KOTA KINABALU: A local senior citizen, Bryan Paul Lai, launched his first book entitled ‘The Joy of Life’ (The Land Below the Wind) yesterday which coincided with his 71st birthday celebration at the Palace Hotel, Karamunsing, here.
Over 40 friends, family and schoolmates attended the launching ceremony of Lai’s book, which summarizes his childhood memories with well-kept pictures from way back in the 1950s.
According to Lai, he has always loved writing, but it had never crossed his mind to one day publish a book. However, he said he was inspired to do so by the efforts made by local writers whom he encountered over two years ago.
“I thought to myself, if they could do it, I could, too. So instead of just writing my memoirs and saving it in my computer, I made the effort to put them all together and publish a book,” he said.
Lai worked on ‘The Joy of Life’ for more than two years, and came out with 150 pages of his unforgettable childhood moments in Sandakan. His poetry recounts numerous vivid and important experiences in his life, ranging from the bittersweet school life at Holy Trinity School in Tawau, to surviving the Second World War in the then North Borneo.
He also recalled in his book of swimming in the crocodile-infested Tawau River and his childhood days with his parents who were with the Bombay Burma Trading Corporation contributing to the local community at Wallace Bay on Sebatik Island of North Borneo.
On his future plans, Lai expressed the hope to publish a second book next year.
“The second book will be based on my teenage years which I hope I will be able to publish next year,” he added.
The Joy of Life will be available at the Sabah Museum Library priced at RM35 per copy, and can also be purchased online at Amazon.com for RM60 per copy. The books should be available in two weeks’ time after the launching.