I'm Reading: 'Finding Gobi' by Dion Leonard

To find out more about this book and its author please click link below.

'Finding Gobi -
The true story of a little dog and an incredible journey'

I'm Reading: 'Brave New World' by Aldous Huxley

It's been a while since I've read my last novel, and this classic, (then) 'futuristic' novel 'Brave New World' by Aldous Huxley is a perfect read. "Published in 1932, this warned against the dehumanising aspects of scientific and material 'progress'", says the book. Note that I'm not in any way promoting this book, it's just that this book is so intriguing to me. When I read the short description at the back of the book, some of the elements in it sound so much like the present day and it has that eerie resemblance to (the evil, dystopian) New World Order, which I heard so much about, that's said would rule the world in the very near future. It's like the prophecy in The Book of Revelation and of Prophet Daniel coming to pass. 

This is a good read, but still, 

nothing can compare to the knowledge 

and wisdom the Word of God can give you. 

Keep on reading your Bible daily!

I'm Reading: 'The Nine Lives Of Montezuma' by Michael Morpurgo

I wasn't actually looking for something to read when I was at the bookstore yesterday. I was just there to help my friend because he wanted to buy an MP3 player, but when I went up to the second floor to just look around, (that's where all the books are,) I can't help myself but to get closer to a certain book I saw from a distance. The cover of this book really caught my attention, it was an orange cat with green eyes surrounded by bright green leaves. Most of you guys know that I'm an animal lover, especially of cats (and dogs too), and that's one of the reasons why I was attracted to this book aside from it's beautiful bright cover. The title of the book is'The Nine Lives Of Montezuma' by Michael Morpurgo, ooooohh! It was obvious to me that it's a children's book and I was right when I opened it. The prints are much larger and it has drawings inside that depict the characters of the story in some of its pages. It's a story about the dangerous and exciting life of a farmyard cat, from a fiery kitten to a tired old Tom (that's the book description from the net).

I didn't think twice to buy it. It doesn't matter if it's a children's book or an adult book (not the one you think of course you dirty minds), a book is a book, it doesn't matter if the person reading it is 9 or 39 (not my age!). I love children's book. If you can remember I posted here last year about'The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz' by L.Frank Baum after reading it, I never thought it  was so different from the Victor Fleming's 1939 film version starring Judy Garland, amazing!; and'Dewey: The Small Town Library Cat That Change The World'  by Vicki Myron, that book made me cry (but don't tell!).

I've already finished reading the first chapter of ...Montezuma last night which is called The Beginning, tonight I'll start with the second chapter called The Second Life. The book only has 9 chapters. I'm so excited, can't wait to read it! (I only read before going to bed at night, that's the only time I have.) 

Michael Morpurgo.Com

 'The Nine Lives Of Montezuma'

I'm Reading: The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz

The 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz" starring Judy Garland and was directed by Victor Fleming is one of my favorite films of all time. I can't remember how many times I've watched the film. One of my favorite scenes was when Dorothy and the Scare Crow purposely angered the apple trees so that they may throw apples on them because they were hungry, that's the part before they discovered the motionless Tin Woodman.

The film as we all know it, was adapted from the children's classic "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" by L.Frank Baum, which was first published in 1900. The other day, I just finished reading the book which I bought from a local bookstore here in Jeddah. I know it sounds funny, but it was my first time to read it, and I was so amazed on how different it was from the 1939 film.

While I was reading the book, I was shocked to learn that there were no Ruby shoes, instead, a pair of Silver shoes, then I told myself that maybe I was reading the wrong book or maybe they'd made mistakes with the printing of the book or something. I felt so stupid, I mean the book was over a century old and it's only now I found out about the shoes.

There's a lot of chapters on the book that was not included in the film, like chapter 9, entitled 'The Queen of the Field Mice', which I was shocked to learn that even if the Tin man believes that it's wrong to kill  pretty, harmless creatures, (like the field mice),  he didn't think twice to chop off the head of the wildcat. In chapter 12, entitled 'The Search for the Wicked Witch', the Tin man again demonstrated his murderous instinct, by chopping off the head of the wolves, but of course he did that to save his friends. Hhmm...maybe the Tin man was hiding some dark secrets?

Another chapter in the book that didn't make it in the film was chapter 20, 'The Dainty China Country', where Dorothy and her friends passed while going to the country of the Quadlings in the south. In the 'Dainty China Country', everything is made of china from animals, to houses, trees and even the people there. They (Dainty China people) have to be very careful in moving because they may easily break.

Chapter 22, 'The Country of the Quadlings' is another chapter that didn't quite make it in the film. This is the place where Glinda, the good witch of the south lives, where the bridges, fences and all houses were painted  bright red.

Aside from those chapters, there are also a lot of characters that was not in the film, like the Kalidahs, monstrous beasts with bodies like bears, and heads like tigers, living in the big dark forest that they passed while on the road to the Emerald City. Scary creatures! Another characters  in the book that are not in the film are the Hammer Heads, they are short and stout and have big heads, which were flat at the top and supported by a thick neck full of wrinkles and they do not have arms. And the queen of the field mice, a very important character that was not on the  film. Without the field mice, the cowardly lion would have surely died in the deadly poppy field.

So far, those are the 'discrepancies' that I've noticed between the book and the famous 1939 film. Although while reading the book, I didn't read about the horse of different colors and the funny apple throwing apple trees. In the film, I've noticed that they mixed everything up, like the good witch Glinda, who's supposed to be in the south, and the flying monkeys that follow the every command by whoever possesses the Golden Cap. I recommend that you read the book, so that you'll understand fully some of the scenes and the history of the characters in the film. Both the book and the film are just amazing!

The Wicked Witch Of The East (And Of The Far East)

While reading the book especially on chapter 2, 'The Council With The Munchkins', I can't help but compare the Munchkin  land to the Philippines. When Dorothy arrived in the Munchkin Land via the tornado inside the house, it was the happiest moment in the lives of the munchkins, because they were liberated. The Munchkins thought that Dorothy deliberately killed the Wicked Witch of the East by letting the house fall on her.

I honestly believe that something similar to this will soon happen in the Philippines, but not as a house falling on the wicked president but of different kind. Gloria, or I must say, the wicked witch of the  Far East, has done a lot of bad things against the Filipino people, and her life will  not be enough to compensate them. I shouldn't be speaking of such bad things, but I can't help it. Her time will surely come, and maybe when that time comes, we can all sing joyously, "ding dong, the witch is dead, the wicked witch is dead!"

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I'm Reading: DEWEY: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World

I'm now reading "DEWEY: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World" by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter. A non-fiction. I just bought the book yesterday from Jarir Bookstore, Sary street branch, Jeddah .

Personally, I'm a lover of animals especially of cats (I currently have five cats in my apartment, but I also love dogs). I'm already in chapter 6 and so far I'm loving it. I loved the way the author described Spencer, Iowa, the place where the story happened and also her first encounter with Dewey Readmore Books.

Link: DEWEY: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World.