Category: Resensi

  • My Review on ‘Jo’s Boys’

    Jo's Boys Book Cover Jo's Boys
    Louisa May Alcott
    2005

    Considering the fact that one of Fakhruddin’s previous post was about technology versus books, I guess I will start my post from that point.

    Well, I am technically more of a bookworm than a techno geek. But technology turned out to be a help rather than a hindrance in my hobby. Having acquired a new handphone I was eager to explore its functions, and by chance, stumbled upon an application which allowed me to download and read certain e-books. From then on, I was often seen with my handphone in hand, and my eyes glued tight to the screen, much to the bewilderment of my classmates, who thought that I was busy messaging some mysterious personnel.

    The books made available by the application are somewhat limited. Or, to be more exact, not all the books available were free; the most popular titles came with a fixed price. But the classics were free, and pretty soon my virtual bookshelf was filled with my favourite titles such as ‘Anne of Green Gables’, ‘Rilla of Ingleside’, ‘Pride and Prejudice’, even ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and most recently, the ‘Little Women’ series by Louisa May Alcott.

    Those who had read ‘Little Women’ would be familiar with the four March sisters– Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy. The second book in the series, sometimes known as ‘Good Wives’, sometimes simply as ‘Part 2’ was a follow-up on their respective lives, whereby the four sisters blossomed into capable and graceful young women, eventually finding love and romance in their lives, and in one sad case, left her short yet meaningful life behind to descend to the ‘Valley of the Shadow’ as quoted from the book.

    The next book was entitled ‘Little Men’, and it was about Jo, whom, upon inheriting Plumfield, a stately estate from her deceased aunt, converted it into a school for boys. The third book, ‘Jo’s boys-and How They Turned Out’ was centered on the lives of the boys after they grew up. And that was the book that kept me company during the stressful and tiring exam week.

    I will not elaborate further on the prequels to this book, for after not reading them for quite some time I have forgotten some major plots and storylines, and do not wish to mar this post with incomplete or incorrect facts. But from here onwards I have to assume that those reading this have already read, or at least, heard of ‘Little Women’ and ‘Little Men’, or else it may be hard to get an inkling of the storyline I’m about to present.

    So, the boys at Plumfield have all grown up. Dan was exploring gold mines in San Francisco, Nat was aspiring to become a violinist, Demi had a temporary job as a reporter, and Tom was studying Medicine, not out of interest but merely for the sake of wooing his childhood sweetheart, Nan. Professor Bhaer’s nephews, Franz and Emil were well established in their respective careers, the former managing some business, the latter as a sailor who was promoted to become second mate of his ship. Jo’s sons were doing well too, Ted being labeled as ‘the lion’ due to his hyperactive and reckless nature, while his brother Rob was his exact opposite; thus known as ‘the lamb’.

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  • Memaknakan Cinta

    Memaknakan Cinta
    Salina Ibrahim
    Al-Ameen Serve Holdings
    2010

    Salina Ibrahim mungkin lebih dikenali sebagai novelis antaranya menerusi Mahligai dan Bukan Yang Pertama, namun kumpulan cerpen Memaknakan Cinta berjaya menghimpunkan cerpen-cerpen eceran beliau dari tahun 1998 hingga 2005.

    Selama 7 hari 7 malam kami kedinginan dek bayu Port Dickson dan pendingin hawa bilik bengkel serta basah ‘dibasuh’ proses kreatif dan teknik-teknik berkarya secara kreatif, sempat juga beliau mempromosikan kumpulan cerpen yang ketika itu masih hangat dari kilang percetakan. Saya tanpa segan silu (walaupun dilabel sebagai pemalu olehnya) berjaya mendapatkan senaskhah beserta tandatangan dan pesanan ikhlas dari beliau.

    Berbanding imej seorang anak comel yang menghiasi kulit buku ini, saya lebih terusik dengan tagline “20 Cerita Bermakna Pada Jiwa” ditambah cuplikan dari cerpen Memaknakan Cinta yang bisa menimbulkan ingin tahu.

    Kak Salina sempat berkongsi proses kreatif penghasilan beberapa cerpen yang turut terkandung dalam buku ini, antaranya cerpen Imam dan Memaknakan Cinta. Secara keseluruhannya, koleksi cerpen ini memaparkan kekuatan imej beliau sebagai seorang penulis yang feminis melalui kisah-kisah berpaksikan watak-watak wanita.

    Cerpen Memaknakan Cinta ditulis usai beliau mengikuti seminar pencegahan jenayah, yang turut membincangkan masalah sumbang mahram yang berlaku dan kaedah penyiasatan yang digunakan pihak polis untuk mendapatkan keterangan daripada mangsa kanak-kanak.

    Di samping cerpen Memaknakan Cinta, terdapat pelbagai cerpen yang berpaksikan tema kekeluargaan seperti Sebuah Dendam, Cerai? dan Gelombang. Sesekali beliau menyajikan cerita ringan seperti Mamaku Menteri dan Terbang Ke Langit, namun masih tebal dengan perasaan dan unsur didaktik. Secara peribadi, saya menggemari cerpen Tiang Seri yang memberikan penamat yang tidak disangka oleh pembaca.

    Cerpen Imam menonjolkan kekuatan latar belakang beliau dalam bidang Syariah dan keseniannya ‘menjentik’ menerusi penulisan kreatif. Mengambil pengajaran daripada peristiwa Imam Jumaat Aminah Wadud ditambah dengan kehangatan perselisihan antara dua kelompok agamawan, cerpen ini secara tidak langsung menekankan bahawa Islam didasari ilmu yang benar lagi sederhana.

    Cubaaan sesetengah pihak untuk meletakkan label yang muluk-muluk pada agama ini bahkan lebih menjurus kepada perpecahan. Kontroversi yang dicetuskan oleh watak Che As umpama ‘rahmat tersembunyi’ bagi penduduk pekan sudah berpecah belah.