Failing Fiction

It was a relatively quiet Saturday afternoon. I was in Raffles Place then popped by City Hall for a short while before making my way back to my parents’ home. Parents’ home. It used to be just home. Now there is a need to distinguish between that and my matrimonial home.

Perhaps I have been living in the Northwest for too long. I find it comforting and familiar. Not to mention a more convenient place to live in. Location wise, it pales in comparison to my matrimonial home, which is so much closer to central Singapore. However, this neighbourhood has everything. A suburban mall, an impressive Sports Complex complete with a ‘wave pool’ and eating places right across the street where we reside.

The aforementioned suburban mall has everything. And ‘everything’ by my terms, has to include a community library. So before I headed back, I stopped by the community library. On a whim, I decided to pick out a fiction book. Something light and fluffy to read for a change. But when I was conducting the catalogue search, I was stumped. Which fictional work should I borrow?

“Eat Pray Love” …was the first search. As the movie is currently screened in theatres, all the books were checked out. Hot item I guess. Wait a minute. That’s not really fiction, is it?

I thought really hard and finally typed in “The Last Lecture”. I knew there and then that I had failed miserably in my attempt to read stories. It’s been eons since I read something that had been made up. Was that in secondary school? Fiction no longer appealed to me past a certain age. Has realism set in since my adolescent years? I missed a good read…a real fake story. And I have officially lost the desire to immerse myself in a world of make believe. Escapism is not an option? Sad case I am.

So I walked out of the library with 2 books. Both non-fiction. The second book was a random find lying on a table near the checkout queue. I liked Robin Sharma's first book, so I decided to give this a go too.

Now Reading...

I think a book review is totally unnecessary for this book. Light reading material with a storyline (I think one can finish it within 5 hours but I suggest covering in at a leisurely pace when your mind is most receptive to its contents).

I resisted picking up this book for the longest time-mainly because of its title. As my blog readers will come to understand, owning a Ferrari IS one of my life’s goals. “Whatever the heck should I read something that goes against my dream?” I dismissed it off with ill concealed disgust when I saw it displayed on the shelves.

What made me take a second look and purchase it then? The words in fine print did. The line between the title reads “A Fable About Fulfilling Your Dreams and Reaching Your Destiny”. Maybe if my destiny includes buying that sold Ferrari, I may well benefit by understanding how best I can achieve that more swiftly.
And well, an international bestseller no less. Curiosity got the better of me and I bought it after deliberating over it in Kinokuniya.

Was it good? You bet. Was it useful? Yep. As with all self help books, it imparts a number of wise teachings. Nothing rocket science but it brings a lot of issues into perspective. I am reminded to focus on my passion and seek out my ultimate life purpose. Sad to say, to date, I am not doing so. It’s time I take action.

Last but not least, I am very impressed with a line in the book that goes “There is nothing noble about being superior to some other person. True nobility lies in being superior to your former self”.
Well said. I guess it’s time to run my own race.

Link to a very good summary of the principles taught in this book:
http://www.kuzzuk.net/weblog/books/monk-ferrari-mindmapsummary/

Weekend Recommendation:

Shadow of the Silk Road by Colin Thubron

Colin Thubron is the official GRANDMASTER of travel literature.

Feed the wanderlust in you and pick up a copy of this for your weekend chill out on your couch.
Journey through Northern China, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, then through Iran and into Turkey without leaving your living room.

Go to this link for READERS’ REVIEWS.
The readers have done a fine job describing this great read.