April 23 is World Book Day.
President and six deans of UIC University
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Recommender
Professor Chen Zhi
President of Beijing Normal Hong Kong Baptist University
Chair Professor
Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of Humanities
"Telling Dreams"
Author: Shu Wu
This book was first published in the 80s, and it is related to "Dream of Red Mansions", but it is different from ordinary academic papers. I have been friends with this author for many years, and he has studied "Dream of Red Mansions" deeply, has a deep understanding of the human feelings and sophistication of the old era, and has a good analysis of the psychology and personality of the characters in it. The book also had an impact on the study of Dream of the Red Chamber.
I would also like to recommend Qian Zhongshu's "The Siege of the City", He Zhaowu's "Going to School" and "Going to Work". Some of them portray the intellectuals of the old era very well. Times are changing, but human nature remains the same, and the core of the literati spirit remains the same. I hope that students will read more "fun" books and not take reading as a burden.
Recommender
Professor Zuolong Peilan
Associate Vice President (Student Development)
Acting Dean of the Faculty of General Education
From 0 to 1/
Zero to One
Author:
Peter Thiel
Peter Thiel, the author of "From 0 to 1", is a co-founder of PayPal and an early investor in companies such as Facebook. In the book, he shares his early investment experience with new concepts and unique thoughts on innovation and entrepreneurship. Tiel's main point is that true innovation comes from creating something new (from 0 to 1) rather than copying something already there (from 1 to many). Creating new things is vertical development, for example, the development of new technologies can open up the blue ocean and achieve innovation.
In this book, you will learn the innovative longitude and latitude thinking model from 0 to 1, which is the core spirit of personal entrepreneurship and even enterprise development. The practical advice and case studies in the book, such as building a strong team, dividing market segments and lasting planning, provide a foothold for every young person who wants to seize the opportunity to surpass with new conceptual thinking. From 0 to 1 is a must-read for anyone interested in entrepreneurship or innovation, and this book will challenge your established notions and may change the way you think about business and entrepreneurship. In addition, the controversial points in the book will leave room for the reader to explore.
Recommender
Professor Pan Jianxin
Associate Vice-President (International Development)
Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology
Chair Professor
"Think Fast and Think Slowly"/
Thinking Fast and Slow
Author:
Daniel Kahneman
Thinking Quickly is a masterpiece written by Nobel laureate economist Daniel Kahneman, which delves into the dual-track mechanism of the human mind: the intuitive and rapid system one and the meticulous and slow system two. This book deftly reveals how these two modes of thinking influence our judgments and decisions that shape our lives and careers. Through a wealth of experiments and fascinating examples, Kahneman shows how we can apply both ways of thinking in our daily lives, while also pointing out the pitfalls and pitfalls that people can fall into in the decision-making process.
Reading this book will not only enhance your knowledge and understanding of your own thinking process, but also help you analyze and make decisions more rationally when faced with complex problems. Whether it's in academic research, career planning, or personal life, the insights provided by this book will be invaluable. By reading this book, we can learn how to identify and avoid cognitive biases, how to use our thinking skills more effectively, and make more informed choices in various challenges.
Recommender
Professor Wu Gaiyu
Acting Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration
Chair Professor
The Alchemist
Author:
Paulo Coelho
【荐语】An alchemist is an artisan who tries to convert low value metal into gold, carrying the dream of achieving greatness from scratch. The Alchemist is a fable about chasing dreams in every aspect, including work, love, life, to name but a few. From The Alchemist, I did not only learn how to chase dreams, but also re-questioning myself on whether the ultimate goal of chasing dreams is to achieve ‘dream comes true’? It has re-shaped my attitude to life: appreciate everything I have experienced, accept changes, and adapt the dynamic nature of achieving dreams. It has not only taught me to enjoy the process of chasing a dream, but in order to succeed, we need to recognize the importance of ‘no regrets’ of the decisions that we have made.
Recommender
Professor Yiren Chong
Dean of the Faculty of Culture and Creativity
Man's Search For Meaning
Author:
Viktor E. Frankl
【荐语】I am recommending this book to all for the purpose that, as we progress into the future, and as machines become prominent and ubiquitous in pervading all aspects of our lives, we need a strong foothold in determining who we are as human beings. I feel that being human, as opposed to the synthetic nature of artificial intelligence is that, in all circumstances, the concept of having a ‘meaning’, whether in work or in leisurely activities can help us navigate our future. I feel that having a meaning in our work and life can give us a sense of purpose, and this can propel us forward in challenging times. I hope that you, in your circumstance can gain benefits from reading this book as much as I have done in the past.
Recommender
Professor Han Ziqi
Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Jiang Yi and His Literary Friends: Artistic Creation and Social Interaction with Chinese in Britain (1930-1950)
Editors-in-Chief: Paul Bevan, Anne Wechard, Zheng Da
When it comes to cultural exchanges between China and Britain in the twentieth century, the first thing that comes to people's minds is often the interaction between the poet Xu Zhimo, the novelist Ling Shuhua and the Bloomsbury group. In fact, after 1930, many Chinese writers and artists lived in England, and Jiang Yi and His Literary Friends tells the story of a group of Chinese literati who promote Chinese culture in Britain. Jiang Yi traveled to England in 1933 and lived in Hampstead, northwest of London. Sharing an apartment with Jiang Yi are playwrights Xiong Shiyi and Cai Daimei. Their frequent friends include writers Wang Lixi and Lu Jingqing, Xiao Qian, Yang Xianyi, Ye Junjian and so on. These people constituted an important network of Chinese intellectuals in London at the time.
They create articles, plays and paintings to translate Chinese culture, and strive to break down Westerners' cultural prejudices and stereotypes about China, so that more Western readers can appreciate the charm of Chinese culture. During World War II, they also actively participated in the activities of the British Aid to China Association, publicized the Anti-Japanese War through BBC broadcasting, and made contributions to the joint struggle against fascism between China and Britain.
I hope that through reading this book, students will admire the predecessors and make a contribution to the development of Chinese culture to the world.
Recommender
Professor Huang Yu
Dean of the Graduate School
Chair Professor
《Flourishing Flowers》
Author: Jin Yucheng
Shanghai writer Jin Yucheng's novel "Flowers" is a valuable literary work. The author uses many Shanghainese words and phrases, such as: "Bu Ring", "Qi San", "Shou Tou" and "Xiao Kai", which are naturally embedded with the legends of the market and the style of Shanghai. There are not only the desires and feelings of men and women who eat and drink, but also the sabre-rattling of competition in shopping malls, and the swaying of ten-mile foreign fields.
The social background and fate of the characters depicted in "Flowers", especially the growth and transformation of the characters of Husheng, Ah Bao and Xiao Mao, are also similar to the life experiences or problems faced by modern youth. Some people say that "Flowers" is comparable to "Dream of Red Mansions" (in contemporary Shanghai), showing the spirit of rapid change through the detailed description of daily life, the dialogue of itinerant brushstrokes, and the ups and downs and intersecting storylines. "Flowers" not only restores the daily life of Shanghai, but also contains a strong sense of reflection, dissecting and criticizing the social ills and the darkness of human nature through the characters' thoughts, dialogues, behaviors and situations.
In 2024, the famous director Wong Kar-wai made the novel "Flowers" into a 30-episode TV series, causing a sensation.