Hi. Today I will be sharing about the novels that I usually read :)
The novels that I read are mostly from Taiwan, which was influenced by my friend since Form 2. At that time, we had a sudden craze about novels. We bought novels for collections, borrowed novels from each other, had discussion and shared opinions about the storyline, it was really fun!
Everyone had their own favourite book author at that time (because of individuality problem :P). Mine was jht, but the most mainstream book author was no doubt, Giddens Ko.
Giddens.
He is currently the most popular and successful book author in Taiwan. His nickname in Chinese means "nine knives", which he got it from his friends during high school. He started his career since 2000, which he first published online. Until now he have already written over 60 novels, some of them were filmed into dramas, movies, theater performances and even online games!
One of the most popular novel that he wrote.
In year 2010, he became the director for his movie "You Are the Apple of My Eye" (which is the novel shown above). The story is actually based on his real life during his time at high school, which he went after this particular girl for 8 years. This novel was the all-time-favourite for the readers and the movie was also a hit.
So, what makes it sopopular? It is all because of the story which resonates with our lives. Anyone of us will surely have the same experience, no matter during high school or other times - falling in love with this one and only special person who once meant the whole world to you. It reminds people of the good old days, those sweet memories that we can never forget during our most energetic, exciting and interesting stage in our lives.
"You Are the Apple of My Eye"
Giddens also took a step further recently by publishing all his novels for free as an e-book application. Readers from now on do not need to go to the bookstores to buy his novels anymore! He made this application not only because of the change of reading habits due to technology, it is also because people can find lots of online version for free, so why not just create an official app for it? But I still prefer the hard copy of the book, the smell and the feel of it. It is also a form of love and support from me to the author! :D
All the novels for free!!
Enough about Giddens. Let's talk about the differences between the novels here and the novels in Taiwan.
We can actually see small differences between them. Firstly, the novels in Taiwan are all in Traditional Chinese, which the characters are more complex than Modern Chinese. It is also because of their national language in Taiwan.
Secondly, the words and sentences in the book are printed vertically. We will need to read the sentence from up to down, then left to right. The vertical format is somehow the same as the books back in the ancient time of China, but modernized because initially books were read from right to left.
Although some of the books selling here are more pricey because of the shipping fees, but most people here in our country still have the habit of bringing them home for own collection. As we all know that e-books has become the current trend but the hard copy of books will never die because good books are always worth the price :)
Since my hometown is very near to Singapore, I shall talk about the various magazines published in Singapore. And since there are so many magazines available in Singapore, I am only focusing on the magazines published by Mediacorp - the largest media broadcaster and provider in Singapore.
1980
Launch of Radio and TV guide
Rolling off the presses for the very first time in 1980, the Radio and TV Times became an important source of weekly radio and television programme schedules for Singaporeans. First published in English, then Chinese, these magazines also served up local and international entertainment news and trivia. They have grown to be today's best-selling 8DAYS and i-Weekly magazines.
14 Feb 2005
International and regional publications added
MediaCorp's publishing arm, MediaCorp Publishing, expanded its range of titles to include several international and regional titles. Among these were Singapore's No. 1 men's magazine, FHM, the local edition of an international franchise spanning 27 countries. The stable of titles also encompassed parenting magazine Mother & Baby as well as Asian Diver, a regional publication distributed in 16 countries.
Here are some of the most popular and best-selling magazines in Singapore:
i-WEEKLY.
i-WEEKLY - Singapore’s best-read magazine for the past three decades, i-weekly is a 2-in-1 value-for-money delight each week. Insider scoops on local and regional stars, TV and movie updates, the latest in lifestyle trends, hotspots, malls and restaurants – they’re all here in this Chinese-language weekly, along with each week’s much-anticipated drama synopses.
8 DAYS.
8 DAYS - Singapore’s definitive pop/culture navigator, 8 DAYS is consistently Singapore’s best-selling English language magazine and the go-to guide for showbiz and lifestyle news, gossip, the latest in food, shopping, health and wellness, along with authoritative movie reviews, TV and music features.
MANJA.
MANJA - Singapore’s best-selling Malay entertainment and lifestyle magazine. Packed with celebrities’ update and discerning tips for the urban Malays.
STYLE:
STYLE: - Singapore’s fashion, beauty and lifestyle magazine. Positioned as the fashion guide for independent, sophisticated Singapore women.
STYLE: Interactive is the digital version of Singapore's top fashion and beauty title. With STYLE: on the iPad, you can now enjoy your monthly reading fix on the go! "
My favourite magazine of all is the i-Weekly. It is only available in Singapore. I love the gossip news which are very exclusive and interviews with different artiste every week. Other than that, the magazine also includes lifestyle, fashion, and good food around Singapore. With a reasonable price we can get lots of information just in one magazine.
The most special part of all is it has a part at the last few pages of the magazine, featuring the synopsis of the local dramas in Singapore for the week. It is very cool to read before we watch it on television, but of course it kills our curiosity because we can anticipate what will happen in the drama.
In general, magazines not only provide us juicy news but the most important part is it teaches us simple skills, for example the makeup and hair tutorials in fashion magazines, the cooking recipes provided in some of the magazines and also some useful tips for our daily lives. To conclude, magazines not only provide us entertainment but also benefits people with their own way :)
Historical Importance of the Berlin Wall:
The Berlin Wall was the physical division between West Berlin and East Germany. However, it was also the symbolic boundary between democracy and Communism during the Cold War.
Dates:
August 13, 1961 -- November 9, 1989
Also Known As:
Berliner Mauer (in German)
Overview of the Berlin Wall:
The Berlin Wall was erected in the dead of night and for 28 years kept East Germans from fleeing to the West. Its destruction, which was nearly as instantaneous as its creation, was celebrated around the world.
West
Germany, late 1950s.
With the
help and support of its occupying powers, West Germany set up a capitalist
society and experienced such a rapid growth of their economy that it became
known as the “economic miracle”. With hard work, individuals living in West
Germany were able to live well, buy gadgets and appliances, and to travel as
they wished. Jane was here, waiting for Mike's arrival.
East
Germany, late 1950s.
It was nearly the opposite for Mike. Since the
Soviet Union had viewed their zone as a spoil of war, the Soviets pilfered
factory equipment and other valuable assets from their zone and shipped them
back to the Soviet Union. When East Germany became its own country, it was
under the direct influence of the Soviet Union and thus a Communist society was
established. The economy dragged and individual freedoms were severely
restricted.
They could only meet each other every fortnight
because both of them were living at the different side of Germany. They were grateful for each meeting, at the same time living in fear, the fear of being apart from each other. The only thing they
could do was to cherish the little time they had together.
Soon, many people living in East Germany wanted out. No longer able to stand
the repressive living conditions of East Germany, they would pack up their bags
and head to West Berlin. Although some of them would be stopped on their way, hundreds
and thousands of others made it across the border. Once across, these refugees
were housed in warehouses and then flown to West Germany. Many of those who
escaped were young, trained professionals. By the early 1960s, East Germany was
rapidly losing both its labor force and its population.
12th August 1961
“Let’s do
it.” said Mike to his friends - Peter, William and Harris. Finally, after a long discussion, Mike
decided to leave here and start a new life with Jane. It
was hard for him to make this decision as he cannot bear to leave his life since young here. But he could no longer
stand it anymore, no freedom, and being separated with his loved ones. “ Tomorrow morning, we shall leave this place.”
He didn't know that his biggest nightmare was coming true. Having already lost 2.5
million people, the East Germany desperately needed to stop this mass emigration.
The obvious leak was the easy access East Germans had to West Berlin. Desperate
to keep its citizens, East Germany decided to build a wall to prevent them from
crossing the border. The midnight just before the date of escape for Mike(August
12th -13th), trucks with soldiers and construction workers rumbled through East
Berlin. While most Berliners were sleeping, these crews began tearing up
streets that entered into West Berlin, dug holes to put up concrete posts, and
strung barbed wire all across the border between East and West Berlin.
Telephone wires between East and West Berlin were also cut.
No longer
could East Berliners cross the border. No longer could the approximately 60,000
commuters head to West Berlin for well-paying jobs. No longer could families,
friends, and lovers cross the border to meet their loved ones. Whichever side
of the border one went to sleep on during the night of August 12, they were
stuck on that side for decades.
13th August 1961
Mike and his
friends had the shocked of their life when they woke up that morning. After he slowly realized this horrifying truth, Mike quickly ran to the place where he first planned
to meet Jane. Many people were standing by the wall, searching their families, children and loved ones. It was the saddest scene Mike ever saw. “Jane, Jane!” shouted Mike along the Berlin Wall as he couldn't find
Jane. But as last, he found her. Tears were all over Jane’s face. “Mike, I am here!”
her hand was desperately waving towards to Mike, grabbing his attention. They
were only one wall apart from each other, but their distance was far away.
“Wait for
me Jane. I promise you that I will find my way and get through this wall. Wait
for me.”
“Please be
safe no matter what. I will always be here waiting for you.”
The journey
of Mike’s escape has started since that day. Some Berliners threw a rope over the Wall and
climbed up. Others rammed a truck or bus into the Wall and making a run for it.
Their attempts were successful. But for some who weren't that lucky, their
escaped became suicidal. Mike waited patiently for his turn, he didn't want to act rashly. He must plan
well for the sake of his life, and for the girl he loved, Jane. There must be a best way to escape.
But day by
day, the wall grows taller, broader, and more deadly – with watchtowers,
electrified fences, alarm wires, dogs and armed guards ready to shoot at anyone
who touches the Berlin Wall. The escape attempts were more complex.
17th August 1962
Four of them
gathered by the Wall. Peter and William couldn't wait anymore. “We've already waited for a year. Isn't that long enough? The more we
wait, the lesser the chance to escape!” said Peter. Without hesitating, they ran
towards the Wall with the intention on scaling it. Mike tried to stop them but failed.
Guards were by the Wall, they could easily lose their lives! “Boom!” A loud
sound of gunshot was heard. Mike quickly opened his eyes to see what was
happening. William managed to reach the Wall and successfully scaled it. But Peter,
he was not so lucky. As he was about to scale the wall, a border guard opened
fire.
“Peter!!
Don’t risk your life! Come back!!”
But he didn’t.
He
continued to climb the Wall, but ran out of energy just as he reached the top.
He then tumbled back onto the East German side of the Wall. To the shock of the
world, Peter was just left there. The East German guards did not shoot him
again nor did they go to his aid. Peter shouted in agony for nearly an hour. He
was bled to death. The East German guards carried off his body. He became the
50th person to die at the Berlin Wall and a symbol of the struggle for freedom.
This
incident had become a lesson for Mike and Harris. They couldn’t afford to risk
their lives anymore. Although people died during escape, but the Berliners didn’t
give up their chance to escape for freedom. Some people hid in car trunks,
hijacked a subway train, swing over the Wall hanging from a makeshift pulley,
and even fly across the border in a home-made hot air balloon.
“Let’s try
the Checkpoint Charlie.” said Mike to Harris. It was the main access point for
Allied personnel and Westerners to cross the border. Many people were begging the guards to let them cross over the border. Of course they only had a very low
chance to cross through that checkpoint, it was nearly impossible. Suddenly, Mike with his sharp eyes felt something was amiss somewhere near from the checkpoint. He
saw a guard moving suspiciously, was he trying to escape too?.
“Harris, finally
here come’s our chance.” said Mike.
Mike and
Harris quickly ran towards the guard and caught him. They brought him away from
the crowd. The guard was scared to death, seems like he was quite a timid
person. “What were you trying to do?” asked Mike.
“I want to escape from here
too! I cannot stand this place anymore!” said the Guard who was trembling while
answering the questions. His name was Jack.
“I was
forced to become a guard of the Berlin Wall. I hated here. There was no freedom
at all, even for us. I see people died from escaping every day, it was such a
tragedy. I couldn't take it anymore.” Jack calmed down after a few minutes.
“Great! Let’s escape from here together!” said Harris. “You can help us.”
“Alright.
Since I am already caught by both of you, I will help you two to escape. I
needed helping hands too.” said Jack.
“So what’s
your plan?” asked Mike.
“I am currently
building a tunnel. It’s located at one of the basement of the building in East
Berlin. With the help of both of you, the tunnel can be completed faster. It is
our only hope.”
And so
they started their work in building the tunnel. It was a tough time for them. There were times where Mike felt like giving up, it seems like digging a tunnel takes forever. They have already lost track of the time. Jane’s photo and their promise to each other was his motivation.
Harris and Jack also gave each other encouragement too, three of them worked all day long at the tunnel, looking forward to the day of freedom.
22th March 1962
Finally
after seven months, the tunnel was done. When the first time they saw the
sunlight, their eyes could barely open. “We made it!!” they cheered happily and
hugged each other for their success.
On the
other hand, Jane was always there, waiting for Mike almost every day at the usual spot they met.
She prayed for Mike’s safety, and every time she heard
the sound of gun shooting and the news of people died during escape, her heart
stopped for a second. She cried, she was worried. But of course,
she kept her promise. She was waiting for Mike, and there was the place where Mike saw her.
After separating from each other for 4 years, they were reunited.
9th November 1989
On the evening,
a sudden announcement was made by East German government official that the
borders were open after 27 years. People from East German approached the border and indeed
found that the border guards were letting people cross. Very quickly, the
Berlin Wall was full with people from both sides. Some began chipping at the
Berlin Wall with hammers and chisels. There was a huge celebration along the
Berlin Wall, with people hugging, kissing, singing, cheering, and crying.
There stood
Mike and Jane by the Berlin Wall, the Wall that separated them for years. Now
both of them were married with two kids. Harris, Jack and William eventually found well-paid jobs and led a new life in the West Germany. They live happily ever after, with
their story of the Berlin Wall forever etched in their hearts.
