"28 Days Later: The Aftermath" by Steve Niles

 

I was expecting something closer to the movie adaptation, but alas, I was disappointed. Spanning over a total of less than 100 page, this graphic novel is packed with action, though the "human" side of the survivors, as is apparent in the movie, is nigh nonexistent in this book.

It has a fabulous illustration though...I can give it that much.

Verdict: 4 out of 10 stars 

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Flag of Libya

Before I start, take a look at the flag below.

Flag of the Tripolitania Vilayet (1864–1911)

No, it's not a joke.
 
It is a real historical flag of Libya, which was in use before it was colonised by Italy in 1934. Back then, its official name was Ottoman Vilayet of Tripolitania.

Now, take a look at another historical flag of Libya.

Flag of the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (1977–2011)

Hideous, right?

That single-coloured flag above was used during the entirety of Muammar Gaddafi's reign. After Gaddafi was toppled in 2011, the National Transitional Council decides to readopt their old flag, that is, the more beautiful-looking flag that is used today.

Flag of the National Transitional Council (2011-present)

I have nothing against the colour of green, except for the fact that plain coloured flag reeks of dullness. Looks so uncreative. If green truly is the holy colour of Islam (which was allegedly the reason Gaddafi used the colour for the flag in the first place), why not beautify it with some stripes, or different shades of green, or add some crescent and star symbol?

Or add some Qur'an verses, such as in the case of Saudi Arabia.

Flag of Saudi Arabia, wherein is inscribed the shahada (Islamic declaration of faith)

It seemed as if the entire government under Gaddafi administration did not graduate from primary school...even today, I dare bet that I can pick any primary school anywhere in the United States and have at least 20 pupils draw a better-looking flag than that.

If I could pick the best flag for Libya, it would be the flag that has light blue field and a green palm tree in the centre, with a white star on top of it. Such a flag was used by Libya under the historical name of Tripolitanian Republic.

 Flag of the Tripolitanian Republic (1918–1923)

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"They Called Themselves the K.K.K." by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Most of us today would probably identify KKK as an anti-Christian cult in some action movies. But the truth remains that just like other extremist groups that exist today, this hate group was born out of a dissatisfied "losers" in the post-Civil War era. These bigots then attempted to answer such deficiencies with hatred towards "others", akin to the way some German politicians gave birth to the Nazism using Versailles Treaty as an excuse.

The book, however, does not attempt to give a voice to the culprits. Rather, it portrays them as a dark spot in our history that must never be forgotten. Because, as a famous politician said one day, history is bound to repeat itself if we forget. May such a culture of hate and terror be extinguished one day.

Verdict: 6 out of 10 stars

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British Ambassador to North Korea: the Unluckiest Diplomatic Post Today

Karen Wolstenholme must have done something terribly wrong.

She is in what is probably the most unfortunate diplomatic post in the world: to become the British ambassador to the hermit country of Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Instead of an honour, it sounds more like a punishment, especially since she used to have diplomatic posts in popular "vacation spots" such as Vienna, Den Haag, and Paris.

Granted, as a foreign diplomat, she must have been given access to what most citizens of North Korea consider a luxury, such as three meals a day, basic sanitation and running water, and access to internet. She might even be allowed to play golf with some top North Korean government officials.

However, it is still a shitty job: there is no denying that.

Not only she can't speak out against the regime (otherwise risk deportation/expulsion), she also has little freedom to travel anywhere in the country without proper authorisations.

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"The Piano Teacher" by Elfriede Jelinek

I have never understood why this book is so popular that it gains the title of classic. There is hardly any salacious scenes as those so-called top-notch reviewers say, and instead of putting those scenes into her real life, the author Jelinek has linked most of the story with odd Freudian fantasies of the main protagonist... Such an uneasy combination, I say.

For you ordinary mortals out there, don't waste your time reading this book. I read it until the very last page, hoping to find any redeeming quality that I may be able to put here. But rest assured, there are none.

"The Piano Teacher" is, in short, a complete disappointment and an utter waste of time.

Verdict: 1 out of 10 stars

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