My Kindle Paperwhite finally arrived the other day, and it is totally new and improved (especially considering that my last one is the Kindle 2)! There is a back light, so you can read in the dark. The words are way sharper. It is MUCH faster to flip pages. And if you buy the original Kindle case, it knows when to automatically open/close! Amazing right?

So when my boss asked me the other day if he can check out my new Kindle while I was reading Gone Girl over lunch, I unhesitatingly and very excitedly showed him all the awesome features. Unfortunately, I so happened to be reading the part where she gushes about how great her husband is, and as I showed my boss how fast the pages flipped…. we couldn’t help but notice the words “big penis” literally jumping out of the pages at us!!! It was right there, smacked in the middle of the page, at the end of a paragraph, further enhanced by the very sharp paperwhite feature of the new Kindle.

My boss raised an eyebrow and asked me what I was reading. I blushed, and tried to explain that I was reading Gone Girl, and that it is on top of the NYTimes Bestseller List. He smirked and pointed out that so was Fifty Shades of Gray………. I blushed even harder trying to defend myself, spluttering that “it is a thriller, a completely different genre………” He gave me a disbelieving look and went back to work.

When I was in school, I loved books. During lunch times, while other kids played in the playground, I’d be in the library reading in the third floor loft (and enjoying the air conditioning). One year, while my family raucously celebrated Chinese New Year playing mahjong and watching TV, I was sobbing on the sofa while I read A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks (the scene when she was walking down the aisle to marry the love of her life was just too sad!).

Recently however, I realized that I couldn’t remember the last new book I read. I read. But mostly old favourites that I can almost recite. It is like visiting old friends; familiar, warm and fuzzy. None of the excitement of meeting new characters and getting carried away on a new adventure, not know what will happen next however. So one of my new years resolution this year, is to read a new book every month. It is March now, and I’m actually somewhat ahead! Here’s my booklist so far:

• This is how you lose her, Junot Díaz: I read this during my vacation to Iceland and Paris in January, and I finished it on the plane ride back despite my dying Kindle 2. It is a series of short stories that focuses on the antagonist, Yunior’s girlfriends, expanding to stories including his brother’s girlfriends and his childhood. The crass Dominican immigrant English lingo splattered with Spanish, was a culture shock for me, but I thought it brought out the character and the background of the stories really well. After reading some reviews, the focus is apparently Yunior’s addiction to cheating on his girlfriends. But what I took away from it, was that it is actually a story about his brother, and how that shaped him as a character.
• Kafka on the Shore, Huraki Murakami: I read this while I was attending my friend’s wedding in Bali and finished it over lunch time at work. I couldn’t put it down! The plot itself is actually rather slow and somewhat confusing (it goes back and forth between the stories of two characters), but I think the magic comes in the writing and all the metaphors and hidden meaning behind the story. A whole course can be held trying to decipher the meaning of the book. I especially loved Nakata’s character, who was simple, humble and happy. This is my first Murakami book, and initially I thought he was perhaps raised abroad and spoke fluent English, because the book was written so beautifully that it can only be the original text. But then my friend told me that it was actually a translation. Philip Gabriel is one heck of a translator!
• Casual Vacancy, JK Rowling: I read this on and off since mid-February, and finally finished it mid-March. It is a completely different genre from Harry Potter. It was basically about how the people of small town Pagford coped with the death of one of their council members, and the impending internal politics. To be honest, the story plot was not that compelling at all. But Rowling does keep you turning the pages. The characters are very real and relate-able  and does a good contrast between characters of different social classes. I did feel compassion and sympathy for Krystal, and did wonder what would’ve happened if Barry Fairweather had not died at the beginning of the book.

Next on my reading list: Gone girl by Gillian Flynn. I figured I’d go for a thriller this month!

Other titles I’m considering include Wind up Bird Chronicle by Huraki Murakami (I just loved Kafka!), The Things they Carried by Tim O’Brien (still looking for this book) and The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult (I still have not read a book by her yet!). What was the last good book that you read? I’d love some suggestions!

Below, you will answer questions on celebrity romance and on romance novels in general. Your responses are much appreciated.

Section I
What comes to mind when you think of the word “romance?” What about the word “love”? Do you believe that the two are synonymous?

Romance is the little things that makes your heart tingly. It can be something as simple as a home cooked meal or a walk in the museum, or something as sappy as a serenade or a grand romantic gesture.

Love is part of the three little words that allows a couple to counter all adversaries and reach a happy ending. Coming from an Asian background where we are not big on words however, love is the unconditional bond that ties people together no matter what.

No I don’t think the two are synonymous. You can be in romance but not in love, and in love but not in romance. Typically it is quicker to be in romance than in love. The holy grail is to have both of course, but  not everyone is that lucky. 

What comes to mind when you think of the words “celebrity romance?”

Just another couple- except maybe a more high profile, better looking pair.

Are you the type to keep track of the lives of celebrities? Why or why not? Do you believe that you can separate the product (movie/music/art) from the actual person?

Not really interested in the personal lives of celebrities, because reality is really not that interesting. The whole reason why people read books, watch movies, read blogs or even try to keep track of other people’s lives is because they want to live vicariously through these characters. So why opt for reality when you can live vicariously through fictional characters who lead the perfect life, designed by a team of specialists?

There is no way one can really get to know the “actual person” of a celebrity by tracking their lives through tabloid news. Unless you actually know this person on a personal level, whatever you see is a product.

A better question is to ask whether the celebrities themselves are able to tell the difference between a role and who they really are. Celebrities are usually very young. I am twenty something and I still don’t quite know who I am without the distraction of pretending to be someone else. So I am not sure how they would fair…

In your opinion, if you were a movie star, what would be more important to you? Having your ideal love life or winning several academy awards? Why?

Like any other job, it depends if one is career oriented or not. Although if I went to all that trouble of becoming a movie star and giving up my personal life, I’d probably want to get several academy awards in the process.

In your mind, what does celebrity culture represent to you? What celebrities are you most interested in?

Mostly the public’s desire to live vicariously through them in pursuit of the “glam” lifestyle, the modern version of “happily ever after” for teenagers. The celebrities I am interested in are the ones with the same fashion sense as me, or with a fashion sense that I admire. Since it is their job to be stylish and up to date with the latest styles and making it work, observing them saves me a lot of trouble.

What types of magazines do you read? Which ones do you read at least a couple times a year?

Vanity Fair (monthly), Psychologies (couple of times).

Would you be interested in reading a romance novel based on a celebrity romance?

Not really. Celebrities are not perfect people, so they tend not to meet the picture painted in a novel, which is disappointing. 

Here are some ideas for celebrity romance lines. Rank them on how appealing they are to you. Give reasons for your ratings (1 being most interested).

Angelina Jolie on her views on why she doesn’t need to marry Brad, how she’s come to where she is

1. Could be of interest, just to understand what she’s thinking and what makes her think so different from everyone else.

J.K. Rowling on how she became super successful and how she met her surgeon husband.

2. Could be of interest, in a down to earth, modern Cinderella kind of way.

Jennifer Lopez on what happened between her and Ben Affleck

3. Huh? they were dating? What happened? Isn’t she married to a guy called Marc Anthony or something? Clearly they’re not characters I’m interested in following.

Will Smith talking about how he maintains his successful marriage with his wife

4. Boring. I’ve not reached this stage in my life yet.

Section II
Do you read romance novels? If yes, specify type (chicklit, paranormal, historical, Christian, etc.) and specify how many you read per year.

Chick lit. I used to read over 20 every year, but that has probably dwindled down to maybe 1 or 2 a year now (if I’m lucky).

What’s your opinion about males who read romance novels?

I didn’t know males read romance novels! They’re either gay, or their girlfriends made them read it (that or he’s not the kind of male you want to be associated with). Having said that, I suppose guys can learn a LOT from romance novels.

Say you watched a movie based on a romance novel (e.g. Devil Wears Prada or Bridget Jones’ Diary). If you enjoyed it, would you buy the book afterwards?

Hmm…. usually it is the other way around. In cases where I see the movie first, I’m usually not that motivated to read the book afterwards. I supposed it is because if you start with the book, then the story is painted in your mind first with your imagination. Then if you see the movie, you’ll see how other people envisioned it, and you can make comparisons and enrich the story in your mind. Whereas if you start with the movie first, then the images instilled in your mind by the movie will play out in your head as you read instead, which takes away part of the fun of imagination.   

Are you the type to suggest books you like to friends?

Definitely.

When you read stories, do you prefer happy or sad endings? What are your reasons for your preference?

Happy endings, because they leave you feeling giddy and content afterwards, which for me is the whole point of reading a romance novel in the first place. I can go back and reread a happy romance novel many times. Sad endings are more memorable, but they leave you thinking too much and doesn’t motivate one to ever reread it again, unless one wants a sob fest for no reason. Clearly I’m a big fan of escapism.

I received an email the other day from a friend asking me to participate in a survey she was doing for class to find out more about reading behavior. She sent another email two minutes later with the caveat that this survey was only for people who have read a book outside of work/class in the last year. A few years ago, I would not have even hesitated, but to my surprise, I actually had to stop and think about it before I proceeded to do the survey. Was it the Historian, about the two scholars looking for the legend of Dracula? Or was it Tipping Point, about the social phenomena of how little things make a difference?

The truth is that I haven’t  read a book in such a long time that I don’t even remember. It is sad since I loved to read  growing up. I spent many hours lost in the perfectly plotted world of books. Eager to recapture those times, I decided to find a good book to read for my upcoming vacation to Turkey. None of the “new” books I bought a while ago sitting on my bookshelf seemed to fit my current mood. So I asked my friends who usually have the same taste in books as me if they have any good books to recommend. Something adventurous and engaging. Doesn’t even have to be overly romantic or chick lit like. Something like the Historian, where once engrossed, you cannot put it down.

Turns out, none of my book-loving friends have been reading much lately either. CFA books? Yes. The Economist? Yes. A good book? Huh? Clearly leisure reading is not a feature of Hong Kong work  life.