Congo by Michael Crichton

 I FIRST encountered Congo—the movie adaptation—when I was a kid. I found it interesting then. Although I could not vividly recount what the movie was all about, I remember scenes where crushed human skulls, an abandoned workstation in a jungle, monkeys, a gorilla, and a few people aboard a hot air balloon firing diamond-powered firearms could be seen. Also, I didn’t know then that it was based on a book. I now have that book in my collection.

THE BOOK AND ME. Everytime I visit my favorite book sale shops, I would always see this book on one of the shelves. But in those times, my focus was to complete my set of Maeve Binchy’s. It was only later that I realized that I should read books by other writers, too. How could I be sure that Maeve Binchy is the best writer there is? So I started collecting Crichton, King, Coelho, and Grisham.
In one of my conversations with some of my students that he has read Congo and he was asking some stuff related to Physics—since I’m teaching Physics. I haven’t read the book so I can’t fully understand what he was asking. That prompted me to read the book.

SYNOPSIS. The first part of Congo is like reading a geographical history book. The following chapters would then be dealing with the electronics industry and how the rich people around the world race to become the leader in producing microelectronics components.
The main character in the novel is the young and determined Dr. Karen Ross, who works for the Earth Resources Technology Services (ERTS) in Houston. Her intelligence and adeptness in the use of computers made her one of the top level personnel at ERTS, and by a twist of fate, a leader of one of the company’s most important mission: the search for the Lost City of Zinj, where the Type IIB Diamonds were said to be found. This type of diamonds is known to play a very important role in the development of computers.
Together with primatologist Peter Elliot, and his language intelligent gorilla, Amy, and expert on Congo expeditions, Charles Munro, Ross went on an exciting quest for the lost City of Zinj. They were a pack of individuals driven by different motives and were willing to lay their lives on their mission.

READ IT. If you are interested in reading anything about the Dark Continent, or enthused in the development of microelectronics, or even if you are just after boyish adventures, this book is for you. Crichton really researches on the subjects touched in his books to make his books sound so factual, so you will also get a lot of information from this book. However, you have to remember that his stories are just fictional, so expect some absurdities, you will need to verify the truthfulness of the information you get or you’ll end up loathing him and his books. If you have read Eaters of the Dead, or the Jurassic Park, this one sounds like one of those, only it’s set in Africa.

National Bookstore Opens in GenSan!

THE COUNTRY’s top bookstore opens a branch in General Santos City at the Ground Floor of Gaisano Mall.

I explored the newly opened store last Friday and was amazed by the great number of people—both young and old—examining the contents of each shelf and bothering the store attendants whether they have copies of this or that. I never expected that people are so interested in books. I have been to National Bookstores in Davao, Cebu, Dumaguete, and even in Manila, but I have not seen as much people scanning pages, picking books, lining up at the counter as I have seen last Friday.

Maybe it’s because the store has just opened. I dunno. We’ll see. But I expect that as the news spread out to more and more people, the owners of National Bookstore here in Gensan might consider expanding soon.
The Gensan branch is not very big. It has a mezzanine floor that makes the total floor area quite bigger than the one at SM City Davao. During my visit I haven’t seen new books of interest. I was looking for the section featuring the new bestsellers but I found none. I wonder why. What welcomed me instead are school supplies for sale. Well, it’s “Back to School” season. But they should put up a section for current books that make the sale in the world or in the country. I might get interested to buy them when they are displayed there, not hidden in the shelves and obscured by other books.

The store attendants, too, and the cashiers had to be trained well. They are obviously new to their jobs and they rattle at the sight of long queues of people. I would be happy to buy books in a store where the attendants are confident and very accommodating.

I bought some stuff that I might need as the school year opens. I bought clear books for my activity sheets and lecture guides, a small whiteboard for my reminders, a pad of sticky notes, index cards, and others. I also bought Reaching Your Potential by Norman Vincent Peale and a book on Ear Singing for my vocal training.
I am glad that there is a National Bookstore here in GenSan. I’ll be visiting the store one of these days.

I have heard from my co-teacher that there used to be a National Bookstore in GenSan before I was born. She said that it was burned down and was never rebuilt again. I’ll research on that.

ye for now. I’ll be posting my book reviews soon as I have the time.

Have a great day!