PGC Bookworms =) discussion

Fellows,

Don't forget to update us with your findings and interesting topics you've been reading about by the end of the month -April 30-.

Looking forward to read from you.

Khulood.

My fave book is ساق البامبو by Saud Al Sanoosi which touches a social issue that is relevant to Gulf community.

Interesting book I'm currently reading is "Letters to a Young Muslim" by Omar Gobash (UAE ambassador to Russia)

A book I have always always wanted to read but never got the chance to do so is "Prophet" by Khalil Gibran.

I finished ready 2 books by Sophie Kinsella this week (because I took my annual leave :P)! Her novels are light and catchy. What I love about her style of writing is that's is narrative with real and authentic description to trigger your thoughts. If you want something enjoyable and makes you smile and chill, I totally recommend all of her books!

حلق معي
من أجمل ما قرأت باللغة العربية! للكاتب الشيخ عبدالعزيز النعيمي، و هو من أجمل الشخصيات التي قابلتها
يناقش في كتابه العبر و الدروس التي تعلمها في حياته و يشارك معنا نصائح عامة تفيدنا في حياتنا اليومية، و أهمها بالنسبة لي: "التواضع و التفاؤل و العطاء
لغة الكتاب بسيطة جدا و ممتعة في نفس الوقت، حيث أنه يذكر مواقف من حياته تجعلنا نعيش واقع الكتاب
You can borrow the book from me if u want :)

How to Instantly Connect with Anyone: 96 All-New Little Tricks for Big Success in Relationships

To me, this book was a life saver!!

At a stage where I got so awkward around people, this book helped me learn some simple, yet very useful techniques when it comes to socializing with others.

Although it's not a small book, it's very enjoyable and has a summary of 1/4 page at the end of every chapter that summarizes the main points.

The book discusses tips like:
- what to say when you forget someone's name
- how to leave a conversation without being rude/awkward
-how to change a topic without being so obvious, etc.

Still trying to apply them though xD
Feel free to borrow this book from me :)

الكتاب الذي سأتحدث عنه كتاب قرأته منذ مدة لكنه لا يزال من أفضل الكتب لدي، كتاب عودة الغائب للكاتب منذر القباني. الكتاب هو الجزء الثالث والأخير من سلسلة كتب تاريخية. الكتب عبارة عن رواية مشوقة يستخدم الكاتب في كل منها أسلوب سرد يختلف عن ما قبله ،هذا ما يجعل الكتب مشوقة أكثر.

أنصح بقراءته!

I just finished reading a very interesting book titled Enigma Variations by Richard & Sally Price. It's an anthropological novel which tells the story of opening a museum in the fictional town of Creole. Fortunately for the museum director, she meets a french collector named Lafontaine who supplies her with "authentic" creole artifacts such as masks and daily tools that are claimed to be centuries old which she eventually purchases for the museum. Unfortunately for the museum director, as the novel progresses, we learn that Lafontaine was nothing but a forger who secretly hires talented indigenous craftsmen to carve all the pieces based on his sketches and then carries out an aging process that makes them look antique in order to put them for sale. The director and anthropologists hired for the investigation find themselves in a difficult situation because though they have concrete evidence he's a fraud, they avoid accusing him for fear of being injured or murdered.

The book calls special attention to topics such as authenticity, fraud, the construction of identity and raises a number of questions such as what does it take for something to be authentic? Even if one were to remove all the museum artifacts that were not actually old as claimed and then used by a local family for a number of years, could it then go into the museum? Instead of indigenous artifacts, could the pieces be sold to galleries as art? They are unique pieces crafted by a talented local artist after all. And does their origin story disqualify them as art? Or might it increase their value because of the irony and uniqueness of the story behind them?

Letters to a young Muslim by Omar Saif Ghobash (The UAE ambassador to Russia)..
A mind openings book as he wrote many of the questions that I had in my mind about Islam.. he gives some answers but he leaves others open to us. He added even more questions to my mind.. He simplifies things that I always felt complicated to explain..

The book got repetitive at certain point but it's still interesting to read. I am almost done with it but thinking to read it again to absorb it better..

In a nutshell, the book makes you love the fact that you are Muslim more than ever..

Letters to a young Muslim by Omar Saif Ghobash (The UAE ambassador to Russia)..
A mind openings book as he wrote many of the questions that I had in my mind about Islam.. he gives some answers but he leaves others open to us. He added even more questions to my mind.. He simplifies things that I always felt complicated to explain..

The book got repetitive at certain point but it's still interesting to read. I am almost done with it but thinking to read it again to absorb it better..

In a nutshell, the book makes you love the fact that you are Muslim more than ever..

Originals : How non-conformists change the world
By Adam Grant

This is a self development book that truly brings a different perspective to originality and creative thinking.

I didnt finish the whole book. I reached half and its really interesting.

Recommend this to anyone who thinks that people are born orginal and others are not. This book will change your mind.

Hamda wrote: "Letters to a young Muslim by Omar Saif Ghobash (The UAE ambassador to Russia)..
A mind openings book as he wrote many of the questions that I had in my mind about Islam.. he gives some answers but ..."

On my list too!! Thanks for ur lovely summary, I'm even more interested now!