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Books (107)

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- Engleby (56)
- A Novel
- By Sebastian Faulks
- Reading since Dec 20, 2010
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- LAST最後的... (638)
- By 石田衣良
- Finished in Oct 2009
  
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LAST最後的...

石田衣良用很直接的白描寫都市小市民的失衡墜落，因為題材很現實恐怖貼身，起初拿起了便放不下來。不過看到後來不是那麼喜歡了。為揭露而揭露，寫實就會變成奇情；為震撼而震撼，讀者就沒有思想的空間，而只能有胃部的反應…
話說回來，第一篇寫欠債走投無路的人和第四篇寫單身漢變成露宿者的微妙轉折都蠻深入，叫人身歷其景。事實上LAST每個故事都會讓任何一個城市人清楚感受到，在現代城市的巨大壓力下，墮落，並不是那麼遙遠的事。

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— Nov 8, 2009 | Add your feedback
- The Paradox of Choice (158)
- Why More Is Less (P.S.)
- By Barry Schwartz
- Finished in Oct 2009
  
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The Paradox of Choice

選擇的迷思

《選擇的迷思》以社會科學的角度，解構我們為甚麼比以前的人多了物質多了選擇，卻越來越不開心。這本書行文顯淺，例子生活化，就像一個教授為你的選擇人生寫了綜合詳盡的大考筆記（加上幽默的插圖），助你破解生活上越來越長多、也越來越長的選擇題。我以為是每個現代城市人必讀的一本書。
書中說後悔、遺憾、習慣、失落、比下去、無力感，都是選擇過多的副產品。卷尾有解困的十一個提議。
內容我不詳細寫了，反而想引一引書尾，形容我們現代的生活狀態的這一段，也是這個課題值得思考的原因：
"Here we are. Living at the pinnacle of human pos ... (continue)

《選擇的迷思》以社會科學的角度，解構我們為甚麼比以前的人多了物質多了選擇，卻越來越不開心。這本書行文顯淺，例子生活化，就像一個教授為你的選擇人生寫了綜合詳盡的大考筆記（加上幽默的插圖），助你破解生活上越來越長多、也越來越長的選擇題。我以為是每個現代城市人必讀的一本書。
書中說後悔、遺憾、習慣、失落、比下去、無力感，都是選擇過多的副產品。卷尾有解困的十一個提議。
內容我不詳細寫了，反而想引一引書尾，形容我們現代的生活狀態的這一段，也是這個課題值得思考的原因：
"Here we are. Living at the pinnacle of human possibility, awash in material abundance. As a society, we have achieved what our ancestors could, at most, only dream about, but it has come at a great price. We get what we say we want, only to discover that what we want doesn't satisfy us to the degree that we expect. We are surrounded by modern, time-saving devices, but we never seem to have enough time. We are free to be authors of our own lives, but we don't know exactly what kind of lives we want to 'write'."
我姑且試譯：『我們在這兒。活在人類可能性的最高點，淹沒在豐盛的物質當中。作為一個社會，我們達到了我們祖先只能，極其量，夢想到的，但這得來是有代價的。我們得到了我們所想，才發覺我們所想並不像預期的給我們滿足。我們被現代、省時的設備包圍，卻永遠好像不夠時間。我們可自由地做我們生命的作者，但我們並不知道我們想「寫」甚麼樣的人生。』
似曾相識嗎？

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— Nov 12, 2009 | Add your feedback
- 天一亮，就出發 (529)
- By 張曼娟
- Finished on Nov 23, 2008
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- 有光的地方 (57)
- By 陶傑
- Finished on Nov 15, 2008
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- 小时候 (37)
- By 桑格格
- Finished on Nov 4, 2008
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- The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing (100)
- By Melissa Bank
- Finished in Oct 2008
  
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The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing

*** This comment contains spoilers! ***
美麗好笑悲哀真實的故事

喜歡看王雅雋在明報的《星期日談情》；喜歡她其中一個副題：〈戀愛中的香港人〉——彷佛我們也有精力時間戀愛，彷佛我們也戀愛得起。在一個年輕相愛的醫生律師奮力合作也買不起居所的城市，不在香港長大的雅雋告訴我們，香港人也會戀愛，雖然有時拘謹躊躇、有時殘缺不全。
最近看了一部短篇小說集 The Girl's Guide to Fishing & Hunting。裡面的短篇大都以同一女子的角度，敍述她成長戀愛工作的故事，讀起來更像一部長篇。也就是一個雕通眼眉、能言善辯的女孩，在閱讀世界、在學習成長。愛上了作者 Melissa Bank 簡潔深刻而又幽默感人的文筆，請容我抄一下書：
... (continue)

喜歡看王雅雋在明報的《星期日談情》；喜歡她其中一個副題：〈戀愛中的香港人〉——彷佛我們也有精力時間戀愛，彷佛我們也戀愛得起。在一個年輕相愛的醫生律師奮力合作也買不起居所的城市，不在香港長大的雅雋告訴我們，香港人也會戀愛，雖然有時拘謹躊躇、有時殘缺不全。
最近看了一部短篇小說集 The Girl's Guide to Fishing & Hunting。裡面的短篇大都以同一女子的角度，敍述她成長戀愛工作的故事，讀起來更像一部長篇。也就是一個雕通眼眉、能言善辯的女孩，在閱讀世界、在學習成長。愛上了作者 Melissa Bank 簡潔深刻而又幽默感人的文筆，請容我抄一下書：
“[Her elder brother] turned to me and said, "Do you know your IQ goes up and down about fifty points in every conversation?"
I didn't know if this was a compliment or an insult, but I didn't like how he was looking at me-- as though from the great distance of his new life. I said, "No one likes being talked about to their face." Then I felt bad. "Anyway," I said, "E=MC2."
小說一直處於這種半昧不明、抽離與投入之間的狀態。這裡主角 Janie 雖然只有十四歲，已知道：『沒有人喜歡別人在她面前議論她。』卻不能度量與將轉變成男人的哥哥的距離。換了是別的小說中的聰明女子舌戰贏了就只有在沉默中悲哀；Janie 可愛之處是她針鋒相對後隨即又過意不去，於是用幽默拉近她和哥哥的距離。
這樣的例子比比皆是。和中學好友的對話：
“She said, "You still get flashbacks?"
"I think I always will," I said.
"Remember," she said, "never say 'always.'"
"I really appreciate your support," I said.
She said, "It helps me stay strong."
I said, "Every days is a gift."
與嫲嫲的對話：
“What do you think was so good about the good old days?" I asked, in exasperation. But I heard how harsh my voice was and didn't like it. I said, "what do you miss, I mean?"
While she thought, I waited to make my point: that everything was much better now than it used to be; I'd cite the civil rights and woman's movements.
"The boy who lit the street lamps in the evening," she said, finally, "He carried a stool with him."
I understood then-- it was like missing Nantucket-- and I put my hand on top of hers. It occurred to me that everything was more complicated than I thought.
很聰明的女孩子，但她不止聰明，她明白人生有些事比逞聰明重要，例如友誼，例如親情，例如自省，和同理心：
“
I tried to understand what Henry had told me. But I worried about that, too. Other people might not try as hard as I did to understand him. I was always on his side, no matter what. My parents were, too. All he really had to do with us was show up. More had been expected of him as Julia's boyfriend and at that party. More would be expected of him everywhere. I didn't know what had happened between him and Julia. It scared me to think that my brother had failed at loving someone, I had no idea myself how to do it.
個人覺得全書最感人的是 Janie 與後來患病的爸爸的交流。她爸爸堅強、樂觀，而且不吝於表達對女兒的感情：
“Over the weekend, my father told me he was concerned about my missing work; when was I going back?
"I am taking a leave of absence," I said, deciding then. "I'm malingering vicariously through you."
He said,"I'm glad."
Then he looked right at me, and said, "It means a great deal to me that you're here."
後來她工作和感情上遇到難題，想起一些她爸爸常常告誡她的話。看的時候我想，做父母能做到這樣已是最大能力。因為他不避惡的告訴她人生的真相：
“Life is unfair, my love
讓她做自己生命的主人：
“I can't make the decision for you.
然後提醒她不要躲避自己的人生：
“Don't take the easy way out, Janie
縱然是伶俐的女子，同樣和我們平凡女子一般有工作的軟弱和煩惱，這也是我覺得小說很親近的原因。
不過這本被 Wikipedia 稱做女生文學 "Chick Lit"的代表作、與 Bridget Jone's Diary 齊名的作品，寫的篇幅最多仍是感情：
“My mother hardly ever gave me advice about men, and I only remember asking her once, in fifth grade... I asked how you got a boy your liked to like you back. She said, "Just be yourself," as though I had any idea who that might be.
事實上，這本書之所以叫《女子漁獵手冊》，是 Janie 經過多次戀愛失敗以後，決定根據一本自助式的戀愛攻略書來「釣」男人。過程（很好笑）不講了，只想引用最後她遇到的一個畫漫畫的男生想畫的漫畫，來形容這本書：美麗好笑悲哀真實的故事。
“We go to Mere Mortals, a collection of one acts by David Ives. The one I love the most is about two mayflies on a date; they watch a nature documentary about themselves and discover their life span is only one day long-- after mating, they'll die.
Leaving the theater, Robert and I are both dazzled and exuberant, talking at once and laughing, and we spontaneously kiss.
He says, "I want to mate with you and die."
We have a drink at one of those old-fashioned restaurants in the theater district. Robert says the mayflies play is what every cartoon he draws aspires to be-- beautiful and funny and sad and true.

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— Oct 22, 2009 | Add your feedback
- 去中國人的幻想世界玩一趟 (51)
- By 阿濃
- Finished in Sep 2008
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- 1973年的彈珠玩具 (2566)
- By Haruki Murakami
- Finished in Sep 2008
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- 國境之南•太陽之西 (4090)
- By Haruki Murakami
- Finished in Sep 2008
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