Abe.com – Rare Books Room

Abe.com is a site that sells rare books or second hand books. However, they do write interesting articles about any topics that are remotely connected to selling old books…and that is why it is interesting to read. You simply cannot imagine what kind of topics will be written about next. For example, do you know the cheapest copy of the first edition of “The Hobbit” is being sold for nearly USD7000 now!? 

Wikipedia – Featured Contents

Yes, I know. People say that the accuracy of the contents in Wikipedia is uncertain. But then contents in books should be taken with a pinch of salt too. What’s important is how do we approach and make use of these tools to help us find more authorised sources. Wikipedia’s Featured Contents are suppose to be better quality articles, well… let’s read and judge it ourselves.

THAT Anime Blog

We have That CD Shop… and there is also THAT Anime Blog…whoever thought of the name has a great sense of humour (remind me of the “Whatever” and “Anything” drinks that we used to have). This blog gives great detailed reviews about anime, and is very “productive” too. The preservence of the writer is really something to be astonished and awe about…

NEW YORK – A LIBRARY book borrowed by the first US president, George Washington, has been returned to a New York City’s oldest library, 221 years late.

Washington checked out the book from the New York Society Library at a time when the library shared a building with the federal government in lower Manhattan.

The library said in a statement that its borrowing records, or charging ledger, showed Washington took out ‘The Law of Nations’ by Emer de Vattel on October 5, 1789. The book was not returned, nor any overdue book fine paid – with the overdue fee now calculated at about US$300,000 (S$421,706).

The missing book came to light when the New York Society Library was restoring its 1789-1792 charging ledger, which features the borrowing history of Washington, John Adams, John Jay, Aaron Burr, Alexander Hamilton, George Clinton, and others.

The library conducted an inventory of books mentioned in the ledger and confirmed the book checked out by Washington was still missing. But the missing book was kept secret for years until it became public recently in an article in The New York Daily News, the library said in a statement.

‘A few days after learning of the situation, staff at Washington’s home in Virginia, Mount Vernon, offered to replace Vattel’s ‘Law of Nations’ with another copy of the same edition,’ the library said in a statement. To mark the occasion the library hosted a ceremony on May 19 at which the errant volume was presented. — REUTERS

Source: The Straits Times 20th May 2010

After finished watching this anime, I can only say 1 thing… I WANT A SECOND SEASON!!!

Nice mix of humor, fighting… easy flow of story, animation quality not lost (typical of anime) after the first 10 episodes… a story plot with the potential to develop more in depth details and something more serious. Sadly, the plot was squeezed, and certain details left out to pack everything into 26 episodes. I am quite sure lots of viewers like me will like to find out more about the background of the characters, and to have a finalised ending for the anime.  

Overall, it’s an anime to watch after too much heavy anime or complicated philosopical themes. Sometimes we need a break from these animes as well. Black Blood Brothers is simple to follow, but not too childish. Watch it with a light heart. 

Here is the ending song for your enjoyment. Note the difference in the final episode. A nice touch by the anime team, I feel.

Pandora Hearts

I fell in love with the music “Lacie” when watching this anime.

What attracted me to continue on were the first few episodes where the mystery (puzzle?) deepens and viewers become curious to find out the relationship between Alice, Oz and Jack. It was a smart way to present the story by unfolding events backwards, through Oz’s and Alice’s quest for searching Alice’s lost memories.

The atmospheric build up was good, creating a nostalgic, gothic and mysterious feeling. Sadly, as typical in many animes, the ending episodes were rushed, and I should say done in a slipshod manner. Kind of disappointing when the front part was done so well.

Overall, an anime that could be watched in my opinion.

Gallian Chronicles/Valkyria Chronicles

Adapted from a SEGA game, the adaptation was surprisingly well done, since games are not meant to be animes afterall.

The first half of the anime was good, with interesting characters popping up. Character development for the main figures are quite well done, refreshing and memorable. Graphic-wise, computer effects were added in to enhance the feel of the anime. I enjoyed the splash of colour (reminds me of a watercolour painting), and the smooth movement of the tanks!

Unfortunately, as usual in many anime productions, the ending episodes were rushed. Although the animation quality did not drop, it has the same fault as Black Blood Brothers, a story that was squeezed, with the potential to be better.

Trinity Blood

Ok, I admit it. I started watching this anime because of its graphics. It has been a long time since I had seen a gothic style of drawing that reminds me of the earlier CLAMP works (I really like the unqiue and detailed drawings of CLAMP’s earlier works, which contain a deadly aura that draws you in).

Apart from the drawings, the atmosphere is not badly done too.

If you have the free time, you can watch to enjoy the art. Oh, by the way, the ending song “Broken Wings” is awesome!

Ghost Hunt

If you don’t watch it, you will regret it!!!

A truly unqiue anime, that deals and presents a theme, hard to find in the tons of magic-wielding cuties, and grouchy but cool gun or sword-wielding deadly guys types of animes that get churn up every year….

The story revolves around a group of people who investigates spiritual phenomenon. Sounds boring? Be assured that the story plot is well written, with the pace nicely done, and the scary atmosphere builds up nice and slow. Watch it at night when everyone’s asleep in the house, and you can hear a pin drop..

Director: Shinobu Yaguchi

Written by: Shinobu Yaguchi

Starring: Satoshi Tsumabuki; Hiroshi Tamaki; Akifumi Miura; Koen Kondo; Takatoshi Kaneko

Release date: 2001

One word: FUNNY!!!! This comedy will get you spitting out your food and water, so make sure you are not drinking or eating anything when watching it!

Nice simple plot. About a group of young boys overcoming various obstacles to perform sychronized swimming for a school event. Remember those days when being young means you can conquer everything? This show will bring you back to those times. Never mind about being silly, never mind about being laughed at, it is good to be just yourself again, and do what you believe in.

Here’s a little snippet for you to enjoy. *WARNING do not eat or drink when watching this part*

1. 读书率严重下降，包括修读文科的学生
2. 信息爆炸，应接不暇。信息太多，质量却没有进步，反而退步
3. 最佳培养读书的习惯，就是在大学

在现在这种网络、媒体信息如此丰富的时代，想要好好坐下来读一本好书，还真是难。因为读到一半，总会有其他爆笑综艺节目或是最新的电脑游戏，在分散你的注意力。出版业也充斥了许多质量不佳的书籍，要在每年出版的几十万本新书中筛选到好书，更是难上加难。

我也不是一个经常读书的人。但因为工作关系，经常接触到书籍，看到有兴趣的书籍，还是忍不住借了回家读（结果书桌上堆满了图书馆的书，邮箱挤满了图书馆的renewal notices。。。大家可千万不能学我）。

有时候，觉得这本书好像不错。细读之下，却又让人大失所望。那种被煸又无奈浪费了时间的心情，还真是忍无可忍。可是千万不要因为这样而排斥找书来读。因为在不小心借了很多错误的书时，你已经慢慢地训练自己的品位和知识。接下来就是等着读好书的时候了。

读到一本好书的喜悦是无法形容的。它会让你心跳加速，手指兴奋到发抖地翻阅每一页。眼睛不断吞噬着每一行字。你可以三餐不吃（有点困难，因为母亲总会撕破喉咙，喊你到去吃饭为止。对不起，妈妈！），甚至因为睡眠不足，顶着两个黑眼圈去上班。在读完心爱作家所有的作品后，会迫不及待地等着下个作品，就像等着最新的游戏机面市一样焦虑。

大学的教育就是为培养有见识，有自己思想的人民。能够自我思考的人不会盲目地跟着社会潮流，甚至是政治动向行走。他们有自己的判断力和分析能力，能够适时地剖析讯息，提出独特的见解。我一直觉得教育有两种：一种是 those trained with skills，还有一种就是 those trained to think。而文科便是属于第二类。

能自我分析和思考事情，听起来好像很简单，其实一点也不容易。整个逻辑的分析、讯息的解剖都需要经过训练和不断地练习，才能变成一个成熟的技能。过程的重要一环便是要读书。不只要读书，还要看好书。经典的、最新的理论都要懂，才能有一个很好很扎实的理论框架。看大师们的著作，读他们如何收集资料、进行研究，最后得出精彩的结论。这是一种人生的体验和享受。

尤其在大学，你更有名正言顺的理由把房间的地板和床上弄得像个“书窝”（因为不用腾出位置放孩子的玩具）。只有在大学时，你才有空读书读到三更半夜（因为明天不用去上班）。只有在大学，你才能和朋友高谈阔论分享昨天读的精彩书籍（因为在这个阶段每个人都被迫读书）。只有在大学，你才能彻底地享受读书的过程。

在这里和这里与大家分享两本由爱书的人所写的书籍。

书名：《保町書蟲 : 愛書狂的東京古書街朝聖之旅》

作者：池谷伊佐夫文 ・圖 ; 桑田草譯

索书号：Z463.83.T65I26 

顾名思义，书本介绍的是日本东京的书街。对于不会读日文的读者，也许会觉得没兴趣。但是这本书的特色是除了介绍书街，还介绍了各种逛书街的技巧。例如：怎样乔装成买书人的模样，才不会被店主用扫把赶出来（对不起，各位书店老板！）。内容除了用文字详细介绍要买什么类别的书籍，应该到哪间书店，还用了有趣但不失细节的插图，描绘出书店的样貌，测地地表现出一个爱书人的狂热。爱书的人读到这本书，会有一种找到知己的感动。

书名：《我的伦敦札记：在甘地铜像前》

作者：李有成

索书号：PL2876.E38Z21

书中内容记载了作者本身在伦敦做研究时的经历。游记方面的书是很多，但难得的是作者本身是西方文学的教授，里头记载了很多他个人的读书经验。不只如此，这本书也体现出了他从文学作品中，理解到的社会现象，学会提问问题，而不是盲目地接受。文字方面非常流畅，读起来一点都不费劲。喜欢西方文学的初学者，可以拿起这本书来读读。

编者：汪惠迪

出版社：联邦出版社1999

在图书馆架上找到这本书籍《新加坡特有词语词典》，收入了在新加坡华语中能找到的特别词汇。在每个词汇后段，编者汪惠迪先生还说明在其他地方的华人又是用什么词汇来代替。汪惠迪先生曾任新加坡报业控股华文报集团语文顾问。因工作所需，他时时留意台海两岸、港澳地区和新马的华语语用状况，加以比较，细究表里。最后，还出版了几本相关的书籍。例如：《华语规范字典》、《新加坡特有词语探微》、《华文字词句》。

Director: Ten Shimoyama

Written by: Kenya Hirata

Starring: Nakama Yukie; Odagiri Joe

Release date: 17th September 2005 (in Japan) 

Story plot: Too simple and short. Not much development in storyline or characters. Bascially it walks along a path of the leaders of two opposing shinobi clans falling in love with each other, while their clans faces destruction from the Ieyasu Tokugawa Shogun at the same time. 

Plus points: The Cinematography. Absolutely stunning contrasting of natural colours. From sunset red to sky blue. From emerald forest green to snow white. The movie is a great one to behold for the playing and contrasting of colours. What is even more wonderful is the director using natural sounds, such as the running stream water, twirping of the birds to combine with the images, thus giving a totally refreshing and unexpected portrayal for shinobi movies. The atmosphere created is soothning, beautiful, sad, and totally “nihon desu” at the same time.

Another unexpected factor is the filming itself which contains a strong flavour of anime charcacters style. A bit exagerrating perhaps for audiences not used to watching animation, however, totally refreshing when the characters’ unqiueness combine with the above mentioned cinematography. (By the way, the one who designed the charcters for this movie is the same manga master who drew Record of Loddos War, an anime classic which I am sure lots of people know of.) Congratulations to the director for having combine the two strong factors of the movie so well! Take note of the fighting styles of each of the shinobi when watching this film, especially Gennosuke!