191. Rahman's American Visitor (Short Story No.5 in Marriage and Mutton Curry) by M. Shanmughalingam

BOOK REVIEW: Rahman's American Visitor (Short Story No.5 in Marriage and Mutton Curry) by M. Shanmughalingam

The devil takes a hand in what is done in haste. That is exactly the proverb situation that I stumbled upon when I read the short story Rahman's American Visitor. Crafted by the ever-talented Dato' Dr. M. Shanmughalingam, this story is about Abdullah, newly appointed Assistant Secretary under Malaysian Civil Service.

Originating from a small village in Terengganu, the story unfolds with the character describing his village, the sights, sounds and the available facilities. It portrays the current situation experienced by most rural areas in Malaysia even today. Peaceful yet isolated from the developing world, most of the village youngsters who achieve academically secure jobs in more developed areas to experience life they never had, like Abdullah.

With his head in the sky, Abdullah begins to daydream on how he is going to verbally topple a representative who is coming to visit him from the United States World Bank. When Mr. John Malone from the World Bank enters, Abdullah doesn't even let him get a word in sideways after his handshake. The pitiful bank representative only manages to tell Abdullah one word: facilities.

That's where everything trundles downhill silently. Facilities means the toilet in US. However, without understanding the representative's request, Abdullah continues rambling on his office's facilities. From the time he dials 98 for his capable Jaffna Tamil clerk to dialing 97 for his Chinese stenographer, Abdullah babbles on as the representative's urgency to release himself increases.

Mr. Malone finally slams his briefcase on the table and mops sweat off his perspiring reddened face. With much urgency, he exclaims that he needs to use the toilet urgently and that was the facilities he was talking about from the beginning. With much panic, Abdullah then realizes his long speech was all in vain. His real talking is only supposed to happen after the representative is out of the toilet.

This story was one of those that really tickled my funny bone and I'm sure it will tickle yours too. For more short stories that encapsulate Malaysia's history and also injects humor into it, head to your nearest bookstore and purchase a copy of Marriage and Mutton Curry.

190. Money Man (Short Story No.4 in Marriage and Mutton Curry) by M. Shanmughalingam

BOOK REVIEW: Money Man (Short Story No.4 in Marriage and Mutton Curry) by M. Shanmughalingam

Malaysia's project schemes have always been small and precise, with the ministers running a fine-toothed comb through all its procedures. However, financing from the World Bank is an ongoing issue due to the lack in size of it.

In this short story, one out of fifteen in the refined Dato' Dr. M. Shanmughalingam's collection of short stories, Marriage and Mutton Curry, this situation is narrated through the character of a visiting dignitary from the United States of America, a representative of the World Bank.

The Finance Minister of Malaya is depicted as a man who is like a speedy gazelle in his work that he even speeds up his speech, constricting words that were meant to be longer than what he mentions. In a humorous manner, the author has painted a vivid picture of our then and now ministers who have always been misunderstood as sitting on their laurels.

Malaysia is also strong in its standing and its believes of leading the country into a better future through its many up and coming projects. This is one of the issues highlighted in this short story. It shows Malaysians aren't one to pussy foot around to give their honest opinion, let it be foreigners or even to their own countrymen.

The foreign dignitary is then treated to Malaysian hospitality at its finest when he is invited to the Malayan Finance Minister's house for dinner. Course after course of Malaysia's traditional dishes are served causing the dignitary to loosen his belt. Even if there was slight friction during the day's happenings, Malaysians don't tend to keep grudges for long and display finesse when entertaining newcomers to their land.

Besides that, it also depicts the take-it-easy attitude of Malaysians and the laid-back mentality that is practiced throughout Malaysia. Although issues seem serious, it is handled with much calmness and thought instead of flowing rapidly into a mess. In this story, the then Prime Minister of Malaya is portrayed as such a man, cool yet simmering with action.

All in all, it's a story that will make you proud of Malaysia in many ways with its portrayal of our homeland and its people. If you'd like to know more on how this short story unravels, I highly recommend you pick up a copy of Marriage and Mutton Curry in any good bookstore near you today.

189. Birthday (Short Story No.3 in Marriage and Mutton Curry) by M. Shanmughalingam

BOOK REVIEW: Birthday (Short Story No.3 in Marriage and Mutton Curry) by M. Shanmughalingam

Women discrimination has been around since time immemorial. In this age and era, feminists are fighting for the rights of women everywhere in the world, from educational rights to rights to an equal job as men. Aren’t women capable of becoming engineers and doctors other than just being meant to do household chores?

In the third short story in Marriage and Mutton Curry by none other than the creative Dato’ Dr. M. Shanmughalingam, gender discrimination that is very obvious in the Tamil community, including the Jaffna Tamils is clearly depicted in this funny narration.

The story unfolds with Mrs Santha Gnanapragasm trying to relate happy news of herself bearing his child. Mr Gnanapragasm who is engrossed in cricket doesn’t even bother to listen to what she has to say, engrossed in his world of cricket. It reveals that women of the household are seldom heard by their spouses as they are valuable merely for the chores they do in the house and for the responsibilities to family.

Another scene unfolds in the story when Mrs Santha was about to give birth. A conversation takes place between the relatives who have gathered to witness the birth. They bicker among themselves that a male heir should be born. Among their bickering, they also discuss about their children. Mrs Chelliah is disappointed with her daughter for taking up Arts. As they speak, they come upon the conclusion that Arts is for morons who cannot understand Science and Arts is a waste of time for boys.

To me, this portrays a strong sense of gender discrimination that made me rear my head in utter bewilderment. We Indian ladies may be soft at heart but that doesn’t mean we are utterly lacking in the mind department. Being entirely capable of wonders, we are able to prove that we are smarter and possess the same or even better qualities compared to the opposite sex.

When the baby is born, and the nurse mentions it’s a boy, everyone is caught up in a storm of joy and begin to relate the features of the boy to that of his mother. However, the funny catch here is....wait for it....there was a mix-up. The boy happens to be another’s child and Mrs Santha actually delivered a baby girl. This part caught me guffawing when all the relatives became pindrop silent after the news.

The relatives were commenting about the similarities in features just because they heard it was a son that was born. If it was a girl, they wouldn’t have even bothered in the least. Another painful aspect that is even seen till today is the aspect of dowry. In some cases, daughters are just given away for marriage because they seem to bothersome and are seen only as fit for marriage.

This is a mentality that should be nipped in the bud and through this short story, it has made me more keen on becoming a feminist to make others duly feel the rights of women should be looked after.

Based on my two previous reviews, I hope you have already felt an inkling to get your hands on this book by this great Malaysian author. If you still haven’t and this review has piqued your interest, then what are you waiting for! Hop on over to any good bookstore near you now for a copy of Marriage and Mutton Curry, you won’t be disappointed.

188. Half and Half (Short Story No. 2 from Marriage and Mutton Curry) by M. Shanmughalingam

BOOK REVIEW: Half and Half (Short Story No.2 from Marriage and Mutton Curry) by M. Shanmughalingam

Looks can be deceiving and so the saying goes. If you had the looks of a European many many years back, what would the privileges be? Or on the sour side the torture you had to endure by the Japanese? This is the element that is vividly portrayed in this short story by none other than our acclaimed Malaysian author, Dato' Dr. M. Shanmughalingam.

The character in this story happens to be a young Malaysian chap who has the complexion of a European. However, his parents, who are originally Jaffna Tamils, have dark brown skin and black hair while he has reddish gold hair and light brown eyes. His fair skin tone adds to his European look.

This story which takes place during the Japanese occupation unfolds the terrors of Japanese torture methods when they assume that someone is a British spy or traitor to them. Being beaten till the skin felt raw with a metal rod and depriving a person of food is just some of the methods that will be divulged to you through this story.

One day, as the Japanese are on their rounds of rooting out spies, they come across the young chap's house. He is told to hide in the chicken coop for fear of being dragged away by mistake by the Japanese military policemen. However, lady luck didn't shine his side as however hard his mother tried to distract the Japanese, they dragged him away for interrogation on suspicion of him being a British spy.

During his interrogation, the story of the chap through his childhood throwbacks slowly unfolds. If you are hungry, you might be driven to find for the nearest morsel to nibble on as there are quite a few food descriptions in the story that are so colorful that it may start your mouth watering. Not only are the Jaffna Tamil food descriptions like coconut milk appams and crab curry tantalizing, there is even descriptions of our Malaysian favorites like rojak and cendol that makes it appear as if the food was right in front of you!

Besides that, the story revolves around the aspect of how Malayans used to treat the British once upon a time. The British were highly looked upon and were given first preference anywhere, from school admissions to seats in a coffee shop. That was how British were and still are being respected even today.

It also describes the character of the Japanese who colonized Malaysia many years back. Their wiliness and persistence in getting what they want made them ruthless in their short yet painful reign on Malaya. 

You may have seen my first review about Victoria and her Kimono. Now Half and Half has made me even more hooked on this book which seamlessly blends fact with fiction to create a masterpiece like no other. 

If you are as eager as me to know what the next short story is all about, do head to the nearest bookstore near you for a copy of Marriage and Mutton Curry, the book which opens your eyes to the world of the Jaffna Tamil society and also Malaysia's rich history.

187. Marriage and Mutton Curry by M. Shanmughalingam

BOOK REVIEW: Marriage and Mutton Curry by M. Shanmughalingam

They say readers are a lucky bunch, we have the world at our fingertips, both fictional and worldly. My stroke of luck became a boulder of luck as it trundled along and bowled me over. I had the chance of being in contact with Dato' Dr. M. Shanmughalingam, one of Malaysia's most influential short story writers. He personally requested for my book review on his latest book, Marriage and Mutton Curry.

So today, I shimmied over to the nearest Popular bookstore in Kluang Mall (yes, I'm a bat-town girl) and thank heavens they had a copy of this witty book that paints a picture of the Jaffna Tamil community in Malaysia. Without wasting a moment's time, I dived into the pages and read the first short story which was Victoria and her Kimono. I couldn't wait to share some of my findings from the book before completing it.

Most of you must be thinking what has the name Victoria got to do with Jaffna Tamil? Victoria refers to one of the characters in this laughter-inducing short story named Mrs Vickneswari Ramanan, "The Tigress of Asia". In this short story, the narrator slowly unravels the trials and tribulations the Jaffna Tamils had to go through during the Japanese occupation, which was after the British Rule.

It portrays the golden days, during the British Rule, when everything was governed by the English language and how the folks of yesteryear became "Englishmen" through heart and soul. A good example of this is another character in the story named Albert Ramanan, the Tiger of Victoria Institution. Although he is a Jaffna Tamil, his upbringing in a society governed by the British Rule made him dress, speak and behave like the English, a trait which I have clearly seen in the older generation.

On the other hand, Ramanan's better half, Vickneswari, is very much an Indian whereby though she was brought up under the British Rule like him. She sticks to her traditional clothing, reads Tamil material and also is a Tamil silver screen enthusiast. This portrays another important element in life where the women are brought up conservatively without losing traditional values and also where their family becomes the core of their universe.

Besides these elements, this short story weaves the disturbing nature of the Japanese occupation in a light-hearted manner, leaving all gory bits out. It made me imagine the time my grandmother was young and had a family of her own. She also went through the same experience as the characters in the story. Some of it was related to me by my mother who was fortunate (or unfortunate) enough to be around during that era.

I must say that even the first short story left me hankering for more. Although it was a piece of fiction, the author was wise enough to inject the history of Malaya into it, something very rare as far as fiction is concerned. Most fiction pieces conjure up purely fictional places and scenes. So this was a burst of energy to learn a little history while enjoying it.

This tome of short stories written by the accomplished yet humble Dato' Dr. M. Shanmughalingam is a definite pick-me-up from any good bookstore near you. I thoroughly enjoyed the first story and I'm not even halfway through yet! Refreshing and definitely not a boredom inducing book, I highly recommend this to all my fellow readers out there.

P.S. I forgot, below is a list of terms that you may find useful when you read the first short story, Victoria and her Kimono. Happy Reading!

1. Topi: hat
2. Chili padi: birds eye chillies'
3. Rotan: cane, used in the yesteryears to hit misbehaving children..haha
4. Blancoed: whitened.
5. Kopi-susu: dark skin (hence the kopi which means coffee) and fair skin (hence the susu which means milk).
6. Karupu sutu vellai kaaran: literally translated as black bottom Englishman, it means an Indian with the heart and soul of an Englishman.
7. Ayah: husband.
8. Kempeitai: military police of the Japanese army.
9. Kunrenjo: Japanese boot camps.
10. Seishin: Japanese spirit.
11. Nippongo: Japanese language.
12. Pavadai: underskirts worn under sarees.
13. Pottu: a dot placed on the temple between the eyebrows especially the Tamil community.
14. Rasa velli kilangu: yam.

186. Happily Evr After? By Faith. E

BOOK REVIEW: Happily Evr After? By Faith. E

What do you do when you are caught up in the condo with the elders talking? Duh, read of course! This title was one of the many my cousin had in her little stash. Written by a Singaporean young writer, it's a warming, coming of age story between two individuals.

Joshua and Kerrie have known each other since they were newborns. They've always been really close. Nothing has ever been able to pull them apart, not even when sometimes they are in different schools.

But will they be able to stay friends when Kerrie starts feeling for Joshua - a feeling she's never felt before? Will their friendship stay strong when Joshua gets close to the "in-group" at his school?

And what happens when Robert, the new boy in school, starts showing a liking towards Kerrie? They say "happily ever after" is just a fairy tale ending. Or is it not?

This story was fuzzy till the last and was beautiful in its own right. I almost remembered my childhood nad teenhood angst that every girl would have gone through.

A wonderful read for all the young uns.

185. The Fifth Risk by Michael Lewis

BOOK REVIEW: The Fifth Risk by Michael Lewis (with compliments by Times Reads)

I'm not a fan of politics to be honest, I regard it a messy game where the people and politicians collide head on. But reading this book has stirred my interest in the rather misty world of US politics.

The morning after Trump was elected president, the people who ran the US Department of Energy - an agency that deals with some of the most powerful risks facing humanity - waited to welcome the incoming administration's transition team. Nobody appeared. Across the US government, the same thing happened: nothing.

People don't notice when stuff goes right. That is the stuff government does. It manages everything that underpins our lives, from funding free school meals, to policing rogue nuclear activity, to predicting extreme weather events. It steps in where private investment fears to tread, innovates and creates knowledge, assesses extreme long-term risk.

And now, government is under attack. By its own leaders.

In this book, the author reveals the combustible cocktail of wilful ignorance and venality that is fuelling the destruction of a country's fabric. All of this, the author shows, exposes America and the world to the biggest risk of all.

Quite an engaging read for something politically written, it gave me a chance to get over my initial critical analysis of politics. I now have learnt more on the departments involved in America's government body and how most of it works, which was surprisingly intriguing. Highly recommended for political aficionados and also for those who want to have an insight into the world of the White House dealings.