No, this isn’t overexposed or that the contrast is wrong. That’s the haze while we had a gathering of book clubs at the central library’s 16th story pod! That’s the view on top around 6.30pm in the evening.
We were there for the Read! Singapore 2013 anthology showcase.
Food is good. We got to eat and see the lack of view due to the haze while we waited for the event to start and it was a really good event! Hahaha, we got to know the other book clubs in Singapore.
The library staff starting off the showcase. They were either ushering us up from the special elevator at the pod, helping with the registry or did the presentations at the screen/podium area.
And here are the book clubs, I really didn’t know that we have a lot of book clubs! For all the different languages, formats and types.
There’s too many people to post up their pictures but know that there are a lot of book clubs and that you can even form one too! The library will help you if you want to form one by teaching you how to facilitate a discourse on books etc.
You can know more about it in their info/list of book clubs here.
It’s not boring as you might think it is, it’s the chance to talk to other people who read the same book as you or well, talk about how it relates to you and stuff. Some book club members go off on trips or even have meet the author session.
Really, every club is different. Even the people who run Books & Beer (they do book swaps) were there too.
As for me, I was invited under the SG Novelists aka we do Nanowrimo and other fandom book events or writery workshops.
Anyway, onwards to the Read! Singapore. This year is going to be a whole year long campaign instead of a month or so of activities. And their youth book selection committee were ACTUAL YOUTHS and they got to choose the reading list for this year’s in our 4 official languages.
There’s also a list for adults and kids too.
Since the campaign is for the whole year, this time we have authors of the year so instead of them recommending you a SPECIFIC book, you can check out any book from said authors! Here’s the list:
English: Ann Patchett
Chinese: Professor Wong Yoon Wah
Malay: Abdul Latip Talib
Tamil: Jeyamohan
And so my loot from the event! Under One Sky can be borrowed from the library as that’s the anthology launched for Read! Singapore 2013. It features 4 English, 3 Chinese, 3 Malay and 3 Tamil stories.
The Asian Folktales are for kids and it comes in dual languages. I chose the one which was Malay since all had the option of English and any other language.
As for Under One Sky, I am super impressed that they got to include Ken Liu’s The Paper Menagerie!
Do you know what the aim of this whole campaign is by now? It’s about you reading for LEISURE. For FUN!
You don’t have to read stuff literary books, you should read stuff you like and then mix with others to talk about whatever book you like and get them to check it out too. It’s your choice to read but know that reading is an option for fun! This year is not just about reading, they’ll have flash fiction competitions or family carnivals where reading is promoted.
Heck, it’s mostly have parties while you read books or join in the activities.
Check out Read! Singapore and join their facebook too cause I certainly am.
And yes, this time they have a little cute music video with primary school students about reading.
So what are you going to do today?
