In the spirit of Merdeka, I’ve gone and bought “The
Reluctant Politician”.
I know I’m seven years too late but I’ve never gotten round
to either buying or reading a borrowed copy.
Along came the Tanda Putra re-showing, and I’d have to say
that my interests perked up again over the book.
A visit of UM and its bookshop at the Perdana Siswa complex bore
fruit as there was a single copy available.
Just as the opening few pages of Reza Aslan’s “Tiada Tuhan
Melainkan Allah” saw me buying a copy and reading it in toto, Reluctant
Politician’s foreward by Tun Salleh
Abbas provides an equally magnetic opening for the book.
It has been ages since I last read a good historical book /
novel with the last being Farish Noor’s “What the teacher didn’t tell you”
which was a really difficult title to finish as it was written in a very
academic manner; i.e. complete with citations and footnotes galore.
Suffice to say, I’d like a fair amount of (ahem) “creative
license” in my readings to add a certain zest to an otherwise dry subject.
Not lies, though. There’s really a clear line between fact,
fiction and creative interpretations.
Let’s see if I can finish reading “The Reluctant Politician”
in a single weekend. A much better way
to pass this weekend than going out to watch the Merdeka Parade or “Tanda Putra”,
I suppose.
Now if only Dina (“I am Muslim”) Zaman would finish her
Memali Revisit. I’d buy and read THAT.
And, before I forget, Happy 56th year of Kemerdekaan,
everyone.
