These are the books that I have bought this month: a religious book by Ust. Yusuf Mansur, two tourism/travel books – Parijs van Java by Her Suganda (a book about Bandung’s history, civilization (?), arts, culinary, and shopping) and Seru dan Unik Ala Kota Nusantara (a travel book for children covering five cities on Java island: Semarang, Solo, Yogyakarta, Surabaya and Malang), and Tokoh + Pokok by Goenawan Mohamad (the author’s collected essays about Indonesian prominent public figures/heroes(?): Bung Hatta, Bung Karno, Chairil Anwar, Gus Dur, Kartini, Nurcholis Madjid, Pramoedya Ananta Toer, Rendra, Sjahrir, Tan Malaka, and Walter Monginsidi).
I am crazy about books. (Anybody who is close enough to me or has visited my house would know this :).) But ‘book insanity’ is not always the reason why I buy books (there are only certain kinds of books that I am really crazy about). Sometimes I buy books just because I need them for practical purposes – mainly to teach, because that’s what I do for a living.
I was interested in the religious book – Temukan Penyebabnya, Temukan Jawabannya (Find the Cause, Find the Answer) – because of a video that I ‘accidentally’ found at YouTube of the author’s sermon.
Yusuf Mansur – the author of the book – is actually not an unfamiliar figure. I’ve known him for quite a while from his appearances on television and I have to admit that I love his teachings about sedekah (alms) and compassion and the miracles it can do to you. But this was the first time I bought and read his book. I will probably write a review about it later.
I bought the two travel books mainly for my IFL (Indonesian as A Foreign Language) classes. However, Parijs van Java is also a reference book I need for my Bandung Daily Photo. I don’t know if I would write a review about them. I might, I suppose.
Of the four books I have bought, Tokoh + Pokok is the one that I can really call my cup of tea. I have always admired Goenawan Mohamad for his essays, his poems, writing style, and the breadth of his readings as reflected in his works. I will definitely write a review about this book when I am done reading it.
I’m looking forward to read your review about Tokoh + Pokok, Sir. I’m kind of curious, always, when you called and explain about Goenawan Mohamad’s works in the poetry class 😀