level of thought, then you will.

I am getting tired of the little meaningless squabbles that occur day to day. Is there nothing else more important in life to consider than petty issues?

Sometimes pre-judgement and lack of objectivity can be very dangerous. Where is the patience and understanding that is sorely needed?

No one is perfect, so don’t expect them to be.

Vantage Point – movie review

In my opinion, Vantage Point is an artisticly made movie. Reminds me of Run Lolla Run, but this blockbuster revolves around just 10 minutes of intense action.

What is Vantage Point about? It’s not about the plot to assasinate the President of USA nor is it about terrorism. It’s about self-sacrifice!  Yea right…

Actually the whole movie shows you different viewpoints of a single event. Moral of the story: things are not always what they seem to be.

There are about seven vantage points to this event; all from key individuals involved in it. At first glance, it seems as if the Spanish policeman’s girlfriend is having an affair… the Spanish local is being friendly to the black dude… the President of America is shot…

On the whole, I think they movie was cleverly shot to create suspense and a sense of anticipation.

Viewers who do not give a thought to what they’re watching and expect to be idiotically entertained may be annoyed at the repetition of several scenes, especially the beginning of the event.

But if they use their brain a little and try to appreciate the artistry and message of the movie, they might just enjoy it.

Conversations with Emotive Vowels A E I O U

Scenario: Ling wipes her face with a tissue in the evening after having dinner with her friend, Eve, at a restaurant. She notices that the tissue smudges with light grey patches of dirt.

Ling  :  A? (read as A-Y for vowel ‘a’: Emotive interpretation = Surprise)

[Ling shows Eve the tissue]

Eve   : Eee (disgust)

Ling  : I? (”Was it me?”)…. O… (realisation)

Eve   : U… (”Silly, you”)

Beautiful world of pretence

Welcome to the beautiful world of pretence called the Corporate World.

This world usually exists between four walls and most often in highrise buildings in which Corporate People thrive in existence with ice-breathing dragons called air conditioning.

It is powered by piped water, electricity and hypocrisy. If any of the elements go missing, this World usually becomes