Second Thoughts: On Malaysia, Globalisation, Society and Self

First impressions can be deceptive, as Julian Lee notes in the introduction to this book, and that’s why he sees merit in second thoughts. In this engaging collection of essays and reviews, he gives us a whirlwind tour of topics as diverse as Gangnam Style and the Harlem Shake; the peculiarities of human interaction; cultural variations in emoticons; the art of the car sale; histories of fruit; the merits of pessimism; and why you think your phone is vibrating when it isn’t. Not only this, but he can draw a line from Mars Attacks! to Edward Said in one breath, and explain what the plot of Transformers has to say about gender inequalities.

With engaging illustrations by Jun Kit that astutely distill the essence of each chapter with humour and insight, Second Thoughts promises to inform and delight in equal measure.