Daniel Armand Lee, whose Korean name is Lee Seon-Woong (이선웅), is more commonly known by his stage name Tablo (타블로). He is a hip hop musician, rap artist, songwriter and lyricist. He is best known as the rapper and leader of the South Korean hip hop group Epik High.
The stories aren't happy. They seldom end with their characters happy. Instead, you're given deep, insightful & uncensored stories that explore the dark side of human nature -- fear, pride, hate, regret. But along the way you also have characters that learn of the courage it takes to face life. From a son who manages to face his bully-of-a-father, to a young man having a bad drug trip, you're given a handful of such realistic characters with such raw emotions, that any one of these people could live off the page & fit seamlessly into our world.
After each story, you're left feeling like you need more, & that's really the only downside of the book. On one hand you wish for a proper ending or a clean finish as if it were a normal novel. But on the other hand, these stories reflect real life, & we all know that clean endings aren't always what we're given. So just a little advice: don't go into the book thinking that it'll contain proper stories with beginnings, middles & ends. Scrap that typical formula out of your mind, & just enjoy the book for what it is.
When I first looked at this book my friend was fangirling over, I just rolled my eyes and thought, just because its related to korean music and all that she wants to read it. I admit, I too was excited that she would be buying this book, reading it and was willing to lend it to me. The one thing I didn't expect: It was WAY better than I thought it would be. The stories are dark, cold and they give an even stronger look at people in the real world, unlike other books where the authors either over exaggerate or their characters are just too fake. It shocked me, it just......I really don't know how to describe or feel about this book really. Cold, lonely, sad, harsh, the words in this book just pull you into the story so strong you could almost feel the same atmosphere and smell the cigarette smoke...
Every semblance of writing, whatever form it chooses to present itself in, has some broader purpose/s. This broader purpose is displayed by the author's choice and use of language, often represented though various figurative and rhetorical devices.
Sometimes, when a novel or written piece exhibits an exceptional importance, I make an effort to analyze the linguistic skills employed by the author to give it that flare, that depth. Perhaps the most successful of attempt of this art that I have witnessed from an author's writing would have to be "Pieces of You", a collection of short stories written by a foreign musician, Tablo. The stories themselves are utterly uncomplicated, but dark.They are devoid of any groundbreaking twists or moments of earth shattering shock. Yet, the simplicity of the stories is the primary cause as to why they are relatable. They are ordinary, albeit depressing, situations that can occur with any individual, and that is the harsh beauty that lies underneath the veil. They are real. They exude the loneliness and emptiness of life with their every word. We, alongside the struggles of humankind, are mirrored in the text.
Now, what is the impact of Tablo's language in "Pieces of You"? In terms of diction, I have noticed the way that Tablo demonstrates vulgarity in the speech of the several characters in the collection, whether it be in their personal thoughts or through exchanges in conversations.Though it may seem unecessary, there is a succint reason as to why Tablo decides to do this. It's harsh, like the environment that all these characters are placed in, that Tablo himself was and is apart of. The vulgarity is not meant to arise distate, but is meant to show reality in its most brutal shape. Gold is not found in every corner; Not everything is as beautiful as it seems. The language of the characters displays their flaws, and perhaps, is reflective of our own. However, Tablo brilliantly establishes ethos in his prose when, aside from the speech of the characters, he displays tender and heartbreaking eloquence. It shows that he is an intelligent and credible author, but is not ignorant of the ways of the world.
The author also weaves symbolism into these stories. A prominent symbol that seems to appear in each and every situation is that of music. Music seems to penetrate the ugly and dreadful lives of the characters and provide them with a shining solace. It becomes hope for the tortured son in "Adante", when he absorbs the brilliance of the piano and believes the talent that has faded will return to his father's fingers if he waits. It transforms into an escape for Mike in "Counting Pulses", in which only the sound of his fragile mother's voice can lull him to sleep. Tablo desires to show the significance music, in it's ability to supply positive feelings within the empty souls of these characters, and the brutality of reality can be broken and an illusion of peace can be created when they meld themselves with the music, if only for a few minutes or hours. It saves them.
Futhermore, imagery plays an evident role in this masterful collection that contrats but aids the overall purpose of it.Many of the instances could have been easily delved out without much effort, but Tablo chooses to wonderfully describe the scenery, such as when he refers to the glowing street as a "nocturnal theater coming to life only for those who watched intently"(Tablo 62). These descriptions are not only meant to arouse emotions, but also emphasize how we, as a people, tend to overlook simplistic, everyday beauty. It is true that life scathes us, makes us suffer, and pains us. Just as the characters are consumed by their own issues, so too are we. Yet, we forget to appreciate what surrounds us. To shove away from all the pessimism in his stories and open the shut eyes of the readers', Tablo exaggerates this message with his use of imagery.
I cannot praise this novel enough. There is loneliness,bitterness,hatefulness, and all the pessimism of the world that we tend to avoid. The characters are hugely flawed and there are no heroes. However, the light of music and the tenderness of nature that Tablo writes of provides hope. In the end, two messages merge into one, singular purpose, that reality is unsatisfying and bitter, but a solace can be found if it is recognized and appreciated. I applaud the author for his efforts, his understanding, and his perfection in the craft of language.
I'll admit, I picked this book up because I'm a fan of Tablo's music. It's a bit superficial, I know, but at the same time if I hadn't known who Tablo was, I never would have picked this book up and I would have been worse for it.
Pieces of You is a little rough, more so than anything I've read before, and has a lot of real world darkness that I personally have never experienced. It was eye-opening. The writing style was very beautiful and sometimes lyrical, full of very visceral senses, and I could almost smell the cigarette smoke, almost feel the emotions the characters were feeling. It was very well written.
Knowing a little bit about Tablo's past, I was able to get a deeper understanding of him as a person by reading this. Because I'm a writer myself, I know that all writers put a little bit of themselves in their work, whether they know it or not. So to see this tiny glimpse of Tablo's soul was something I'm not going to forget very easily or quickly.
I'm not good at writing reviews- so please excuse me. I picked up this book in all honesty because I'm a fan of Tablo's music. I was curious. I know he has several degrees from Stanford, and I'm not ashamed to say I've got a slight case of hero worship when it comes to him- but I'm still harsh when it comes to books. I can't help it. I'm a 20- something with a penchant for video games and a case of ADD. (Not to sell myself short intellectually, but that's just how it is. I get bored easily.) This book grabbed my attention from the first story and kept it, because often the short stories were cleverly interconnected, which I LOVED. Tablo explored so many emotions of youth in this short book- I was amazed at how many of them tugged at my heart-strings. I'll be loaning this one out to friends as soon as possible.
Mình chần chừ đến bây giờ mới đọc quyển này do không thích bìa sách lắm, nhưng ngay từ trang mục lục để tạo cho mình cảm giác thích thú. Những chuyện đầu trong sách làm mình nhớ tới Zoo, rất kì lạ và khó hiểu. Bao trùm lên tất cả chỉ là cảm giác bức bối, như có gì đó tắc nghẽn trong lồng ngực mà không thoát ra được, nhưng vẫn bị hút vào. Gấp lại trang cuối cùng mình mới phát hiện mình đã khóc, không biết từ bao giờ. Những câu chuyện của Tablo rất sâu, và cảm giác cô đơn, vỡ vụn, như một bản nhạc đã mất đi những thanh âm, nó làm mình nghẹn ngào, và có chút gì đó nhói đau. Không biết diễn tả thế nào nữa, nhưng không thể tin được những truyện này được viết khi Tablo mới 10-20 tuổi. Thử tưởng tượng những gì Tablo đã trải qua, và viết ra những xúc cảm mà không cần gọi tên chúng ấy, như một phép màu vậy.
Tháng 10 năm 2019 Mình đọc thêm Pieces of You bản tiếng Anh, có rất nhiều từ chuyên ngành Âm nhạc nên dù có tìm trên Google vẫn không thể hiểu trọn vẹn nghĩa, nhưng nhiều câu hay lắm, không bị mất nghĩa như khi dịch qua bản tiếng Việt. Càng đọc mình lại càng bị cuốn theo sự cô đơn, nỗi buồn và những vụn vỡ của tuổi trẻ. Trước đây mình từng so sánh Pieces of You với Zoo, nhưng giờ lại cảm thấy như vậy có sự khập khiễng. Zoo mang đến những cảm giác lạ lẫm thiên nhiều về kinh dị, trong khi Pieces of You lại ẩn chứa những chấn thương tâm lý của con người. 4,25/5 sao cho cuốn sách này.
Tháng 2 năm 2023 Thêm 1 lần nữa mình đọc lại "Những mảnh ghép cuộc đời" Lần này đi Hà Nội 1 mình, lại vào mùa lạnh, tình cờ thấy sách ở thư viện D Free nên mượn về đọc. Đọc rồi thấy cô đơn và vụn vỡ, dù mình vẫn không thực sự hiểu câu chuyện mà Tablo viết. Mà có lẽ do lòng mình đang buồn, cùng với cái thời tiết âm u mấy ngày Hà Nội vào mùa nồm, nên đọc sách càng thấy thêm tê tái. Nỗi buồn, sự hoang mang, những tổn thương không thể tỏ bày, sự từ bỏ.... từng cung bậc cảm xúc như muốn bóp nghẹn trái tim mình. Đọc sách xong thấy càng buồn hơn nữa, một nỗi buồn mà mình không thể gọi tên. Nhưng em sách này đã giúp mình cảm nhận được những cảm xúc "tối" sâu thẳm mà mình có lẽ đã không biết về bản thân mình. Hơi tiếc là ở đây không có bản tiếng Anh. Mình hơi nhớ câu chữ của bản tiếng Anh, vì khắc họa cảm xúc chân thật và trần trụi hơn rất nhiều.
“I’m afraid I’ll be a book that no one reads. Music that no one listens to anymore. I’m afraid I’ll be abandoned like a movie playing in an empty theater.”
I purchased the book in Korea and it was shrink-wrapped so I couldn't even preview it. Turns out that the text is pretty big and the lines are spaced out really far apart so it was actually a really quick read. The thing is, I was expecting more because it looked thicker than it really was.
The actual stories are okay. I don't know if it's because of some pre-conceived notions I have towards Tablo but most of the stories aren't that memorable I guess.
I'd say if you can borrow it from someone go ahead but I wouldn't really buy it. Too expensive for such a flimsy collection of short stories.
Edit: And I think if he is really serious about writing, he needs to keep doing it (not just writing song lyrics). It's a novelty reading a book by a musician like Tablo but it doesn't feel like anything substantial.
This was a reread done for a readathon I was doing with my friend. I’m so happy I chose to go back to this book I read nine years ago. I was struck by this weird feeling of nostalgia and melancholy. The book consists of ten short stories and each of them has some musical element inside (because the author is a musician). They also talk about anxiety, family problems, youth, death and other topics revolving going into adulthood. Basically, the stories are dark and cold. I first read them when I was around 14, so I didn’t really understand the meaning behind the words, but now I do and I can truly appreciate this book the way it was meant to be appreciated. I hope to read it again after ten years and see how my perception has changed again.
I finished this book in one sitting, and I didn't want it to ever end. The writing is raw and allows you to experience these human emotions in a way that just leaves you with a strange sense of affinity? The stories get under your skin (for lack of a better term), like an itchy feeling that springs out of nowhere. This book left me troubled, but inspired. Sad but strangely angrier than ever. Writing this review now I realize this book is Youth.
Ada segudang effort ekstra dari gue untuk mendapatkan buku ini. Mulai dari nekat pengin beli via online di Amazon (tapi dilarang orangtua), dan untungnya gak jadi. Lalu, ingin beli via forum TabloIndonesia juga, tapi ternyata PO-nya udah ditutup, selain itu harganya juga mahal tenan. Well, tapi sepertinya Tuhan tahu kalau gue beneran sangat pengin membaca buku ini, dan voila, tiba-tiba beberapa hari lalu, ada terjemahan Bahasa Indonesia-nya di rak "new release" Gramedia.
Dari awal, kenapa gue pengin sekali membaca buku ini, bukan lantaran penulisnya Tablo dan ya sih, gue sangat mengagumi masterpiece Tablo di Epik High bersama Mithra Jin dan Tukutz. Tapi, kalau soal urusan menulis, gue juga sempat ragu, apakah Tablo beneran bisa menulis atau nggak, but well, "Pieces of You" bener-bener membuktikan kalau yang selama ini gue curgiai itu salah besar.
Gue sangat suka gaya penulisan Tablo. Terlepas dari kebudayaan Asia yang menjadi asalnya, tapi, kesan New York dan Amerika di "Pieces of You" terasa sangat kental. Di dalamnya terdapat sepuluh cerita pendek: 1. Adante 2. Menghitung Denyut 3. Cuti 4. Tikus Got 5. Ruang Sempit 6. Segelas Kemenangan 7. Dinding-Dinding Dunia Kita 8. Kejahatan Berlatar Benci 9. Coup de Grace 10. Strawberry Fields Selamanya
Dari antologi "Pieces of You", bisa dibilang kalau seluruhnya memang sangat mencitrakan diri Tablo. Gelap. Melankolis. Dan dingin. Kendati latar belakang plotnya kadang menyangkutpautkan cinta tapi cinta yang dimaksud tidak hanya antara lawan jenis, tapi terhadap orang tua, sahabat, dan juga banyak pergelutan masalah orang-orang kota pada umumnya. Komposisinya sangat urbanis. Pendeskripsiannya pun terlihat sangat egois, Tablo lebih sering menceritakan narasi detail terhadap emosi dan konflik batin seseorang ketimbang latar tempat atau karakteristik dari orang di sekitar si karakter utama.
Dan setelah membaca "Pieces of You" gue menduga kalau buku tersebut memiliki sangkutpaut dengan album Epik High "Pieces, Part One", dari banyaknya istilah-isitlah yang sama yang digunakan di keduanya, seperti: Icarus dan Pieces of You sendiri mungkin adalah mutasi dari judul lagu: "Dangshinui Jogakdeul".
Kalau ditanya tentang mana aja cerita yang menurut gue paling bagus?
Um, semuanya bisa dibilang bagus. Tapi, yang membekas hanya tiga. Membekas dalam persepsi gue adalah cerita yang tidak bisa ditebak ujungnya, yaitu "Adante", "Menghitung Denyut", dan "Coup de Grace". "Adante" bercerita tentang seorang pianis muda yang kecewa terhadap ayahnya yang terkena Alzheimer. Kesan pertama saat gue membaca, ceritanya sangat dingin dan tua. Melankolis dan penuh dengan rasa kecewa. Tablo tidak benar-benar menuturkan tentang keadaan seseorang secara gamblang. Tapi, dia membuka satu per satu ciri-ciri penokohan tersebut, sehingga menjadikan ceritanya menarik di akhir, saat pembaca tahu, sebenarnya apa yang terjadi di antara para karakternya.
Kalau "Menghitung Denyut", er... ceritanya memang agak tricky sih, tapi ada kejutan kecil di belakang. Dan terakhir, "Coup de Grace", gue suka sekali yang satu ini. Sungguh menggambarkan orang kota saat ini, seorang ayah yang ambisius, penuh problema lantaran istrinya selingkuh dengan saingannya, terlebih ia selalu mencemooh anaknya dengan kata "pengecut". Tapi, di akhir cerita, akhirnya terungkap, siapa yang pengecut sesungguhnya.
Well, sebagai penutup, gue pengen membahas tentang cover dan terjemahannya. Kalau soal cover, gue suka, karena penerbit Matahari, tidak mengganti cover ver. Inggris aslinya sehingga cover tersebut tetap mencitrakan isinya dengan sangat mendalam. Simpel. Dingin (seperti tulisan Tablo) :D. Dan juga gelap seperti nuansa di akhir tiap ceritanya. Tapi, kalau soal terjemahan, gue merasa, ini agak kurang. Banyak kalimat-kalimat yang membingungkan untuk dibaca sehingga kadang gue harus membaca dua kali untuk mengerti apa yang ditulis oleh sang penerjemah. Um, tapi sebelumnya gue emang sempat membaca ver. Inggrisnya sedikit sih, dan memang Tablo menulis ceritanya seperti kepingan puisi, sehingga banyak kalimat yang agak sulit dimengerti. Ya, jadi... kalau untuk diterjemahkan, memang kali ya akan mengalami kekurangan preposisi, dan juga beberapa prefiks dan sufiks.
"Pieces of You" sepertinya bakal menjadi bacaan yang pas untuk temen-temen yang punya hobi membaca kumpulan cerpen Indonesia. Sastranya tetap kuat. Temanya juga sangat jarang ditemukan.
Bahkan mata kita pun tak beradu -saat itu- Di Toko Merah. Berlanjut di sebuah pojok -saat itu- entah apa yang ada di pikiranmu, bintang, lampu ataukah petir yang tiba-tiba berkilat di kepalamu sehingga kau mengingatku.
Dingin kau bilang. Wah, aku pernah seperti itu -Dingin- Sepi kau bilang. Wah, aku mulai serius. Kemudian kau memulai cerita pengembaraanmu, pertemuanmu dengan wanita perkasa dari negeri dingin, tiba-tiba kau melompat ke seorang parasit yang aku hanya sebatas tahu, lalu kembali kau ceritakan gambar-gambar menyeramkan yang kau lihat pada suatu siang, juga kenangan orang-orang tercintamu. Dasar Kutu Loncat! Ternyata kita jauh, heh!
AHA! Aku ingat! Hot Green Tea Latte. Minuman hijau itu begitu dekat dan hangat menyeruak tiba-tiba. Dan hey, kau tertawa -bingung- Entah apa yang membuatmu tergelak. Sepertinya kau sudah merasa dekat dan hangat.
Dan aku pun bercerita padamu mengenai Buku Hitam yang datang dari musim yang putih. Saat kusentuh -dingin- kubaca dalam kelam dan kehampaan. Gelap kesan yang kutangkap, terlalu banyak kesedihan, keputusasaan dan kekacauan hidup. Padahal kau tahu, aku membacanya di tengah keramaian musik, hingar-bingar pesta, mobil lalu lalang, orang-orang yang saling berteriak bahkan kicau burung pagi hari di pinggir jendela. Dan hey, aku menemukan temaram lilin 'I wish I never had to Stop' di akhir cerita -hangat-
Hey kau, Lelaki Dingin! Sebelumnya jangan besar kepala, aku hanya ingin berbagi cerita tentang dirimu 'Pieces of You'. Kau tidak dingin, tidak pula sepi. Kau hanya jauh -jauh-
a long time ago remembering someone in somewhere -roos 01/11/11
=========================================
Baca Bareng ma Echa, baru buka plastiknya euy dan ada puisinya pula...hehehe. Ehhhmmm keren juga...cantumin ah.
My heart was closed. Cold. I was self-conscious and cynical.
There are the pieces of my youth, the small secret and the not-so-great expectations that defined my coming of age.
But through the craft, through my love for writing, I discovered a world outside of the small windowless one I had built for myself. A world of softspoken beauty.
So here I am, choosing to kick away the ladder so that I may remain at your side.
Awalnya saya tidak tahu kalau Tablo menulis sebuah buku. Saya mendengarkan musik-musiknya belakangan ini sejak Tablo muncul di sebuah reality show bertajuk Superman Returns bersama putrinya, Haru. Sampai akhirnya saya iseng mencari keyword Haru karena sedang mencari buku terbitan penerbit Haru. Dan, buku Pieces of You adalah salah satu buku yang muncul di hasil pencarian! What a coincidence! Ternyata, salah satu teman saya di Goodreads sudah membaca terjemahan buku ini. Saya pun penasaran seperti apa hasil tulisan Tablo.
Pieces of You. Seperti judulnya, buku ini terdiri dari sepuluh cerpen yang menceritakan kegalauan masa muda, Beberapa potert kehidupan kita tersaji dalam kisah-kisah karya Tablo ini. Berikut kesepuluh kisah ini.
Semua kisah dalam buku Pieces of You ini memiliki aura melankolis dan depresi. Endingnya pun semuanya tidak menyenangkan. Berdasarkan tanggal yang tercantum di bawah judul, sepertinya Tablo menulis kisah-kisah ini ketika dia sedang ada di Amerika Serikat, menuntut ilmu di Stratford. Hal ini membuat saya bertanya-tanya apakah kisah-kisah ini terinspirasi dari hidupnya selama di Amerika Serikat atau hidup orang-orang di sekitarnya dulu.
Bahasa yang disajikan pun sederhana namun tetap bernapaskan high-literature class. Mungkin ini berhubungan dengan latar belakangnya semasa remaja ketika dia menghidupkan kembali majalah kesusasteraan sekolah yang sempat punah, Kaleidoscope, dan bertindak sebagai Pemimpin Redaksi. Saya belum membaca versi bahasa Inggrisnya. Jadi, saya tidak mau membandingkan terjemahannya. Namun, sebagai pembaca, saya cukup terkesan dengan penerjemahnya, Meda Satrio, karena tetap mempertahankan napas sastra buku ini.
Buku ini saya rekomendasikan untuk kalian yang ingin membaca kisah yang berbeda, untuk kalian yang sedang galau dengan masa muda kalian, juga untuk kalian penggemar karya-karya Tablo. :)
My heart was closed. Cold. I was self-conscious and cynical.
There are the pieces of my youth, the small secret and the not-so-great expectations that defined my coming of age.
But through the craft, through my love for writing, I discovered a world outside of the small windowless one I had built for myself. A world of softspoken beauty.
So here I am, choosing to kick away the ladder so that I may remain at your side.
I understand your solitude I see your shadow.
2009. Feb, Tablo
Jujur aja baca ini bikin aku mikir... hahaha soalnya bahasa Inggrisnya bikin gak ngerti... >.< Ceritanya lumayan lah... yang paling aku suka pas cerpen pertama...
saat sang ayah dan puteranya sedang mendengarkan musik sang ayah saat dulu masih menjadi pianist.
ayahnya bertanya: What do you hear? Puteranya: I hear you breathing.
yang bikin aku terpesona adalah cover dan ilustrasinya... bagus >.<
Entah apa yang harus saya tulis untuk menggambarkan cerita-cerita dalam buku ini. Cerita-ceritanya nya terlalu mengejutkan untuk saya, menghempaskan saya ke suatu ruang yang saya sendiri tidak tahu ruang seperti apa.
Hitam dan Kelam.
Saya terus menelusuri kepekatan, terbawa oleh suatu keyakinan akan adanya cahaya dalam kekelaman. Walau itu hanya secercah cahaya. Secercah cahaya yang membuat saya tersenyum.
Kegelapan pasti akan menemukan cahayanya sendiri.
Terima kasih untuk mas Andy yang sudah memberikan buku ini buat saya, saya belajar sesuatu dari buku ini. Gomabseumnida :)
I actually picked up this book wondering to myself, "What can a musician of his caliber write? What more in English?" At the time I was having writer's block and had to produce a piece for my Advance Creative Writing class but was definitely in a tight spot. I never regretted getting the book. The minute I picked it up I couldn't put it down. The book is a compilations of stories which Tablo had written during his college years. The man is not only amazing at composing and writing lyrics but this collection of stories proves that he is also quite the story-teller.
The language used is simple and clean, perfect for creating the quiet anxious atmosphere in which the characters live.Tablo comes out with small phrases and imagery that make me almost envious if i wasn't so awed. The first story 'Andante' explores the relationship between father and son and music and make the book truly worth buying.
Short stories aren’t usually my thing but Tablo is one of my favourite people alive, I can never get enough of his words. Was so pleased to be able to snag a physical copy of this on a trip and enjoyed delving into some of his thoughts from fifteen years ago.
Whether rap or prose, the way he paints such evocative and melancholy scenes is incredibly beautiful.
so here's the thing, pretty much all of the stories arent quite the happy kind. but what they are is hauntingly beautiful; powerful. for someone who dived into this book solely based off of Epik High and Tablo himself as a musician, added with the podcasts and the way his lyrics make me feel, this was exactly how I thought I'd feel at the end of it all - crushed, sad, and a little bit brighter in the way I look at the world. and that's what Tablo does to every character, you come out of each morbid story smiling a little after crying for a good 15 pages. its just the way every single detail, every single character is just put out there, butt-naked in their raw reality. Very simple one room, plain black and white stories, and then as you go deeper, you find the gray in them, and not just one gray but multitude shades of it, and it leaves you deeply affected, stricken and yet warm in some inexplicable way as you wipe away that last tear.