Bam Aquino likes to be inspired and scared
I sent Bam Aquino a private message on Facebook to ask for his book list and he responded — in the most courteous of tones — and asked if I could give him a week to submit as he was getting married the very next day. I wanted to laugh out loud; perhaps I should have noticed from his Facebook posts that he was busy getting married, but I was totally unaware. In any case, the newlywed Bam promptly e-mailed me his list today so I could make my deadline. I am always grateful when people do what they say they will do. In my business of “show,” unfortunately, I encounter a lot of people who make promises they don’t keep. So I thank Bam for sharing his favorite books with us and I wish him a long and happy marriage.
Bam’s favorite books and his reasons why:
“Of the books that I’ve read, favorites for me are those that you don’t mind reading again (and again). They may not be the books you’ve learned the most from or the books that are most important to your work; these books simply resonated with you. They’re the ones that inspired you, frightened you, challenged you or excited you, so much so that you want to go on the journey again.
“Putting this list together made me see that there are two main categories of my favorites: the ones that inspired me and the ones written by authors that I found incredibly entertaining.”
INSPIRATIONAL
“Because we all need to refresh our souls once in a while.”
1. Paolo Coelho’s Fifth Mountain. “I was able to read this when I was starting my career in government years back. It’s a fictionalized story of the Prophet Elijah and how he is sidetracked from his mission and must decide whether to go back and continue his being a prophet in Israel or build a new life in another area. Best read by those at a crossroads of their lives.”
2. John Carlin’s Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game that Made a Nation (a.k.a. Invictus). “Nelson Mandela’s story of triumph brought tears to my eyes a number of times. The movie focuses on the Rugby World Cup, but the book offers more insight and story.”
3. Malcolm Galdwell’s The Tipping Point. “This was the bible for social development workers years back, but the message is still loud and clear — keep working at reaching the tipping point, then the change that seemed impossible will unfold and unfurl in an unstoppable cascade.”
FICTION
“Horror, spies, crime, sci-fi, etc., because I’m a geek and geeks love stuff like this.”
1. J.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. “Admittedly hard to read if not in the right frame of mind, the significance of the LOTR trilogy in the world of fantasy fiction is unparalleled. It’s a story of power and how its corrupting influence can reach even the best of us. Hence, the best to lead are those willing to throw the addictive ring of power into the fires of Mount Doom.”
2. Stephen King’s The Shining. “I’m a big Stephen King fan because sometimes you just want a good scare. My favorite of his books has to be The Shining. With this story, you get more than you bargained for. When the meaning of “Redrum” is finally revealed, I literally could not go back to sleep.”
3. Neil Gaiman’s American Gods. “I’m also a Neil Gaiman fan, having read his books and graphic novels. American Gods is one of my favorites because of the representation of the different deities, but Stardust comes as a close second for its general sweetness.”
3. Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan series (favorite: Sum of All Fears). “Jack Ryan was the spy for a new generation. Less Bond and more nerd, Jack Ryan resonated with me throughout the series of books where he goes from professor to CIA analyst to POTUS (President of the United States).”
4. Mario Puzo’s The Godfather. “Lastly, one of my favorite books of all time, The Godfather by Puzo is more, for me, a story about family than it is about organized crime.”
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“The Reading Club” recommends Juan Ponce Enrile’s A Memoir available in all National Bookstores and Powerbooks. My favorite magazine this week is old favorite Reader’s Digest available from Emerald Headway.
