Sunday, July 3, 2022

[Book Review] Night of January 16th - Ayn Rand

Writer: Ayn Rand
Publisher: Signet
Format: Mass Market Paperback, 121 pages
Publishing date: 2nd, January 1971
Language: English
Genre: Plays, Fiction, Philosophy, Drama, Classics
Source: Gift from a dear friend
Read on June, 19th 2022
My rating: 5 of 5

Buy a hard copy at Periplus (ID) or a digital copy at Amazon (INT)
On one level, Night of January 16th is a totally gripping drama about the rise and destruction of a brilliant and ruthless man. On a deeper level, it is a superb dramatic objectification of Ayn Rand's vision of human strength and weakness. Since its original Broadway success, it has achieved vast worldwide popularity and acclaim.

"Who is on trial in this case? Karen Andre? No! It's you, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, who are here on trial. It is your own souls that will be brought to light when your decision is rendered.”

Last year I got Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand as a gift, I always know that this friend is a big fan of Ayn Rand, and on one fine day while this dear friend tried to rearrange collection of books, I saw the book and was surprised with the title and the author. The author is Ayn Rand, a philosopher who was famous for Objectivism, hence the title of her book is very dramatic, what makes me surprised that the night of

Saturday, August 15, 2020

[Book Review] Dear Evan Hansen - Val Emmich, Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek, Justin Paul


Title : Dear Evan Hansen
Writer : Val Emmich, Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek, Justin Paul
Publisher : Poppy
Format : eReader, 368 pages
Publishing date : 9th, Oct 2018
Language : English
Genre : YA, Contemporary, 
Source : kobo store
Read on August, 10th 2020
My rating :  3.5 of 5

From the show's creators comes the groundbreaking novel inspired by the Broadway smash hit Dear Evan Hansen.

Dear Evan Hansen,
Today's going to be an amazing day and here's why...

When a letter that was never meant to be seen by anyone draws high school senior Evan Hansen into a family's grief over the loss of their son, he is given the chance of a lifetime: to belong. He just has to stick to a lie he never meant to tell, that the notoriously troubled Connor Murphy was his secret best friend.

Suddenly, Evan isn't invisible anymore--even to the girl of his dreams. And Connor Murphy's parents, with their beautiful home on the other side of town, have taken him in like he was their own, desperate to know more about their enigmatic son from his closest friend. As Evan gets pulled deeper into their swirl of anger, regret, and confusion, he knows that what he's doing can't be right, but if he's helping people, how wrong can it be?

No longer tangled in his once-incapacitating anxiety, this new Evan has a purpose. And a website. He's confident. He's a viral phenomenon. Every day is amazing. Until everything is in danger of unraveling and he comes face to face with his greatest obstacle: himself.

A simple lie leads to complicated truths in this big-hearted coming-of-age story of grief, authenticity and the struggle to belong in an age of instant connectivity and profound isolation.

“I wish that everything was different. I wish that I was a part of something. I wish that anything I said mattered, to anyone. I mean, let's face it: would anybody even notice if I disappeared tomorrow?”

Evan Hansen hanya seorang murid SMA biasa, tanpa teman, tanpa gebetan, tanpa afiliasi dengan klub manapun, jika tidak terlalu jauh, dia pun tidak terlalu memahami dirinya sendiri, dan malangnya dia punya kewajiban untuk bertemu terapis untuk mengatasi masalahnya ini.

Friday, March 24, 2017

[Book Review] Think Like a Freak - Steven D. L & Stephen J. D

Writer : Steven D. Levit & Stephen J. Dubner
Publisher : Noura
Format : Paperback, 253 pages
Publishing date : January 2016
Language : Bahasa Indonesia
Genre : Non Fiction, Social Science, Economic
Source : a gift from giver (theladybooks.com)
Read on March, 27th 2016
My rating :  4 of 5

Buy a hard copy at Mizanstore (ID)

• Apa rahasia juara dunia lomba makan hot dog asal Jepang yang makan 50 hot dog dalam 12 menit?
• Apa alasan seorang dokter asal Australia rela menelan setumpuk bakteri berbahaya?
• Bagaimana bisa calon teroris terdeteksi melalui rekening bank di Inggris?
• Mengapa penipu melalui e-mail sering menyatakan diri berasal dari Nigeria?
• Mengapa orang dewasa justru mudah ditipu daripada anak-anak?

Buku ini memaparkan pemikiran yang tidak biasa, aneh, dan jarang terpikir oleh orang kebanyakan. Disertai contoh-contoh menarik, cerita yang memikat, dan analisis yang tidak lazim, kedua penulis mendorong kita agar mampu berpikir jauh lebih rasional, lebih kreatif, dan lebih produktif. 


Cara baru yang revolusioner ini telah terbukti menyelesaikan berbagai masalah, baik masalah kecil ataupun global. Anda pun bisa mempraktikkannya di berbagai bidang, mulai dari bisnis, olahraga, hingga politik.
"Memahami insentif semua pelaku dalam skenario tertentu merupakan langkah fundamental dalam memecahkan masalah apa pun." pg.115
Jika kamu adalah seorang pemain bola kaki di ajang piala dunia, dan saat ini kamu mempunyai satu kesempatan untuk memenangkan negara mu dengan satu tendangan penalti. Kemanakah arah tendangan mu itu? Pemain sepak bola profesional tentu akan memilih antara dua pilihan, menendang dengan powerfull ke ujung kanan gawang, atau menendang ke ujung kiri gawang. Apakah kamu berpikir seperti itu juga? Hal itu tentu saja masuk akal, dan rencanamu cukup mainstream.

Sunday, December 18, 2016

MARKITUKA JABODETABEK 2.0

Setelah keberhasilan perdana MARKITUKA tahun lalu, maka event tukeran kado buku ini pun berlanjut tahun ini.

Langsung saja, berikut buku wishlist saya :

Raden Mandasia
Bisa beli disini


Sungu Lembu menjalani hidup membawa dendam. Raden Mandasia menjalani hari-hari memikirkan penyelamatan Kerajaan Gilingwesi. Keduanya bertemu di rumah dadu Nyai Manggis di Kelapa. Sungu Lembu mengerti bahwa Raden Mandasia yang memiliki kegemaran ganjil mencuri daging sapi adalah pembuka jalan bagi rencananya. Maka, ia pun menyanggupi ketika raden Mandasia mengajaknya menempuh perjalanan menuju Kerajaan Gerbang Agung.

Berdua, mereka tergulung dalam pengalaman-pengalaman mendebarkan: bertarung melawan lanun di lautan, ikut menyelamatkan pembawa wahyu, bertemu dengan juru masak menyebalkan dan hartawan dengan selera makan yang menakjubkan, singgah di desa penghasil kain celup yang melarang penyebutan warna, berlomba melawan maut di gurun, mengenakan kulit sida-sida, mencari cara menemui Putri Tabassum Sang Permata Gerbang Agung yang konon tak pernah berkaca-cermin-cermin di istananya bakal langsung pecah berkeping-keping karena tak sanggup menahan kecantikannya, dan akhirnya terlibat perang besar yang menghadirkan hujan mayat belasan ribu dari langit.

Meminjam berbagai khazanah cerita dari masa-masa berlainan, Yusi Avianto Pareanom menyuguhkan dongeng kontemporer yang memantik tawa, tangis, dan makian-makian Anda dalam waktu berdekatan–mungkin bersamaan.

Sunday, October 23, 2016

[Book Review] Little Basket 2016 : New Malaysian Writing - Various Writers

Editors : Catalia Rembuyan, Lee Ee Leen, Ted Mahsu, Tshiung Han Sew
Publisher : Fixi Novo
Format : Paperback, 183 pages
Publishing date : March 2016
Language : English w/ some Malaysian term
Genre : Literary journal, Fiction
Source : Free excerpt from Inter. Indonesia Bookfair 2016 
Read on Oct, 18th 2016
My rating : 3.5 of 5

Buy a hard copy at Amazon (INT) or Malaysia Bookstore

Little Basket 2016 is the first of a planned annual literary journal of new Malaysian writing. Unlike similar journals in other countries, it is produced with zero government or corporate funding. Each issue will have a print run of 3,000 and won’t be reprinted. Aside from sales at selected bookshops in Malaysia, it will also be distributed at international bookfairs such as London and Frankfurt.
This volume features work by:Foo Sek Han, Eileen Lian, Marc de Faoite, William Tham Wai Liang, Murugasu SHANmughalingam, Choong Jay Vee, Tunku Halim, Edwin Kho, Julya Oui, Kris Williamson, Chua Kok Yee, Zedeck Siew & Sharon Chin, Angeline Woon, Ling Low, Lean Ka-Min, Tilon Sagulu, Terence Toh, Zhou Sivan, Cassandra Khaw, Jin Hien Lau, Timothy Nakayama.
"Over there we found ourselves imagining Malaysia, a homeland full of nostalgia." from Diaspora - William Tham Wai Liang, pg.41.
Look that beautiful cover!!its blue, its shinny, and its feel like Summer! So, I got this book in Inter. Indonesia Book Fair which held in JCC, Jakarta last month. Malaysia was chosen as Guest of Honor this year, so they have a big booth at the center of fair. I walking down on the booth, talking in malay with one of the staff says that Im looking for a good malaysian book, and maybe she have a recommendation, voila! she give me this book for free. Yay!!
There  is twenty two story inside, written by malaysian author. Theres short stories, essay, poetry, and comic strips. the themes are very diverse, theres horror, fantasy, sci-fi, and contemporary. Nah, I