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Bookworm: Sacha Stevenson: A selective reader
Kapanlagi
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Kapanlagi.com
Canadian actress and comedian Sacha Stevenson admits that she doesn't read many books.
'I wish I read more. But I suppose I am just selective,' Stevenson, 33, tells The Jakarta Post. 'I'll get a book if it is recommended to me by someone I respect; or, I'll browse through the bookstore when I'm feeling lonely and different and find something that looks like 'me'.'
As a young child, Stevenson says that she would only read books about serial killers.
'My mother later admitted she was very worried about me but she bought the books for me anyway because 'at least I was reading',' adds Stevenson, who stars in a local comedy flick, Comic 8: Casino Kings.
Living in Indonesia since early 2000, Stevenson started to gain popularity following her How to Act Indonesian series, which is thick with satirical humor, on her YouTube account. The series expresses her personal views, coming from her own experience, on how most Indonesians live.
With her Indonesian husband, Angga Prasetya, Stevenson plans to start a business. Other than that, she is also gearing up for new episodes of her YouTube series after taking a break.
'Room'
by Emma Donoghue
It's written in the voice of a young innocent child in broken English and all. The child was born in a very unusual and dark place. The book shows the child's perspective of this very adult situation. I was so jealous of the author that I hadn't come up with that idea myself. It is fabulous. I couldn't put it down. As I mentioned earlier I love reading about psychopaths. But I also enjoyed it when the child sees the real crazy world for first time after the escape.
'Bob Sadino: Mereka Bilang Saya Gila!' (They Say I am Crazy)
by Edy Zaqeus
I met Bob Sadino once and I wanted him to mentor me but he didn't really have much energy left to mentor a stranger he had never met before. Instead, he suggested that I read his books. This is one of them. I loved it because this guy is everything I love about Indonesia.
My husband brought a television into our home, before he did that I was a much happier person.
The mass media is for the majority and we forget that 20 percent of us are left feeling wrong and weird when we see what we are 'supposed' to be like, especially when we don't fit that mould. I was reading Bob Sadino's book and the whole way through I was feeling like I'm not alone and there are many Indonesians out there just like me ' only way better.
'Julia's Jihad'
by Julia Suryakusuma
I have never read a book so thick in my life. But, as a bule (Westerner) this book is so enlightening. I gave it to my mother ' and all my friends bought copies, too. It's informative, so you'll learn a lot about Indonesian history but Julia's perspective on it just turns your brain upside down. Things I once thought were true I started to second guess. As a feminist, I'm actually no longer a fan of Kartini Day because of this book. It's like an educated 'how to act Indonesian' in written form, and also very funny. I loved it.
