Tenggelamnya Kapal Van Der Wijck by Hamka

Yesterday, I just read a very good book entitled Tenggelamnya Kapal Van Der Wijck by Hamka. It is a classic one and in indonesian language but quite hard to understand well the language because Hamka used the old indonesian language. But, it is rather one of my favourite for Malay book. Just recently, I have some trust issues with Malay books because most of the books that I read, not that very good. The independent publications have reached its peak and suddenly, the quality of the books are not just the way it to be. So, that is why the reason I am thinking to slow down with the Malay books. I remember in my previous post that I want to share 100 posts for the year 2016 right? The another one hundred things that I want to do for this year is to read 100 books and it doesn't matter Malay, Indonesi or English books but it has to be hundred books. So, I really need to keep a list of books that I have read and share it here.

So, back to the Kapal Van Der Wijck - Actually, I have tried to read that book when I was in UTP few years ago but did not managed to finish it. It is because of the language barrier which is not easier to understand. Very classic and old, but very good one. For example, this one - this is not the hardest one.

“Anak lelaki tak boleh dihiraukan panjang, hidupnya ialah buat berjuang, kalau perahunya telah dikayuhnya ke tengah, dia tak boleh surut palang, meskipun bagaimana besar gelombang. Biarkan kemudi patah, biarkan layar robek, itu lebih mulia daripada membalik haluan pulang.” 
― Hamka, Tenggelamnya Kapal Van Der Wijck

The way of Hamka translatted his thought to this book - he has some hidden meaning inside the words. Then, how I have the idea to read this book? I cannot be just randomly to any book store and pick one book and suddenly, from reading the synopsis at the back of the book, and assume it can be good. The story of how I always want to find this book is because of recommendation of my lecturer - Dr Muhaimin Sulam who have released book " Aku Melayu di Kota Inggeris" which obviously, I have read it as well and it is a good one. He said that it is one of his favorite and he suggested for us to read that. Beautiful love and life story, unexpected turning point and good and vintage language.

Shall I tell you about the story line? Maybe a little bit, but little enough to make you to read this book. This is a story of Zainuddin, who fall in love with Hayati who are obviously from the another village and another district from his father was born. Because of the different 'darjat' between them, Hayati has to rejected Zainuddin proposal to marry her but accepting Aziz proposal because he was rich, work with the government and very promising but there is something dark about Aziz that Hayati does not know. Then because of the rejection, Zainuddin can't cope with it and he was delivering his sadness to the writing and he became a writer and become a famous one.

I will not tell you everything because you need to read it, obviously when I say that book is good, it is really good and I am not always do a review for a book but this one, it is good.