The Best [and the Worst] Reads of 2011 (Subtitle: The Book I Will Push You to Read on 2012 )

[Angus]

I had a little talk with Brillante Mendoza before. Okay, this is not about books, but wait. So I asked the Cannes Film Fest Best Director if it is still the duty of the director to make the audience understand. His answer? No. The director already did his job, and the moviegoer has his job to do.

I pretty much agree with him. I don't think the writer needs to go up or stoop down to any level just to make people understand. Otherwise, there wouldn't be novels so hard to read, or novels that are rather too easy.

And another thing, it is not the reader's obligation to understand a book. If he doesn't get it, if no communication or relating or identifying took place, fine, he could toss it out. It's his money and effort anyway. :D

[anarki]

"I do my thing, you do your thing.
I am not in this world to live up to your expectations.
Nor you are here to live up to mine.
If by chance we meet it's beautiful.
If not, then it can't be helped.

But the fact that we are here, it's worth a try."
-Fritz Perls

Let me rephrase what i meant, I'm not making it a "should" that a writer "should" make the reader understand. Forgive me for that word. ahahaha.

The point I'm just trying to get across is how beautiful it is when two different worlds'(the writer's and the reader's) boundaries meet on the same ground. And that euphoric feel that you are familiar of.

If not, oh well, he can just throw the book away. ahahahaha
It depends also on the reader's need to understand the writer.

[Ranee]

to add: I've read an article in Newsweek regarding Murakami's style of writing. The reporter came in to do his interview armed with his questions seeking meaning to his passages in his works. He said that there is no hidden meaning. It was as if he forgets about that dream state the moment he ends writing the book. Ergo, Angus, I agree with you

as a teaser to Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy: the book dealt a lot regarding the search of the meaning f life. A super computer is built for this very purpose. If you are one of those that is searching for it, you may want to try reading this but remember, not everything is what they seem.

[Angus]

Emir: But understanding and liking, and understanding and not liking are different, right? Not that I understand everything, but I try my best to understand at least the books that I read. I guess I am hinting at something, hahahaha.

Doc: Hitchhiker is in my required reading list, I just can't read it immediately because my copy is far up there, in the North.

[Monique]

Four books for my best reads for 2011:

(1) Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
(2) Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
(3) Life of Pi by Yann Martel
(4) A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Just one book for my worst read this year (I think I was pretty much easy to please? :D ):

A Passage To India by E.M. Forster >>> Angus, I am backing you up on this one!

[Angus]

Monique wrote: "A Passage To India by E.M. Forster >>> Angus, I am backing you up on this one! "

Yay! I think KD is the only one who liked this (his 3-stars is a clear denotation).

[H]

Ranee wrote: "as a teaser to Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy: the book dealt a lot regarding the search of the meaning f life. A super computer is built for this very purpose. If you are one of those that is searching for it, you may want to try reading this but remember, not everything is what they seem"

42...? :D

[K.D.]

Hay, naku ang mga ayaw sa PASSAGE TO INDIA ha ha. Ang aklat na iyan ay tungkol sa mga uring naghahari sa isang bansang sinakop nila. Ang luka-lukang babae (Adela?) na walang pakundangang pinagbintangan syang nilapastangan porque isang native lang at di nila pareho ang balat.

Piling-pili ang sanaysay ni E. M. Forster at buhay na buhay ang mga tagpo. Lalo na ang description ng Murabak hills/cave. Yong alingawngaw ng sigaw na parang nage-echo ng mga kaapihang dinanas ng native na indian kumpara sa mapagmalabis na mga British.

Ang nakakapagtaka rito: si E. M. Forster ay British pero kung tutuusin ay isang pagbubunyag ng masamang ugali ng British ito sa India.

Dahil doon: nagustuhan ko ito (3 stars).

[K.D.]

Maarte yang si Brilliantes. Di ko naman gusto ang KINATAY. Alang kawawaan.

[H]

Na-iintriga ako jan sa Passage to India at kung bakit nasusuklam kayo sa kanya...mabasa nga! hehehe.

[Tricia]

Monique wrote: "Four books for my best reads for 2011:

(1) Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
(2) Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
(3) Life of Pi by Yann Martel
(4) A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Just ..."

hmmmm life of Pi has been in my tbr for 3yrs na. Maganda talaga? Di ako convince (lalo na sa cover) haha

[H]

Tricia wrote: "hmmmm life of Pi has been in my tbr for 3yrs na. Maganda talaga? Di ako convince (lalo na sa cover) haha"

Para sa akin, maganda sya, kaso, marami ring may ayaw sa kanya. Mejo philosophical/theological sya, pero ok lang kahit hindi mo ma-gets yung level na yon, kasi yung "surface" story nya ay nakaka-intriga din naman.

[Angus]

KD: Pero ano na nga ba ang sabi ng mga characters sa The Inheritance of Loss about non-Indians writing about India?

H: Waste of time. You've been warned, hahaha.

Tricia: Nasa to-read next year list ko na ang Life of Pi. :D

[K.D.]

Tricia: Yong idea ng LIFE OF PI maganda. Pero pagsara mo ng libro, para kang dinaya. Alam mo ba yong feeling ng ALICE IN WONDERLAND? Yun yon. Kakaiba sya at may tsansa na magagandahan ka habang binabasa mo pero pag tapos ka na at nag-deduce ka na, ay parang dinaya ako, sasabihin mo sa sarili mo. Di ko alam ang sinasabi ni H na philosophical. Wala akong nakitang ganoon. Sabagay, parang may ibang nakikita sa libro yang si H. Noong isang araw, poetic daw. Ngayon naman philosophical na theological pa. Ha ha. Kaya lang nga, sabi sa discussion above, may kanya-kanya yang panlasa. Ganoon ang dating sa kanya eh. Iginagalang ko yon ha ha.

ANGUS: Na ano? Parang wala akong matandaan na sinabi ni Judge Remu (yan ba ang pangalan nya? sya lang naman ang magsasabi ng ganyan if ever. Unless yon dalawang babaeng matanda si Lola at yong isa ay may sinabi sa mga libro. Natatandaan ko lang doon, yong isa nagsabing old fashion daw si V. S. Naipaul doon sa A BEND IN THE RIVER. Nabasa ko yon kaya natandaan ko. ha ha

H: Wag kang maniwala. Ang totoo nyan, mahirap syang intindihin at kung intro book mo ito kay E. M. Forster at di ka talaga into classics, baka nga mainip ka. Kaya wag mo na lang basahin. Please. Para kang si Joyzi na di natapos ang LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA tapos binigyan ng 1 star. Malalim ang A PASSAGE TO INDIA. I suggest magbasa ka muna ng classics na madaling intindihin like Dickens, Alcott o Stevenson. Otherwise, I am sure maga-agree ka sa dalawang lumalapastangan sa masterpiece ni Forster. Kayganda-gandang novel: 1001, Modern Library, Listopia, etc bibigyan ng 2 stars! Que horror!

[Joyzi]

@KD haha nakakapagtaka nga e gusto ko talaga yung movie nung Love in the time of cholera, kaso yung libro masyadong madaming info, parang madaming patalastas ganun, first chapter pa lang ang hirap basahin. Nagskim ako dun sa last part yung nag sex sila na matanda na, kaso di masyado dinescribe parang subtle lang tapos hindi mo masyado maimagine, sa movie kasi shocking yung scene na yun, ewan ko di ko trip yung pagkakasulat ng Love in the time of cholera, pero highly recommended yung movie, pero R 18 ata yun

[Joyzi]

@ Life of Pi, nagandahan naman ako dito 4 stars ang binigay ko, nakakatuwa kasi yung bida dito di nakuntento 3 religion yan, Hindu, Christian at Muslim. Maganda siya informative, madami ka matutunan pano mag survive kapag nasa ocean ka (survival tips ganun) madami ding info about animals parang nagbabasa ka ng National Geographic.

[Cary]

Best Reads:
1. The Color Purple
2. A little Princess
4. Wizard of Oz
3. Percy Jackson series
5. Screwtape Letters

Worst reads:
1. Ang mga kaibigan ni mama susan
2. the V club
3. Catcher in the rye (disappointing plot)
4. Hush, Hush

[H]

Cary wrote: "

Worst reads:
1. Ang mga kaibigan ni mama susan
2. the V club
3. Catcher in the rye..."

First of all...Catcher in the Rye, worst read!?!?! HUWAAAT???? Sobra ata ako nag react don nung nabasa ko hehehe.

@KD re: Life of Pi: LOL...theological naman sya ah...sige, baka nga hindi sya ganon ka philosophical, pero definitely theological.

Yang Life of Pi, nagpapanggap lang yang book na yan...mejo deep lang ang message nyan kaya mejo mahirap ma gets. Pero yun nga, yung pinaka story nya, ok naman.

@KD pa rin..re: Passage to India. First E.M. Forster book ko ay A Room With A View..which is one of my favorite books. Mahilig naman ako sa classics, pero hindi lahat ng classics na nabasa ko ay nagustuhan ko. Nabasa ko ang Love in the Time of Cholera...at natapos ko sya...at hindi ko sya nagustuhan. Mas gusto ko ang 100 Years of Solitude.

PS...Poetic talaga ang Cold Mountain...basahin mo na kasi! hehehe.

[Angus]

KD: HAHAHAHAHA! Para akong tanga rito, tawa ako ng tawa mag-isa. Eh sa totoo namang hindi maganda ang Passage na iyan. Yak yak yak! Tingnan mo naman, kung classics lang ang batayan, eh bakit si Virginia Woolf? Malapit na siyang maging boring, nagsusulat tungkol sa isang babaeng hindi matapus-tapos ang painting niya at ang pamamasyal sa isang lighthouse, pero napakaganda pa rin.

Hindi ko dala ang copy ko ng Inheritance, nasa office pa rin ako, haha. Hanapin ko para sa iyo. Hindi naman sina Jemu ang nagsabi nun, parang yung mga illegal immigrants.

At iyang si Joyzi ay may reputasyon na siyang ganyan. At least kami ay tinatapos namin para justified ang mababang stars. Buti nga ako ay 2-stars, si Atty. ay 1-star lamang. May pagtitimpi pa ako, haha.

[Joyzi]

Hahahaha sige tataposin ko yang Love in the Time of Cholera next year para justified yang 1 star rating

[Joyzi]

Hindi ko kasi natapos kasi may 1 week limit sa library. Para lang yan yung Pride and Prejudice na di ko natapos kasi nga may 1 week limit at binigyan ko na lang ng 1 star rating.

[H]

Joyzi wrote: "Hindi ko kasi natapos kasi may 1 week limit sa library. Para lang yan yung Pride and Prejudice na di ko natapos kasi nga may 1 week limit at binigyan ko na lang ng 1 star rating."

Pride and Prejudice...one star rating!?!?!?!

Hahaha ano ba yan...first catcher in the rye, ngayon Pride and Prejudice... :( Joyzi...wag mo na tapusin yang Love...Cholera. Tapusin mo yang Pride and Prejudice!

[Joyzi]

@H I love Catcher in the rye no :) Sige babasahin ko yang Pride and Prejudice next year meron na naman akong e-book copy

[Monique]

ANGUS, KUYA, H, AND JOYZI: BOOOOO sa A Passage To India! Lapastanganin pa ang librong iyan! Hahaha. :P

Yung Life of Pi naman, simple lang ang istorya, pero may malalim na mensahe. I'd suggest reading Tintin's review of it - she captured the idea so perfectly. ;)

[Joyzi]

@Kuya Emir pero parang yun yung maganda sa kanya, pinaghalo yung 3 religion, may time nga na parang sa isang gathering may 1 catholic priest, may muslim at may hindu tapos pinapapili yung bida dapat kasi 1 lang religion di pwedeng sabay sabay. Ang ganda nung part na yun, parang debate something.

[Beatrice]

Best reads of 2011 (not in particular order)
1. Hush Hush & Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
2. VA series by Richelle Mead
3. Three sisters Island trilogy by Nora Roberts
4. Awakened by P.C & Kristin Cast
5. Key trilogy by Nora Roberts
6. Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen
7. Dark Secrets 1: Legacy of Lies and Don't Tell by Elizabeth Chandler.

Worst reads (2011)
1. Sunshine Coast News by Kate Austen
2. I don't know how she does it by Allison Pearson

[Joyzi]

di ba yun original? anong libro pinaggayahan?

[Monique]

EMIR: You mentioned Scliar's book on your comment to my review. :)

JOYZI: In fairness to Martel, he acknowledged in his book that he was inspired by Scliar's earlier work and that he drew the idea from the latter. :)

[Joyzi]

nabasa ko sa review binasa daw ni Martel yung synopsis nyan, tapos binase nya dyan yung book niya

pero parang may mga ganyan ding issue sa Da Vinci Code at Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, may mga plot na kagayang kagaya sa libro, pero sinasabi na lang nung mga authors na di naman nila nabasa yung book na yun dati kaya walang plagiarism

parang si Suzanne Collins lang yan na di pa daw nababasa o napapanood ang Battle Royale, kaya clueless siya sa mga Battle Royale rip-off issues na binabato sa libro niya.

[Joyzi]

at least honest si Martel

[Joyzi]

Lol ganun pala nangyari dyan nagkaaregluhan na lang

[K.D.]

Joyzi: Ay ayan, naintindihan ko na kung bakit di mo natatapos ang libro. May library constraint ka pala ha ha! Pero sana wag mong i-rate. Kasi di mo naman nga nabasa lahat. Ikaw pa naman na maraming nagbabasa at naniniwala sa review mo. Pakialam ko ba sa author di ko naman sila kaanu-ano. Kaya lang kung ako kasi yong author, masasaktan ako ha ha.

Emir: Oo nga. Kanya-kanya talagang panlasa yan. Ang importante kapag nag-rate ka at nag-review, may paniniwala kang naintindihan mo. Dapat maging responsible rater and reviewers tayo. Hindi naman sa parang pakiramdam natin ang gagaling natin. Kababasa ko lang ng Thomas Friedman's Longitudes and Latitudes at sa globalization at internet era daw empowered na ang lahat ng may access sa internet kasi pede kang manira ng libro at kung tatanga-tanga ang makakakita ng blog mo, maniniwala. Ilang beses na bang may naglagay ng link dito tungkol sa kung anu-anong opinion na sinulat lang ng kung sino? At tayo naman ay naguusap, nagagalit, natutuwa sa blog na yon?

H: Ay oo, may mga religions nga doon sa LIFE OF PI. Thank you for reminding me. Pero di yon ang focal point para sa akin. Mas matindi ang (negative) effect sa akin noong revelation sa dulo. Di naman kasi compelling ang presentation nya ng religious stand nya eh. Tama si Emir, hush-posh lang kaya siguro di nagmarka sa akin.

Atty. Monique: Basta! Ipagtatanggol ko ang A PASSAGE TO INDIA. Blah blah blah usap usap usap

Angus: At ikaw! Gusto natin ang TO THE LIGHTHOUSE dahil kakaiba ang atake ni Woolf. Babae yon eh. Tsaka stream of consciousness yon.

[Joyzi]

@KD ok po, yan na po ang aking magiging New Year's Resolution

[Tricia]

Emir wrote: "Isa pa pala yang Life of Pi na yan, yung first part ayoko dahil sa pinaghalo-halong relihiyon at pilosopiya. Kalokohan, naisip ko, gusto yatang iplease ni Martel ang lahat ng klase ng mambababasa. ..."

Natawa naman ako dito!

@Angus: I think I should include Life of Pi to next year's book list din haha

[Mina]

My best of the year:

Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time - Dava Sobel
Bossypants - Tina Fey
True Grit - Charles Portis

And Life of Pi is one of my faves. :)

[K.D.]

Yay! I have a copy of TRUE GRIT, Mina. Because of your list, I will move it forward in my tbr pile.

[Mina]

K.D. wrote: "Yay! I have a copy of TRUE GRIT, Mina. Because of your list, I will move it forward in my tbr pile."

Cool! I read it after seeing the movie though. I don't think I would have chosen to read it otherwise, it's normally not my thing.

[K.D.]

Oh yes, I understand. But sometimes it is nice to go outside our comfort zones. :)

[Cary]

H wrote: "Cary wrote: "

First of all...Catcher in the Rye, worst read!?!?! HUWAAAT???? Sobra ata ako nag react don nu..."

H, Catcher in the rye is just not for me. Honestly, hindi ko talaga na-gets ano gustong palabasin ng author or maybe teen rebellion is just not my cup of tea kaya na-disappoint ako nung natapos ko na syang basahin.

[Apokripos]

Like with Narnia, let's also talk about Cathcer in the Rye in the coming Christmas Party.
Magiging maganda ang discussion natin.
Tas, ilalabas pa namin yung list ng TFG-100!
Kaabang-abang! Ayan na! :D

[H]

jzhunagev wrote: "Like with Narnia, let's also talk about Cathcer in the Rye in the coming Christmas Party.
Magiging maganda ang discussion natin.
Tas, ilalabas pa namin yung list ng TFG-100!
Kaabang-abang! Ayan na..."

sayang hindi ako makaka-attend ng xmas party...gusto ko pa naman i-discuss ang catcher in the rye :P

[H]

Cary wrote:

H, Catcher in the rye is just not for me. Honestly, hindi ko talaga na-g..."

Ilang taon ka na ba? Some people think that The Catcher in the Rye has an expiration period...meaning that readers have to be at a particular age range to like and appreciate it.

[Apokripos]

H, then make it a point to at least swing by the venue, kahit alam ko nang ikaw ang Mystery Attendee ni Angus (pero Mystery Attendee ka pa rin kasi secret natin 'yon).

Then find out for yourself that you wouldn't want to leave. Ahaha! :D

[Monique]

Mina wrote: "K.D. wrote: "Yay! I have a copy of TRUE GRIT, Mina. Because of your list, I will move it forward in my tbr pile."

Cool! I read it after seeing the movie though. I don't think I would have chosen t..."

True Grit is on my wish list. Will look out for a copy of this. :)

[Cary]

H wrote: "Cary wrote:

H, Catcher in the rye is just not for me. Honestly, hindi ko talaga na-g..."

Ilang taon ka na ba? Some people think that The Catcher in the Rye has an expiration period...meaning tha..."

Im way past teenage years. pero I think kung nabasa ko sya nang mas bata pa ko hindi ko pa rin sya maappreciate haha

[Ranee]

H wrote: "Ranee wrote: "as a teaser to Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy: the book dealt a lot regarding the search of the meaning f life. A super computer is built for this very purpose. If you are one of th..."

hahaha. nabasa mo na noh? para sa mga di pa nakakapagbasa yang teaser.

[H]

jzhunagev wrote: "H, then make it a point to at least swing by the venue, kahit alam ko nang ikaw ang Mystery Attendee ni Angus (pero Mystery Attendee ka pa rin kasi secret natin 'yon).

Then find out for yourself ..."

Hahaha...open secret pala yon? :P Kelangan ko mag-trabaho sa araw na yon eh :( haaay....

@Cary: Hmmm...posible nga. Pero you'll never really know kasi nga matanda ka na pala hahaha. Anyway, kung hindi mo type, eh di hindi mo type hehe.

@Ranee: Major spooiler yon! hahaha...joke lang. Yup nabasa ko na pero hanggang sa 3rd book lang ng 5-book trilogy hehehehe.

[Angus]

H: At bakit ka naman nagpakagat sa pain ni Jzhun? Hahaha. Nung una kasi akala nila si Alibiserver. Well, try mo na lang humabol.

Cary: I don't think my expiration period ang Catcher. I am not crazy about it, but I appreciated it.

Tricia: Go na! Isama na ang Life of Pi, lalo pa't napag-iinitan na siya.

Joyzi: Agree ako kay KD na dapat naman tapusin ang book bago hatulan ng 1-star.

A.Monique: I'm with you all the way sa paglapastangan sa A Passage to India!

[H]

Angus: Hahaha...ok lang yan, di naman ako makakapunta eh...para misteryoso pa rin...bwahaha..as if! :P

[K.D.]

H: (at sa lahat na nagaalangan na magpakita sa GR-TFG event like this coming Christmas party)

Tama si Jzhun, pakita ka. Lahat kami bantulot na mag-show up sa meet up. Kasi baka ma-OP. Kasi baka mga sosyal tao roon. Kasi baka walang pumansin sa akin. Malamang sa hindi, hindi ka mao-OP kasi mga jologs kami.

Ang Christmas party na ito ay informal. Wala kaming function room kasi wala namang talagang group topic na idi-discuss. Wala ring book launch. Pulos "hi" at "hello" lang tapos papakinggan mo ang mga nagsasalita at hearing distance sa paligid mo. Pupunta lang kami sa isang resto sa Eton Centris. Kakain ng tanghalian. Magpapa-games habang kumakain at magkukuwentuhan. Tapos pag pinapagalitan na kami sa ingay, pupunta sa coffee shop at doon maggugulo. Siguro sa labas (al fresco) para di masyadong makaistorbo. Then pagdating ng dinner, isang resto ulit. Doon na siguro ang exchange gifts at winners ng contests. Then kuwentuhan ulit hanggang closing.

So, kung may work ka noong araw na yon, lagi kang may aabutan. 10am to 10 pm ito so, hindi excuse yong may work ka unless 24 hrs kang nagwo-work ha ha.

Cary: Hindi mo lang siguro talaga linya ang classic lit. Kasi di mo natapos ang "Wuthering." Di mo rin natapos ang "Perfume." Tama ba? Book buddies ba kita sa mga yan. So, kanya-kanya ng taste yan. Maganda ang "The Catcher in the Rye" kasi naglalarawan sya ng teenage angst. Yong feeling ng teenager na parang ang gulo-gulo ng mundo at ano ba ang papel ng isang teenager sa paligid nya. Kahit di ako rebeldeng adolescent noon, may mga ganyan din ako. Kasi siguro hormonal tsaka parang ang daming question marks ng buhay noon. Anong kurso ang kukunin ko? Saan ako magwo-work? Makakapasa ba ako ng board exam? Bakit wala akong girlfriend? Kailan ako makakatikim ng sex? ha ha. Joke lang yon huli pero may ganun di ba?

Angus: Nakakarami ka na ha. Dadalhin ko nga ang kopya ko ng "Passage" at ihahampas ko sa ulo mo! Para matigok ka na! ha ha