Yuhan
Contains spoilers
Y'all if you plan on reading this book (and do, it's great) don't read up literally anything on it - any sort of content discussion would be a massive spoiler so I'll talk about something else instead.
Heads up - I read the original in Chinese, and I've heard that a lot of people think the translation is great, and I knowwwww that translation is a tough job, but man the translated text is dry (I read this as a buddy read with someone reading the english translation). I wish y'all could experience the original and the cultural contexts that come with it, the translation loses a couple of dimensions. The translation also shuffles some chapters around, which honestly I disagree with a lot of those decisions especially the flashback being taken to the very beginning of the novel - honestly I think this is probably the most confusing/dry part for any english readers not familiar with that part of history, but also changes the weighting of the different narritives of the book , but yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah
Frankly this book feels more real than my actual life LOL and for me that's what makes it shine. No exaggerated characters (well, one, but let's face it we kinda love him), no silly grand mission, no magical chosen ones, just real people going about their real lives and playing their piece. The horror at the beginning with the photos - ik this isn't even a big thing but it really stayed with me honestly made me 👀👀👀 DDDD:, I frickin love the VR segments it so doesn't take itself seriously it's almost serious I reaaaaaalllly appreciate the watertightness with plot holes and justifications.
Anyway I need to get back to work and will stop gushing about my million opinions on this book lol. I'm almost tempted to give it five stars but I'm currently reading the second book and that's EVEN MORE REAL and I LOVE THAT so I can't ceiling the scores just yet LOL ok right imma get back to writing my diss
My partner’s German mother says that as a child she had a naive idea to solve racism, which was that everyone should have mixed race babies. She still curiously asks about my culture, as if it were an exibit in the museum and I were a inadequately prepared employee. I taste notes of her grief over what she expected her grandchildren to be, and I wonder what she learnt over the years about herself to label that plan with naivity.
Despite being an immigrant herself, when I mention maybe us moving abroad to China to work, she panics. I guess not all immigrants are made equal, and I guess not all immigration destinations are either.
Contains spoilers
Having suffered just through the moon and sixpence, imagine my disappointment when starting this book, finding it oddly familiar, and then reading the words "many years ago i wrote a book called the moon and sixpence"
So yeah, my expectations weren't high.
But? I'm happy to report that this was a much more engaging reading experience - we seem to have figured out how humans work (:'D) while some elements of the characters remain unrealistic, it happily blends into the rest of common fiction where the unrralostic traits of these characters seems to drive its story. The book doesn't set itself out to be a grand story, but much more like a casual observation through casual life, and there's something oddly engaging about that. I imagine it would not have been much at the the time of publication, but fifty+ years on, it's an intricate window into how it may have been. The author remarks that while the story does not have a conclusion, every character has their success in some ways. Each character also never truly gets what it wants, and while depressing, I guess it's a realistic message about life.
Though again, no razors nor edges in this book.
Man runs away from partner to go to paris to do something different with their life that their partner cannot understand AND is stubborn and cannot be convinced by anyone else that they should not do that... AGAIN? Can we not write about something else lol
A very convincing argument to try out the Zettlekasten! The only problem I have with it that the points do start getting a bit repetitive and stray somewhat from the point of the book, and seems more like a general essay on how to learn better rather than explaining how and why to use the zettlekasten. In fact, I'm still not entirely sure how to use it, but I'll figure it out and the book does give resources. Definitely worth reading and thinking about for anyone who does any amount of learning, especially essay oriented subjects.
Certainly made me think - I am persuaded that this is an issue that everyone should be made aware of. I do strongly believe that being more intentional with our time is one of the best ways to actually achieve happiness and any of its proxies - how do you advocate for something you want without knowing how to get there! I feel a good job was made of explaining and including different views, and that makes for an agreeable read. Despite thinking that I was decently caught up on the area, there were plenty of new points and discussions included that are sensible but just not mainstream. My only qualm is that in the introductory sections the writing was maybe a bit over-enthusiastic, but then again if someone feels passionate about something to write a whole ass book about it, maybe that would make sense AHAHAHAH
An interesting read, and certainly widely recommended! I was suprised to find that most of the ideas in this book were not super revolutionary - though a friend pointed out that this book was published some time ago, and the ideas were very new back then.
It's certianly a very motivating read. Even if certain points are repeated many times, and it can feel a tiny condescending at times, it makes convincing points, and importantly, actually gives a sense of optimism that things can actually be changed if you make the right changes. No book is without its imperfections, but I think if we could push the narritive of this book, rather than the shaming and blaming we are used in media, the world would be a much better place.
Not really the point of the book, but it has convinced me that I do actually in fact need to touch grass every now and then.
a pretty easy read for something designed to be informative! While this is definitely not a textbook lol, I think more of its value comes from getting to see things around you differently, and to challenge the assumptions and individual defaults we've made about decor choice. Consumption of this book definitely benefits from searching up images of the works mentioned!!
in terms of where the last star was docked for me, I found the narritive a bit beige, and so it doesn't quite dazzle in that way. It could have done with some summaries (I'm gonna have to go back through and make notes) as I'm struggling to recall many specific suggestions. Activity sheet included is a very nice interactive element though!
Contains spoilers
I am SO MAD at this book because the first half is so perfect and then it drives straight off a cliff. nyyyyyyoooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
parts that I love/general comments: (and then I'll open fire on criticisms later)
- For context, I literally study at oxford am graduating this year. This book made my city come alive to me, persuaded me to touch grass and man reallllly made graduating and leaving way harder than it was gonna be lol. Thank you to this book for gifting my city to me again before I leave.
- For context, I'm a first gen Chinese immigrant. I've been obsessed with the differences between the two languages for yoinks and this book actually brought many flavours of what I love in Chinese/East Asian literature that's often lost in translations (reference not intended but I'll take it anyway thank you thank you). Thank you R F Kuang for letting the great reader base of English only peeps know what they're missing out on LOL. Understanding both languages also made this book amazing. This book wasn't written for me but it sure felt like it was B)
- Can't believe that no one complained that Oxford water tastes bad LOL I swear it's the only thing people talk about in freshers (I still don't get what is up with this y'all btw Bristol tastes even worse)
- Working you to the bone is real and true though. Could not be the maths dept actually not letting you to go fourth year without at least a 2.1, it gen might as well feel like being dragged out and thrown down a tower.
- Bro I never got oysters at a college ball I want my money back. Oh wait, I never paid cus I organised that shit LOL (lil side note just cus misinformation annoys me, we don't get any money from college and nor are we allowed to turn a profit, and we definitely would not be able to afford oysters)
- Griffin is SO REAL for missing being a student. I miss my first year room. New building st Peter’s will always have my heart
- secretly wished that the author had included some explanations of language using some more commonly misunderstood chinese terms. Just for personal satisfaction. Hearing people say the ‘Ying to my Yang’ I umh uh I ahahaha uhhh AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
criticisms:
I genuinely have few bad words to say about the first half, and I think that's why the whiplash of so many problems being in the second half has me so sad :((((
- lots of plotholes. loads.
- killing like everyone within in two chapters with not much reason really gave me wattpad fic flashbacks. I think they were meant to make me sad, but the whole situation was so fanatical and rushed I was more like uhhhh ok
- Not sure about the notion of violence being the only solution to everything. And even as a first gen chinese immigrant who’s had a fair share of marginalizing experiences (if anyone tries again to correct my own EXPERIENCES of a different political system I’m going to scream thx), I’m skeptical at the portrayal that all white people are imperialists and feel that that sterotype is harmful. I know this is the 1830s but my point still stands, it is written today for people today.
- again, I do believe that it is difficult to fundamentally understand the concept of different cultures without having actually fully experienced them, and this is something I sometimes struggle communicating to homegrown white brits, but most of them will try their best, and you can’t demonize people who never had that toolkit.
- Also not sure about the notion of innovation being fundamentally tied with oppression. The book does touch on the idea of a ‘freemarket’ being happily manipulated for benefits of certain groups, but did not factor it into its solution and just yelled technology bad.
- Nottt sure I’d consider the manipulation of the poor working class into fighting a cause that only has their interests as a byproduct and an afterthought as a resounding moral success.
- the working class are very 1D and portrayed as violent and stupid, to only attempt a save at the end with ‘it was never about the silver bars it was about the working conditions of our women and kids’ feels cheap and patronizing. Many of the 'problems of silver' presented such as wagons not coming off the tracks just ??? like is it better health and safety to have wagons flying off rails? surely you move the person and not the cart right. The book simultaneously tries to use silver to draw a parallel with ethical concerns with the industrial revolution, but also... highlights the fact that these problems have also existed since the industrial revolution (and somehow haven't been solved?). This undermines its own message about the problems that silver brings (if the problem existed before silver anyway, why are people only obsessed with getting rid of silver) and makes it very difficult to take the actions of the core group seriously.
anyway I've yapped enough I'm gonna go do sth else now.
my therapist recommended that I read this book, and it'd taken me so long to track it down that I actually forgot why she recommended it to me. Immediately remembered after literally a page or two lol, it was very obvious, and this book is very straightforward in what it's talking about.
I can't lie, this was a lot more wishy-washy-energy vibes than media that I usually consume, but as long as you can take it with a pinch of 'it's just an explanation rather than a literal description' it's not too bad. And as much as that did bother me, I hate to admit that it did give me a couple of good lightbulb moments. Pretty effective therapy (at least for me), I'm glad I read it.
((the straightforwardness also starts getting a bit dry to read, which is a shame cus it kinda takes away from the messages, but also I guess it makes sense since it's intended to be read in any order. Anyway, I'd love to see a more logic based rendition of this work))
Tell me you've never interacted with a woman without telling me you've never interacted with a woman. (I'm sorry some of the quotes in this reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee)
Would not recommend reading in public places, incredibly paranoia inducing that someone might look over your shoulder, read the contents on the page and take you for a horrible human LMAO
Maybe it's the point and I'm missing the point?? But I don't think one could make characters more realistic than those in this book. Nice proof to myself that I can finish just about anything. Remind me again why this is famous?
An interesting message! And for anyone who is not familiar with the concept, it's worth considering. It's probably not to be taken literally for most people, but it's certainly got its value.
The problem with this book is that it tries to tell you the same message 30 times. Sounded worryingly like my own Asian dad lecturing me about the same thing and going around in circles LOL geez dad ok i get it
Picked this up as a recommendation from 80,000 hours. Interesting read philosphilcally and theoretically, and for sure quite enlightening. It does get a bit soppy at points, but maybe people need big reasons to save the world y'know lol. (Personally, I don't share some of the sentiments, but it's always nice to read about someone so enthusiastic about something!)
Mostly interesting but a bit of a slog at some points. Valuable read for those into effective alturism though!