20120724

白讀?

今早在辦公室整理書架,找到一本梁啟雄的《荀子簡釋》,隨手翻閱,見到書上很多記號和眉批,都是我的筆跡,應該是二十多年前寫的,可是,我不但對眉批全無印象,《荀子》各篇的內容,除了〈勸學〉一篇,我都忘記得一乾二淨,我甚至記不起曾經讀過這本書!

這令我想起 Pierre Bayard 在 How to Talk about Books You Haven’t Read 提出的一個問題:一本你讀過卻完全忘記其內容 --- 甚至忘記自己讀過 --- 的書,還算不算是你讀過的書?一個簡單的答法是:讀過就是讀過了,那是事實,怎能不算?然而,Bayard 那問題的意思應該是:就算你讀過了,可是你已完全忘記書的內容,那和沒讀過有甚麼分別?對,你當然可以說讀過了,但你講不出書的內容,那不是白讀了嗎?即使你還記得書的梗概,你對那本書的認識未必會多過一個只看過書評或簡介的人;既然如此,你當初何不節省時間,讀個書評或簡介,然後記熟便算?

我會說:閱讀的過程給人很大的滿足感,就算往後忘記了書的內容,那閱讀的時間也是值得花的;對書,尤其是好書,可以是不在乎天長地久,只在乎曾經擁有。也許你對書沒有這樣的浪漫情懷,不過,還有一點能說明書很少是白讀的:讀過而忘記其內容的書也會對自己有影響,例如訓練了思考、豐富了詞彙、改善了文筆、或種下某些思想的種子。

書,細心讀過的,始終跟只讀書皮有重要的分別;書皮學可以騙人,但騙不了自己

26 則留言:

  1. 與書相遇是機遇、偶遇或意遇?眾裡尋它千百回,暮然回首,讀過的書仍在燈火闌珊處,識与不識,要不要與舊書再交心…心有千千結…如何在書海中遇到知心有益心靈的書?

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  2. 再次證明﹐年紀大﹐機器壞(閃)

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  3. 想起胡適年輕時讀過《金瓶梅》,在日記寫了批評,但十幾年後全無印象。要不是重讀日記,還以為未曾看過。

    http://www.douban.com/group/topic/19470958/

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  4. 三年前,重提筆用中文寫作,很多句式和風格,都源出於高中時代的文學書籍。事隔三十年,當年的“曾經擁有”,今天又一次“天長地久”。三月杜鵑花是近期一首半詩半文的小作,想不到從前所學,今天也用得著。

    http://www.wattpad.com/5987809-%E4%B8%AD%E7%94%B7%E5%92%96%E5%95%A1%E9%A4%A8-%E4%B8%89%E6%9C%88%E6%9D%9C%E9%B5%91%E8%8A%B1

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    1. 三十年,不易啊,令人羨慕。

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  5. Quizas Quizas Quizas. Beautiful. Thank you for posting, Wong. --zpdrmn

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  6. 我很多時候重讀書, 如...又是紅樓夢(笑).

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    1. 唉,我讀了一年還只是看到一半...

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    2. 堂堂一個愛好中文的教授﹐到而家都未睇晒紅樓夢
      真係離譜過利物浦(閃)
      你不如索性學我條女﹐睇電視版紅樓夢算Q數la~~
      佢煲劇煲個來禮拜﹐就搞掂啦(爆)

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    3. 紅樓夢其中一個有趣的地方就是伏筆千里, 所以有些地方要看完全本乃至重看方可明白.
      不過我想大概這書對王Sir還是吸引力不大?

      王Sir看到第幾回?
      曹雪芹的原書如今只有八十回剩下來, 如果是百二回本的話, 後續的部份並非原著.
      在某些評論家(如逝世不久的周汝昌)的眼中, 百二回的後四十回續得極差.
      我沒有到仔細研究紅樓夢的地步, 不能評論, 但也感到後續的部份與前面有明顯的不同.

      至於紅樓夢電視版嘛...如果說的是央視的新紅樓夢的話, 便算了吧.
      劇情分開一截截, 還要以歸大姐當王夫人...真的有點太超過...
      84版的話, 聽說情節很慢, 但相當貼近原著.
      伍衛國的那部, 不大懂得.
      至於張國榮的首部電影紅樓XXX, 便真的不知道了...(笑).

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    4. I couldn't stand 紅樓夢. I only read several pages years ago and I couldn't go on.
      If there's a 青樓夢, I may be interested. --zpdrmn

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    5. zpdrmn,

      之前有討論過, 知道王Sir這裏的網友大多不太喜歡這書.

      然則金瓶梅的"十分光"或能引起你的興趣麼?
      我未沒有讀完金瓶梅, 但聽說它與紅樓夢都頗能表現出明清時期士大夫的腐朽.

      事實上, 看看賈府對外對內的人事浮沉也是一個角度, 也是不才區區第一次看時的角度.

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    6. 紅樓夢是反映了當時中國某一社會階層的文化和中國傳統束縛之下人們的生活狀況,反映出一個腐敗沒落的中國社會。

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    7. 蝮,

      //不過我想大概這書對王Sir還是吸引力不大?//

      - 對,還未懂欣賞。

      //王Sir看到第幾回?//

      - 第六十回。

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    8. 蝮,
      Since I didn't read much 紅樓夢, I can't say which is better, 紅樓夢 or 金瓶梅? But I read through 金瓶梅. I couldn't do that with 紅樓夢, or any fiction with similar style. I can't read fictions that are too long or are series of several stories or books either. Three or fewer is probably what I can stand. (I can read thru fictions with bad writing though, if the plot is good enough for me to go on.) I think I am literature challenged (or non-fiction oriented. Non-fiction as in non-fiction books.) The number of fictions I've ever read is very limited, if you don't count the kids' books I read to my kids. Hehe.
      However, I would read books full of calculations and proofs. Sometimes I find //伏筆千里// there, //有些地方要看完全本乃至重看方可明白.// It could be better than fictions. LOL.
      --zpdrmn

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    9. zpdrmn,

      如此說來, 我與你太不相同.
      我所讀過的書, 大都是小說類.
      非小說類的也有看過, 但我也承認我對數字數式等"很感冒".
      我也曾試過理解, 但似乎是太艱深了.
      如果是"into the universe with stephen hawking"(雖然這不是書)之類的話, 我倒尚能理解.
      我想紅樓夢大概有一些地方是需是"自己聯想一下", 而不是直接的表達出來.
      當然, 這些聯想有可能是錯的, 但這也是其中一種魅力所在.

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    10. 蝮,
      To be honest, I don't read Stephen Hawking's stuffs. I don't understand whatever he wrote that I haven't learned before.
      Non-fiction books are not necessarily full of calculations. Most of them aren't. Most what I've read aren't either. Your //伏筆千里// just made me think about those books with math.

      //我對數字數式等... 我也曾試過理解//
      I wouldn't recommend it. Without enough background, your interpretation may be off. It could be worse than only having a qualitative or pedestrian understanding.

      That reminds me of a project I envisioned. It was intended for a friend. (May serve some other purpose.) I'll save the story about him.
      I did the outline and most of the calculations but had to put the project off indefinitely.
      The project is to use elementary math to derive (not just list), while explaining in words about, most of the essential equations and work out (with math, not just qualitatively explain) some examples in Special Relativity, including Lorentz Contraction, Time Dilation, Lorentz Transformation, Twin Paradox, Pole in The Barn Paradox, Relativistic Relative Velocity, E0=MC^2, etc. How elementary the math is? Very, may be 7th grade. One only needs arithmetic and a bit algebra. (And to read some simple diagrams.) To derive some of these equations calculus is usually used in a certain part of it. But I've circumvented it by finding a way using some simple arithmetic with the help of a diagram to illustrate the simple idea behind it. Most books out there are either only qualitative or too technical. Books somewhere in between already call for some calculus. But I can put in a lot of technical stuffs there without math harder than or can't explained with 7th grade math. With a bit trigonometry, more can be explored. (But the essentials are already covered before using trigon. So, this part can be skipped.) Needed physics concepts will be explained and kept minimal. Of course, some topics, like angular momentum, collision and electromagnetism, have to be left out. Can't do much only with elementary math there. These topics are more advanced, but I just want to deal with the basics in the project. With things worked out using math, one can gain a better understanding beyond a qualitative one.
      Even though it can be done this way to illustrate a lot about Special Relativity, it is impossible to do the same with General Relativity. A lot of math background is needed there. But some qualitative description of the math and some equations is possible. That could be included in the project.
      My apology if it's too boring.
      --zpdrmn

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    11. zpdrmn,

      其實我對霍金的學術不甚了解, 只是在電視看到了那個節目, 用比較簡單的方法(所以我才能理解)去描述他眼中的宇宙.
      在其中的一些說法, 明顯是他自己的想法, 雖然合理, 卻也是有點進了"估估吓"的區域.
      雖然我不知道那節目有多"深入", 但我最喜歡那節目的地方在於它能"淺出".

      其實我也知道非小說類與數字計算並不相同(笑), 事實上我有看過的非小說類的書籍都與數字計算沾不大上邊(都是文科的).
      只是當年讀書時有一科目, 書本中有很多計算, 完全不明白.
      眼看那科目將要"全軍覆沒", 只好"戰略退卻".
      偏生那科目是原來行徑中一大要點, 所以只好"另覓行徑".

      你這個計劃很厲害.
      雖然你說的這一大堆物理概念中我只聽說過E0=MC^2, 和相對論, 但如果能以簡單的數字計算和圖表去說明的話, 還蠻好的.
      只是我想, 這也得花上不少功夫和心血.
      要簡單的說出困難的道理, 可是很不容易.

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    12. 蝮,
      It's not as difficult as it seems. It just takes time. I think the difficult part is more on the readers. They are the ones who need to work hard to try to understand it. No matter how easy the math is (that helps a lot, no doubt) and how clear the writing is, the whole thing is still mind boggling.
      Well, I just can't find the time to do all the writing. (Much more than I thought. I found out that my friend who became a professional in performing arts forgot most math and physics, so I couldn't just handed him all the calculations with limited explanations. I needed a lot more words.) Hiring someone with appropriate technical background to do the writing is something that I can't afford. I would consider it though if I could afford it. One day...
      --zpdrmn

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    13. zpdrmn,

      難與不難, 我想還是要看表達的方法.
      如果是用七年級生的數學的程度去編寫, 大概就與你所說, 要人用功去能理解.
      如果本來就是用艱深的數學(如calculus)來寫, 那沒有學過的人大概就是用功也很難明白.
      而你現在所作的寫作, 大概就是把數式用文字給沒受過/忘了數學訓練的人.
      這可是大不容易.

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  7. 王sir又寫情詩了!... 魚尾紋?

    R.

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  8. 有時忘記了在那裏讀過,雖然忘了出處,但沒有白讀呀。

    //讀過而忘記其內容的書也會對自己有影響,例如訓練了思考、豐富了詞彙、改善了文筆、或種下某些思想的種子。

    同意。

    跳脫的小魚... 不錯。我喜歡。要一讀再讀。

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  9. 讀過後,要用時就很自然會想到,即使忘了出處(當然大前提要真的讀得很認真、理解)

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    1. 也不會全部或大部份都記得吧!

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