'Contact by Carl Sagan asks questions about the purpose of life'

Talking books with Eva Prabhakar, UAE-based writer and PhD Candidate

What are the book(s) you are reading right now?
If you'll believe it, I usually read four to five books at a time. So, this month, I'm enjoying The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, which unfolds philosophical debates through the simple story of one family and the distinct personalities of its members.
Another informative book I've been reading is called Affordable Excellence: The Singapore Health System by William Haseltine, which takes us to the beginning of how Singapore set up its national health system, the factors influencing the decisions taken at the time, and how it has gone on to become a shining example of efficient healthcare around the world.
Finally, there's Franz Kafka's The Trial - a book I picked up as a quick read. As it turns out, however, it is one of those books that needs to be savoured slowly as a commentary on modern bureaucracy through the eyes of a man who is accused of an unknown crime.
Name a book that changed your life, and why.
Contact by Carl Sagan has remained with me since my childhood. Every time I read it, the book reveals another layer by beautifully weaving together all the questions we tend to ask about the purpose of life. My first reading was focused on the science and instilled a sense of wonder in me about outer space. Since then, I've enjoyed the various themes it touches upon - including the father-daughter relationship, the perception of women in society, the religious and political attempts to answer tough questions and, quite simply, the way we relate to our part in the big picture.
Your favourite literary character, and why.
Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series is my favourite. I relate to her as an avid reader, but thoroughly appreciate how she stays true to herself. She is confident in putting across her opinion, fortunately bases her view on thorough research, and keeps an optimistic outlook through all the potentially damaging things that happen. Also, she makes sure that 'The Boy Who Lived' remains that way on numerous occasions. There would be no Harry Potter without Hermione Granger!
A book quote that really stood out - and what it means to you.
In The Soul of Man and Prison Writings, Oscar Wilde reflects that "Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live; it is asking others to live as one wishes to live." I think this quote works on the individual level as well as in societies as a whole. While some common beliefs do help in bonding with each other, we must not go so far as to want total conformity before we can appreciate each other.
- Staff Reporter