Quote from the book:
Takeo, I said. Yes, he replied. Takeo, I said once more, and Takeo kissed me. It was a simple kiss, without any tongue. I didn’t use my tongue either, I just stood still. Such warm lips, I thought to myself. Somewhere I heard the sound of an engine starting, and then it quickly stopped.
About me: Hi, my name is Alice. I’m a Malaysian polyglot and book blogger living in Huskvarna, Sweden. I moved to Sweden from Singapore with my (Singaporean) cat, Mister Pops, in August 2021.
When not working, I read voraciously, sketch, indulge in photography, and experiment with foreign languages. I speak English, Malay, Mandarin, Cantonese, Hokkien, and some Italian. I’m steadily improving my Swedish.
Listening to vinyl on my Mitsubishi DP-200 from the 1980s is one of my favorite activities. I own a small collection of records, and my favorite is 花樣年華 In The Mood For Love Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. In December 2023, I acquired a vintage gramophone record player—the HMV 102—from the 1930s.
About the blog: Started off as aliceteh.com in 2005, this virtual space—now close to 20 years old—has evolved into alicetehlarsson.se. I created it to connect with fellow readers, language learners, hobbyists and just about anyone to share my love for books, art, music, beautiful sentences, and creative musings.
Thank you for reading!
Currently Reading:
“The Nakano Thrift Shop” by Hiromi Kawakami centers on Mr. Nakano, the eccentric owner of a Tokyo thrift store; Hitomi, his reflective and diligent employee (she primarily mans the shop); and Takeo, another quiet and reserved staff member (he mostly does pickups with Mr. Nakano). Through their interactions with each other, their customers and the stories behind the secondhand items, the novel delicately explores themes of love, loss, and the complexities of human relationships.