What I got from the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale in Cebu City

I still read nonfiction from time to time but I am now fascinated with nonfiction that I bought memoirs, bios and autobios at the recent BIG BAD WOLF BOOK SALE in Cebu City, all for myself. Here, I'm sharing to you my provisions for the next two years, hahahahha!!

Oliver Sacks is a classic read. BBW carried other titles there, though not all of his works (I can't find his bestselling The Man who Mistook his Wife for a Hat!!!). So I chose Hallucinations and An Anthropologist from Mars. He was a physician and taught neurology. I read reviews of his books in Brain Pickings and saw the movie Awakenings (based on Sacks' book of same title) which features Robin Williams as Sacks. I can't wait to start even one book of his. If i can, i'll pick up Hallucinations first. Now, I'm hallucinating that I can do that real soon.

Stanley, The Impossible Life of Africa's Greatest Explorer by Tim Jeal. 
Who does not love Africa when one was still small and full of wonders? It is no wonder for me that the most probable location of the Garden of Eden described in the Bible is somewhere in Africa. So I always love to read something about Africa though it is not my priority in the travel list. (Confession: I still have two to-be-read Africa-related books, a memoir and a novel, in my shelf).

Einstein, his life and universe: The basis for Genius by Walter Isaacson
Who does not want that copy despite the advent of google? And with that look of his on the cover? I bought this so my nieces and nephews will stumble on him. Videos and Wikipages helps but some crystalized thoughts and insights can only be found in biographies like this. I'm excited to open this.

A Brief Guide To Charles Darwin, His Life and Times by Cyril Aydon.
Okay, he does not look cute in the cover as Einsein but still, I bought it for same reason I had for getting the Einstein book.  


Furiously Happy, A funny book about horrible things by Jenny Lawson. Done with this! Message me, anyone who wants to own this? Check out my blog on this.

Stieg from Activist to author by Jan-Erik Petterson. Stieg Larson was a Swede who authored the posthumously published Millenium Trilogy which were turned into movies. I have vague memory of the movie and have not read the book though someone offered to gift me the books which I declined because I am not into fic that much. I am currently reading this bio because I want to know about the political involvement of Stieg in Sweden as newspaperman and activist. Shall let you know  as soon as I'm done! 

The Snow Queen & Other Tales by Hans Christian Andersen (Artfold Classic Edition)
Okay, I got this one because I can make a snowflake sculpture. Oh, the Sense and Sensibility got itself another homeowner! wink wink. 

The Ultimate book of Impostors by Ian Graham 
I think this needs no further explanation for being interesting, fascinating and intriguing. Add more -ing there!


Jihadi John, The making of a Terrorist by Robert Verkaik and The Dark Art, My undercover life in global narco-terrorism by Edward Follis & Douglas Century
Oh yeah, the lady wants to know. It is from knowledge that comes understanding. Terrorist and narco-terrorism are some of our pressing social issues around the world. I'll let you know when I can start on this soon. (Confession, I still have one more bio like this on my shelf, uggh. I wish I can read three books at a time.)

Motherless Child, The Definitive Biography of Eric Clapton by Paul Scott
I am a Clapton fan and though this seems to be heart-wrenching (even only what the word "motherless" alone suggests), I got it to peep into the life of Clapton which is more beyond the oft-repeated tragedy that inspired the song, Tears in Heaven.

The Fly Trap by Fredrik Sjoberg
Another read from a Swede. What can an entemologist learn from insects that could be of major use to us humans? I want to know. This will be read after Stieg, a biography of Millenium Trilogy author Stieg Larson. Get back to you on this soooon.

Geisha of Gion by Mineko Iwasaki and Ghosts by Daylight: A Memoir of War and Love. 
One is a memoir from a Geisha while the other is a memoir of a love found in war and lived in the horrors of its effect on two reporters. After the Fly Trap, I'll have these two.

Salman Rushdie by Joseph Anton. 
I am happy to get hold of his memoir. I read only one book by him but I liked it. Now, I forgot the title but I can still remember scenes and wits portrayed in that particular novel. His satire is on-point although he mixes fantasy and realism in his novel. And Ohhh, I want to know more of that "fatwa" which always comes up when his name is recalled.

Imagine This, Growing up with my brother John Lennon by Julia Baird. I bought this because it was written by a sister.

Tsunami Kids, One Family's Fight for Survival by the Gandy Brothers
I can vaguely recall the tsunami in 2004 but for these four brothers, ages 8 to 17 then, who lost their parents, the incident must be the most unforgettable. They turned their sorrow into a positive action. I want to be inspired by their story.

The Iceberg, A Memoir by Marion Coutts.
This is a storytelling of a carer of a husband who was diagnosed with brain tumor that affected the area affected by speech and language. Both are disciples of arts and language. Again, I want to hear this story of "being and dying."

Wear your Dreams, My Life in Tattoos by Ed Hardy. Well, I wanna know why he is vandalizing his body. Ugggh! 

A woman in Charge, The Life of Hillary Rodham Clinton by Carl Bernstein
Okay, this is my only lousy buy. I don't know why I bought this because I can't imagine reading it first among the many I still have to read. Ugggh!!! She is even smirking on the cover photo just like someone I know from our local political scene. Who wants to buy this from me?