Retired veteran judge Tan Sri V.C. George launches second edition of memoir

First published in March 2021, Tan Sri V.C. George’s amusing collection of tales 'Some Stories I Have Told and Some That I Haven’t' has been re-released after a wildly successful sold out first print run.

The second edition of the book comes with minor updates in the appendix, which includes the Royal Address at the book's launch by Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah, alongside speeches delivered when the author received the Malaysian Bar’s Lifetime Achievement Award. 

The launch event was held at The Raja Aziz Addruse Auditorium in Kuala Lumpur and was officiated by the President of the Malaysian Bar, Karen Cheah. Many other prominent members of the legal fraternity, including members of the Bar Council, retired judges of the Federal Court, and past presidents of the Malaysian Bar were present to cheer on and support the 91-year old, still witty and as sharp as ever. 

At 300 pages, the book is a collection of over nine decades of George's observations and experiences as a judge. 

In a review by The Vibes, writer Haikal Fernandez described it as a “Malaysian story.” “Because of V.C.’s age, his life story is intertwined with that of the history of Malaysia. So, in effect, his story is Malaysia’s story – the specificity of his experience is in some ways representative of a generation whose time has faded into the mists of history.” 

“Those with a fondness for inter-Indian jokes from past generations will find a lot to enjoy as V.C. pokes fun at Punjabis, Sikhs, Tamils and his own Malayalee lineage. Implicit in this is a warm recollection of a multi-racial Malaysia of yesteryear.  

"The gleeful use of racial and religious stereotypes is quite common in the book, with just about every culture being the butt of a joke at one point or another. Some of the humour will probably raise hackles among the more sensitive among society, be they progressive or conservative,” he added. 

Other praises for the book comes from lawyer Ambiga Sreenevasan, who remarked “this book had me smiling (sometimes chuckling) from start to finish. But it is not all jokes and laughter by the author, who is famous for his trademark sense of humour and quick wit. I could not put this book down. What with chapters with titles like ‘Madam Gluxman’s Home for Respectable Ladies’ and ‘The Ode To The Avial’. I promise you, neither will you. This book is just what the doctor ordered.” 

For V.C. George, the impetus behind the book started entirely informally but grew as the collection of stories started to expand. 

V.C. George practised in all branches of law from 1957 to December 31, 1980, in the latter years serving as a senior partner of his firm. – The Vibes file pic

“It took about two years to complete, but the recollections [anecdotes in the book] were just stories that I have shared among friends for over 70 years. They have told me to write it down but not necessarily in a book. The initial idea was to simply staple and distribute it among my friends at the long bar. But as it developed, when I got to about 50 stories, presenting it in a proper format came about as more friends had encouraged it,” he shared in an interview with The Vibes.

In a show of appreciation, a presentation of cheques totaling RM65,000, collected from proceeds of the sold-out first print were made to the Bar Council Legal Aid Centre, Marthoma USJ Congregation Fund for the Orang Asli, Rumah Hope and Lighthouse Children Welfare Home, which provides essential care to the most vulnerable children from diverse backgrounds. 

The second edition of the book is being distributed by BookXcess and is available for purchase in stores around Klang Valley as well as online. – The Vibes, December 4, 2022