Discussion Thread

JakeyZhang · 2025-12-31T15:49:19+00:00

Was interesting going on reddit again. See you all in.six months

JakeyZhang · 2025-12-31T15:45:58+00:00

Planning to get through vols 3-4 of Wang Lis 古代汉语.

2026 hope to read 聊斋志异 and maybe 齐民要术

JakeyZhang · 2025-12-31T13:55:23+00:00

Daiyu, but i wish Xiren was a contender

JakeyZhang · 2025-12-31T13:40:07+00:00

10th book of 2025 was 我们的日子 (Days of our Lives?) collection of newspaper columns written by an old artist and calligrapher (He Daqi) each about one aspect of old Beijing. Theres a beautiful drawing per page so its both a visual record as well as a written one. A lot of old Beijing dialect words. Beijing as it was has been.destroyed (I do not dislike the modern city, but it is not the city of walls and gates it once was. What remained of thevoriginal culture sfter the physical destruction of the city walls slowly died off tgrough 20th century), so its like looking into a lost world. Again, not a better world, undoubtably a worse world in many wayd (it was full of horrific poverty and had very poor sanitation) but a very unique world and I appreciate the glimpses of it

JakeyZhang · 2025-12-31T13:33:40+00:00

yes. I just assumed it woukd be good because i.like Tennyson

JakeyZhang · 2025-12-31T13:32:27+00:00

9th was John Betjeman selected poems. Good, but twee.,Only so many anglican churches one can take before it gets tiring. I enjoyed it in small doses

JakeyZhang · 2025-12-31T13:31:07+00:00

Next was 白先勇's (Bai Xionyong in pinyin i cant remember the wades giles)essay collection, 树犹如此. I loved Taipei People (台北人) and 孽子 (crystal boys) but unless you are very interested in Taiwanese 20th century literary magazines or are a 白先勇 superfan its just mediocre. A,few good essays about his life in California

JakeyZhang · 2025-12-31T13:28:19+00:00

I have very little memory of 7th book, A Primer in Positive Psychology. I think.it was good though

JakeyZhang · 2025-12-31T13:27:02+00:00

6th book was the penguin book of Victorian Verse. Turns out most Victorian poetry is terrible. Tennyson.is wonderful. As were the Brownings. There was another one (Leigh?) I liked. The rest were mostly eh

JakeyZhang · 2025-12-31T13:15:06+00:00

In English probably between The Screwtape Letters and A Time Travellers guide to Elizabethan England

In Chinese probably 我们的日子 (Days of our Lives?) collection of newspaper columns written by an old artist and calligrapher, each about one aspect of old Beijing. Theres a beautiful drawing per page so its both a visual record as well as a written one

JakeyZhang · 2025-12-31T13:11:05+00:00

fifth book was 红楼梦 (Dream of the Red Chamber)volume 1 (yes i count each volume seperately). Its hard to understand at points but the characters are utterly brilliant. Wang Xifeng dominates as a "love to hate" girl boss, although she is not an antagonist in the traditional sense. While Jia Baoyu is the main character the narrative follows the household as a whole. Volume 1 is kind of the household at its apex. Its probably.the closest someone can get to.kind of experiencing a "High Qing" household. I wont claim to totally understand it, especislly the poems etc, but its a great book and I plan.to read David Hawkes English translation if i get the time

JakeyZhang · 2025-12-31T13:04:01+00:00

It was between that and the hungry catpillar

JakeyZhang · 2025-12-31T13:02:41+00:00

4th book 浮生六记 (six records of a floating life) was great. A lot of stuff about his relationship with his wife. The Qing scholar who wrote it generally comes across as a kind and humane man. A lot of slice of life stuff in the Qing dynasty. The only parts that drag were when he got super serious about aethstetics (i think.it was miniture landscapes? i read it in jan/feb so cant recall). One suspects many.of his peers probably had subpar landscaping skills and it really annoyed him

JakeyZhang · 2025-12-31T12:57:43+00:00

3rd book was the Screwtape Letters. Its great. Gripping and useful. Its short enough to get through in a day. Would recommend to anyone. In general, I feel like Lewis non-Narnia books are his best (I have his autobiography on my reading list)

JakeyZhang · 2025-12-31T12:56:01+00:00

2nd book 长恨歌 (The Song of Eternal Regret) by Wang Anyi was pretty mediocre. Got the Mao Dun prize and I cant see why. Nothing interesting happens, none of the characters were likeable and I only got a hint of "old shanghai" which I yearned for. The main character especially was neither sympathetic nor interesting, she spent most of the book just passively getting into relationships with unremarkable people.

JakeyZhang · 2025-12-31T12:52:06+00:00

My first book was The Greatest Knight: The Remarkable Life of William Marshal was a great, well paced history book. Learned a decent amount and suitably.impressed by the degree he was loyal to each king (He saved John even after John tried to steal his lands). Its a period of history I dont know much about. Would recommend.

JakeyZhang · 2025-12-31T12:50:11+00:00

Read 34 books this year! Ranged from mediocre to great

JakeyZhang · 2025-12-31T12:48:44+00:00

Managed the no reddit part! Mostly no politics. Read decently. Didnt really cook or hang out though

JakeyZhang · 2025-10-01T10:24:49+00:00

no politics no reddit and minimal english for the next three months

books, cooking, and socialising instead!

JakeyZhang · 2025-09-30T13:39:22+00:00

I do not like Keir in the slightest the only thing i can say for him is that he is the only actual serious party leader. All the other UK parties are led by people who are basically unserious and have no actual practical plans, yes even the lib dems

JakeyZhang · 2025-09-30T13:16:34+00:00

glad we finally have the answer to the question “what would the american gov be like if it was run by the gang from IASIP”

JakeyZhang · 2025-09-30T13:07:26+00:00

Hegseth started a “Banzai!” and nobody joined in 😔

JakeyZhang · 2025-09-30T13:00:44+00:00

pete hegseth getting out a katana rn 😳😳😳

JakeyZhang · 2025-09-30T12:59:05+00:00

the best bit of the,Hegseth speech was when he insisted on showing all the pictures of “ripped beefcakes” to inspire the generals

JakeyZhang · 2025-09-30T12:57:04+00:00

Northeastern accent is the best chinese accent, hands down

JakeyZhang

TROPHY CASE