I'm Back*!!

The title is kind of a misnomer since it's suggesting that I will be resuming my blogging activities as before the announced hiatus. The truth is, half and half. While I will be resuming blogging every now and then, the topics will be more personal. In many ways, this blog will function as a personal diary of sorts -- to track my current activities like reading materials and traveling destinations.

To be completely honest, I realized as of late that, despite the demand on time it places, blogging can be very beneficial. Informing your viewers/readers aside, it also helps improve your writing as well as provide a sense of accomplishment. As someone who can be labeled as "driven" and "goal-oriented", I like to go to sleep each night knowing that I accomplished something (even if it's a self-created illusion). The fact that I find myself idle at work more often than not helps too...

Kicking things off, I just came back from the local library with an exciting haul of reading material. I like to read (evident by the posts as book reviews) and I try to borrow a myriad of books on a wide range of subjects to sustain this habit. The books from this haul are as follows:

• Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, by Lisa See -- this is supposedly a famous novel and it's a culture-specific fiction, which I like to read. Fiction adds variety to the rest of (non-fiction) below.
• Using Microsoft Access 2010, by Alison Balter -- realized I need to learn Microsoft Access.
• Oracle SQL: Essential Reference, by David Kreines -- same as above, my work involves using Oracle and so knowing SQL would help tremendously.
• Learning MySQL, by Hugh Williams -- same as above
• Drive: the Surprising Truth..., by Daniel Pink -- this is another widely-acclaimed book. I just finished "Predictably Irrational" by Dan Ariely.
• The Art Instinct, by Denis Dutton -- heard about this from a TED talk and thought it sounded very interesting.

The goal is to post some sort of review (maybe not on the SQL and Access books). But I'm behind already on book reviews so, I'd advise not to bet on it...

Book Review: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Last week (yes, there is a lag going on) I finished reading the best-selling novel The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by the Swedish author Stieg Larsson. I starting reading the book because my roommate owns it and, ever looking to build my literature repertoire, I thought it would be a good choice. It turned out to be a fantastic book -- something Swedish other than Ikea!

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is the first book of a trilogy that was left unpublished by a now-deceased Stieg Larsson. It's a very good thing that Larsson's heirs elected to have the works translated and published. There are two protagonists (at least in the first book) for the series: Mikael Blomkvist, a journalist and reporter, and Lisbeth Salander, a gifted hacker and very capable personal investigator. Because it is the first of a trilogy, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo serves as an introduction to both protagonists and also to the antagonists. Larsson is clearly a very capable mystery-novel author, as this book is composed masterfully and keeps the reader on the edge. I would present JK Rowling's Harry Potter series as a fitting analogy, except Larsson's works are much darker and mature in content.

To give a short synopsis, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo opens with Mikael Blomkvist being accused of libel against the powerful financier Hans-Erik Wennerstrom. Mikael is sentenced due to having published a damning article on Wennestrom, which the court ultimately finds to consist of unfounded lies. Mikael is forced to quit his position as a part-owner of the magazine Millenium, but is immediately offered an arcane opportunity to research into the disappearance of the niece of another powerful business magnate, Henrik Vanger. While all this is going on, we are also introduced to Lisbeth Salander, an antisocial female hacker who has suffered abuse at the hands of her guardians. She is characterized as incredibly head-strong, determined, and vengeful. Hers and Mikael's paths eventually cross for work purposes, and they quickly develop a hybrid bond that consists of mutual acceptance and physical intimacy. The story ends with a shocking revelation about the Vander family's history and, through Salander's help, Mikael restores his public image.

Larsson's work is clearly intended for adult audiences. While the writing is never explicit, it is not censored to exclude graphic imagery such as physical torture and sex. The author does not seem to be fazed to include them -- which lends authenticity to the work overall. For example, there are incidences of rape and incest that are not for the faint for heart. In addition, the motifs symbolized by the character (e.g. Salander as representing an idealized, strong-willing and independent woman). What makes Larsson's effort so good is the right mixture of the adult elements that is balanced by comical occurences sprinkled throughout the novel. I like the change in scenery from the other works I recently read.

Plot development is also masterfully carried out by the author. The reader is shuffled back and fourth between the two protagonists, in addition to flashback of each respective protagonist. This create the effect that makes it easy for a reader to become immersed in a character: to feel what the character is feeling, and to see what the character is seeing. I found myself at times being annoyed of the shuffling process -- only to realize later that the annoyance was due to my increasing attachment to a certain character. In a way, Larsson teases the reader by introducing bits and pieces about each protagonist until their two independent stories start converging together. The result is synergy: we like each character even more than before, since they complement the other character extremely well.

One thing I really like is the inclusion of unique cultural elements into a novel. In The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, the setting is Sweden (duh) and the character are model representatives of their country. Larsson seem to have taken the initiative to include as much detail of Sweden as possible -- perhaps to further enthrall the reader into the novel. For example, we are told of the severe cold in the winter as well as the popularity of small wooden cabins near bodies of water. Where do you find this in the United States? The extent of cultural integration brings to mind another great novel: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.

Overall, I must say I was very impressed by The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Normally this can be hinted by the speed at which a book -- positive correlation between liking the book and reading sped. At times the scenes may have been a tad too dark or too explicit, but the novel is clearly the work of a literary master.

Book Review: The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

For the past few weeks (ever since classes ended), I have been reading The Screwtape Letters by the renowned Christian author C.S. Lewis. It's taken a while namely because I found it difficult to reading the book nonstop for a few hours of the time -- a matter made no easier due to its format. Admittedly I have yet to finish the book; I have about 1/5 of it left to read which, for better or for worse, I intend to leave unread. That being said, I believe such a revelation will have no impact on the direction (nor sentiment) of this book review.

The Screwtape Letters is C.S. Lewis' more famous works, often spoken in the same breadth as Mere Christianity and The Chronicles of Narnia series. Open the book and you can immediately understand why. The Screwtape Letters (henceforth shortened to "Letters" only) is, as its title suggests, a long series of letters written from the perspective of an elder devil to a young devil. The letters primarily serve to instruct the youngling how to best tempt humanity into committing sins and eventually entrapping them in Hell. (Their relationship is not unlike that of a Jedi and a Padawan...) From the subject of the alone, Letters makes a worthwhile reading due to the uniqueness of the perspective written from. Add to this C.S. Lewis' mastery of the English language, and you'd think the book would be a home run.

Well, is it a home run? According to the opinion of this (humble) blogger, Letters is...sorta. I was certainly captivated in the first few chapters, as one seldom has an opportunity to read theology from the opposite perspective (given that Lewis is the author).

The elder devil is named "Screwtape", while his experienced youngling is named "Wormwood". It is apparent from the first letter alone that Wormwood has much to learn about tempting human beings -- and that Screwtape, as condescending and vengeful as he appears to be, is a knowledgeable mentor. The focus of their communications is an unnamed "Patient" of Wormwood's, who is living through the Second World War. They also discuss a variety of theology-rich topics ranging from the grace of God to the idea of the original sin. Overall, the theology aspect of the various letters written seems to the point: Wormwood's energy is spent on undermining the faith of his Patient while promoting pursuit of sinful desires as much as possible.

Letters is, in of itself, a very informative account of our sinful desires -- how we are tempted to commit sin, or to run away from God. I think Lewis' purpose of writing from the perspective of the devil is to result in an awareness in the reader that will lead to change. In other words, when we know what can/will hurt us, we will take precautions to avoid the pain-inducing things. This, I believe is what makes Letters a worthwhile read. Two passages below evidence of how Lewis is teaching through exposing our prone to sins:

“Sooner or later, however, the real nature of his new friends must become clear to him, and then your tactics must depend on the patient’s intelligence. If he is a big enough fool you can get him to realize the character of the friends only while they are absent; their presence can be made to sweep away all criticism. If this succeeds, he can be induced to live, as I have known many humans live, for quite long periods, two parallel lives; he will not only appear to be, but actually be, a different man in each of the circles he frequents. Failing this, there is a subtler and more entertaining method. He can be made to take a positive pleasure in the perception that the two sides of his life are inconsistent. This is done by exploiting his vanity. He can be taught to enjoy kneeling beside the grocer on Sunday just because he remembers that the grocer would not possibly understand the urbane and mocking world which he inhabited on Saturday evening; and contrariwise, to enjoy the bawdy and blasphemy over the coffee with these admirable friends all the more because he is aware of a ‘deeper’, ‘spiritual’ world within him which they cannot understand. You see the idea – the worldly friends touch him on one side and the grocer on the other, and he is the complete, balanced, complex man who sees round them all. Thus, while being permanently treacherous to at least two sets of people, he will feel, instead of shame, a continual undercurrent of self-satisfaction” (52).

“You will say that these are very small sins; and doubtless, like all young tempters, you are anxious to be able to report spectacular wickedness. But do remember, the only thing that matters is the extent to which you separate the man from the Enemy. It does not matter how small the sins are provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing. Murder is no better than cards if cards can do the trick. Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one –the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts” (61).

But that being said, the theology contained in the book is clearly on the introductory level. Lewis does not go into much detail in explaining specific theological constructs -- a matter masked by his ability to narrate effectively. I'd say it is a beginner book if the main purpose of the reader is to expand his/her theological knowledge. In addition, Letters was written more than half a century ago, which means there are phrases that are antiquated.

Book Review: I Kissed Dating Goodbye (by Joshua Harris)

This was one those books that one would never think about reading...because it sounds silly. But it turned to be a very well-written book offering a refreshing perspective on a touchy subject. I must admit that at first it was not a voluntary read. The girl I was dating at the time recommended that I read it and, as a good boyfriend, I obliged her. We ultimately broke up but not because of the book. Instead, I think the book made the break up easier to bear.

Anyway, this is a book review and not on personal life. The book is an unique take on dating from Joshua Harris, who is currently a senior pastor at the Convenant Church in Maryland (at least that's what the book biographies). Interestingly, the book was written by Harris when he was 21; it contains many personal insights on the subject of Christian dating. The title of the book "I Kissed Dating Goodbye" is actually an honest admission by the author -- he stopped dating for a number of years due to the realization that dating was distracting him from living for God. It is audacious but very authentic.

Harris writes the book through an explanatory narrative of what the current outlook on dating is, how it can be sinful, and how we can overcome it through building a new lifestyle. The target audience is clearly teenagers or those in the early twenties, but it can be helpful for Christians of all ages. It was certainly helpful to me -- so much that I brought my own copy.

Throughout the first half of the book, Harris focuses on the concept of love that people come into contact with through their everyday lives. He goes into detail about the differences between worldly love and godly love: that the latter is beyond temporary pleasures and is eternally good. One of the central ideas outlined is that "the joy of intimacy is the reward of commitment". In other words, relationships fall apart because lovers tend to jump the boat and become physically intimate (read: have sex) with one another without emotional commitment. This is very dangerous as the relationship is not one built on trust or care or faith, but on temporary pleasure. Harris argues that most relationships fall apart due to the lack of commitment.

In addition to his analysis of the culprits behind defective dating of today (e.g. culture, peer pressure), the author addresses the challenges of living a date-free life. The main challenges he writes about is patience. Or rather, it is the patience that derives from trusting God with your life and being confident that God has greater plans than we ourselves can ever imagine. I think this point is very well taken -- the lack of patience is another major contributor to failed marriages, relationships, etc. Sometimes we want to rush into things when the wiser course of action is to wait and take it slow.

Harris concludes with a set of practical rules one can follow to lead a life of purity, such as new attitudes on those of the opposite gender as well as on singlehood. Another key idea is the guarding of one's heart against impure thoughts or sinful cravings. Ultimately, marriage will happen to (almost?) everyone. It is God's reward for us living the correct manner.

Overall, I feel like this is a fantastic book for anyone (Christian or not) to read on dating. The language is easy to understand, and Harris includes a number of fascinating stories based on his own experiences. For example, he writes about a couple who did not share a first kiss until wedding day on the altar. It definitely changed my perspective on dating and what singlehood means. Now I think I shall read it again.

In parting, I want to leave a quote that spoke to me powerfully when I read it. It still does due to my interest in Mandy:

"I'll freely admit it -- I often have difficulty trusting God. When it comes to my love life, I have a nagging fear that He wants to keep me single forever. Or I fear that He lets me marry, He'll match me up with some girl to whom I won't feel attracted...

...I feat that God might forget me. Instead of trusting in His perfect timing, I often try to take things into my own hands. I grab my life's calendar from God and frantically begin to pencil in my own plans and agendas. 'God, I know You're omnipotent and all that,' I say, 'but I really think You missed the fact that this girl over here is my destiny. If I don't go after her now, my future will pass me by!' Eventually I sheepishly hand back the scheduling of my time, energy, and attention, saying, 'Of course I trust you, Lord, but I just think You could use a little help'" (81).

Book Review: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Arguably my favorite novel is Great Expectations, authored by Charles Dickens. It is the remarkable story of a young boy from a very humble background who is ushered into the high society. The novel follows the story of the boy, named "Pip", as he embarks on this journey.

In many ways, there is nothing special about Pip. He does not have superhuman powers, nor jaw-dropping charisma and wealth. Instead, the Pip we are introduced to in the beginning is very much an ordinary product of his times: orphaned at a young age, brought up by his sister "by the hand", and who enjoys the company of his friends. Pip aspires to follow in the footsteps of his kind brother-in-law, Joe, who is is a local blacksmith. Yet certain events quickly unfold that ultimately propel him into another life altogether -- the life of a "gentleman".

The immediate change we see in Pip when he first hears of his "great expectations" is his attitude to those around him. In reality, this change in attitude from a humble/naive boy is set in motion in Pip's encounter with a beautiful girl named Estella. (We assume Estella is very beautiful because that is how Pip always refers to her). But there is a noticeable problem -- Estella is the daughter of a wealthy lady while Pip is the complete opposite. The class barrier between the two is made more glaring through Estella's cruelty toward Pip in the beginning.

Plot summary aside, Dickens masterfully crafts Great Expectations like a mystery novel: Pip is simply "handed" the opportunity to rise above his circumstances. It is enthralling because Pip's reaction to this good fortune resembles someone who has won the lottery. He is confused yet overjoyed, optimistic but also saddened to leave behind his friends and family. There would be many complications to his journey in becoming a gentleman -- including a heart-rending episode in which the relationship between him and Estella climaxes.

From this novel's perspective, I can see similarities with other famous and/or contemporary works of fiction. The recently discussed Memoirs of a Geisha comes to mind: as the child Chiyo is similarly conferred "expectations" in the form of an opportunity to become a geisha. The romance between Pip and Estella is also reflected in other works such as Pride and Prejudice, as well as The Great Gatsby. [Perhaps not very much at all...just came to mind.]

As it is perhaps my favorite novel, there are multiple reasons that explain my affinity to the novel. All these reasons pertain, in one way or another, to the way I identify with Pip's experiences.

1. I identify with Pip's childhood. After having moved around various countries during my childhood, I sometimes wonder what things would have been like had I stayed in my country of birth (China). What would my life look like now? Amongst other things, my prospects are certainly brighter than otherwise. But it makes me wonder sometimes

2. I identify with Pip's expectations. Having growing up as male heir in a Chinese household, I was always expected to honor my family through my achievements (the movie Mulan captured this obsession with honor very well...). These expectations are raised further as I have a much younger brother, who looks up to me. Similar to Pip, I was bestowed these expectations and am sorta bound to strive to fulfill them.

3. I identify with Pip's sentiments toward Estella. Inasmuch as I try to deny or forget, I often still find myself thinking about Mandy and how we seem to belong. Pip's description of how he felt toward Estella is identical to how I feel toward Mandy. I simply cannot phrase the sentiment better than Pip does in chapter 29:

"Estella was the inspiration of [his dream to restore the desolate house and marrying her], and the heart of it, of course. But, though she had taken such strong possession of me, though my fancy and my hope were so set upon her, though her influence on my boyish life and character had been all-powerful, I did not, even that romantic morning, invest her with any attributes save those she possessed. I mention this in this place, of a fixed purpose, because it is the clue by which I am to be followed into my poor labyrinth. According to my experience, the conventional notion of a lover cannot be always true. The unqualified truth is, that when I loved Estella with the love of a man, I loved her simply because I found her irresistible. Once for all; I knew to my sorrow, often and often, if not always, that I loved her against reason, against promise, against peace, against hope, against happiness, against all discouragement that could be. Once for all; I loved her none the less because I knew it, and it had no more influence in restraining me, than if I had devoutly believed her to be human perfection."

In retrospect, the 3 reasons I just provided rarely existed together. This is to say they came in stages during my life -- when I was younger, I identified more with the child Pip, and now I identify more with the older Pip. Maybe this flexibility of identity is what makes Great Expectations (one of?) my favorite novels of all time.

Passage from Memoirs of Geisha

During a week filled with homework and work assignment, I made the foolish mistake of beginning to read the "Memoirs of Geisha" by Arthur Golden. I say foolish because I underestimated how good the book was -- last time I was so absorbed by a book was arguably Harry Potter (though I have a feeling I read something as addicting since...). I liked the cultural dimension that the book introduced, in addition to its very captivating plot. In many ways, it brought to mind reading the "Sound of Waves" back in high school. But this book was much more mature in content.

In particular, I want to discuss a passage I read that I thought quite descriptive. Or perhaps it is a passage I can identify with. It begins in chapter 9, as the narrator Chiyo (as a child) recounts the change of her attitude and outlook about her future. The character referenced, Mr. Tanaka, is responsible for selling her, along with her sister, to become geisha and prostitute respectively.

"I'm sure you'll recall my saying that the afternoon wen I first met Mr. Tanaka was the very best afternoon in my life, and also the very worst. Probably I don't need to explain why it was the worst; but you may be wondering how I could possibly imagine that anything good ever came of it. It's true that up until this time in my life Mr. Tanaka had brought me nothing but suffering; but he also changed my horizons forever. We lead our lives like water flowing down a hill, going more or less in one direction until we splash into something that forces us to find a course. If I'd never met Mr. Tanaka, my life would have been a simple stream flowing from our tipsy house to the ocean. Mr. Tanaka changed all that when he sent me out into the world. But being sent out into the world isn't necessarily the same as leaving your home behind you. I'd been in Gion more than six months by the time I received Mr. Tanaka's letter, and yet during that time, I'd never for a moment given up the belief that I would one day find a better life elsewhere, with at least part of my family I'd always known. I was living only half in Gion; the other half of me lived in my dreams of going home. This is why dreams can be such dangerous things: they smolder on like a fire does, and sometimes consume us completely."

The last line (which I bold-ed above) is the focus of my discussion: I think it is very true. Sometimes dreams are dangerous dreams as we become increasingly enamored by them, until eventually choosing to living/believing a dream rather than the reality. I know I am certainly guilty of commitment such a mistake -- Mandy remains incredibly amazing to me. What's interesting is the same line underpins the plot behind the movie "Inception". In one particular scene, the audience is shown an underground den full of people sleeping and dreaming. The host frankly states that these individuals have blurred reality and dream to such an extent that their dream have become their reality.