The operative word here is “finished”. I started some of these books before the lockdown, and revisited them only when it became literally illegal to roam the streets. The books are listed in order of my concluding them.
1. A New Kind of Christian by Brian McLaren
FORMAT: Physical book
GENRE: Fiction/ Spirituality
ABOUT: Human civilisation has progressed with time. We went from Prehistory to the Ancient World to the Medieval World to the Modern World. Today, we live in the Postmodern World. Mark of progress can be seen in the emergence of new communication technology, scientific worldview, intellectual elite, transportation technology, economic systems, attack on dominant authorities, etc. Likewise, religious faith has evolved with every era. For example, we now chuckle at the medieval church for rejecting the heliocentric model; “sun at the centre of the universe?? What does the bible say?” they asked. This is case in point. Every transition met endless resistance by a lot of well-meaning people. Likewise, our shift from modernity to postmodernity has been shackled by a lot of “what does the bible say?”s. McLaren’s thesis is that our faith has to be in sync with the world we live in.
THOUGHTS: Firstly, I’ll like to thank my new friend Jern for two things: 1) welcoming me with open arms into the BLC book club where I’ve had nothing but fun dissecting books, and 2) for lending me this eye-opening and intriguing book. Everything in it makes sense. I love it. I love it. I love it!
2. Educated by Tara Westover
FORMAT: Audiobook
GENRE: Non-fiction/ Autobiography/ Memoir
ABOUT: Tara Westover’s dad was quite a character. From fear of “The Government”, he refused to send his children to school, go to a hospital, or apply for birth certificates. They were prepared for the end of the world and Jesus’ second coming with a “head-for-the-hills bag” of which Tara would mount and practice running with—she didn’t wanna get left behind when the time came. The bible was his justification for all of these, but really-—I’m gonna let the church off the hook with this one-—it was untreated mental health issues.
THOUGHTS: Wow. I mean, wow. What’s truly impressive is that despite Tara’s lack of formal education during her formative years, she’s became the kind of woman who can writes jaw-dropping memoirs like this one. I was hooked 5 minutes in.
3. Unveiled by Yasmine Mohammed
FORMAT: Audiobook
GENRE: Non-fiction/ Autobiography/ Memoir
ABOUT: Yasmine grew up in Canada, the child of immigrants. She was abused—physically and mentally—from childhood all the way into adulthood. She went from her stepfather’s belt to her husband’s careless hands. At one point when she was a child, she cooked up the courage and managed to get her case in front of a judge. She was hopeful—was this her escape? However, the judge dismissed her case from the docket on the grounds of cultural sensitivity. He ruled that her guardians were permitted to discipline her in any way acceptable by their culture. The thing was that if they were white, the judge would’ve ruled very differently. The decision was made only with the intention of being “sensitive to other cultures” and “inclusive”. She was sent back home with her abusers. The Western liberals had failed her, and it was done in the name of liberalism.
THOUGHTS: We live in a time when the conviction of cultural relativity is strong. We think that certain issues are simply not ours to interfere in—I am guilty of this. Yasmine has made me rethink some of the notions I’ve internalised.
4. A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis
FORMAT: Kindle
GENRE: Non-fiction /Spirituality/ Memoir
ABOUT: C.S.Lewis lost his wife to cancer. After her death, he was thrust into an abyss of mindless grief. In this book, he screams and yells at God, of which I consider to be a very healthy part of grieving.
THOUGHTS: Poignant. This book is word porn for the grieving.
5. The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)
FORMAT: Kindle
GENRE: Fiction/ Crime/ Mystery
ABOUT: When celebrated supermodel Lula Laundry fell to her death from her luxurious residence, the case is ruled a suicide by the police. But was it really? That was a question for private investigator slash sexy-gorilla-meets-Sherlock-Holmes: Cormoran Strike.
THOUGHTS: I did not guess the ending. And I pride myself in being able to do shit like that. Therefore, I recommend this book. Besides, it’s J.K.Rowling- quality- assured.
6. Resurrection and the Renewal of Creation by N.T. Wright
FORMAT: Kindle
GENRE: Non-fiction/ Spirituality
ABOUT: The popular Christian notion that we go to heaven or hell after death is actually not biblical. What is in the bible is the resurrection of the dead. If there is a “paradise”, it’s only a temporary stop where we go to collect our resurrected bodies. Paradise is the fridge; our resurrected body is the beer. We take the beer from the fridge, but we don’t drink the beer in the fridge. No no, we sit on the sofa (the new earth!) to drink the beer. One day, we will be resurrected to a new earth.
THOUGHTS: N.T. Wright is one of the few writers that both conservative and progressive Christians can agree on (speaking in the aggregate). As of now, I chose to believe in the resurrection of the dead, not because it is a provable proposition, but because all of this (clusterfuck called life) must be for something. There must be a restoration to look forward to. However, I don’t agree that the theology of the bodily resurrection of Jesus is mandatory for the resurrection of the dead. Since the human body will return to dirt anyway, what matters is the resurrected body. Therefore, does it really matter what happened to Jesus’ physical body?
7. The Last Jedi by Jason Fry
FORMAT: Kindle
GENRE: Fiction/ Fantasy/ Science fiction
ABOUT: This is the second movie/book adaptation of the Star Wars sequel trilogy. The First Order has risen from the ashes of the Empire, led by intergalactic bad boy Kylo Ren (Adam Driver!) and his rippling six packs. But fear not, for a merry band of fearless rebels—including the every-imba Rey—are here to save the day.
THOUGHTS: Despite all the hate that Rian Johnson received, I must say I quite admire what he’d done with The Last Jedi, even if I did sleep through the movie first time around, save for the Reylo Force Skype scene and the sexually-charged throne room lightsaber fight. The book revealed details the moving pictures could not convey, on top of a couple of bonus nuggets here and there.
8. Parenting Forward by Cindy Wang Brandt
FORMAT: Audiobook
GENRE: Non-fiction/ Self help/ Spirituality
ABOUT: “The opposite of John Piper”, as she claimed on her twitter profile, Cindy Wang Brandt offers practical advice on how to raise a child with a justice-oriented posture.
THOUGHTS: I came to know of Cindy Wang Brandt because of her viral twitter post that read: Do not evangelise a child. Do not colonise a child’s spirituality. Do not threaten a child with religious control. Your religion does not have a right to stake claim to a child’s allegiance. That’s when I thought, shit, this girl is freaking smart. I MUST hear her out. As far as parenting is concerned, she is a breath of fresh air after the likes of Jemima Varughese who is convinced that her pre-teen son has “the gift of prophesy”. Cindy offers advice that does not include “raising your child in the Lord”, which is why I will definitely reread her book should I ever become a mother.
9. Silence and Beauty by Makoto Fujimura
FORMAT: Kindle
GENRE: Non-fiction/ Book review
ABOUT: This work is a reflection of the book Silence (or movie by Martin Scorsese starring Adam Driver amongst other notable actors). Silence tells of the Christian persecution in 17th century Japan. Two Portuguese Jesuit priests travel to Japan upon learning of the apostasy of their mentor. After two years at sea, they finally reach Macau, through which they gain secret entry into Japan. And then the drama begins. They learned that Christians were forced to ‘trample’ on Fumi-e. A Fumi-e is a plate with the likeness of Jesus or Mary. Now, remember that Japan is a highly visual culture, and to ‘trample’ (Japanese word for ‘trample’ is permissible and not an order), is to spit on the faith they claimed to possess. Failure to ‘trample’ will result in persecution, which range from being tied to a cross by the sea during low tide, so that as the tide rises and falls, the accused is repeatedly ‘waterboarded’, hence dying only after a few days of slow drowning; to crucifixion while scalded with boiling hot onsen water. Alternatively, the accused is rolled in dry hay and set on fire, or rolled in dry hay and thrown into the sea to drown. Eventually, when the Jesuit Father Rodrigues is captured, he is told to trample. However, failure to comply does not result in his penalty, but in the death of an innocent Christian person. Especially interesting to note is that the story ends with an ambiguous affirmation of the denial of evangelism.
THOUGHTS: I read this book with my book club, and it’s great for book clubs, because there is so much to unpack. The beauty of Silence (hah! see what I did there?) is its multidimensional and multifaceted nature. Silence is like the poem “Blind Men and the Elephant” by John Godfrey Sex—each blind man feels a different part of the elephant and draws a unique conclusion about what an elephant is like. Likewise, Silence will tease out your world view. For example, to trample or not to trample? My angle is that trample they must. Trample! Because I draw parallels with modern cultural wars and stubborn fundamentalist. For all those times Father Rodrigues refused to trample, people were dying for his faith. Yet, he refused to bow until the very end. Similarly, we see casualties drop left and right from the church’s culture wars. Despite that, the fundamentalist conservatives refuse to budge. However, I do understand the mindset that the Jesuits hail from. Their entire life purpose is to glorify God—to trample is to fail their life’s purpose. Therefore, this is not a polemic against the individuals, but the underlying ideology.
10. Shortest Way Home by Pete Buttigieg
FORMAT: Audiobook
GENRE: Non-fiction/ Autobiography
ABOUT: Pete Buttigieg, former mayor of South Bend City in the US wrote of his political journey, personal struggles, and hopes for the future in this autobiography.
THOUGHTS: I picked up this book when Pete was running for president of the US. Given as to how American politics have direct repercussions all over the world (including Malaysia), I wanted to get into his head. I am pleased to report that I was entertained throughout, even if there were no startling revelations.
11. Jephthah and his Vow by Khoo Kay Hup
FORMAT: Physical book
GENRE: Non-fiction/ Religion/ Commentary
ABOUT: The story of Jephthah and his daughter is one of the lesser known stories in the bible. Found in Judges 11, the chapter opens with an account of God’s favour on Jephthah in war. He promised God that “If you give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering,” (V30b-31). He—you guessed it—is victorious in battle. He returns home, basking in the glory of his victory when, who were to dash out through the door if not his precious only daughter? So how—does he murder his daughter like he promised God? Spoiler: he does. Khoo Kay Hup examines the story and biblical law to tell if there was a way out.
THOUGHTS: I’ve always taken a special interest in this story, because there is just so much wrong with it. I’ve read many different perspectives before—all white voice. So, I really wanted to like this Malaysian point of view, I really did. But sorry, I take offence. It was a disappointing read. Of the 49 pages in this book, only pages 27, 28, 35 and 36 mentioned Jephthah’s daughter (we don’t even know her name, WTF??), and barely more than a short paragraph each time. This is problematic because the incident (read: filicide) has two major characters in it: father and daughter. Therefore, it irks me when commentaries only glaze over the girl, as if she were simply a prop to the narrative. The way Elder Khoo wrote the book, she might as well have been a stone. Or the doorframe. Again, we see the all-too-often troubling occurrence of biblical women falling through the male cracks. But then again, the book is titled “Jephthah and His Vow”, not “Jephthah and His Daughter”. He is entitled to look through whichever lens he pleased, including a male-dominated one. However, I can’t help but wonder, does he consider Jephthah’s daughter a character worthy of attention?
12. No god but God by Reza Aslan
FORMAT: Physical book
GENRE: Non-fiction/ Religion/ Spirituality/ History
ABOUT: Islam—the origins, evolution, beauty, complexity. Jihad, sufis, politicisation, and everything in between.
THOUGHTS: Two things caught my attention: 1) The egalitarian vision of the prophet for Medina. Of the three dominant Abrahamic religions—Islam, Christianity, and Judaism—Islam was the only tradition to award women rights at a time when the nobody else did (not the Christians nor the Jews). 2) I quote, “Democracy is not secularism. It is the acceptance of pluralism”.
13. Bernie Sanders Guide to Political Revolution by Bernie Sanders
FORMAT: Audiobook
GENRE: Non-fiction/ Politics
ABOUT: In a country like America where capitalism is king, the elite dine like royalty whereas the rest of the population scramble for crumbs underneath the table. According to Bernie Sanders, this has to change.
THOUGHTS: The world that Bernie proposed sounds like heaven. I wish it could be realised. However, I recall that Hillary Clinton wrote in her memoir “What Happened” that Bernie’s plans do not match the numbers—how would the country pay for it? Since I don’t actually know the numbers, I reserve my comments.
14. The Weight of our Sky by Hanna Alkaf
FORMAT: Kindle
GENRE: Fiction/ Historical fiction/ Young adult
ABOUT: Melati is your typical 16 years old girl. She loved movies and friends and her mother. Also, she has a Djinn living inside of her. Except that it’s really OCD and not some supernatural adversary. When the 1969 racial riots broke out in Kuala Lumpur, she is forced to confront her demons (metaphorical ones).
THOUGHTS: Please sit back while I wax lyrical about this well-written, thought-provoking, god of a book. I am proud to call this masterpiece a pure breed Malaysian book. Written by a Malaysian about Malaysian characters set in Malaysia, Hanna puts mental health in a relatable context. Many Malaysians blame evil spirits—maybe they exist, I won’t take a stance—for all kinds of worldly ills. Here, Melati believed that her OCD was actually a Djinn, out to bend her to his will. Also, Hanna takes a careful look at race relations in Malaysia to reveal a sentiment I’ve always had—there are all kinds of people within every race community (I refrain from using the terms “good” and “bad” because my current view is that the dichotomy between good and bad is a false one. People are not reduced to a singular trait. We are all complex beings capable of fluidity). Furthermore, we cannot shortchange ourselves by being reductive about race, because the topic is never simple. Last but not least, Vincent sounds like a bangable character.
Warning: The writing is gory beyond words (ironic word choice). Not for the faint hearted.
15. Are We All Lemmings and Snowflakes? by Holly Bourne
FORMAT: Physical book
GENRE: Fiction/ Young adult/ Coming-of-age
ABOUT: Olive struggled with her mental health. As part of her treatment, her parents sent her to Camp Reset, a posh special camp for kids like her. She wrestled with the world as she saw it—and devised a solution.
THOUGHTS: I love Holly Bourne and everything she writes. This was a typical work of hers, if not her best. For thought pieces on her other books, please click here: Am I Normal Yet, It Only Happens in the Movies, and What’s a Girl Gotta Do?.
16. Boxers & Saints by Gene Luen Yang
FORMAT: Physical book
GENRE: Fiction/ Graphic novel
ABOUT: They are two books to be read as one. The white missionaries are in China. They are converting people, trampling over Chinese tradition, helping the needy, and basically doing all the usual shit that white missionaries usually do. In Boxers, young Bao is sick and tired of the foreigners and their Chinese allies. He sets out to defeat the enemy and protect China. In Saints, Four-Girl @ Vibiana converts to Christianity. She also sets out to defeat the enemy and protect China. They both have the same intentions, except from opposing sides. They want the same things, but they are enemies.
THOUGHTS: I like the ethos of this dual-narrative storytelling. There are always two sides to a story. And a coin without both surfaces is not a coin.
17. Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham
FORMAT: Audiobook
GENRE: Non-fiction/ Memoir/ Coming-of-age
ABOUT: Friendship. Diets. Love. Sex. Creativity. Therapy.
THOUGHTS: I thoroughly enjoyed Girls for (a) Lena Dunham’s very poignant depiction of girlhood, (b) the gift that is Adam Driver (yes I’ve mentioned him a grand total of 3 times already, find me another Marine that went to Juilliard and I’ll shut up about him), and (c) she taught me about tonsil stones. That in mind, I was thrilled to dig into Lena’s memoir and was not disappointed. Her candid storytelling inspire me to grab life by the bullhorns and live my truth; to hell with the nays.
18. Difficult Women by Roxane Gay
FORMAT: Physical book
GENRE: Fiction/ Anthology
ABOUT: A collection of stories—mostly haunting—of what it means to be a woman.
THOUGHTS: I would read anything of Roxane Gay’s. I’ll read her shopping list if she’ll let me.
19. Billion Dollar Whale by Tom Wright & Bradley Hope
FORMAT: Kindle + Physical book
GENRE: Non-fiction (even if it seemed otherwise)/ True crime
ABOUT: There’s a man named Jho Low who—along with a parade of corrupted officials—screwed my country Malaysia upside down. The 1MDB scandal was a real life thriller fit for the big screens.
THOUGHTS: You might notice that I added a parenthesis to the genre of “Non-fiction”. This is because one might easily think that the events of this book are works of fiction. I assure you, ladies and gentlemen, they are really works of journalism. All that scamming and day light robbery did happen, paid for by the Malaysian people.
20. Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis
FORMAT: Audiobook
GENRE: Non-fiction/ Self help
ABOUT: Apparently, the only thing in the way of our success and happiness is the lies we tell ourselves. In this book, Rachel attempts to break down all those lies.
THOUGHTS: OMG. Where do I start? Firstly, the way Rachel sprinkles the name of God like it’s the magic formula to success? That’s the very definition of prosperity gospel. Secondly, the over-simplification is annoying to say the very least. Rachel Hollis reeks of privilege. And privilege is okay until she condescends the women who haven’t achieved as much as she has, although maybe, just maybe, they can’t afford the child care she has, or have an ex-Disney executive as a husband. Three, speaking of that husband, he treated her like shit during their early days. And then, according to her, she decided to stand up for herself one day, and he miraculously turned in the sweet, loving, considerate model husband that he is today. Worst of all, we’re supposed to believe her story? What lesson we’re supposed to take from that? Stay with your abusive man but stand up for yourself and he will miraculously change like Cinderella at midnight? Four, she is materialistic. Her life-long dream was to own a Louis Vuitton racer bag, and then a vacation home in Hawaii. Of course she is entitled to her own ambitions, but the problem is that she turned these into a lesson plan.
In other words, it’s great as a motivational book. There’s a kind of feel good vibe to it, until the endorphins fade, and you’re left asking—what was that? Also, it’s kinda extremely shallow.
21. Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki
FORMAT: Audiobook
GENRE: Non-fiction/ Self help/ Guide
ABOUT: How to adjust your mentality to become rich.
THOUGHTS: Robert Kiyosaki promotes tax evasion and considers it “smart”. He also has a man crush on Donald Trump the narcissist. However, to judge the book on those counts would be to attack the straw man. In fact, he has some very good advice. One, make money work for you. Two, always pay yourself first. Three, never say “I can’t afford that”. Instead, say “how can I afford that?” Four, don’t be like chicken little and shout “the sky is falling!”
22. Learning to Walk in the Dark by Barbara Brown Taylor
FORMAT: Audiobook
GENRE: Non-fiction/ Memoir/ Spirituality
ABOUT: We must move away from “solar spirituality” and embrace “lunar spirituality”. The darkness is desirable as long as we find our footing.
THOUGHTS: To presume that light is good and darkness is bad is to err deeply; they each have a role to play. The dark forces us to slow down. In the light, we are confident, and that confidence is a distraction. On the other hand, the dark compels us to question and reflect. To draw from Star Wars, dark and light must coexist to bring balance to the force.
23. The Professor by Faisal Tehrani
FORMAT: Physical book
GENRE: Fiction/ Religion
ABOUT: A professor is found dead, dragged by the mobs from her prayer mat, stripped half naked, then brutally murdered with literal sticks and stones. A young girl jumped to death, but only after being raped by her religious teacher. Written in Malay then translated to English by Brigitte Bresson, the story spans over decades and transcends borders. It is full of informative data about human rights, feminism, and LGBT rights. Separate narratives converge, wound into a single timeline of a larger fabric. Note the seemingly insignificant details—they will matter.
THOUGHTS: This is not a happy book. This is not meant to be a happy book. It’s tragic and heartbreaking, and will take you underneath the conformity that has normalised in our society. The tale starts with a nerve-wreck and ends with a nerve wreck, with a lot of anguish in between. The cheery on top of the metaphorical cake is that the author is not shy when relating the human condition. Now, if only the English translation were better—the contents were amazing, but the syntax could really use some work.
BONUS BOOKS (Books I Finished on Blinkist)
A.k.a. books I have never read in full, but know the summary of. Blinkist is a God-sent app service. Popular books are summarised into bite-sized “Blinks”, to be consumed on the go or while lazing in an enormous lazy chair.
24. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
FORMAT: Blinkist
GENRE: Non-fiction/ Self help
ABOUT: What habits do highly effective people have—duh—and how to emulate them.
THOUGHTS: Prioritise “important yet not urgent tasks”, this will help to prevent catastrophic events. Got it! I wonder if Netflix falls under that category…
25. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
FORMAT: Blinkist
GENRE: Non-fiction/Self help
ABOUT: How to not be a freaking hoarder.
THOUGHTS: Does it spark joy?
26. The Mindful Day by Laurie Cameron
FORMAT: Blinkist
GENRE: Non-fiction/Self help
ABOUT: How to feel peaceful and focused?
THOUGHTS: Solution: slow down.
27. Stillness is the Key by Ryan Holiday
FORMAT: Blinkist
GENRE: Non-fiction/Self help
ABOUT: Stop bloody moving.
THOUGHTS: I need to stop bloody moving for once. For real.
28. Be a Free Range Human by Marianne Cantwell
FORMAT: Blinkist
GENRE: Non-fiction/ Self help
ABOUT: There is no such thing as job security. Don’t slave at a job that does not feed your soul. (Our children might potentially have to work till 80 years old before finally accumulating meagre savings to retire on.) Therefore, find your own hustle. Sing your own song. Feed your own soul. Click into your own detent. You get it with the metaphors.
THOUGHTS: HHmmm… that could work. Unfortunately, my skill sets are limited. So unless the ability to break one giant sneeze down into machine-gun-like tiny sneezes can pay the bills, I’m kinda stuck.
29. Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman
FORMAT: Blinkist
GENRE: Non-fiction/ Self help
ABOUT: Emotional intelligence is more important than IQ. There must be a careful balance between the emotional and the rational. Studies show that children with better emotional intelligence will go on to have more successful careers and earn more money than their peers. Emotional intelligence good. Emotional intelligence desirable.
THOUGHTS: Must develop emotional intelligence.
30. The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth by John Maxwell
FORMAT: Blinkist
GENRE: Non-fiction/Self help
ABOUT: Growth has to be cultivated. It doesn’t just happen.
THOUGHTS: Have a beginner’s mindset—open, eager, and void of preconceptions.
31. Food Fix by Dr. Mark Hyman
FORMAT: Blinkist
GENRE: Non-fiction/ Self help
ABOUT: Our food is killing us. This is not a drill. No, seriously, on top of the junk we’re putting into our mouths, our farming practices are killing our planet. We are bowing to powerful corporations who are slowly annihilating us and annihilating our planet.
THOUGHTS: Solution—support local farmers.
32. The Power of Bad by John Tierney and Roy Baumeister
FORMAT: Blinkist
GENRE: Non-fiction/ Self help
ABOUT: Why do we always focus on the bad instead of the good? What is the science behind our pessimism? “Negative bias” is a bitch, but how do we overcome it?
THOUGHTS: Apparently, research show that in a couple’s relationship, the ratio of happy to unhappy days must be at least 5:1. Anything less, and the couple have a chance of separation. Also, an ending has the tendency to colour the entire experience. For example, if a hotel stay was amazing, but the staff screwed up within the final 5 minutes, the guests tend to remember that 5 minutes of terror. I still do not know how to apply this information to my life.
33. The Way of Zen by Alan Watts
FORMAT: Blinkist
GENRES: Non-fiction/ Self help
ABOUT: In this fast-paced adrenaline-drive world, to do nothing is an alien concept. What is Zen? Zen is doing nothing. Zen is the sum of one’s present experience. Zen is just being. Zen is not trying to hard, lest you pollute the experience. Haikus are the brain child of zen.
THOUGHTS: I try to be zen… The entire 2 minutes it took to microwave my beef Rendang.