[Jina] Reading Biography

I was an avid reader of Enid Blyton as a child. She taught me about mythical garden creatures, girls' boarding schools and the wonders of treacle pudding. As a young reader, I remember being in my own imaginary world whenever I was engaged in reading a book. I suppose my reading choices then were dictated by a desire to fantasise about worlds which did not resemble my life in Singapore. Lois Lowry's "The Giver" was introduced to me around this time, and it made me aware of the rare ability of books to explain the impossible. What is colour to someone who only sees in black and white? "The Giver" has remained one of my favourite childhood books. I think it is also one of the few books which has universal appeal across all age groups and cultures.

Barring the odd Harry Potter instalment, I rarely read outside of the school curriculum as a secondary school student. The one author who left an impression was Mitch Albom. Perhaps his focus on death in both "Tuesdays with Morrie" and "5 People You Meet in Heaven" coincided with the existential angst most adolescents experience.

My reading rut, possibly the occupational hazard of a Literature student, continued into my college years. Nevertheless, the systematic introduction of literary periods affirmed for me my interest in modernist literature. Angela Carter's magical realism in particular was a revelation for me. I was drawn to the idea of tying recognisable reality to the fantastical. This also inspired my own creative writing process. I became more concerned with expressing the boundaries of reality than building my work around a particular form or style. 

Later, a good friend introduced Nicole Krauss's "The History of Love" to me, and I re-discovered the joys of reading for pleasure once again. This sprawling novel touched on both philosophy and the imaginary to explain the human spirit. Krauss's style was like a breath of fresh air for me and I began to search for writings of a similar philosophical and emotional depth. At present, my muses include Milan Kundera, Alain de Botton and the poet, Carol Ann Duffy. All three seek to express truth and the nature of humanity in very different ways. To be able to tell the truth without hurting others or falling back on societal cliches has been a struggle for me in my writing. Through what I read, I hope to mature both as a writer and as part of society.