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All books
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- The Tennis Partner (3)
- By Abraham Verghese
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Reading since Nov 4, 2009
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- The Other Boleyn Girl (59)
- By Philippa Gregory
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Finished on Dec 5, 2009




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- The Constant Princess (20)
- By Philippa Gregory
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Finished on Nov 16, 2009




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I am not familiar with British history. However, I have a feeling that there is no big difference between the courts of the Eastern and the Western royal families.
- — Nov 16, 2009 | Add your feedback
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- Catching Fire
- How Cooking Made Us Human
- By Richard Wrangham
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Finished on Nov 4, 2009




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This is a book which presents a word of Confucius in the aspect of evolution: "Eating and sex is the instinctive desire of human being."
This is also a book which should be read with the book "Enzyme Nution", by Edward Howell. It mentions several anthropological evidences that make us re-think ... (continue) - — Nov 4, 2009 | Add your feedback
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- Banquet at Delmonico's
- Great Minds, the Gilded Age, and the Triumph of Evolution in America
- By Barry Werth
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Finished on Aug 22, 2009




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如果我說,這本書最精采的部分不是演化論不是社會達爾文主義的發展,而是知名牧師Breech轟動美國的大誹聞,作者可能會很想殺了我......XD
花邊新聞之於人類,無論古今,果然是最能吸引目光的話題啊! - — Aug 23, 2009 | Add your feedback
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- The Death of Captain Cook
- A Hero Made and Unmade
- By Glyn Williams
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Finished on Aug 17, 2009




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歷史書寫的呈現,反應書寫人的視角問題。
對歐美來說,澳洲紐西蘭還有許多太平洋小島是Cook船長發現的;可是對原住民來說,Cook船長是之後白人入侵當地的濫觴。
作者是英國人,即使有提到原住民的看法,但在描述Cook船長死亡的過程,雖是力求面面俱到,可是對照最後兩章原住民觀點的討論,還是免不了以白人的態度落筆,有點小小的可惜。
對照台灣,主政者遠從明清殖民一直到今日,施政總是從漢人本位發想,這兩百年來不斷移入的民族趨趕排擠原住民到無人願意也不適居住的地方。爲什麼,主流文化總是不肯讓出一片能讓異文化者自由選擇生活方式的空間呢? - — Aug 17, 2009 | Add your feedback
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- Outliers (39)
- The Story of Success
- By Malcolm Gladwell
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Finished on Jul 3, 2009




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嗯......我想潑點冷水,幫這本書的評價扣半顆星星下來,可是aNobii沒有三點五顆星這種東西......
書裡的成功學其實都是大家耳熟能詳的東西,我讀的時候常常會想「本來不就是這樣嗎?」,這樣的念頭多少有點讓我在閱讀時少了點樂趣。
我想這書能在美國大賣,應該是跟美國人的文化(也就是書中強調的legacy)有關:
美國人的骨子裡比我們還崇拜英雄,所以發現真正成功的人除了天份、還需要努力、運氣跟背景,有點被嚇得不知所措了!XD
大推Gladwell的文筆,他實在是個說故事的高手啊! - — Jul 4, 2009 | Add your feedback
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- Almost Home
- Stories of Hope and the Human Spirit in the Neonatal ICU
- By Christine Gleason
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Finished on Jun 24, 2009




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美國影集Ghost Whisper的片頭詞是這麼說的:
"In order to tell you my story, I have to tell you theirs (ghosts')."
Almost Home一書也很有這種味道,即使裡頭包含了16個早產兒、有先天疾病的嬰兒或是兒童的故事,可是卻清清楚楚地烙印著一位新生兒照護專科醫師的訓練成長軌跡:單身女醫師到人妻人母醫師,從毫無經驗到經驗嫻熟,從外熱內熱到外冷內熱。
大家總在說醫學人文醫學人文,貌似遙不可及高不可攀,但其實回頭想想,醫學裡的人文,出發點還必須是醫師對自己與生活的深刻了解與體悟,然後才能將溫 ... (continue) - — Jun 24, 2009 | Add your feedback
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- Passionate Minds
- The Great Love Affair of the Enlightenment, Featuring the Scientist Emilie du Chatelet, the Poet Vol…
- By David Brock, David Bodanis, Bodanis
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Finished on Jun 18, 2009




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看了兩三章後,我在私人筆記裡留下這麼一句話:
「這本書好八卦......orz」
後面的章節也就不負我所望,繼續把法國大儒伏爾泰跟翻譯並註解牛頓的《自然哲學的數學原理》的沙特萊侯爵夫人的情史,和法國大革命發生前100年間的貴族階級的男女關係攤在陽光下。於是乎,我發現:
科學家跟哲學文學家談戀愛,跟一般人沒什麼不一樣嘛!(喂!)
這大概就是華人社會跟西方社會最大的不同:華人社會習慣美化跟神格化史上的思想家,可是西方社會則是有什麼說什麼。這讓我不得不抱怨:
伏爾泰你其實是個不能忍受女人比你強的混蛋吧!XD - — Jun 19, 2009 | Add your feedback
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- Dewey (14)
- The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World
- By Vicky Myron
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Finished on Jun 10, 2009




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這本書是Iowa小鎮Spencer圖書館貓Dewey的祭文,也或許是作者自己抒發家族史和個人史的癒療書寫。
(Dewey的短史請見http://spencerlibrary.com/deweybio.htm或http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dewey_Readmore_Books)
對沒養寵物的人來說,我們或許很難理解人與動物之間深厚的情感連結;但是對飼主而言,那個小小的生命是愛的載體,無私陪伴他們走過人生每一個低點。
而Dewey除了圖書館館長外,還幫助了更多的人。
閱讀此書或許可以讓那些對寵物懷著「不過就是一隻......」 ... (continue) - — Jun 11, 2009 | Add your feedback
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- Bitter Chocolate
- The Dark Side of the World's Most Seductive Sweet
- By Carol Off
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Finished on May 22, 2009




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這是本很不好看的好書。
巧克力貌似最廉價的comfort food,但實際上,它不但不廉價,甚至不comfort。
對這個世界上某個角落的農民,甚至是童工來說。
食品製造工業化跟全球化後,我們享受低價食物,卻無從了解食物生產的成本,只是以為這是作物生產科學化後,我們應得的。
但事實是如此嗎?不,我們只是以另外的形式,天真地啃噬別人骨血的開發中國家人民罷了。 - — May 23, 2009 | Add your feedback
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- The Hedgehog's Dilemma
- A Tale of Obsession, Nostalgia, and the World's Most Charming Mammal
- By Hugh Warwick
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Finished on May 13, 2009




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科學家在寫自己研究一輩子的東西時,字裡行間常常帶著熱忱;Dr. Warwick也不例外,但他更多了溫暖。
一個人喜歡的動物,常常跟一個人的性格有關,我想Dr. Warwick本人跟刺猬一樣,都屬於暖色系吧!
又,這本書的插畫真是太太太太可愛了!(大心)補遺:
從網路上收集一些書裡的插圖貼在http://www.plurk.com/p/u3f3r
(因為我懶得掃圖,所以只有一小部分。) - — May 16, 2009 | Add your feedback
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The Other Boleyn Girl
The author twists some historical facts in this book, such as the order of birth of Anne and Mary. Mary was also not as innocent as what is described by the author. However, it is a page turner. I really like parts of conflicts between the Boleyn sisters.
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