《素书》大成智慧

 

据说，张良靠着这本伟大的著作成就了刘邦汉朝四百年江山（无从考证）。我要求不高，接下来有个辉煌中的平淡二十年就足矣，😄。。。这类书籍我读过不少。不过，孤陋寡闻的我；“素书”我还真的没听过。因此，当老友赠送这本书时，我还真的吓了一大跳。中华五千年历史，我们这些凡夫俗子只能惊叹一句老话：学海无涯！！！！

这本书大道理很多。大道理不是不好，但是要把大道理说的生动，还得要劳动易中天或袁腾飞这类作者才能让读者读的废寝忘食。据说，作者好像有个组织研究院。因此，他的研究院学生或许更能体会这本书的用意。以我个人而言，这本书挺闷的。第一，每一个大道理都是从原典开始。老实说，这几年文言文的功力真的开始减退了。因此，原典的开始对于我简直就是多余的。结果是，我跳过所有的原典而直接朝向译文。第二，类似这类书籍，或许需要一些生动的例子才能让整个哲学没那么沉闷。这方面，作者可能太正经了。（易中天和袁腾飞宠坏了我们这些读者😆）很多大道理，虽说有理，但是就是激发不到内心的沸腾情绪。第三，张良的名字太响了。书的开头一开始就以张良做铒诱。期望太大，往往都是失望更甚。

十分满分，这本书我给于四分。整个素书有它的道理价值。毕竟人性的修身处事，除了中华文化，基本上欧美的智谋宝典还是有它欠缺的一面。但是。。。第一，我真的不太喜欢作者呈现的方式。第二，可能是年纪也大了，类似哲学的大道理越来越不吸引我。第三，基于生活真的很忙碌，这类修生养性的事还真的没什么兴致去处理😁。整体上，这本书或许真的不错，不过确实不是我喜欢的那杯茶。。。

蔡康永的情商课：为你自己活一次

 好久没看书了。。。四个多月，疫情的干扰让我加速成长。有些人开不了工，难得偷闲度月（如年？）。我却恰恰相反。现在，终于可以偷个半日闲把书架上的图书慢慢啃掉。都说四个多月了，一开始当然得酝酿读书的情绪。好吧，就来本轻松写意的书籍呗！

结果是。。。好选不选，竟然选了一本那么沉闷的书籍。基于太久不看书，一开始想找本比较轻松又不需要绞尽脑汁的“开胃书”。的确，这本书的确是不会伤到脑细胞。原因是，这本书根本没办法把我的脑袋敲醒！！！

第一，一开始我并不认同作者的情商理论。毕竟，我没有菜主播的那种智慧。里头的理论我怎么读都是一堆我不认同的歪理。第二，好讨厌每个理论的开头白：我有个艺人朋友！以作者的文学角度，应该会有更新鲜的开端吧！或许，作者有心那么写。毕竟，这也是为自己而活的表现吧！第三，我很努力的把这本书啃到一半。以我的毅力，我很少那么容易放弃。但，这一回，我还真的投降了。

我不知道其他读者对于这本书的评价。以我个人而言，这本书我真的不太喜欢。10分满分，本人给予0分！或许是年龄和忙碌的关系，对于这类书籍，好像越来越难产生共鸣。（油腻中年男子的困惑？）最后，再次申明，本人非常喜欢蔡康永的主持风格。总觉得，蔡康永一直是台湾主持界，最有内涵的主持人。虽然尝试爱屋及乌；但是，这本书我还真的举白旗了。。。

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大城心事3：小说版

陈峰又有新书了。身为陈峰大哥的忠实支持者，这本书怎能错过呢？

第一本大城心事我觉得不错。至少让我们这班陈峰粉丝重温一下这几年和峰哥熬过的三更半夜。然而，大城心事2我却不怎么想购买。理由是，感觉上，听好像比读更能投入。这回，大城心事3来个大改革。峰哥把它编成了短篇小说版。基于好奇的推动下，终于去书局把这本书买下了。

结果是。。。小说版真的好多了。第一，阅读过程不再那么沉闷。上回阅读大城心事1时，总是感觉有点重复性。毕竟内容一切都听过了。这回，虽然也有似曾相识的感觉，但是比较容易投入。第二，小说版因为文字上的修饰，感觉上没大城心事1那么粗糙。第三，峰哥在每一则小说后都附上自己的“峰言峰语”。这一段结论堪称一绝。大城心事的精髓恰恰就是“峰言峰语”的一切。

原本想把一些书里的经典语录记录在此。但是，最后发觉到每一段“峰言峰语”都是经典的语录。因此，感觉上好像多此一举。10分满分，这本书我给予满分。峰哥这回太有创意了。这本书肯定会带来巨大的回响。峰哥，加油！

魂气归天：马来西亚华人丧礼考论

“峇峇球” （作者在报章杂志上的笔名）~ 一个我很敬佩的本地学者。多年前阅读过《移国》和《日本手》后，我一直期盼着作者的新书。终于，该来的始终会来。或许，这本书籍是作者沉淀多年，慢工出细货的作品吧!

这本书来的也是时候。这么多年以来一直对死亡，葬礼等等课题充满着疑惑。所以，这本书应该可以打开心里的很多疑问吧！

结果是。。。这本书太棒了。作者峇峇球很用心的收集各类资料，然后很仔细的把马来西亚，台湾，中国（偏向于大马习俗上的改变）各个不同籍贯的丧礼习俗归纳于此书。其实，书里的每一则考论都源自于作者在报纸上的专栏。但是，这本书很巧妙的每一则专栏归纳的清清楚楚。因此，读上来没那么吃力。

两个缺点。。。第一，书里的载图如果是附上颜色，可能更生动一些。毕竟，很多载图需要颜色才能凸显作者的讲解。当然，这本书非常便宜。因此，这个小缺点基本上也只是美中不足的一小层面罢了。第二，个人虽不是佛教徒；但，对于作者一再的把佛教当作改变丧礼习俗的论点，个人不是非常苟同。诚如作者所说的般，丧礼习俗根据中华史基本上主要还是让家属能够安心和问心无愧的继续过后余生。因此，个人认为用什么方式，基本上只要心灵上得到安抚，那还是行得通的。当然，作者有他的坚持。毕竟，他要维护的是习俗的传承。因此，这个话题基本上没有所谓的对错。

老实说，以个人角度，阅读这本书挺伤感的。理由是，这本书道尽一切丧礼的细节。因此，阅读的过程中难免会想起当年父母亲丧礼上的一切。庆幸的是，当年本人有依照作者强调儒学的方式来处理父母的葬礼。读了这本书后，开始不那么排斥葬礼上的琐碎事务。（当年少许排斥主要还是在伤感的情绪上不想去理会所有的事情）老实说，我必须认同作者的观点。习俗有习俗的意义。中华民族一贯矮化自己而把外国的月亮看的特别圆的确不可取。除此以外，阅读这本书还有个小插曲。书里有些部分其实挺阴森的（哈哈）。试过在一个深夜，坐在屋外的凉亭上阅读。读着读着，忽然感觉毛骨悚然（哈哈，我是很胆小的）。所以，胆小的读者尽量在白天阅读吧。

10分满分，基于以上一些很细小的瑕疵，个人给予9分。有瑕疵还那么高? 作者的用心和努力不是一般上的人所能做到的。一本这么用心的书籍，价钱又那么便宜，能不给个高分吗？而且，别忘了；作者背负着习俗传承的伟大使命。我相信这本书主要还是想让大马的黄炎子孙继续维护我们的世代习俗。我们的根，由我们继续播种。下一代能否继续传承，每一代的炎黄子孙都必须出一份力量。谢谢作者的用心！

医院，我的乌托邦

我很好奇这本书一直徘徊在大众书局的书架上。基于近期也没什么新书看，于是就买了这本书籍来读一读。老实说，这类书肯定不是我的那杯茶。但是，试一试无妨。。。

结果还真的出乎我意料之外。这本书我只花了三天时间就解决掉了。理由不是因为这本书太薄；也不是这本书太没趣。主要是这本书太好看了！作者是一个很感性的医生。因此，作者的生活基本上都徘徊在理智和感性的灰色地带。里头所记录的每一则小故事都是发生在你我身边的点点滴滴。你和我肯定都遇过这类矛盾的抉择。作者虽是医生，肯定也和你我一样过着凡人的一切酸甜苦辣。因此，这本书读着读着，感触真的良多！

很佩服作者身为医生，却也不介意的把医生袍下真实凡人的一面呈现在读者面前。这是一个很不虚伪的医生。作者没有高高在上的医生光环。有的更多是你我都努力在进行的凡人工作。我个人家族里的几个医生应该更有同感。这本书很值得推荐。有时做人真的要秉持开放态度以及不断接受新事物。从来没想过我会喜欢的这杯茶原来转个身还是可以细细品尝。10分满分，我还真的找不到瑕疵。谢谢作者让我度过这三天感性的阅读旅程。在此，与家族里的医生们和饱受疾病的家族成员们分享这本书籍。与你们共勉之。。。

How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

I decided to revisit this book as one of my family members are having trouble to stop worrying. As such, here I am with one of the book that shaped my life in the past.

Ended up... this is still one of the best books I had ever read even though my last read was 20 years ago! Those days when I was young, I might not be able to appreciate so much even though I realize it was an amazing book. Now, in my early 40's I think this book will reshape my life once again!!!

The best part about this book is... it is helpful in all aspects of life from career, marriage, family, etc. Dale Carnegie guides us on how to control ourselves and acts in a way of service to others. The various examples given in the book will help readers to understand the concepts and apply it in their life. This book is essential beneficial to everyone, even for those without the problems of controlling emotional qualities.

I have so many good things to say about this book. As such, I have no hesitation to rate this book at 10/10! In fact, I made up my mind to revisit this book every several years. I think this book will benefit each individual personally and professionally. I highly recommend this book!

Last but not least... such a great book... of course tons of nice quotes as below:

Take thoughts for the tomorrow, yes, careful thought and planning and preparation. But, have no anxiety.

You and I are like hourglass. When we start in the morning, there are hundreds of tasks which we feel that we must accomplish that day, but if we do not take them one at a time and let them pass through the day slowly and evenly, as do the ground of sand passing through the narrow neck of the hourglass, then we are bound to break our own physical or mental structure.

Life is a ceaseless change. The only certainty is today. Why mar the beauty of living today by trying to solve the problems of a future that is shrouded in ceaseless change and uncertainty- a future that no one can possibly foretell?

You do not get stomach ulcers from what you eat. You get ulcers from what is eating you. Ulcers frequently flare up or subside according to the hills and valleys of emotional stress.

Plato said that "the greatest mistake physicians make is that they attempt to cure the body without attempting to cure the mind; yet the mind and body are one should be treated separately!"

Dr Alexis Carrel: "Business men who do not know how to fight worry die young."

If you want to avoid worry, do what Sir William Osier did: Live in "day-tight" compartments." Don't stew about the future. Just live each day until bedtime.

Half the worry in the world is caused by people trying to make decisions before they have sufficient knowledge on which to base a decision. Once a decision is carefully reached act! Get busy carrying out your decision - and dismiss all anxiety about the outcome.

It is difficult to worry while you are busy doing something that requires planning and thinking.

Why does such a simple thing as keeping busy help to drive out anxiety? Because of a law- one of the most fundamental laws ever revealed by psychology. And that law is: it is utterly impossible for any human mind, no matter how brilliant, to think of more than one thing at any given time.

General George Crook- probably the greatest Indian fighter in American history says that nearly all the worries and unhappiness of the Indian came from their imagination, not from reality.

Let's examine the record. Let's ask ourselves: "what are the chances, according to the law of average, that this event I am worrying about will ever occur?"

We are going to meet a lot of unpleasant situations that are so. They cannot be otherwise. We have our choice. We can either accept them as inevitable and adjust ourselves to them, or we ca ruin our lives with rebellion and maybe end up with a nervous breakdown.

President of Chrysler: "When I am up against tough situation, if I can do anything about it, I do it. If I can't, I just forget it. I never worry about the future, because I know no man living can possibly figure out what is going to happen in the future. So, why worry about them?"

One of the reasons was their burning desire to impress you and me. Yes, we are the posterity whose opinion they were worried about! Do we give a hoot? No, we are too concerned with our own problems to waste a minute thinking about them.

Whenever we are tempted to throw good money after bad in terms of human living, let's stop and ask these questions:
1. How much does this thing I am worrying about really matter to me?
2. At what point shall I set a stop loss order on this worry and forget it?
3. Exactly how much shall I pay for this whistle? Have I already paid more than it is worth?

There is only one way on God's green footstool that the past can be constructive' and that is by calmly analysing our past mistakes and profiting by them- and forgetting them.

We need to be concerned about our problems, but not worried. Concern means realising what the problems are and calmly taking steps to meet them. Worrying means going around in maddening, futile circles.

You will quickly discover what William James was talking about- that it is physically impossible to remain blue or depressed while you are acting out the symptoms of being radiantly happy!

Happiness is from within; it is not a matter of externals.

When we hate our enemies, we are giving them power over us; power over our sleep, our appetites, our blood pressure, our health and our happiness. Our enemies will dance with joy if only they knew how they were worrying us, lacerating us and getting even with us! Our hate is not hurting them, but our hate is turning our own days and nights into a hellish turmoil.

If selfish people try to take advantage of you, cross them off your list, but don't try to get even. When you try to get even, you hurt yourself more than you hurt the other fellow.

Even if we can't love our enemies, let's at least love ourselves. Let's love ourselves so much that we won't permit our enemies to control our happiness, our health and our looks.

"To be wronged or robbed," said Confucius, "is nothing unless you continue to remember it."

No one can humiliate or disturb you- unless we let him. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.

Let's never waste a minute thinking about peoples we don't like.

Let's not expect gratitude. Then, if we get some occasionally, it will come as a delightful surprise. If we don't get it, we won't be disturbed.

The most important thing in life is not to capitalize on your gains. Any fool can do that. The really important thing is to profit from your losses. That requires intelligence, and it makes the difference between a man of sense and a fool.

You can be cured in 14 days if you follow this prescription. Try to think every day how you can please someone.

Why will doing a good deed everyday produce such astounding efforts on the doer? Because trying to please others will cause us to stop thinking of ourselves: the very thing that produces worry and fear and melancholia.

If you want to banish worry and cultivate peace and happiness, here is Rule 7: Forget yourself by becoming interested in others. Do every day a good deed that will put a smile of joy on someone's face.

Man is not made to understand life, but to live it.


If we are tempted to be worried about unjust criticism here is Rule 1: Remember that unjust criticism is often a disguised compliment Remember that no one ever kicks a dead dog.

When you and I are unjustly criticized, let's remember Rule 2: Do the very best you can: and then put your old umbrella and keep the rain of criticism from running down the back of your neck. 

So, to prevent fatigue and worry, the first rule is: Rest often. Rest before you get tired.

Dr Edmund Jacobson of the University of Chicago has gone so far as to say that if you can completely relax the muscles of the eyes, you can forget all your troubles.

You can relax in odd moments, almost anywhere you are. Only don't make an effort to relax. Relaxation is the absence of all tension and effort. Think ease and relaxation.

"I measure my accomplishments," says Daniel W. Josselyn, "not by how tired I am at the end of the day, but how tired I am not." He says: "When I feel particularly tired at the end of the day, or when irritability proves that my nerves are tired, I know beyond questions that it has been an inefficient day both as to quantity and quality."

A person with his desk pilled high with papers on various matters will find his work much easier and more accurate if he clears that desk of all but the immediate problem on hand. I call this good housekeeping and it is the number-one step towards efficiency.

Keep reminding yourself that getting interested in your job will take your mind off your worries, and in the long run, will probably bring promotion and increased pay. Even if it doesn't do that, it will reduce fatigue to a minimum and help you enjoy your hours of leisure. 

Worrying about insomnia will hurt you far more than insomnia. 

No man ever committed suicide by refusing to sleep and no one ever will. Nature would force a man to sleep in spite of all his will power. Nature will let us go without food or water far longer than she will let us go without sleep.

More money is not the answer to most people's financial worries. In fact, I have often seen it happen that an increase in income accomplished nothing but an increase in spending- and an increase in headaches. What cause most people to worry is not that they haven't enough money, but that they don't know how to spend the money they have!

I try to see my troubles in their proper perspective. I say to myself: "Two months from now I shall not be worrying about this bad break, so why worry about it now? Why not assume now the same attitude that I will have two months from now?" 

做个快乐的读书人

这一类书籍我很少会买。理由是，我真的很怕这类书籍。这类书籍有鸦片的成分。读了一些，就需要不停的找另一些更高层的书籍。不然，脑袋就是得不到应有的营养（呵呵）。但是，这回，还真的破戒了。或许，年龄的增长再加上宝贝女儿的到来真的改变了我不少。。。

结果，感觉还是怪怪的。刘墉的小故事其实很贴心。但，心灵上，我就是感觉不到那一股温馨。或许，年龄层还未到，或许家里的宝贝还没增添太多问题；因此，我还真的体会不到作者写这一本书的用心。

评分方面，基于个人感触不是太多，10分满分，我给个5分。无论如何，这本书我会好好珍藏。我相信，总有一天，我会把这本书重读，而这一天我的体会一定会更深刻，跟透彻。。。

大城心事

峰哥出书，其它书当然得让路啦，呵呵。。。

好期待的一本书。整个感觉就好像在重温【乐在1102】和【大城心事】。书虽然简短；但胜在够精致。。。应该有的都有，不应该有的好像也有，哈。文词虽然不优美；但胜在够坦白，够本土化，而且非常生活化。书虽然好像很厚，但文字真的不多。别误会，我不是说它骗钱。只是外观厚度真的骗倒我。原本以为需要一个礼拜慢慢嚼着，结果两个小时就解决了。别误会，我不是说这本书不好。相反；书里文字虽然不多，但内容绝对有深度。。。好书一本！

这本书真的让我想起黄百鸣的【生存。奋斗】。“小”书一本，但，内容超“大”。总结来说，个人评分不会太低。10分满分都值个8分。扣除的两分是因为我觉得峰哥漏掉了好多其它更精彩的案例。经典语录方面，峰哥句句都是真言。如果真想探个究竟，去大众书局买本【大城心事】吧。。。

Socialism (A Very Short Introduction)

Socialism... a supposed out-dated ideology... However, there are always pros and cons in everything. As such, although at a glance it may seem out-dated, socialism remains something great to ponder about...

This book serves as a very good introduction to socialism. We have the whole evolution from the French era to the present day. The title itself (A Very Short Introduction) already tells us the whole story. This is purely an introduction book with limited details... In fact, I personally love such a way. After all, I am not really keen on socialism as a whole. My objective is simple... I know a bit here and there. In view that my knowledge in socialism is still limited, I actually wanted more with the objective to enhance my general knowledge... End of the day, it is never for the purpose to study deep into details...After all, I have other important stuff to chase for, LOL.

As mentioned above, an out-dated ideology does have its own value especially from the perspective of history and humanity development. It is always interesting to learn on failed cases. End of the day, an ideology that almost made it in the past really deserved some attention. In fact, after reading this book, I wanted to study more to get a better understanding on why the whole ideology failed. Thank god that the author did provide tons of info on references and further reading... 

Finally, some little flaws...the author seems to focus more on Europe and the Soviet Union. At the plus side, this is exactly what I am searching for... As for negative side; well, what happen to the Asia Socialism that indirectly created the Communism? I thought the author should at least cover a topic on that. The introduction seems inadequate without some digging into Asia...

Overall, for a start on socialism, this is a suitable book to kick off... I thought the author did so well and the overall cover up is good enough from a readers' point of view. Although some minor flaw as mentioned above, I personally rating this book as high as 9/10. Until I find the next excellent socialism stuff, this book remains as one of the best on my shelf. Thumbs up for the good work!

太监谈往录

刚看完港剧【大太监】，那么巧，上一轮订购的中国图书就包括这一本【太监谈往录]。看【大太监】看的是一头雾水。读这一本【太监谈往录]虽然文笔不太顺畅，内容一部分也挺沉闷的；但，至少真实性和准确率提高了许多。。。我还是不太明白香港连续剧怎么就不能如内地连续剧般好好的拍一套历史剧。。。

不谈连续剧了，谈一谈这本书吧。。。这是一本晚清太监回忆录的合集。由于是作者的亲历亲闻，很多细节还真的挺震撼的。至少，他们的身之亲历，目之亲睹和耳之亲闻肯定和我们对于宫廷和清朝的点点滴滴有着很大的不同见解。

老实说，我更喜欢后半段清宫太监回忆录的小故事。虽简单，但每一件事都有它惊心动魄的一面。一开始的“难忘的酷刑”就够难忘了。再来，西太后吃人奶的行径还真让人惊讶！或许是前半段（宫廷琐记）太沉闷了，因此后半段的小故事虽小，却趣味十足。。。

但，如以上所说；这一本回忆录的文笔还真的有点欠缺。整个感觉就是作者们的文化程度和思维定式个有局限。所以，沉闷的感觉充斥着正本书。看着，看着，有时还真的难以投入。因此，个人评分不会太高。满分10分最多也只值个4分。毕竟，当读者很难专心投入在一本书籍上，整个阅读的乐趣就不见了。不错的一本书。。。但，从读的机会应该是零吧。。。

大话方言

找了好久的一本书（市面上还真难订到的一本书）。。。据说，当年易老师还不是那么出名。（百家讲坛还没发觉到有那么一个重要人物！哈！）因此，他的书籍肯定也不太引人注意。。。我只能说，谁因此而错过它的旧作肯定是走宝了。。。易老师的书绝对不会让你失望的！！！

这是本非常轻松有趣的书籍。整个阅读过程完全不需要消耗任何脑力和专注力。。。内容幽默诙谐，很容易引起读者会心一笑。。。不得不佩服易老师的知识。。。虽只是个方言，却能“南腔北调”，“朝秦暮楚”，“东拉西扯”，“死去活来”，“张冠李戴”，“指桑骂槐”（引号里是整本书的章节主题）的讨论。。。你能说这本书不精彩吗？

评分方面，还真有点难。。。说实在，这其实是个人最不喜欢的易老师作品。最不喜欢的原因并不在于这本书，而是个人太喜欢听易老师讲史讲哲学了。。。纯粹以书的角度去评分，这本书少说也值8分（满分10分）。。。但，以个人因素去衡量，我最多减半给个4分。。。书肯定是精彩；只是本人的慧根太有限了。。。哈！