BookFace: Religion and Globalization

Another set of discounted books from BestSellers (sister company of National Bookstore) which will be added to my collection. This is different from the majority of my books considering that these two book faces tackle religion. In particular, Reconciliation is a personal account of Bhutto during her final months in Pakistan after her historic return to Karachi on October 18, 2007, consequently to her assassination on December 27, 2007. She argues that "the UK and US supported some groups that have only short-term interest..." She implies that dictatorship leads to terrorism...

The second book is very enlightening one...written by His Holiness The Dalai Lama.He explains that "...to foster the beneficial potential of religion in the world, the faith traditions must find a way of relating to each other with mutual acceptance and genuine respect." The Dalai Lama adds up that "the highest form of compassion, as a practice in daily life is selfless service to others..."

BookFace: Stories about Japan

  

For curiosity sake, I grabbed a copy of Rashomon after reading its review in a travel magazine. I was convinced to read the book considering that it only contains 123 pages of short stories which some of them have sense of humor. I found it in National Bookstore (Philippines) for a regular price (bit expensive for few pages). I was truly convinced by the review that the author is one of the best writers in Japan and Rashomon was also adapted for film production. But honestly after reading it, I was a bit disappointed because I could not see any connection from the stories and characters to my own interest in storytelling. .

 As one of the goodreads' members commented that he was "not overwhelmed with pleasure at reading these stories." ... He continues,  "I don't have the required knowledge or appreciation of the place and time they were written but I just didn't find myself caring one way or another about the outcome of the stories."

The other book, Kuhaku was also from the National Bookstore's  discounted corner (70%). It was really a bargain grab! I enjoyed the essays based from the experiences of selected Japanese people and foreigners who decided to live in Japan for work and family. I do like the packaging of the book - from the cloth-type cover to the lay-out, including a glossary of Japanese terms at the end of the book! By the way, the word, "kuhaku" means blank, void empty space...A blank  in one's memory.