Episodes

We have a natural desire to connect, which is just as important as our need for food or air. One study showed that the difference in happiness for people who were isolated versus those connected with others was equivalent to the difference of earning an extra one hundred thousand dollars per year. Although connecting with others brings great happiness, many people find it difficult. Aside from the importance of social skills, this book illustrates the secret of how our brains are wired to connec...

Nowadays, candies and desserts are our everyday treats, and even sugar itself is an essential part of cooking. It appears that sugar has been incorporated into our lives. But did you know, as humble as it seems, sugar used to be a symbol of class division in history? In the past, the sugar that European nobles possessed was as valuable as a luxury item, and was considered even more admirable than owning a Louis Vuitton bag. It not only triggered wars of different scales but also changed the worl...

The purpose of the book, ‘The Design of Everyday Things’, is to help readers learn to appreciate good design and become better observers and thinkers. It gives us an idea of what good design should look like, as well as how good designers think. It points out that the design of objects in everyday life should be human-centered, simple, usable, and as pleasant as possible. If people commit errors while using objects, it’s not due to the fact that they are stupid, but rather, because the design it...

The Zimmermann telegram incident was one of the key components that brought about the end of World War I. Zimmermann, the then-Foreign Minister of Germany, secretly contacted Mexico and tried to form an alliance to contain the United States and ultimately win the war. However, the telegraph was intercepted by the British intelligence agency, which resulted in a declaration of war against Germany by the previously neutral United States, thereby changing the course of world history. Using the most...

Paper is a necessity in our daily lives. Although electronics have partially replaced the role of paper, people are still attracted to the pliable touch of paper and the smell of books. What makes paper so important to us? How was it invented? And how does it influence human society? Well, this book happens to be about paper, and it’s going to tell us about the various aspects of paper, such as its history of communication, culture, and society.

How many times must a surgeon be put to the test when he is trying to move from professional to exceptional? ‘Better: A Surgeon’s Notes on Performance’ tries to answer this question. This is the second book of Atul Gawande’s medical trilogy. In this book, Atul Gawande proposes that benevolence is the basis of becoming a surgeon. In order to become an excellent surgeon, one needs to possess diligence, the drive to do right, and ingenuity, in addition to simply possessing masterful medical skills.

Parents are the very people who love us most in the world, but self-absorbed parents can inflict irreversible harm on our growth. Many people can’t get rid of the haunting shadow of such harm even after they reach adulthood. From the perspective of self psychology, this book explains the negative influence that results from improper parenting, and proposes feasible strategies to help people who suffered heal their childhood trauma and rebuild a brand-new self.

The general public considers medicine to be precise, surgeons to be rational, and treatments to be miraculous. However, this book tells us that the world of medicine is full of chaos, uncertainty, and complications. The essence of medicine is the pursuit of perfection through complexity. In this book, Atul Gawande shares the unforgettable stories he experienced during his eight-year surgical training. He demonstrates the complexities that doctors face from all sides, and documents their mental d...

In modern society, everyone is eager to attain freedom and self-fulfillment. People claim to be willing to give up anything for freedom. However, this book presents a different picture. In reality, lots of people, even the majority who seem to pursue and praise freedom, are unknowingly trying to escape from it. Their actions actually run counter to what they claim. The author probed into this phenomenon to explain the emergence of freedom, as well as why and how people escape from it. His aim wa...

Michelle Obama was an ordinary black girl who was born during a time of prominent racial discrimination in America. She made her way into Ivy League universities, got an elite job, and then became First Lady of the United States. She was the first African American First Lady in the history of the country. In this book, Michelle examined her life in a candid, sincere, and inspiring manner. She hopes that readers can be inspired by her experiences and become who they want to be.

Do you often complain about not having enough time or having a lot of work to do? Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-free Productivity will help you solve all your problems. This book introduces a method called GTD time management. It is an efficient workflow practice proven to help you "Win at the Game of Work and Business of Life." This book is based on the author’s over 30 years of consulting experience and personal exploration. It has been published in 33 countries, helping millions of r...

In life, parents reward children who make progress in school, and bosses use bonuses to motivate their employees to work hard. The method of “do A to get B” is effective in the short term, but in the long term, as the rewards increase, people lose the passion for accomplishing anything. Why would there be such a consequence? What are the harms of using rewards in the long term? Is there any way to replace rewards? Punished by Rewards will give us the answer.

THE Theory of the Leisure class：An Economic Study of Institutions was published in 1899, and it immediately became one of the most popular books of the time. It made a big impact in the Western academic world and was a must-have for intellectuals. Through his close observation of the upper class, the author managed to affirm the nature of the leisure class and sharply criticize the rapid growth of Western capitalism.

Before the discovery of the first black swan, people were convinced that all swans were white. Hence, a “Black Swan” indicates an unexpected and impactful rare event. From the financial crises to the sinking of the Titanic, or the September eleven attacks, “Black Swans” exist in all fields. This book provides an in-depth analysis of the nature and the rules of “Black Swans.” It enables us to understand both how society operates, and how to gain the upper hand in this uncertain world.

Have you ever had similar experiences like these? You read a book from the evening till late at night, but it feels as if only two hours have passed. Or, when listening in class, the time goes faster if the teacher makes the course material interesting. Why does this happen? Is time speeding up? Actually, it is not. It’s an inner experience, known as “flow.” What is “flow” you may ask? This book will dissect this mystery for you.

If we pay attention to the ways we talk, we'll realize that the things we say can indeed hurt people. For example, there are verbal denials, rude interruptions, and casual judgments. In response to this phenomenon, the late Dr. Marshall Rosenberg developed a method of Nonviolent Communication, which takes an unusually mild, reserved approach to communication. UNESCO has listed it as one of the best means of nonviolent resolution in formal or informal education worldwide. Nonviolent Communication...

Why is it that in many restaurants you can afford to buy a buffet for only 30 dollars? Why does the price of the same bottle of beer differ so much between the grocery store and a fancy hotel? Why do stores put a pair of 500 dollar shoes next to a pair of 100 dollar shoes? In fact, these are all tricks that businesses play on the customer. The book, Priceless, tells us that there is nothing such as an “original price” in this world, but only psychological battles that take place in our minds.

Depression is one of the deadliest diseases on the planet. As the population of depressives in modern society increases year by year, the majority still hold prejudices against depression. What on earth is depression? How can we cope with it? By means of self-analysis, the author of this book, Matt Haig, wrote about his feelings after suffering from depression. Through his personal experience, he presented the inner world of depressives and their journey of self-help to combat depression.

This book, as the title says, is about the seven habits of highly effective people. It teaches us how to achieve victory from the private to the public spheres, thereby making a tremendous change in life and career, and attaining both success and happiness. Known as the “Bible” of the American business community and government management department, the book is included in the training course of the Fortune Global 500 corporations, and is ranked by Forbes as one of the ten most influential manag...

“Children are acting as models in TV commercials with revealing clothing while adults like to wear school uniforms and consider themselves children.” Neil Postman, from his distinctive perspective as a scholar of media culture, warns that the above-mentioned phenomenon indicates that childhood is disappearing. His favorite book, The Disappearance of Childhood will show us evidence of the disappearance of childhood, and provide a theory that can explain the phenomenon of the disappearance of chil...

We all know that Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. However, you may not know that he was also a cross-disciplinary polymath. He was both a scientist with extensive knowledge, and an eloquent diplomat; both a social reformer concerned about civic improvement, as well as a well-known writer. At the same time, he was also a regular person; proud, humorous and possessed intricate love stories. In today’s Bookey on ‘Benjamin Franklin’, we will guide you through h...

In the year that World War II ended, aside from major historical events remembered by posterity, there were many forgotten people and things. The entire Old World had been turned into a pile of rubble. People not only felt the joy of victory, but also experienced repressed human nature and lust, as well as terrible hunger and hearts full of hatred. The book Year Zero: A History of 1945 will take you back to 1945 to see how an entirely new modern world was born from tattered ruins.

Can you imagine a city like this: For more than three thousand years, it has been given countless titles. It is a temple of god, the capital of two states, and the Holy Land for three major religions. It is also known as the place where news happens every hour, every day. It is the Holy Land, but also a cemetery. Flaubert called it a "morgue," and Huxley called it a "religious slaughterhouse." This city perfectly combines contradictions like holiness and cruelty. This is Jerusalem, a city that m...

Can you imagine a city like this: For more than three thousand years, it has been given countless titles. It is a temple of god, the capital of two states, and the Holy Land for three major religions. It is also known as the place where news happens every hour, every day. It is the Holy Land, but also a cemetery. Flaubert called it a "morgue," and Huxley called it a "religious slaughterhouse." This city perfectly combines contradictions like holiness and cruelty. This is Jerusalem, a city that m...