In Quest of Good Books

I have always loved good books. I remembered during our honeymoon in Los Angeles, Ming offered me to go to Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive and somehow I preferred to spend hours in Barnes & Nobles to Borders. During our two weeks there, I had never once set a foot on Rodeo Drive and had never regretted it. My favorite spot back in college is the Fifth floor of my University library, and if you ask me now what I really want to do, I want to become a Librarian.

Simon Fraser University, W.A.C Bennett Library, Burnaby. the bottom windows are actually the fifth floor

The library is my church. Don't get me wrong, I'm not an atheist, but the place always manages to bring peace and quiet to my mind, and when you stop and think about it, there's nothing that speaks louder of God's greatness than being surrounded by the written works of human minds, whether they are historical accounts of past kings and conquests, whether they are popped-up books for toddlers, or Tolkien's works, or a memoir of a prairie girl who lived more than a hundred years ago in De Smet, South Dakota.

I don't love a particular genre, and have no favorite author. Some books left a profound impression and overtime I will always reach out for it again and again and again. Some books I regretted buying and others I bought because well, I just want to read something. Anything. and promptly forgot about it.

Borrowing the words of Forrest Gump, buying a book was like a box of chocolate, you never know what you're going to get. I learned this first time on 6th grade elementary, when our teacher introduced us to library for the first time and asked us to borrow a book. I pulled one form the shelf. It was an old, thick, yellowing book with funny, molding smell. I forgot why I was drawn to that book, but I'd like to think my overactive imagination half expected I would open it and found an old treasure map or something.

I had never read a book more than twenty pages and never without pictures before. Well, thisbook was about 300 pages and there's no pictures at all. I opened and started reading and before I know it, the bell rang and I've finished a chapter and couldn't wait to go home and keep reading.

This book was the first book that got me hooked to reading. The title was, Little House on the Prairie, the author, Laura Ingalls Wilder. My daughter's full name is Felicia Laura Oei. While Ming will always think Felicia's middle name is the feminine keepsake of his name, Lawrence, I will aways think her middle name is a tribute to Laura Ingalls. I hope one day Felicia will read and cherish her books.

In 2002, in a used book sale in the corner of a mall in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, I pulled out an extremely thick book (around 2.5 inches), hoping that it would last for the rest of the road trip all the way to Winnipeg and back to Vancouver. I also thought the hardcover is kinda cool since it would stand the coffee stains, sticky fingers and made a good hard surface if I want to write something. Plus, it was a good deal for CAD $ 1.

The book was Roots, the author, Alex Hailey. It was, and still is, a treasure. I missed a good portion of Canadian Rockies scenery while bawling my eyes out reading this. If you love to read, this is one book that you should never miss in your lifetime. It makes you think of where you come from, the people who lived, loved, and died before you; the people who existed and therefore you come to being.

I know I've always wanted to go to that small village in Hubei, China and saw with my own eyes my father's family name there. Perhaps if I'm lucky, the house and land which once belonged to my great-grandfather, said to be a Landlord before the Communist Party took his land, was still standing.

One day, a couple of years ago, my friend told me about this book, called, The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho. I asked him what it was about and I remembered he told me it's about a shepherd who went to see the pyramids and met an alchemist along the way who knew how to make gold and gotten beat up in the process. The shepherd, not the alchemist. I know. My first reaction was, huh?

Mostly due to this confusing summary that I almost missed reading this jewel. Then on a trip to a local bookstore, I found out that the English version of this book was actually quite cheap compare to other titles and decided to buy it. I almost cried of boredom when I read the first few chapters of this book, but I was a true believer by the end of it.

"When a person really desires something, all the universe conspires to help that person to realize his dream" - The Alchemist

This book is about following your dream, and not letting anything stops you. Even if it took years and plenty distractions and sets back along the way. Even if it sometimes your dream seemed unrealistic and other opportunities in front of you seemed to good to miss. It's about having faith and carry on.

Unfortunately, I wasn't the shepperd in the book. I was more like the crystal merchant who hang on to his dream but after having the means to pursue it, simply chose not to for fear that 1) once he achieves his dream, what would he live and long for? 2) what if his dream, in reality, is not as good as he had visioned it to be?

Anyway, you simply have to read it to get it. All the way. Hang on during the first rather confusing and seemingly pointless chapters, it all makes sense in the end. I promise. Plus, it's rather short and the language is easy.

Finally, as you all know, sometime last year I became obsessed with Alexander Skarsgard, which led me to read and watch Generation Kill (still watch it several times). Anyways, while I'm still a fan, I had overcome my Skarsgardian, sweede-tooth, addiction to anything related to the actor, one thing I have never regretted was stumbling on this book, One Bullet Away by Nathaniel Fick.

The book follows a part of his life from when he decided to join the military to his resignation. Nathaniel Fick is an ivy league Classic scholar who felt he was born in a wrong time. He wanted to test himself and followed a rite of passage to become a man, instead of joining Corporate America upon graduation. Other military branches offered him scholarship, experiences, money to join, but the United States Marines Corps instead asked him if he had what it takes to be a Marine. That convinced him to sign up for their Officer program.

It was his father’s words that best summed up the decision and the first chapters of the books, “The Marines will teach you everything I love you too much to teach you”

He joined a peacetime military and was in Australia when 9/11 happened. He and his platoon left directly to Pakistan, was on a mission in Afghanistan, and in 2003, he led a platoon of reconnaissance marines, spearheading the invasion of Iraq in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He returned to United States safely with all of his men (only one casualty), but a changed man. In his own words, he basically said, the kid who went to Iraq had never returned.

He was a Captain when he resigned from the Marine Corps. He was only twenty five then.

Remember how we wondered where we’re going to be when we turned twenty five, Sheila? I have to say, nothing beats leading a platoon of men into war and came home alive. He returned, and signed up for dual graduate degree in Harvard Business School and Kennedy School of Government. He is now happily married, and works in Washington DC. Oh, this book he wrote was on New York Time best seller, and he was also one marine officer depicted glowingly in Generation Kill by Evan Wrights, both in books and the HBO mini series, more on that later.

This man is for real. He seemed to embody what being an American is all about, which is a refreshing change after hearing about The Jershey Shore “The Situation” or Jon Gossellin from the former show Jon and Kate plus eight.

America, you still have hope.

There you are Felicia, the four books your mom LOVES to read and will continue to read over and over again. There is very few that I'm looking forward more than the chance to talk about these books with you once you read them, if you want to of course, over a cup of coffee after we go shopping with your dad's credit card.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do, and I can't wait to know what books you love to read!