LilyBart’sSelf-Redemption
TheHouseofMirthBookReview
TheHouseofMirth,byEdithWharton,isatouchingstorythatendsinthedeathoftheprotagonist,LilyBart.Borntoanupper-classfamilythatgraduallylosesitsmoney,Bartbarelyescapesbecomingatrophywifemanytimestopeoplegrosslyinferiortoherinmultipleways.HerrealdilemmabeginswhenshemeetsSeldon,anattorneybothherintellectualandspiritualequal.InspiredbySeldo...[
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Maggie’sFailuretoFightAgainstHerFate
BookReviewofMaggie,aGirloftheStreet
MaggieistheprotagonistinStephenCrane’sbookMaggie,AGirloftheStreets.Asthetitlesuggests,MaggieistheproductofherbrutalchildhoodinthestreetsofsouthernManhattan,victimtoherparents’alcoholismandlocalenvironment.Growingupasabeautiful,soft-heartedandromanticyoungwoman,sheissuccessivelyseduced,thrownoutbyhe...[
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ThinkingLikeanEconomist:AGuidetoRationalDecisionMaking
BookReview
ThinkingLikeanEconomist:AGuidetoRationalDecisionMakingisonourMay2018bookclubreadinglist.Whileitmightnotbesoplausibletoalwaysthinklikeaneconomist,knowingthetoolstobeabletothinklikeoneisobviouslybothinterestingandbeneficial.RandallBartlettisaprofessorofeconomics.Hisbookeasilyteacheslaypersonthemainprinciplesandconceptsessent...[
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Abundance,theFutureisBetterthanyouThink
BookReview
Abundance,theFutureisBetterthanyouThink,isapositive,lengthybookbyPeterDiamandisandStevenKotler.Itcarriesaverysimplemessage:thepotentialforexponentialtechnologyisbringingunprecedenthopetothefutureofmankindwithinthenext25years,andeveryoneisbothabeneficiaryofsuchfreedomandapotentialcontributortomaketheworldabetterplaceforeveryone.
Theboo...[
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GeographyandIdeology,Wearewhatwebelieve
PrisonersofGeographyBookReview
IhavealwaysknownthatthegeographythatIhadlearnedinmiddleschoolwasdeficient.However,untilIreadPrisonersofGeography,IneverrealizedthatwhatIlearnedthenweremerelymanypagesofflashcardsthatImanagedtomemorize,listingcertainfactsandelementsinfragments,likescatteredpuzzlepieceslackinganactualpicture.
TimMarshallhasonecentert...[
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HillbillyElegyBookReview
ThefirstthingIdidafterbeingassignedthebookHillbillyElegyistocheckthedictionaryforbothwordsinthetitle.Well,HillbillymeanstheBillylivingnearthehillwhoseancestorshadbeenfeedingthecowsforcenturies.Elegymeansthepoeticsongsforthedeceasedlivesandexperiences.
Thebookhasadulltheme,theclichestoryofhowthecarphasleapedthroughthedragon’sgate.UsuallyIdon’tenjoyread...[
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TheCrowd,AStudyofthePopularMind
BookReview
TheCrowd,AStudyofthePopularMindisagreatbookwrittenbyGustaveLeBon.Myfirstinstinctisthatthisisthekindofbookthatshouldbeincludedasmandatoryoratleastselectedreadingsinliberalartuniversities,likePKU.However,onsecondthought,Iseethefutilityinit.Themomentareaderputsthiskindofgreatbooksdown,majoritiesofthesparklesandenlightenmentthisbrilliantbookbringfor...[
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WhenBreathBecomesAir
BookReview
HowdoesitfeeltohaveanimmigrantIndianmotherwho,aftersobbingaloneatnight,tookituponherselftogiveherchildrenabetterfuture?ShetransformedtheKingmanschoolsystem,demandingmoreAPclasses.Shemadeherson,attenyearsold,read1984.HowdoesitfeeltohaveaChristianfatherwhoelopedwithaHindu,dragginghisfamilytothedesertsofArizonasothathecandedicatehislifetoservehispatients,alm...[
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视觉语言的艺术讲座
女书的故事
加入了探赋读书会之后,可以参加的活动就多了起来。得知在旧金山图书馆的中国中心有视觉语言的艺术讲座,昨天出发之时却已经有点晚了。地铁到了,不想盯着谷歌地图颠三倒四地走,直接冲最近的出口出来抓住一个象爱书的女子问图书馆在哪里,她抱歉地说不知道。一旁一个穿着橙色制服的清洁工人听到了,主动高声告诉我如何[
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AdAstra观后感
昨天有个喜欢喝点小酒,还想着请个假浪迹天涯的朋友,有闲暇和我一起去看了场电影。Livermore的小剧场,拉了半天门才找到一扇开的,看了半天才找到卖票的。影院在二楼,走廊很长,阴森森的,灯黑黑的。剧场的座位深陷下去,还可以放倒,完全看不见人。整场竟然只有我们两个人,有点说不出来的尴尬。
看的是AdAstra,布拉德皮特演的。气氛从头到尾[
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