April Reads

Current reads:

The Japanese Skincare Revolution by Chizu Saeki

Esteemed aesthetician, Chizu Saeki, shares her beauty and skincare secrets. Well-written, No costly products, just simple everyday routines and some facial massages. I've tried some and I really do feel better. Her skin is ridiculously good for her age. I fully intend to follow her instructions to the bone because my skin really needs help. 

Candide by Voltaire

Offensive to many when it was published. (I was laughing at William Wordsworth's angry comments, it was especially funny to me since I studied WW's poems) It was a while before Voltaire confessed having written it. It's a brilliant philosophical piece of work, and I love the ideas it brings into consideration, and the simplicity of the writing style. I think I've found the book that might just summarize my take on life (though for that it still won't beat Kazantzakis' Zorba The Greek) I do especially love the humour used. Even in the names, for instance the faithful servant Cacambo sounds like "Caca-en-beau" which means to look on the pretty side of shit. "caca" being a childish term for shit. The name suits him, given his optimistic and loyal nature (for now at least, I haven't finished reading it yet). The uber annoying tutor, Pangloss. Pan meaning all, and "gloss" is short for the latin word "glossi" which means tongue. So his name literally means "all talk" and indeed it's pretty much all he does, up until the part where he gets hanged. More on this book once I finish it, I have lots to say :D

Cockroach by Rawi Hage

Another masterpiece from Rawi Hage, though I think I prefer Carnival because it's more whimsical and less...upsetting. This one's dark, depressing and downright disturbing. Hear all the plosives? It's the sound of my heavy heart thudding to the sad beat of life, burdened with the truth that humanity is filth. The main character hates everything I stand for - hedonism and the decision to overlook the worst of things simply because it can't be helped. In this aspect I do empathize with the piano teacher. He bathes in this hatred for humanity. Embraces it. If he had a stable job and good income and a nice standing in society, he might not have turned out the way he did. He did attempt some normalcy when he eventually got a job and some money. He crushed the cockroaches, took a bath and cleaned his house. Straightened his life a little. Which was nice, even though he kinda regressed. It shows more than just the struggles of living as an outsider (he is an immigrant). The situation he placed himself in, while voluntarily done out of (perhaps)love and a sense of justice, ultimately damned him because he ended up murdering someone. It shows how a huge mistake in the past can somehow give way into an even bigger mistake. A huge chain of mistakes. It shows how sometimes certain people simply can't be saved.

*cue sound of implicit coughing*

Anyway, sorry if nothing I'm typing sounds very intelligent. I don't think I've thought about this book as much as I ought to have.

Bel-Ami by Guy de Maupassant

Brilliant from the start to the finish. French high society's obvious obsession with fame, power, sex and money. I marvel at Georges Duroy's (or rather, Du Roy, as he was later named) ambition and cunning. His ascension up the social ladder took far more than just luck and he had the guts (and the looks and charm) to pull it off.

Also I've shipped him and Madame Marelle the minute they met and am therefore unapologetic to all the women he cheated on.