Online Bookstore with a Soul

Being an avid reader, I'm always in search of good books. I read reviews, stalking wishlist of other bookworms, trying to scourge a book deal and swapping book. The high price put on imported books in this illiterate country is insane. The only hope I have to survive a book diet is to buy elsewhere. Some of my favorite book hunting place are Bras Basah Road stalls in Singapore, second hand book shops in Kuta (FYI, still expensive) and recently, buying books online.

The problem about shipping it to this corner of the world is the sky high shipping price. It is just silly to buy a book whose shipping cost is much higher than the book itself. However there are two online book shops that offer free and low price shipping. Book Depository, a company from U.K, send book for free to anywhere on the world and their price is still lower than imported books sold in book stores here. I ordered five books as I mention in earlier entry, and all arrived safely home.

Yesterday, I purchased two books which has been in my wishlist for as long as I can remember. A memoir about reading and books by Larry McMurthry and a reading recommendation aptly named More Book Lust. I bought those two babies in what could be the most environmentally friendly book shop, Better World Books. This is my first time buying book with options like used or new, carbon free shipping and conciously knowing that by buying an eight bucks used book I have also contributed for global literacy.

Check out this cute e-mail I received from Better World Books :


Hello,

(Your book(s) asked to write you a personal note - it seemed unusual, but who are we to say no?)

Holy canasta! It's me... it's me! I can't believe it is actually me! You could have picked any of over 2 million books but you picked me! I've got to get packed! How is the weather where you live? Will I need a dust jacket? I can't believe I'm leaving Mishawaka, Indiana already - the friendly people, the Hummer plant, the Linebacker Lounge - so many memories. I don't have much time to say goodbye to everyone, but it's time to see the world!

I can't wait to meet you! You sound like such a well read person. Although, I have to say, it sure has taken you a while! I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but how would you like to spend five months sandwiched between Jane Eyre (drama queen) and Fundamentals of Thermodynamics (pyromaniac)? At least Jane was an upgrade from that stupid book on brewing beer. How many times did the ol' brewmaster have one too many and topple off our shelf at 2am?

I know the trip to meet you will be long and fraught with peril, but after the close calls I've had, I'm ready for anything (besides, some of my best friends are suspense novels). Just five months ago, I thought I was a goner. My owner was moving and couldn't take me with her. I was sure I was landfill bait until I ended up in a Better World Books book drive bin. Thanks to your socially conscious book shopping, I've found a new home. Even better, your book buying dollars are helping kids read from Brazil to Botswana. Eagerly awaiting our meeting.

I'll keep buying for sure!

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Wise Quote from Someone Else #1

"One’s life is more formed, I sometimes think, by books than by human beings: it is out of books one learns about love and pain at second hand. Even if we have the happy chance to fall in love, it is because we have been conditioned by what we have read, and if I had never known love at all, perhaps it was because my father’s library had not comtained the right books"
Graham Greene (Travels with My Aunt)

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Someday When All Lights are On

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Ariel Peterporn & the Lost Girls

Seldom have I realized that our beloved nation, Indonesia, is in fact a big country. A big, populated country of 30 millions internet users, of most are probably tweeps. For nine hours yesterday, #Ariel Peterporn was a trending topics and everybody from the rest of the world (including USA porn actress, Vicky Vette) were asking frustratingly: who the hell is Ariel Peterporn?

Ariel is the cool leading singer of Indonesia’s pop band, Peterpan (get the pun?). His Casanova status was established when he impregnated an ex, married her (we are the largest Moslem populated country in the world after all) and in due course, divorced her. His flings with many other top notch celebrities in Indowood, was infamous throughout the country. His hottest flame, however, is the long time lover, Luna Maya. She, being the famous model/ actress/ host with one of the fattest paycheck in Indonesia, was so popular that her face appears everywhere from giant billboard to truck bumper graffiti.

Their cat-and-mouse high profile relationship has been media’s favorite. They’re the Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt of Indonesia, in the matter of media speculation and gossip buzz. No wonder when their “catch me if you can” ad for Lux soap was released, it was a huge success. It has all the right formula and you just cannot help but say “aww” when you see it.

Right when their stardom couldn’t have shined any brighter, a sex video was released upon the hungry masses by Anonymous. The two minutes low resolution video showed the Ariel and Luna look-a-like in many flagrante delicto positions. No official statement has been released and the unfortunate couples now are hiding from public scrutiny and possible scenario of stoned to death by Moslem law (I’m not kidding here, this is what will happen if they live in Aceh). I will not publish the link to the explosive sex videotape here, like what many blogs already did. I believe I’m not the only one who says “Yes, I’ve seen it. Yes, it was hot. But no, I won’t keep it in my hard disc or see it again just for fun”.

Like it wasn’t enough, the probably same sick pervert who published it, also published another sex video in youtube, this time it looks like Ariel with another hot actress, Cut Tari. I couldn’t tell you just how many puns was made of her considering she’s hosting a gossip news show called “Insert”. The smoking hot actress and KFC representative is unfortunately married and allegedly can be seen in the video wearing a wedding ring.

Apart from the fact that it could be those three celebrities or could be not, their names are now forever smeared in dualistic public eyes. Paris Hilton may get away with it and even made even more famous by her sex video. However living in this country where moral righteousness is an expected virtue from a public figure, it will be hard for them to just get on with their life. Remember that charming soap ad? You can’t find it anymore on TV now days.

To put it into the nicest possible term, everybody fuck in this country. How could we not, being the 4^th most populous nation on earth? The problem is if you get caught doing it, which precisely what happened to these three sexual personage. The question now is: can they recover their career? Gossip, like leggings or mullet hair style, comes and goes but sex video last forever. Ask Edison Chen if you don’t believe me. The moral of the story is this: always make sure to cleanly delete your hard disc after video making, especially if it’s a dirty one and you’re famous.

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Sipping Teh Tarik in Bali

Have you experienced a snacking binge that just won’t stop even after a hearty meal? You know, you are full but your taste buds are not. That’s what I and my friends experienced recently when we were on our way home from Kerobokan. Suddenly, a sign on the Jalan Raya Kerobokan that read “Roti Canai & Teh Tarik” was just exactly what we need.

The mamak stall (or so they call warung that sells roti canai in Malaysia) official name is Warung Bunana. It is a small place smacked in the busy export street. Our entrance was fragrantly welcomed by a delicious aroma of martabak being fried. The menu consists of roti canai assortment with various toppings and fillings, accompanied with three choices of curry: vegetable, chicken and mutton. The portion also comes in two sizes, small and large.

While waiting, we were entertained by a very skillful teh tarik bartender, pulling the tea up and down. The outcome of the pulling up and down was a frothy tea milk, optionally served hot or cold. Mine was cold and it was just perfect for the warm night. It tasted fresh, light and not to sweet, moreover goes very well with the roti canai and richly spiced chicken curry. The large portion was enough to fulfill all four of our snacking appetite. A small note on the roti canai, it’s a good size, flaky buttered roti.

To close our night, a large roti banana cheese and chocolate was just sweetly perfect. The banana was puréed and put inside the crispy roti with cheese while the chocolate was poured on the top. The staffs are very nice especially after getting hundred questions a day on portion sizes and ingredients, by customers unfamiliar with Indian food. It’s a small, no nonsense and good value eatery where you can meet your friends and mused over the authentically made teh tarik.

Warung Bunana. Jl. Raya Kerobokan. Open from 10.00 - 22.00.

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Recent Bookish Things

Found a hot blog which sole purpose of existence is collecting picture of hot guys reading. Yes, apparently men do read.

Five out of five baby books arrived safely at home. They came from Book Depository U.K, passed the volcanic outrage all the way to Indonesia. The best news is Book Depository delivers books almost everywhere for free!

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Happy Galungan Everybody!

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