Greetings, Dear Constant Readers!
After several months of absence, I am now back at work, and I want to wish you all a very belated Happy (Lunar) New Year.
I hope you have been happily reading your favourite books!
I was unable to read and write for a while, due to two cataract surgeries and some related complications.
I can honestly say that being unable to read books, not only print but also digital, was absolutely a pain.
Worse than that was being able to listen to audiobooks but unable to write proper reviews.
Renowned American author Helen Keller once said: “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.”
By the time I was struggling to read mobile phone menus, I knew I had to stop reading and writing altogether.
The impact was just as Confucius described it: “Three days without reading makes one feel abominable.”
Luckily, as American literary critic and translator Barbara Johnson suggested: “It never hurts your eyesight to look on the bright side of things.”
The bright side of life helps me recognise the importance of good health, and of having families and friends guide me through a myriad of challenges and obstacles.
For this, I am very grateful.
I also realise there are more constructive ways to give back to our community.
Instead of reviewing and recommending one book at a time – with intensive reading likely being one contributor to my eye problems – perhaps I can utilise my other skills and contribute to our society by promoting arts and cultural events with a focus on literature and literacy.
Via the “Passion for Prose” column, I have been doing this with The Star Mail’s assistance to some extent.
Indeed, before the column came to a halt in October 2023, I had reviewed and recommended 93 books and 25 literary events and trends in Australia and overseas.
Looking ahead, in 2024, I would like to increase the number of arts, cultural and literary events featured in this column.
The focus will still be literature and literacy, but I want to bring my reviews and recommendations more aligned with The Star Mail’s operations to provide news and information relevant to communities across Yarra Valley and the Dandenong Ranges.
From time to time there will be arts, cultural and literary news of national and international significance to be introduced to our local readers.
With that said, if you find a specific literary event or a book worth reviewing or recommending, please get in touch.
Simply drop a line to my Gmail address (christine.yunnyu.sun@gmail.com) and I will respond ASAP.
I very much hope that via The Star Mail as an important regional newspaper, we can work together to promote literature and literary across our diverse communities.
Since the launch of the landmark “National Cultural Policy – Revive” in January 2023, our arts and culture has been recognised as being central to our country’s future.
We can all do our small bit to contribute.
