Berpikir boleh 'out of the box'
tapi yang dipilih untuk dieksekusi harus yang 'inside the box'
seperti Harry Houdini yang selalu berhasil cari jalan keluar dari box dalam keadaan terikat
A friend gave me this book as a present for my on-line shop launching. It' s a story about a very creative man, Yoris Sebastian. He's a young creative entrepreneur. At the age of 26, he became the youngest General Manager of Hard Rock Cafe in Asia (the second youngest GM in the world). A very inspiring book. I feel that this book is specially dedicated to me since it's perfectly fit with my condition now.
Yoris believes that creativity is not Intelligence Quotient (IQ). If IQ is genetic and can't be changed, it's different with creativity. Creativity is a habit. A skill that can be developed. This book gives simple and practical tips from Yoris on how to become a creative person.
Everybody can be a creative junkie. How? According to Yoris, start now, every big step starts with an inch. Enrich your knowledge since knowledge makes you powerful. Avoid MeeTooism. Be different. Be yourself and shine on your own way.
Also important is to create your creative habitat. Find a place with creative people and surrounding. This condition will lead you to become one of them, a creative person. Don't stay in your comfortable zone too long, you will enjoy it too much, no more challenges, and lose your creative habit.
A very important book. I recommend this book to many of my friends since it gives many good inputs to me. I just feel that leaving my 14 years career is the best decision that I'd ever made. I'm already on the right track. There are tons things to do. I just need to move on and be persistence.
Last but not least, I really appreciate this great present. Thanks buddy, suddenly I want us to visit one of our favorite venue, eating our Roti Canai, sipping our teh tarik and discuss this book all day long. Sounds great, doesn't it? Don't worry, it's on me :)
Oh My Goodness! Buku Pintar Seorang Creative Junkies
The Millenium Trilogy
I want to write about my favorite trilogy this year, yes.. the Millenium Trilogy, the series of Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist that written down by a genius Swedish author Stieg Larsson. I have just finished reading the third book The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest, this is the final story of Salander and Blomkvist. It wraps up all the 3 books. From the hospital where Salander and his evil father placed, move to Salander's trial and the interference of Sapo, Swedish Secret Police. The book is a bit slow moving with complex affair. But you won't be disappointed. Larsson stories will never let us down. You'll find part of legal drama, conspiracy and thriller here. One thing that I miss after finished reading this final chapter is there will be no more stories about Salander and Blomkvist.
Unfortunatelly, Larsson went too soon. He's dead of a sudden heart attack on November 2004. It turned out that Larsson actually planned to write 10 books of this Millenium series. Some of the book drafts are already in his computer and managed by his life partner, Eva Gabrielsson. At first Eva wanted to continue these series, but since Larsson left no written will, therefore according to Swedish Law, all Larsson's estates will be inherited to his father and brother. At this moment, there is a dispute between Eva and Larsson' family. Just hoping that all dispute could be settled amicably, so we could enjoy the next book of Millenium series very soon.
I also have just watched the Swedish DVD of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl Who Played with Fire. And I need to admit that the movies are awesome. All my imagination about Salander and Blomkvist were adapted perfectly in the movies. Lisbeth Salander seems so real. Not many books could be adapted as successful as this one.
Hollywood also plans to remake the movie. It's scheduled to hit the theaters on December 2011. But I am definitely sure that the American version will not compete with the Swedish version.
Warna Air 2
Warna Air is the sequel of the Color Trilogy written and drawn by Korean artist, Kim Dong Hwa. Still as enchanted as the first book, Warna Tanah.
Again, it tells about mother and daughter relationship in rural Korea. The beautiful girl, Ehwa and her mom. This time Ehwa is getting more mature. She learns how to fall in love, how to miss someone, and also how to experience broken hearted. Her mom also has her own love story with the picture man. They share their stories, although now, along with her grown up, Ehwa keeps some stories as secrets from her mom, but still their conversation about women, romance and sexuality are delivered in a beautiful way. Hwa describes Ehwa and her mom relationship just like a flower grows, from its seeds until it blooms. Very engaging.
The artwork is once again masterful, the writing is poetic and the detail is breathtaking. The detail of the flowers, houses, skies and everything are simply incredible. I am amazed with the faces of the characters, with just a few lines, we see the beauty of Ehwa and her mom.
The book is also completed with reading-group discussion guide. Perhaps since the book contains important elements about human relationship, the culture, the gender issues, and many more, it is very interesting to discuss it and listen to other people thoughts.
Translated into bahasa and published by PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama on August 2010 and I was lucky to be one of the early readers of this book since I received it for free, thank you Gramedia.
A must have trilogy. Very recommended. Now, I need to wait (impatiently) for the last book The Color of Heaven.
Happy Eid Mubarak 1431 H
A very belated Idul Fitri greeting, tssh... as usual Idul Fitri is always be a very busy day. A long holiday without any 'leyeh-leyeh' day. Busy with a lot of things, the packing, the mudik, the family gathering, the food, the dirty laundry, the messy house, and finally the prayer to see si mbak coming back very soon *can't wait...can't hardly wait*
Despite all the 'tiring' activities, Idul Fitri will always be a special day. A lovely day. A day to embrace. A day to forgive and to forget. A day that always warms my heart. Hopefully, we still have the opportunity to welcome Ramadhan month and the beautiful Idul Fitri next year, amin.
Entrok
Entrok is a debut novel written by Okky Madasari. Entrok means bra in Javanese. A story about a mother, Marni, and her daughter, Rahayu, in rural area in Central Java during 1950s -1990s. Marni is a hardworker, she works hard to give the best for her only daughter, Rahayu. Unfortunately, the more mature Rahayu, the more disagreements they both have.
As an illiterate Javanese woman, Marni still worships her ancestors, while Rahayu as a modern girl learns about religion at school. Rahayu can't live with it. This condition leads to a wide gap between them. They live in their own thoughts.
This novel delivers a detail description about life in a village. How difficult to live as a poor and uneducated people. In fact, even the rich people also experience certain bad things, such as: every time the election day comes, they are forced to give donation to certain political party, if they refuse to do so, they will charged against the government and will be put in jail. Unfairness and political abuse from authoritarian ruler are everywhere now and forever. The poor are always the victims.
This novel reminds me of Ahmad Tohari's trilogy Ronggeng Dukuh Paruk. Perhaps since the setting is in a small village, the characters are intimidated people, and they face tragical moments from the beginning until the end.
Overall, it is a good read. I recommend this novel, glad to find an Indonesian novel with different genre written down by a young author.
Pak Beye dan Istananya
This book is a bestseller. Everybody talks about it, reviews it and put it as a must have item. A book about our president from different point of view, written uniquely by Wisnu Nugroho, a kompasianer, in his blog. With the tag line, mengabarkan yang tidak penting agar yang penting tetap penting, Wisnu tells many interesting stories that happen in the palace. From the kinds of vehicles owned by the ministers, their shoes, our president favorite food, etc.
Formerly Wisnu was a Kompas journalist that assigned in the palace. Therefore he had a lot of opportunities to explore what's going on in that 'sacred' palace. A very recommended book. Enjoyable.
This book is the first from the tetralogy. Can't hardly wait for the second book.
My Lucky Week
It seemed that last week was my lucky week since I received 2 free books, a novel, Entrok and a graphic novel, Warna Air 2.
It's all started when I bought More Indonesia magazine August edition. The magazine offered 20 Entrok novel for free. I sent an e-mail and suddenly last week mister postman came and delivered the novel. Yay...the novel is written down by Okky Madasari. I am still reading it, a very interesting novel.
My luck didn't stop there, on the same week, I suddenly received an e-mail from Mbak Dwi Astuti from Promosi Fiksi Gramedia Pustaka Utama, she said that she really appreciated my review about Kim Dong Hwa graphic novel, Warna Tanah 1 and as their appreciation, Gramedia would send me the second book of the trilogy, Warna Air 2. I am so honored that my simple review could be appreciated that much.
Can't wait to read those 2 books in the middle of this hustle and bustle, i.e. the Lebaran day is getting closer, the nanny will take leave very soon, be ready to turn into Upik Abu, the mudik plan is also on the list and not to forget the most important part, the packing, one of the exhausting things to do.
All in all, these presents really made my day. Big thanks to More Indonesia magazine and Mbak Dwi Astuti from Gramedia.
