Book recommendations

One of M’s and my favourite eateries is Ang’s in Dogswamp. We go there almost every Saturday for the chicken rice (Ang’s is also recommended, by none other than my Mum for its assam laksa!). We usually bring each bring our current reading material there, although the wait for our food is never really long enough for a good, uninterrupted read. The fact that we always have books with us never fails to raise a comment from the owner (I assume he is the owner) who always asks: “Good book?” when he sees us reading. What can you say to that? No, it’s a bad book but I am committed to it?

The conversation this past weekend was amusing.

The owner said to me: There’s a good writer you should read…
CW: Oh?
Owner: Pearls Buck!
CW: Oh yes Pearl S Buck, she wrote The Good Earth! [to M] We have it at home.
Owner: Ya, Pearl S Buck, she’s very good, I used to have all her books you know!
CW: Oh really? I only know The Good Earth…
Owner: Well you must read A Many-splendoured Thing also!
CW: Eh, that one by Han Suyin… [Yes, this exchange was in Malaysian English]
Owner: THAT’S IT! Han Suyin! You should read! Very good!
CW: Ok…

We used to have A Many-splendoured Thing when I was a child. I used to look at it, and ask Mum what it was about. “Love,” Mum said, “Maybe it’s too adult for you at the moment.” I’ve not read it. I’m not sure why that anti-recommendation didn’t compel me to read it at the time…

And speaking of amusing conversations, earlier in the week while I was on the reference desk at work:
Student: I’m looking for a book…
CW: Um-hmm?
Student: I don’t have much information but my mate told me it was red and on level three of the library?
CW: …
Student: … [smiles, hopefully]
CW: You know this is the librarian’s worst nightmare, don’t you?
Student: Oh, really? [looks interested]
CW: [Get back on track, CW, don’t get off track!] Well, can you tell me what you need the book for? Or what the book is about?
Student: I’m doing this assignment, right, and my mate says I need this book…
CW: Um-hmm?
Student: … and I need information on um… [reads from his scrap of paper] the spectroscopic analysis of.. um.. these compounds?
CW: Ah! I think I know what you might need – Aldrich [Library of FT-IR spectra]. It’s at this shelf number…

Never a dull moment!