Face to Face: The Art of Human Connection

Brian Grazer
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Featured on CBS This Morning, Squawk Box, MSNBC, CNN, Bloomberg, Forbes, Fast Company, The New York Times, and more.

“Reading Face to Face is like being a fly on the wall, watching Brian Grazer work his magic. Utterly entertaining, this is how you become Hollywood’s best producer.” —Malcolm Gladwell, author of Talking to Strangers

Legendary Hollywood producer and author of the bestselling A Curious Mind, Brian Grazer is back with a captivating new book about the life-changing ways we can connect with one another.

Much of Brian Grazer’s success—as a #1 New York Times bestselling author, Academy Award–winning producer, father, and husband—comes from his ability to establish genuine connections with almost anyone. In Face to Face, he takes you around the world and behind the scenes of some of his most iconic movies and television shows, like A Beautiful Mind, Empire, Arrested Development, American Gangster, and 8 Mile, to show just how much in-person encounters have revolutionized his life—and how they have the power to change yours.

With his flair for intriguing stories, Grazer reveals what he’s learned through interactions with people like Bill Gates, Taraji P. Henson, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Eminem, Prince, Spike Lee, and the Afghani rapper activist Sonita: that the secret to a bigger life lies in personal connection. In a world where our attention is too often focused downward at our devices, Grazer argues that we are missing an essential piece of the human experience. Only when we are face to face, able to look one another in the eyes, can we form the kinds of connections that expand our world views, deepen our self-awareness, and ultimately lead to our greatest achievements and most meaningful moments.

When we lift our eyes to look at the person in front of us, we open the door to infinite possibility.

(Excerpt from amazon.com)

尋琴者

郭強生
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如貓印般音符的輕緩語言，演奏出一段迷人故事，傾訴了人、音樂與情感之間的靈魂歸屬，如此的蒼茫雪景與滄桑人生的互映，只有郭強生老師的《尋琴者》能乘載，這是一部令人眷戀的小說。──甘耀明（小說家）

《尋琴者》關於音樂與樂器的描寫很多，從小聽曲、唱曲的強生，有著善於審音的聽覺，他寫了一個聽覺小說，讓感情更純粹與空靈。這本書在談藝術，更在談創造小說的敘述藝術，然而愛情總是他作品中的終極藝術，因為不完美，甚至千瘡百孔，更能說明細緻純粹的情愛更是藝術，這是作者孤獨的藝術，也是悲傷的救贖。──周芬伶（作家）

讀《尋琴者》宛如聆聽一首跌宕的曲子，讓人不禁憶起孟若的《幸福與陰影之舞》、石黑一雄的《夜曲》、托瑪斯・曼的《魂斷威尼斯》、三島的《金閣寺》，甚至是恩田陸《蜜蜂與遠雷》……在這中篇裡，幾乎與所有音樂小說、與所有探討人性與命運之複雜的小說、與所有追求藝術與美的偉大小說，都彼此呼應著。如此具有啟發，如此難得。──盛浩偉（作家）

一位擁有過人音樂天分的鋼琴調音師，少年時的遭遇讓他放棄成為鋼琴家的夢想，人生也停留在逝去的時光與感情之中。
一位年逾六十歲的生意人，因為妻子死後留下的一架鋼琴與調音師相遇，兩人結伴踏上尋琴之路……

每個人都有與生俱來的共鳴程式，「有人在樂器中尋找，有人在歌聲中尋找，也有人更幸運地，能夠就在茫茫塵世間，找到了那個能夠喚醒與過去、現在、未來產生共鳴的一種震動。」你的一生是否也在尋覓能夠共鳴的靈魂？

金鼎獎、台灣文學金典獎、開卷好書獎得主郭強生，繼暢銷動人的散文書寫之後，重回小說領域推出《尋琴者》。這是郭強生首次嘗試音樂題材的小說，每個句子宛如音符精確而優雅，譜寫愛慕與寂寞的殘酷，只為追尋靈魂共鳴的無悔。全書哀傷而節制，讀完讓你掩卷嘆息。馬世芳力推：「這本書既寫出了深淵的黑暗，也寫出了那不可方物的至美。」

(摘錄自博客來網路書店)

Mastering 'Metrics: The Path from Cause to Effect

Joshua D. Angrist, Jörn-Steffen Pischke
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Joshua D. Angrist, together with Guido Imbens, was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 2021 “for their methodological contributions to the analysis of causal relationships”.

Applied econometrics, known to aficionados as 'metrics, is the original data science. 'Metrics encompasses the statistical methods economists use to untangle cause and effect in human affairs. Through accessible discussion and with a dose of kung fu–themed humor, Mastering 'Metrics presents the essential tools of econometric research and demonstrates why econometrics is exciting and useful.

The five most valuable econometric methods, or what the authors call the Furious Five--random assignment, regression, instrumental variables, regression discontinuity designs, and differences in differences--are illustrated through well-crafted real-world examples (vetted for awesomeness by Kung Fu Panda's Jade Palace). Does health insurance make you healthier? Randomized experiments provide answers. Are expensive private colleges and selective public high schools better than more pedestrian institutions? Regression analysis and a regression discontinuity design reveal the surprising truth. When private banks teeter, and depositors take their money and run, should central banks step in to save them? Differences-in-differences analysis of a Depression-era banking crisis offers a response. Could arresting O. J. Simpson have saved his ex-wife's life? Instrumental variables methods instruct law enforcement authorities in how best to respond to domestic abuse.

Wielding econometric tools with skill and confidence, Mastering 'Metrics uses data and statistics to illuminate the path from cause to effect.

- Shows why econometrics is important
- Explains econometric research through humorous and accessible discussion
- Outlines empirical methods central to modern econometric practice
- Works through interesting and relevant real-world examples

(Excerpt from amazon.com)

且聽下回分解──阿濃談中國古典小說

阿濃
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在我寫了「中國文化系列」七本後，終於決定介紹一下中國古典小說，這是一個龐大的文學載體，高度、寬度、深度都渺無邊際，有人畢生研究一部《紅樓夢》，還未能「吃透」，因此我完全沒有學術研究的野心。

我有點像在一次全國性試菜大會上，遍嘗京菜、滬菜、粵菜、川菜、湘菜、魯菜、淮揚菜……把我當時所想、所感、所發現說出來，目的在引發大家也有一試的興趣。

我做的是每一樣試少少，目的正如《呂氏春秋》和王安石說的「嘗鼎一臠，旨可知也。」吃鍋裡的一片肉，整煲的滋味也可知道了。當你覺得味道不錯時，就會一鍋又一鍋的大嚼。

(摘錄自博客來網路書店)

The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups

Daniel Coyle
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New York Times best seller

The author of The Talent Code unlocks the secrets of highly successful groups and provides tomorrow’s leaders with the tools to build a cohesive, motivated culture.

Named one of the best books of the year by Bloomberg and Library Journal

Where does great culture come from? How do you build and sustain it in your group, or strengthen a culture that needs fixing? In The Culture Code, Daniel Coyle goes inside some of the world’s most successful organizations - including the US Navy’s SEAL Team Six, IDEO, and the San Antonio Spurs - and reveals what makes them tick. He demystifies the culture-building process by identifying three key skills that generate cohesion and cooperation, and explains how diverse groups learn to function with a single mind. Drawing on examples that range from Internet retailer Zappos to the comedy troupe Upright Citizens Brigade to a daring gang of jewel thieves, Coyle offers specific strategies that trigger learning, spark collaboration, build trust, and drive positive change. Coyle unearths helpful stories of failure that illustrate what not to do, troubleshoots common pitfalls, and shares advice about reforming a toxic culture.

Combining leading-edge science, on-the-ground insights from world-class leaders, and practical ideas for action, The Culture Code offers a roadmap for creating an environment where innovation flourishes, problems get solved, and expectations are exceeded. Culture is not something you are - it’s something you do. The Culture Code puts the power in your hands. No matter the size of your group or your goal, this book can teach you the principles of cultural chemistry that transform individuals into teams that can accomplish amazing things together.

(Excerpt from amazon.com)

文學的40堂公開課: 從神話到當代暢銷書, 文學如何影響我們, 帶領我們理解這個世界 (A Little History of Literature)

約翰．薩德蘭 (John Sutherland)
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★耶魯大學出版社知名「小歷史」（Little History）系列
文學是一種娛樂 傳達生活的面貌、啟發我們去思考；
文學是一場辯論 討論我們的世界，當今的處境和該前往的方向。
閱讀文學，就是閱讀我們自己

◎「小歷史」：從精妙的小故事，看歷史的大格局

英語文學研究權威、倫敦大學學院現代英語文學系名譽教授薩德蘭，融合數十年研究文學的心得與教授各年齡層學生的豐富經驗，為當今讀者篩選出構成我們今日文學面貌的最重要作品、作家，揭露隱藏在文學背後的故事、經典的閱讀重點、大師的創作理念，為你打好應對社會的人文學基礎！

˙史詩象徵國家的崛起，為什麼不是每個國家都有史詩？
˙希臘悲劇的關鍵在於英雄總是自己扣下扳機，令我們既憐憫他，又為自己而恐懼？
˙珍．奧斯汀筆下的世界那麼小，只寫女孩子如何覓得理想伴侶的故事，為何被現代讀者視為偉大的文學？
˙維吉尼亞．吳爾芙《戴洛維夫人》的開場，不過是一個人在路旁等著過馬路，為什麼要寫得這麼鉅細靡遺？

作者熟稔地打通古希臘神話、口述文學、中世紀文學、文藝復興時期文學，以及近代、現代與當代文學等人類文明史上各時期的文學發展概況，從《基爾加美緒史詩》、《貝奧武夫》，到《哈利波特》、《達文西密碼》與文學改編電影，以詼諧、輕鬆的語調向讀者引介各時期文學的關鍵詞，點評文學大家、知名作品與其在當時暨後世產生的影響，對作品本身提出易於理解的評論 ......

本書是一般讀者親近文學經典的最佳指南，也可以作為文學愛好者深入閱讀的參考書單，但其功用和意義遠不止於此。文學世界是現實生活的映射，在它看似虛構的表象裡包藏著一個真實的內核，為我們帶來靈感與啟示，幫助我們了解人生的意義。各個時期文學形態和價值命題的發展，更是當下社會的存在與心理面的折射，讓後世得以透過它們更具體地了解過去的世界。

(摘錄自博客來網路書店)