AWANG GONENG'S OPUS

After 2 weeks of "something that could develop into pneumonia" I needed something to cheer me up. One SURE thing was dinner at Paulo's (SURE Pizza at Plaza Damas). The other was getting Awang Goneng's latest book which I put off getting simply because I was waiting for the KL Launch. Daud came from Kuala Terengganu bringing Po's plea for a copy of the book since he could not find it at Pok Loh Yunan's shop or any other bookshop in Kuala Terengganu. So I called up Times Bookstore, BSC who took some time to confirm that they had the last 2 copies left. I had wanted more copies. Maybe I can get them at the KL Launch.

I have read most (if not all) of the chapters in Awang Goneng's blog, Kecek-Kecek. But the book (or blook, if you want to be picky) had the advantage of an editor. Just imagine gems being polished to perfection. Brilliant diamonds of the first water are the results. Dr.Annabel Teh Gallop, Head, South and Southeast Asia Section, British Library noted that "Awang Goneng does with words what Lat does with pictures". Beautiful (and humorous) prose flows throughout the book so much so that even if you do not care much for Terengganu, you would still enjoy the book very much. I told Daud that if Awang Goneng were a singer, he could bring people to tears by just singing the telephone book.

Students of Terengganuspeak and lovers of anything Terengganu should not delay any longer. Go beli selalu (buy at once). This is a modern classic.

Labels: Awang Goneng, Growing Up In Trengganu