The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho

The Alchemist

Hey pal, some more reading this month. 
As far as I've known this is a very popular novel that seems inspire a lot of peoples around the world. So I finally grab a copy and read it within 6 hours one day.

Hmm, what should I say, it is an attractive, imaginative, inspiring of life and desire, easy reading novel, but not as highly expected than I used to thought of. 

May be it's what usually happens, if it is an Oscar Award film, you will expect more and, that may distract the outcome as a result. 

A story about a young shepherd to chase his treasure and dream, a prophet that leads him to leave his familiar homeland to the wild and unpredictable desert, where he met the Alchemist and learn his lessons of life.

If you have your dream, if you like desert and want to feel it's power, read this, it will take you there.

Life is Only One - Yoshitomo Nara

Yesterday I've introduced an exhibition about sound, today, I would like to talk about another exhibition that was introduced by my friend earlier in April, and is still on show until 26 July 2015 in H.K.

I must confess that I am not a fans of this artist, but I went to Admiralty by chance and remember this show was held nearby, so I went to have a look in a cold rainy day.

Life Is Only One - it seems a bit "serious" as I've original thought, by entering the hall after waiting outside for 15 minutes in wet air, a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere was suddenly echo around when a song was heard from a small room somewhere behind.

This girl -  I shall say is the artist herself being painted on raw materials, pure and sensation; message delivered touches life and death but in another way......through the eyes of a child......by the imagination and interpretation of the visitors.

Other media such as photography, sculpture and multi-media are also presented as part of Nara's work simultaneously. 

If you have a minute, go and have a walk, you may be inspired by this little girl.

Le French May - Beyond The Sound

I have to say we are really lucky as living in Hong Kong even thought it is only a small city, it's easy for us to reach different culture such as Le French May.

Yesterday while in the black rainstorm signal date, I 've visited  Comix Home Base (7 Mallory Street, Wanchai, H.K.), an exhibition : Beyond The Sound was held there, a scheduled exhibition for myself in this May.

It's a small exhibition hall which was transformed from a Grade 2 historic tenement houses, so the original structure of the building that were reserved are worth visiting. Although each floor area is quite small, it's good fit for such kind of extraordinary exhibition that require an individual and isolated space.

Usually I won't have high expectation to new media or arts exhibition because I am not an expert or well trained in these fields, but this time it is a bit of surprise. 

There are total 17 pieces of art related to sound, most of them are found on 3/F, may be it is so true that "sound" is no boundary like "music", you can easily touch and driven by their presentation. The no8, 11 and 13 are my favorite pieces, especially no. 11 - Distorsions by Pierre Laurent CASSIERE. 

I was so lucky that the black rainstorm resulting minimum visitor, so I can occupy the whole room by myself and feel how those three stainless steel liquify the concrete building under it's roar......very interesting and unforgettable experience. 

For the others, I will leave them to you. 
A highly recommended exhibition that is worth to take a walk, enjoy !

For Whom The Bell Tolls - Ernest Hemingway

For Whom The Bell Tolls

I am not a classic novel fans, especially those related to war; may be it's because English is not my mother tongue which means, it will increase my difficulties to understand / enjoy my reading if there are too many vocabulary or "old language". 
You may say, then why not read the translated version? Truly speaking, it's usually not as good as the original written language or, at least in English. So I've finally decided to give a try, just in case if needed...I grab a dictionary in hand.

This is a very famous novel as we've known, not only because of it's poem inside by John Donne, where the name of this book that comes from; but also the way of the author who written and lead his readers to once again review of ourselves in such a special scenario.

When I started to read the first page at a coffee shop in one hottest afternoon...it attracted me, I was immediately fell into the pine-needle floor of the forest..., and it took me along to the year of Civil War in Spain , 1937.

It's a simple story about a dynamiter Robert Jordan who needs to blow up a bridge in Segovia, and therefore he requires the help of a band of local anti-facist guerrillas to lead his way, as well as to assist in terms of man power. It is a clear straight forward duty if he didn't meet his girl Maria and the people of this band.

A four days three nights trip conclude Robert's entire life, evoke the meaning of life in a battle. Every one he met within these few days become the one who trigger his deep thought of others. 

I will not tell you the entire story but it is a real good one that I've ever read, the way Hemingway express is not only the message of war, but the overall emotion, that are beautiful, human nature, romantic, inspiring......

As Robert said at last " You can do nothing for yourself but perhaps you can do something for another."
 

p.s. - The book links to the ebook with a new cover design, but I love the one above, may be it will appear in physical book version only :(

 

A poem from John Donne

From the book of 
" For Whom The Bell Tolls" - Ernest Hemingway

No man is an Iland, intire of it selfe:
every man is  a peece of the Continent, 
a part of the maine;
if a Clod bee washed away by the Sea,
Europe is the lesse,
as well as if a Promontorie were,
as well as if a Mannor of thy friends or of thine owne were;
any mans death diminishes me,
because I am involved in Mankinde;
And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;
It tolls for thee.

John Donne