Super Presents for Christmas

It’s that time of year again. Christmas!

Are you stuck for gift ideas for your friends or family?

Are you, like me, one who waits until the last minute to get your presents. You think you have plenty of time, and then you find that you have just ONE week to buy the presents.

Let me give you five cool present ideas. I hate gimmicky presents, or very expensive presents. I prefer practical presents, but I think books are among my favourites. All are affordable. They won’t break the bank.

So here is my book guide for Christmas 2018.

THE PEOPLE’S VICTORY 

Kee Thuan Chye took three months to write the The People’s Victory and when he finished, celebrated with a quiet makan and drinks with his family. He has dedicated each of his books to them.

Rebuilding Malaysia: What was your motivation to write TPV?

Kee Thuan Chye: “To document a historic moment, a hugely unexpected phenomenon. To remind future generations of the evils of corruption and oppression under the BN regime. And to pay tribute to everyday Malaysians because without them, the GE-14 outcome would not have been what it is. They worked hard for years to make it happen.

“I wrote it as a testament to the spirit and determination of the Malaysian people. They never gave up. They kept on fighting the good fight. They mobilised and organised when the odds were stacked against them, like the scheduling of polling day on a weekday and the other obstacles placed in the way of the Opposition to prevent it from winning”. 

Rebuilding Malaysia: “What does it feel like to be on the best sellers list again?” 

KTC: “Good. Vindicated. Makes all the hard work feel worth it. I think every Malaysian should read this book. They will find things in it that they didn’t know about or have forgotten. They will feel proud to be Malaysian. Especially if they were among those who saw the need for a change of government after 61 years of one-party rule by leaders who had become arrogant and corrupt.” 

JOHOR PALATE

If you love food, you will love this book. Johor Palate is a compilation of the family recipes of a Johore family. The co-author, Kalsom Taib Andak aka KakChom said that told me that the book took her and her cousin, Adek, two and half years to complete. There are 240 easy to follow recipes which have been tried and tested in Johor Palate.

 A series of 10 videos to accompany the book, will be ready at the end of the month. 

Rebuilding Malaysia: Do you both write and cook for the book?

KakChom: “I write and Adek cooks. I am the right hand, Adek is the left hand and we need both hands to clap. 

“There are 240 easy-to-follow recipes in the book that provide information about how the dishes are prepared and served. Simply choose any of your favourite recipes. Just follow the ingredients specified. All recipes have been tested so inshallah nothing should go wrong.”

NB: THE PEOPLE’S VICTORY and JOHOR PALATE are available at all the major bookstores and the bookstore chains like Times, Popular, MPH, Borders and Kinokuniya.

ORDINARY  WOMEN, EXTRAORDINARY LIVES

A compilation of short stories of Malaysian women, mostly mothers and grandmothers, who made great sacrifices, to improve the lives of their children and families.

The women saved and scrimped to help their children get an education because for many education had been denied them. They ate simply food, so that the money can be spent on their children’s nutrition. “Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Lives” is an easy read and chronicles the lives of the families of early Malaya.

OWEL kept me occupied on one mind-numbing 14-hour stopover in Dubai! Thank you Lean!

POSTCARDS from a FOREIGN COUNTRY & TIN MAN

Ipohite Yin took a year to write each of the books. The stories tell of a different age, when our lives were more free, when people of different faiths and cultures, mingled freely and had more interaction with one another. Although works of fiction, the books are based on historical facts. 

The books are available at Z Books and Free Library 118 Hugh Low Street (Jalan Sultan Iskandar), Lourd’s Book Shop on Jalan Cecil Rae, Nellis and at the FMS Bar and Grill on Brewster Rd.

My list of “Must-Read” books for Christmas

These five are my “must-read ” books, for friends or family, for Christmas.

If you are from out of town, or have problems buying the books, just contact me, at this email address (admin@mariammokhtar.com), to find out how you can obtain copies of the books.

Happy reading….

Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year to you!