Each April 23rd, UNESCO's World Book and Copyright Day reminds us how books connect minds across time and space. For this milestone 30th anniversary, eight Yenching Scholars reveal the books that changed their thinking and the reading habits that fuel their curiosity.
At Yenching Academy, we're building more than a library; we're creating a living network of ideas. Our growing collection reflects the diverse voices and perspectives that inspire our scholarly community.
Our Favorite Books
郑岩\铁袈裟《艺术史中的毁灭与重生》 Recommended by Wu Xinxuan (Cohort 2023, China)
From Shelley’s Ozymandias, buried in the desert sands, to Wu Hung’s reflections on “ruins” in Chinese memory painting and nostalgic poetry, broken and fragmented things never fail to stir a complex mix of sorrow, longing, and curiosity. Fragments reveal the fragility and impermanence of all things, yet from ruins, new meaning often emerges. This book is a remarkable work of art historical scholarship. Beginning with an investigation into the so-called “iron kasaya” at Lingyan Temple in Shandong, the author, Zheng Yan, traces its origins back to the destruction of the Vajra Warrior statue cast during the reign of Wu Zetian. Along the way, he explores the solemn weight of iron relics and the sacred symbolism they carry, tying this to the historical conflict between the Northern and Southern schools of Chinese Buddhism.
From this starting point, Zheng expands his inquiry into a broader reflection on ruins and fragments. He examines the visual and literary imaginations surrounding the long-vanished Epang Palace, and the unearthed remnants of Buddhist statues from Longxing Temple in Qingzhou, Shandong. Throughout history, secular authorities have sought to weaken the power of faith by shattering sacred objects meant to inspire awe. Yet Buddhists responded not with despair, but with creative ritual reinterpretation, imbuing broken relics with renewed spiritual potency. Through these acts of reconstruction and symbolic resistance, the faithful turned destruction into transformation.
Weaving together story, history, and myth, the author offers a narrative as graceful as it is compelling. A book well worth reading.
刘震云《一句顶一万句》 Recommended by Andrew Rule (Cohort 2024, United States)
My favorite novel I've read recently is Someone to Talk To by contemporary writer Liu Zhenyun. I like its rambling, whimsical narrative style, like listening to a loquacious old grandfather telling bedtime stories that always drift off-topic. As you read, you find yourself immersed in a rich and tender tale: a young man's search for a true companion, which also paints a vivid portrait of rural life in 20th-century China.
Min Jin Lee. Pachinko. Recommended by Anne Wen (Cohort 2023, United States)
Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko was by far the most memorable book I read last semester. I mostly read non-fiction, so this multigenerational Korean family saga set in Japan was an unusual pick for me. What struck me most was Lee’s unadorned yet deeply resonant prose. On the surface, it's about the lives of ordinary people: a grandmother selling street snacks, laborers trying to make ends meet. But beneath these quiet scenes lie questions and emotions that linger long after you put the book down.
Lee doesn’t romanticize hardship, she simply lays it bare, and that honesty reminded me of many everyday people I’ve encountered in places like Guam and Beijing. It’s astonishing how she integrates such rich material into a single work without losing its emotional depth. Now, I’m eagerly looking forward to her upcoming novel about cram schools.
Plato. The Republic. Recommended by Ying Chiu (Cohort 2023, Hong Kong, China)
My favorite book is Plato’s seminal work, The Republic. A cornerstone of philosophy and political theory, it explores the nature of justice in depth. After reading it, I began reflecting on questions such as what constitutes a meaningful life and how a state should be governed. I’ve read it more than once, with new thoughts every time.
Michel Pastoureau. Blue: The History of a Color. Recommended by Zhang Yi (Cohort 2024, China)
Sometimes I enjoy wandering through the library, letting a book catch my eye by its title or the design of its spine. Choosing books this way feels like forming a natural connection with them. Of all the books I’ve borrowed, my favorite is Blue: The History of a Color. Its grey cover, with a white title and a circular image resembling a window into a blue-toned artwork, immediately drew me in. The clean design and concise title give the book a quiet sense of mystery, much like the feeling the color blue evokes.
The book traces the origins of blue, its shifting meanings, and how it has been used across history, accompanied by related artworks. Living on a blue planet, we carry the imprint of this color in everyday life, social norms, and how we perceive the world. Without this book, I might never have realized how much meaning one color can hold.
Walter Isaacson. Steve Jobs. Recommended by Joyce Wambui Kiarie (Cohort 2023, Kenya)
It’s no surprise that this book is one of my favorites, as I’m particularly drawn to biographies and autobiographies outside of academic reading. I’m fascinated by the lives of outstanding individuals—full of ups and downs, challenges, and breakthroughs. This biography offers a sweeping view of Steve Jobs’ life, covering everything from his childhood to his career, personal relationships, flaws, and accomplishments.
It is a compelling and candid portrayal of a visionary who dared to defy conventions and changed the world. Jobs was more than just the co-founder of Apple Inc.—he was a pioneer who reshaped the tech industry with his creativity and courage. His life story shows that the path to greatness is never smooth: he was once ousted from Apple, battled severe health issues, and faced criticism for his management style.
Yet, he remained true to his vision, unwavering in his pursuit of quality, innovation, and simplicity. I recommend this book because it’s not just a story of innovation, it’s also a story about resilience and staying true to oneself, even when the world pushes back. It’s a must-read for anyone chasing a dream or aspiring to lead.
Leo Tolstoy. Anna Karenina; Cormac McCarthy. Blood Meridian. Recommended by Luke Matthews (Cohort 2024, United Kingdom)
For me, a favorite book is one that lingers long after the last page. Anna Karenina is one such book. I read it in my sophomore year and, to my surprise, found myself sympathizing with Karenin, Anna’s rigid, bureaucratic husband. But that unsettling recognition led to subtle changes in how I view life. The novel is a powerful, thought-provoking story with deeply drawn characters. I recommend it to anyone who appreciates the classics.
Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian also left a lasting mark on me. I’ve read widely, but I’ve never encountered a book that exposes the raw truth of violence the way this one does. Violence is often dressed up in the trappings of heroism, but McCarthy strips it bare. With a weary, unflinching tone, he lays out every brutal detail, and in doing so, delivers the truths we most need to hear. It raised a question I still return to: is there really anything noble about violence?
Haruki Murakami. Kafka on the Shore. Recommended by Tokuyu Ko (Cohort 2023, Japan)
Haruki Murakami is unlike any other writer to me, because I’ve been heavily influenced by his novels, short stories, and essays. Murakami’s works are enchanting for the mysterious, intricate worldview built with understandable yet insightful words and sentences. The 15-year-old protagonist of Kafka on the Shore leaves home to escape the Oedipal-myth omen he feels doomed by. The story tries to make us see that in a world filled with evil and violence, one can be both a victim and an unintentional perpetrator. We must be brave enough to accept what we encounter in life and take on the responsibilities laid upon us. This book inspires me to think about how to deal with the world, the other, and the self. In this world, one may be hit by the ridiculous and evil and become an accomplice to evil. For instance, we are not directly accountable for the past, but we become aware of such “accountability” through ethical reflection. However, accepting one’s fate doesn’t necessarily mean giving up resistance. We must firmly resist evil and violence that threaten us and others. Indeed, the distance between the self and the other never disappears; yet we are able to establish meaningful, effective relationships in a serious, insightful way.
Why we read
Wu Xinxuan (Cohort 2023, China): Reading is how I create a sense of order in my life. These days, having a full block of uninterrupted time to read what I love feels like a luxury. Still, even in fragmented moments, books offer me a temporary escape from the dullness and dissatisfaction of daily life, transporting me into fascinating parallel worlds. I remember in the winter of 2023, during an internship that required over three hours of commuting each day, I read the first five volumes of Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series on the subway. Back then, reading filled the space between anxiety and unhappiness, it truly felt like a portable refuge. For me, reading isn’t just goal-oriented; it’s something that brings genuine relaxation and joy. The more I read, the more naturally my reading preferences take shape. People who love books tend to be sensitive observers, so whenever I talk about books with someone, I get genuinely excited, because reading often helps me glimpse a truer, more authentic side of the other person.
Andrew Rule (Cohort 2024, United States): Earlier this year, while working on the Dean’s Research Grant project in Shenyang, I unexpectedly met Ban Yu, a writer I had long admired. I was deeply struck when I first read one of his short stories five years ago, and never imagined I would one day sit beside him, sipping coffee and chatting about writing. I thought I’d be too nervous to speak, but to my surprise, he was incredibly laid-back. Just a few words from him put me at ease, it felt more like catching up with an old classmate than meeting a literary idol.
Anne Wen (Cohort 2023, United States): For the past five years, I’ve set myself the goal of “one book per week.” The habit began after reading a promotional article that praised Mark Zuckerberg for reading 25 books a year. I figured I might as well raise the bar to 52. Though I’ve never quite hit the target, I usually manage 25 to 30 books a year, thanks largely to a meticulously maintained spreadsheet that helps me stay on track. It’s not really about chasing numbers, the goal just helps me keep a steady rhythm. Winter break is always my sprint season. During the final two weeks of the year, I often power through a book a day. Over time, I’ve trained myself to read quickly and made an effort to diversify my reading list, though I still find myself drawn to stories about Asian identities, family ties, and technology.
Ying Chiu (Cohort 2023, Hong Kong, China): I used to enjoy reading alone, thinking that solitude allowed for deeper reflection. But once, I attended a book discussion with classmates, friends, and a teacher. I reread a book I had already finished just to join the conversation, and that was when I realized that the first time, I had only followed the story. It was during the second reading that I truly understood the characters. It turns out that sharing a book with others helps uncover details I hadn’t noticed before. A book really needs to be experienced before you can grasp its depth. Now, I enjoy rereading books and talking about them with others. It feels like chatting with an old friend, and each time, I discover something new.
Zhang Yi (Cohort 2024, China): I still remember a flight where the man next to me finished a book and wrote on the endpaper, “Finished reading on board, [date].” How to Read a Book suggests using endpapers to record thoughts, and his gesture felt like he was giving the book a life of its own—taking it on a journey and forming a personal connection with it.
Joyce Wambui Kiarie (Cohort 2023, Kenya): Reading Steve Jobs had a profound influence on me. I was feeling lost about my future when I started the book. I did have many ideas and goals, but I worried that they were too unconventional or impractical. As I read that Jobs dropped out of college and challenged established norms by following his intuition, I came to understand that there is no single formula for success. Jobs lived fearlessly and stayed true to himself, and I was encouraged to embrace who I am. I was deeply impressed by Jobs’s words “to put a dent in the universe” and began thinking about what I could leave behind for the world. After reading this book, I became more confident in my creativity and leadership, and started focusing more on the impact I could have on others than on recognition from others. In my academic work, community involvement, and personal projects, I keep asking myself: Am I creating something meaningful? This question now shapes my vision, to be a person whose influence reaches beyond a single generation.
Tokuyu Ko (Cohort 2023, Japan): I first read Kafka on the Shore when I was 14. On the eve of my 15th birthday, I was drawn to the book’s unconventional worldview and mysterious plot. The 15-year-old protagonist’s journey sparked my imagination about what turning 15 might mean for me. I reread the book last year, and after 12 years, shaped by what I’ve read and experienced since, I came to understand it on a much deeper level.
How we read
Wu Xinxuan (Cohort 2023, China): I see reading as a free and personal experience. Ideally, I like to be comfortable, choose the book I’m most interested in, and read without distractions. My reading method depends on the type of book—if it’s dense or academic, I might jot down notes as I go, or write a short reflection afterward to help it sink in.
When I had more time, I kept a monthly reading log to track books I read at my desk and reflect at the end of each month. For commutes, I choose lighter reads like essays or short stories, easy to pick up and put down depending on my mood. I also enjoy chatting with close friends about what we’re reading; those conversations often lead to unexpected insights.
Andrew Rule (Cohort 2024, United States): My reading habits are fairly spontaneous. I often juggle several books at once and keep one nearby so I can read a few pages while waiting for the subway or before class starts. If the book is mine, I love writing notes in the margins, and sometimes even tear out pages to study later. The physical book isn’t what matters, it’s the act of reading. Leaving marks on the pages preserves that experience so I can revisit it later. When I read Chinese, I avoid the dictionary; instead of decoding every sentence, I’d rather stay immersed in the flow of the text and follow where it leads me.
Anne Wen (Cohort 2023, United States): I tend to prefer non-fiction, especially memoirs and autobiographies. Before choosing a book, I usually read three reviews and log them in a spreadsheet. I used to read just for fun, but keeping track of my reading has helped me identify recurring themes each year. I set aside large blocks of time to read deeply, usually in the library. If I can’t get through a book after a few chapters, I’ll give it up, but I often read two or three books at once. I have one rule: to really get into a book, I need to read at least 100 pages in one go. If I can do that with a 300-page book, I know I’ll finish it. I’m at my best when reading in the morning or before bed. I rarely read after meals, since digestion tends to break my focus.
Joyce Wambui Kiarie (Cohort 2023, Kenya): To truly benefit from reading, I use a range of strategies to help me engage more deeply with the content. I try to set aside focused reading time, usually in the evenings or on weekends, when I can read without interruptions. I also enjoy reading outdoors or in cafés. Occasionally, I read during commutes or on the way to events and often get so absorbed that it's hard to stop. Still, to fully process what I’ve read, I sometimes put the book down for a day or two to reflect. While reading, I keep a pencil in one hand and a highlighter in the other. I write quick notes in the margins with the pencil and mark key sentences with the highlighter. After each chapter, I like to summarize my thoughts in a journal. This helps me reinforce the ideas and relate them to my own experiences. If a book has a strong impact, I revisit these notes later to see how my understanding has changed. I also enjoy discussing books with friends, which often leads to new insights. For me, reading is more than a hobby—it’s a way to learn and grow.
