Danny Craine’s—How to resist Amazon and why

This informative book is an eye opener for those purchasing from Amazon. It not only details the company’s treatment of its workers and its unscrupulous business practices, but also Jeff Bezos’s future plans are frightening. Although repetitive at times and focuses mainly on the company’s effect on the book industry, it is still an important read.

Anchee Min’s—The last Empress

In the 1850s, Orchid is a concubine to the Emperor Tzu Hsi, but when he dies she is thrust into the position of empress because she is the only concubine/wife to birth a son. She learns to govern with the help of her trusted friend, Yung Lu until her son, Tung Chih, is old enough to become emperor. China has gone through difficult times, it’s lost the first opium war and European and Japanese powers demand China cede control of ports and claim its wealth for themselves.

Continue reading →

Sultan Somjee’s—Bead Bai

During the 1900s in East Africa, Sakina has a happy childhood amongst stories her family tell her of their troubled lives in India, the difficulty of travelling by sea from Bombay to Mombasa and the jamat’s help when they first arrived. It is a detailed historical experience of Asians coming to East African told though the eyes of young Sakina. But when she marries, leaving her loved ones far behind, the only comfort she has from her nagging mother-in-law and constant housework, is Maasai beadwork.

This is the second time I’ve read this book. I could smell the dust and feel the vastness of the landscape through the experiences of Sakina travelling in Kenya early last century. In particular, I loved the beautiful meaning behind the beadwork explained by the old Maasai to Sakina.

Shuhei Fujisawa’s—Semishigure

In the days of the Samurai in ancient Japan, Bunshiro and his friends, Ippei and Yonosuke have a carefree childhood, but when Bunshiro’s father is accused of treason and forced to commit suicide, Bunshiro becomes head of the family and forced to take responsibility. While his two friends remain faithful, others shun him. Now in reduced circumstances, he puts all his effort into practising his fighting skill with bamboo swords.

While this story is about Bunshiro, it is an interesting look into past Japan, how government practices were carried out and at the same time, intrigue as those hungry for power, plot.