A Whole New World* - Brad Kane & Lea Salonga

Clark Kent buys his fren, Ryan, the latest edition of the Warrior Angel comic.

CK: So what’s up with the… uh… floating balloon?

R: It’s Warrior Angel’s aerodrome – a floating fortress where he can get away from his troubles on earth.

CK: Sounds like something everybody should have…

Smallville Season 2 Episode 8

My aerodrome is the little reading corner of Borders along Oxford Street (not the Charing Cross Road branch, KC ;-P). Whenever I just want to escape from the worries and the dark clouds of life – and in recent days, there has been a lot – I head there. I dun stay there long. In a short time, I’d be transported to different worlds, I’d be in New York, in Budapest, in Tokyo, in London… wait a minute. I am in London!!!!

I go there and read.

I just completed Archer’s False Impressions. Initially, I must admit that I felt a little bad going to Borders and finish reading an entire novel there and placing it back on the shelves. This is not a library!

But they openly advertise about the reading areas in their bookshops. They expect people to grab a book and sit on their comfy armchairs and sofas and read! I guess they also expect customers to get so hooked on the book that they can’t leave the shop without it – and not to just come again and again and spend hours to finish the book!

Archer’s False Impressions is him back to his good form. He should stop all those short stories and focus on novels. In some ways, FI is typical Archer – exotic locations, strong characters, twists, dry humour. I like how this time round, Van Gogh’s self-portrait plays a big role in the story. And Archer cleverly uses the 9/11 incident in his book too. Having his heroine being in the North Tower when the first jet hit the South Tower on that fateful day, that chapter was edge of the seat gripping stuffs, with acts of heroism that will move you to tears.

Yes, I’m advertising for Borders! Great place to be. Great books to choose from. They play great music – I was reading Archer while taping me feet to music by the Beatles, U2 and Oasis! Best of all is that they close at 11 pm!!!! Yeah, when it gets dark, when the attractions and museums are closed, when shops shut, you can count on Borders to welcome you – and transport you to a whole new world.

Only problem is that like with every form of escapism, it is only temporal in nature – and I’d have to replace the book and go out into the cold dark nite…

Pic of book cover taken from here.

* Everyone knows the Peabo Bryson & Reginna Belle's version on the soundtrack of Alladin - which is nice - but i like this version which was the one used in the movie itself.