2020 Reading List

A record of books read in 2020, totaling 37. Some records were lost in September due to a missing book, but what’s forgotten can be left behind.

1. Blindness by José Saramago ★★★★★

Even if the whole world goes blind, there are still those with intact vision, like the doctor’s wife in the novel, who compassionately accompanies the blind.

2. Baltasar and Blimunda by José Saramago ★★★★

Witty, playful, grand, and magnificent.

3. Plagues and Peoples by William H. McNeill ★★

Dull language, poor translation, didn’t finish.

4. The Deer and the Cauldron (Revised Edition) by Jin Yong ★★★★

This is probably the fourth time I’ve read it. Now, I realize the essence lies in the Shenlong Sect. People say Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils is full of foolish characters, but The Deer and the Cauldron also has two—Tao Gonge and Hu Yizhi, and even Emperor Shunzhi could be considered half a fool.

5. Life and Death in Shanghai by Nien Cheng ★★★★★

Published in 1987 and translated in mainland China the following year, it became a sensation. Experience it for yourself.

6. Exhalation by Ted Chiang ★★★★★

Ted Chiang has too few works. This book is still a collection, with many old classics that I first read when his surname was still “Jiang.” The new works are somewhat dull, but it’s still worth 5 stars.

7. Chengji by Wang Jun ★★★☆

A book from the era of Dangdang and Douban, unforgettable. If European large-scale demolitions or even the demolition of Guangzhou’s city walls in 1912 were done when ancient building protection wasn’t yet a consensus, then the demolition of Beijing’s city walls in the 1950s and 60s, which led to the destruction of the most important feudal empire’s capital in human history, is an unforgivable mistake.

8. Hackers and Painters by Paul Graham ★★★★☆

A collection of essays by Paul Graham, translated by Ruanyifeng. For a technical collection, accurate and smooth translation is crucial, and Ruanyifeng achieved that. Most of the essays are full of wisdom, humor, and sprinkled with promotion of Ruby throughout the book.

9. The Story of Buildings: Fifteen Stunning Cross-sections from the Pyramids by Patrick Dillon & Stephen Biesty ★★★★

An educational and appealing book for all ages, with beautiful illustrations. The sections on Egypt and Greece pair well with “Bird’s Eye View of Ancient Civilizations.”

10. Bird’s Eye View of Ancient Civilizations by Jean-Claude Golvin ★★★★

The illustrations are incredibly beautiful. For some reason, the more intact the ancient site (like Luxor, Giza, Petra), the more realistic the illustrations, lacking imagination. Some even use reconstructed architectural drawings (like the Queen’s Palace). The destroyed ancient cities, however, are depicted with a blend of archaeological knowledge and imagination, showing their prosperity and fantasy. The last two-thirds of the book focus on Hellenic civilization’s colonies in the Mediterranean, where theaters, arenas, and civic squares vividly bring to life the daily lives of the people.

11. Testimony by Dmitri Shostakovich as told to Solomon Volkov ★★★★★

In college, I played Shostakovich’s pieces in the orchestra a few times, only knowing he was the most famous Soviet musician. Shostakovich’s living conditions were far better than the long list of Soviet writers who suffered, but he wasn’t a complete hero; he was, however, a truth-teller.

12. The First Sino-Japanese War by Chen Yue ★★★★☆

The descriptions of the two naval battles are extremely thrilling, with rich and detailed historical data. The Beiyang Fleet lost due to comprehensive backwardness, with the Qing court’s internal struggles sealing its fate. On land, the defeat was even more disastrous, feeding the Japanese army’s ambition and laying the foundation for Japan’s trajectory for the next 50 years. The author’s emotional involvement deducts half a star.

13. Ten Essays on Tradition by Qin Hui ★★★★★

The correct way to read Chinese history—Ancient China was not the patriarchal society of legend but a centralized society. Thanks to Professor Qin Hui.

14. Confucius by Qian Mu ★★★☆

Qian Mu’s scholarship is solid, but he loves Confucius too much. I have some reservations.

There was once an era of rapidly advancing aircraft, and Kelly Johnson was the aircraft design engineer leading that era. He was incredibly talented, but his 50-year career is presented too much like a chronicle in this book, and the translation is just barely readable.

16. A Concise History of Modern India by Barbara D. Metcalf and Thomas R. Metcalf ★☆

Terrible translation, couldn’t finish.

17. The Great Buddha Statues of Gandhara by Isao Kurita ★★★☆

The book is thin and not detailed enough. After Alexander’s eastern campaign, the Gandhara Kingdom was left behind, producing brilliant Hellenistic Buddhist statues. Faxian and Xuanzang both stayed long-term to study Buddhism, leaving records. Since early Buddhism did not create idols, the Gandhara-style statues are actually the earliest depictions of Buddha.

18. Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom by Stephen R. Platt ★★★★★

As the title suggests, it only covers the decline of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. The strength lies in analyzing and discussing China within the global context, mentioning Western countries’ examinations of the Taiping, the attitudes of Western media, the movements of foreigners in China, and more. The writing is excellent.

19. The Little Book That Builds Wealth by Pat Dorsey ★★★

A popular science book on Buffett’s economic moat theory, clear and concise, easily forgotten after reading—needs multiple readings.

20. The Art of the Deal by Donald Trump ★★★

The most famous book by the former U.S. President, showcasing his penchant for playing power games.

21. The Story of Art by E.H. Gombrich ★★★★☆

What is art? How should we view art? This is probably the best educational book on art appreciation.

22. SQL: The Complete Reference by Ben Forta ★★★★

What’s the most useful IT skill? Some say PPT, others say SQL. A thin introductory book with plenty of tips.

23. Autobiography of Shen Congwen by Shen Congwen ★★★☆

Youthful exuberance, straightforward and sincere, with a romantic writing style, truly unique.

24. Destiny: Moon Jae-in’s Autobiography by Moon Jae-in ★★★☆

Most of the book details Moon Jae-in’s lifelong friendship with Roh Moo-hyun. Moon Jae-in’s parents and many other northern refugees arrived on the southern island of Geoje during the Korean War by military ship. Many thought they would return home in two or three weeks and brought nothing with them. During that cold winter, the residents of Geoje shared their pots, pans, and food with the refugees, helping them overcome initial difficulties. They never forgot this kindness and later organized a repayment movement to establish scholarships. They often said, “If the situation were reversed, if southerners arrived in Heungnam (Moon Jae-in’s hometown), would we treat them as well?”

25. The Record of Buddhist Monasteries in Luoyang by Yang Xuanzhi ★★★★★

After hearing “Easy for Me,” how can one not read “The Record of Buddhist Monasteries in Luoyang”? Since I am particularly moved by the sorrow of “Millet and Wheat,” it’s a full 5-star rating.

26. The Last Empire by Shen Zhihua ★★★★

The Sino-North Korean relationship was probably China’s most important foreign relationship in the first 30 years. This research on Sino-North Korean relations (1945-1976) was completed by Professor Shen Zhihua with funding from the National Social Science Fund. After gathering Russian declassified archives, publicly available documents from China and North Korea, memoirs, and more, the final work could not be published. It was finally published in 2015 by the Chinese University Press in Hong Kong.

27. The Sandman ★★★

Neil Gaiman’s masterpiece, long on my to-read list. I ultimately found that the style doesn’t suit me—the stories are fragmented, the art style is chaotic, and it’s too difficult to get used to.

28. The Egyptian Museum ★★★☆

29. Lonely Planet: Egypt ★★★☆

At the beginning of the year, I traveled all over Upper and Lower Egypt with these two books. The most interesting golden fly pendant wasn’t found at the Egyptian Museum but was eventually discovered at the Luxor Museum.

30. Kora(pilgrimage) by Xie Wanglin ★★★★

Leung Man-tao said this is a book that can summon a whole generation. As I grow older, on my third read, I realize I’m no longer at the age to be summoned.

31. Ways of Seeing by John Berger ★★☆

Mysterious and obscure, probably due to poor translation, making it unreadable.

32. The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham ★★★☆

The examples are too outdated, making the whole book feel dusty, costing it at least one star.

33. Tales from the Loop by Simon Stålenhag ★★★★★

34. Things from the Flood ★★★★

Inspired by the TV series “Tales from the Loop,” this tells the stories of people in a quiet Nordic town, with melancholic and beautiful visuals, exquisite and lasting music, and deeply touching stories. I rate it as the best of the year. The series faithfully adapts Simon’s “Tales from the Loop” and “Things from the Flood,” the two illustrated books. Later, I checked satellite maps and found that the story’s setting is based on the town of Ekeby near Stockholm. The scenes in the series match up, adding to the feeling of temporal and spatial overlap.

35. The Electric State by Simon Stålenhag ★★★★★

Another work by Simon, but “The Electric State” is set in a dystopian world and is his most complete work.

36. The Arabs: A History by Eugene Rogan

Started but haven’t finished yet.

37. The Castle by Franz Kafka ★★★★

K is Kafka himself, engaged in a Sisyphean search, exhausting effort with no results, probably searching for his identity and place. Ultimately, “The Castle” was left unfinished due to Kafka’s early death, which ironically completes the ending.