its been some time....

but i'll always be back no doubt.

to reading, that is.

 

sometimes, new authors can be hits or misses.

the satisfaction of being well-rewarded after investing time and energy into a new hand is a great feeling to have.

and there are cases where you just feel like a deflated balloon after turning the last page, unsure what to do with this book in your hand.

for you have no way to dispose of it - even recommending to your friend is not an easy task without feeling that twinge of guilt.

 

for this weekend, I chose the safe route.

sinking into words from authors whose works I've loved before and knowing the worst is only just.

 

and what good choices they turn out to be!

 

david & goliath by Malcolm gladwell

the book was a good read for the first 2/3 of it but it loses steam a little at the last part.

for someone so good at connecting the dots, I was a little let down by how he was unable to tie back the last part to the central theme of the book.

but him being him, gladwell is a hell-good of a persuasive and convincing writer that it was always a fun ride going along with his reasoning and theories.

 

still, there were nuggets in this book - not unknown to all but some reminders are always good.

the advantages of disadvantages and disadvantages of advantages.

small fish in a big pond vs big fish in a small pond.

 

underdogs triumphing over giants is never by flute of luck.

there are more hard work and effort beneath the victory than you or me know.

 

my fav. book by him is still "outliers".

the one and only book which defined success as it should be.

and in part, does a great job in dissuading practically most of us from the notion that we can be successful. lol.

 

the ocean at the end of the lane by Neil gaiman

im starting to like this man a lot more than last time.

his more famous novels - American gods and anansi boys - are entertaining while it last but never really succeed in enrolling me to his camp.

surprisingly it was his children book "the graveyard book" that did the job.

and of cos, "the sandman" graphic novels (or comics) collection sealed the whole deal.

 

and now, he is back with his latest novel.

prose will put it in the young adult fiction genre but themes-wise is truly an adult one.

I finished it in less than 5 hours all in all - wasn't a hard read obviously.

as like the review on the front cover, the story consumes me.

I just had to keep reading to keep up with the protagonist - a wonderfully written 7 year-old boy that will somehow evoked memories of the child you were.

 

memories - gaiman explored the fragility yet necessity of it.

to me, you breathe life to memories, and memories breathe life into your life making each other whole.

 

without giving away too many details, this book is really a good one.

it's about being vulnerable, healing and eventually moving on.

but again, not every one of us is as lucky as the protagonist.

who always have the ocean at the end of the lane to return to.

 

what will be my next read??