BOOK TALK

Judging by the number of people that came, some as early as an hour before the time scheduled, it was a much anticipated event. Ipoh was to be Clare-Newcastle Brown's last stop in the book tour. I was simply glad that they decided to include Ipoh which has often been bypassed for such events which usually gives priority to KL or Penang. I was one of the eager-beavers having been told to come early lest I might not get a seat. As it turned out, the Tower Regency Hotel's ballroom was large enough to hold more than the anticipated crowd.

For a crowd it was - largely made up of Ipoh residents who were mostly middle-aged and beyond. Of course there were some younger ones too. Before Clare's arrival, a corner of the Hall was set up to sell "The Sarawak Report" - the very book she had written and had come to launch. Needless to say, the book was a sellout, even at RM80. Now, who was it who said that Ipoh-ites are a miserly bunch? Those who couldn't get a copy had to get on the waiting list - the reprints would be on the way.

The minute Clare started speaking, she held the audience in the palm of her hand. The subject matter of her Book has obviously piqued everyone's interest, and who better to talk about it than the lady who had uncovered it all in the first place. It was like hearing from the horse's mouth. You could hear a pin drop from the rapt attention she was getting from the audience. Clare spoke calmly and distinctly - in that unmistakably British manner - and never for a moment brought attention to herself except the issue at hand. Members of the audience were ready with their questions and the Q&A session could have gone on forever. But, there's only so much that she could say in an hour's talk. After all, everything's in the Book. She has given it 3 years of her life, in the face of intimidation, threats and risk to personal safety. The least we can do is READ it, and make our own deductions.

For me, it was a morning well-spent. Not only did I get another book to read, but one signed by none other than the author herself - priceless.