請問侯文詠：一場與內在對話的旅程

 

ISBN：9789573331278

相信在柯文哲成為台灣知名度最高的台大醫師之前，侯文詠絕對是公認能見度最高的台大醫師。他以風趣幽默的文筆成為暢銷書作家，在那個只有無線三台的年代，也以來賓身分登上各種電視、廣播節目，真的可說是家喻戶曉。而後，他放棄醫師身分，專心投入寫作，又陸續推出許多頗受好評的小說作品。《請問侯文詠：一場與內在對話的旅程》則是他開創的另一種創作方向，以人生經驗、生活哲理的角度，融合自身生命中的體悟，一方面看似與讀者分享，另一方面也像是在回顧自己的人生。

這本書的目標受眾設定為仍在求學的年輕學子，以問答形式回應許多人生的大哉問。從侯文詠的回覆中，可以汲取他歸納、梳理後的人生智慧。在外人眼中，他是台大醫師、形象良好的公眾人物，也是多產的暢銷書作家，活生生就是典型的人生勝利組。不過從書中可以看到，人人都有各自的煩惱，即使是天之驕子也不例外。對已經名利雙收的他來說，或許真正所在乎的，是能不能為社會、為青年多做一些有價值的事。因此，他將許多想法化為這本書，用自己最擅長的說故事手法，把許多正向、積極的人生態度，以入世而誠懇的方式娓娓道來。

像是內在價值與外在價值孰輕孰重，人究竟該追求夢想還是腳踏實地過生活，這些困擾學子的問題，他總是以自身的小故事點化、引導提問者走向較為理想的方向。和柯 P 一樣具有醫師背景的侯文詠，由於累積了許多照顧重症患者的臨床經驗，在討論生死議題時，總能給讀者更直指核心的觀點。像他引用康德所說的「把生命當成目的本身，而不是達成目的的手段」，就是一句值得珍藏的格言。其他的主題，像是「興趣可以當飯吃嗎？」、「如何克服緊張？」等，也都是以學生為導向的問題。整體而言，這本書相當適合學生族群閱讀，當然，侯文詠的書迷們也不容錯過。

Before Ko Wen-je became the most well-known physician from National Taiwan University in Taiwan, Hou Wen-yong was undoubtedly the doctor most widely recognized by the public. With his witty and humorous writing style, Hou established himself as a bestselling author. In an era when Taiwan had only three terrestrial television channels, he frequently appeared as a guest on television and radio programs, becoming a household name. Later, he gave up his medical career to devote himself entirely to writing and went on to publish numerous highly acclaimed novels. *Ask Hou Wen-yong: A Journey of Inner Dialogue* marks yet another direction in his creative career. Drawing upon his life experiences and personal philosophy, he blends his own reflections into a work that feels both like a conversation with readers and a retrospective look at his own life.

The book is primarily aimed at young students who are still in school, presenting its ideas through a question-and-answer format that tackles many of life's big questions. From Hou's responses, readers can gain insight into the wisdom he has distilled from years of reflection and experience. To outsiders, Hou appears to embody every definition of success: an NTU-trained physician, a respected public figure, and a prolific bestselling author. Yet the book reminds us that everyone carries their own burdens, and even those who seem destined for greatness are no exception. Having already achieved both fame and fortune, what truly concerns him now may be whether he can contribute something meaningful to society and to younger generations. This motivation inspired him to transform his thoughts into this book, where he employs his signature storytelling style to convey positive values and optimistic attitudes toward life in a sincere and down-to-earth manner.

Whether discussing the relative importance of intrinsic versus extrinsic values, or whether one should pursue dreams or choose a more practical path, Hou addresses the dilemmas that trouble many young people by illustrating them through personal anecdotes and gently guiding readers toward thoughtful answers. Like Ko P, Hou's background as a physician has given him extensive experience caring for critically ill patients. As a result, when writing about life and death, he often offers observations that cut straight to the heart of the matter. One memorable example is his quotation of Immanuel Kant: "Treat life as an end in itself, not merely as a means to an end." It is a maxim well worth remembering. Other topics, such as "Can your passion become your livelihood?" and "How can you overcome nervousness?", are likewise geared toward students and young adults. Overall, this is an excellent book for younger readers, while longtime fans of Hou Wen-yong will certainly find it equally rewarding.

五月花修道院

 

ISBN：9789861332499

 

在 YouTube 尚未成為你我日常休閒娛樂主要媒體之前，部落格和書本是人們分享、吸收他人生活經驗的重要媒介。透過各個作者妙筆生花的文字功力，再加上讀者自行腦補、將文字轉換成畫面的想像力，在那個年代，即便是異國旅遊、美食開箱或各種人生際遇，都能成為創作題材，並出版成一本本散文著作。

鄭華娟是五、六年級生耳熟能詳的詞曲創作者；除此之外，她也是一位多產的散文作家。因與德國夫婿相戀後遠嫁德國定居，便陸續將生活中的所見所聞，以及有趣的異國文化與民情，轉化成十餘本有如家庭手札般的個人作品。《五月花修道院》描寫的，則是她一時興起購買一棟百年老宅，並親手翻修入住的過程。若換成今日，這大概就是 YouTube 影音創作者會拍成三部影片供網友觀看的常見題材，再搭配家具廠商的置入性行銷，觀眾頂多花上三十分鐘便能看完。

然而，在那個以書本與文字傳遞訊息和知識的年代，這樣的內容卻足以化為近兩百頁的篇幅，集結成冊。讓讀者在書店中偶然與之相遇，再花上幾個小時慢慢翻閱，與作者一同體驗那段自己來不及參與的人生歷程。這種老派而悠閒的娛樂形式，有如泡老人茶一般，只能細細品味。 

Before YouTube became the dominant form of everyday entertainment, blogs and books were among the primary ways people shared their experiences and learned from the lives of others. Through the vivid prose of talented writers, combined with readers' own imagination that transformed words into mental images, almost anything—from overseas travel and food discoveries to the various twists and turns of life—could become the subject of a published collection of essays.

Hua-Juan Cheng was a songwriter and lyricist well known to those who grew up in Taiwan during the 1970s and 1980s. Beyond her achievements in music, she was also a prolific essayist. After falling in love with and marrying her German husband, she moved to Germany and gradually turned her observations of daily life, along with the country's unique culture and customs, into more than a dozen personal works that read like family journals. *Mayflower Abbey* tells the story of her spontaneous decision to purchase a century-old house and renovate it into a home. If the same story were told today, it would likely become a three-part YouTube series. Accompanied by a few furniture sponsorships and product placements, the entire experience could probably be consumed in less than thirty minutes.

Yet in an era when books and the written word served as the primary vehicles for sharing knowledge and stories, material like this could easily fill nearly two hundred pages and be published as a book. Readers might stumble upon it in a bookstore and spend a leisurely afternoon turning its pages, accompanying the author through a chapter of life they themselves never had the chance to experience. It was an old-fashioned and unhurried form of entertainment—one that, much like slowly brewing and savoring a pot of traditional tea, could only be fully appreciated by taking one's time.

大數據 Hadoop 3.X 分佈式處理實戰

 

ISBN：9787115524669

軟體工程師在接案公司和一般公司裡的工作模式截然不同。在公司的資訊部門任職的工程師，除了應接不暇的開發工單外，勢必也得分心維護既有系統，畢竟這些神奇的小玩意兒，有可能就是自己費盡心力打造而成的。而隨著年資增加，參與的專案系統也逐漸多到連雙手手指都數不完，此時維護系統就變成了記憶力大考驗。也難怪《論語》說：「溫故而知新，可以為師矣。」在資訊業界，在不斷學習新事物的同時，還要牢記已經學過的舊技術，真的不簡單。

使用 Hadoop 大數據平台已經十年了，期間從 2.x 升級到 3.x，也把 Apache Hadoop 換成 Apache Ambari，後續平台也逐漸步入穩定狀態，很少進行大幅度的調整或異動。但不巧的是，Apache Ambari 母公司遭併購後，將軟體改為商業授權才能安裝；再加上大數據應用遍地開花，既有平台的胃納量也已略顯吃緊，可預見未來有必要再安裝另一套 Apache Hadoop。因此便著手翻閱《大數據 Hadoop 3.X 分佈式處理實戰》，當作精進與複習技術之用。

以 Hadoop 為核心的生態系，相關軟體族繁不及備載，寫成三本書大概也寫不完。幸好這本書的作者並不貪心，只挑選生態系中最成熟、實用且具有代表性的軟體收錄其中。有 NoSQL 的 HBase、資料倉儲的 Hive，以及 MapReduce 框架的後繼者 Spark，都是一時之選，恰好多數也是目前有用到的解決方案。書中除了基礎概念解說、安裝教學外，也附上有如 Hello World 的簡易程式，提供讀者動手練習。本來以為只要按部就班地翻閱，應該花不了多少時間就能看完整本書，但代誌不是憨人想的那麼簡單。

即便書中也特別強調採用的是 Hadoop 3.x 版本，讓讀者在操作上不用苦惱書中版本與主流版本之間的差異，但在實際安裝的過程中，我還是遇到了 Hadoop 生態系中典型的版本迷宮，在裡面繞來繞去好幾天。主因是新版 Hive 將執行引擎改成依賴 Tez，而 Tez 的版本更新看似已經停滯，下載到的版本只能在 JDK 8 上執行。一旦決定主機上安裝的是 JDK 8，便會影響到 Hadoop、HBase 和 Hive 可安裝的版本。整個排列組合下來，真正能成功同時跑起來的版號組合，大概也只有一種。不幸的是，書裡介紹的版本屬於舊版，因此無法成功運作，讀者只能靠自己努力，用試誤的方法找出黎明的曙光。

最後，書中也附了一些 MapReduce 的應用程式範例，提供讀者練習並體會大數據程式的運作模式。包括最常見且實用的網站 Web Log 分析，以及打造推薦系統的協同過濾法，還有機器學習的垃圾訊息分類器。除了 Web Log 的程式算是中規中矩外，其餘兩個範例都只能僅供參考，千萬別直接拿來應用或仿效。不論是協同過濾，還是分類器所使用的貝氏定理，書中的程式碼邏輯都不完全正確，只具其形而未得其神。更別說 Spark 早已內建機器學習相關功能，再回頭介紹如何用 MapReduce 硬刻演算法，多少有些誤人子弟。如果將它視為學習大數據平台的教材之一，再搭配其他同主題書籍交互參照，《大數據 Hadoop 3.X 分佈式處理實戰》仍是可以考慮入手的一本書。但如果只打算靠一本書學習 Hadoop 技術，這本書未必是最佳選擇。

Software engineers work very differently in consulting firms and in-house IT departments. Engineers working within a company's IT team not only have to deal with a constant stream of development requests, but also need to maintain existing systems. After all, many of these "little wonders" were painstakingly built by their own hands. As the years go by, the number of projects and systems one has participated in gradually grows beyond what can be counted on two hands. At that point, system maintenance becomes a true test of memory. No wonder Confucius wrote in *The Analects*: “Reviewing what has been learned and gaining new insights makes one qualified to teach others.” In the IT industry, continuously learning new technologies while retaining knowledge of older ones is no easy task.

I have been using the Hadoop big data platform for nearly ten years. During that time, I upgraded from Hadoop 2.x to 3.x and migrated from Apache Hadoop's traditional management approach to Apache Ambari. As the platform matured, major changes became increasingly rare. Unfortunately, after Apache Ambari's parent company was acquired, the software became commercially licensed and could no longer be freely installed. At the same time, big data applications continued to proliferate, and the capacity of the existing platform was beginning to show its limits. It seemed inevitable that another Hadoop cluster would eventually be required. With that in mind, I picked up *Big Data Hadoop 3.X Distributed Processing in Practice* as both a refresher and an opportunity to further sharpen my skills.

The Hadoop ecosystem is vast, with so many related projects that even three books would hardly be enough to cover them all. Fortunately, the author does not attempt to cover everything. Instead, the book focuses on some of the most mature, practical, and representative components in the ecosystem. These include HBase for NoSQL storage, Hive for data warehousing, and Spark, the successor to the MapReduce framework. Coincidentally, these are also among the solutions I currently use in production. In addition to explaining fundamental concepts and installation procedures, the book includes simple “Hello World”-style examples that allow readers to gain hands-on experience. Initially, I assumed that reading through the book step by step would be fairly straightforward and wouldn't take much time. As it turned out, things were not nearly that simple.

Although the book specifically states that it uses Hadoop 3.x and attempts to minimize the gap between its examples and mainstream versions, I still found myself trapped in one of the Hadoop ecosystem's classic challenges: version compatibility. I spent several days navigating what felt like an endless maze. The primary issue is that newer versions of Hive rely on Tez as their execution engine, while Tez development appears to have largely stagnated. The available versions of Tez can only run on JDK 8. Once JDK 8 is chosen, the versions of Hadoop, HBase, and Hive that can be installed become constrained as well. After considering all possible combinations, there appears to be only one set of versions that can successfully run together. Unfortunately, the versions introduced in the book are outdated and no longer work correctly. Readers are therefore left to rely on trial and error to find a compatible configuration on their own.

The book also includes several MapReduce application examples designed to help readers understand how big data programs operate. These cover common and practical topics such as web log analysis, collaborative filtering for recommendation systems, and a machine-learning-based spam classifier.

While the web log example is reasonably implemented, the other two should be treated strictly as references and not copied directly into real-world projects. Whether discussing collaborative filtering or the Bayesian theorem used in the classifier, the code examples fail to fully capture the underlying principles. They resemble the concepts superficially but miss much of their essence. Furthermore, Spark has long provided built-in machine learning capabilities. Revisiting algorithm implementation through raw MapReduce feels somewhat outdated and may even mislead newcomers. If viewed as one of several learning resources for understanding big data platforms—and supplemented with other books covering similar topics—*Big Data Hadoop 3.X Distributed Processing in Practice* remains a worthwhile addition to one's bookshelf. However, for readers hoping to learn Hadoop from a single book alone, this may not be the best choice available.

印刷業抓狂日記：出錯才是日常？崩潰再升級！

 

ISBN：9789865113049

即便在今日人手一機的3C世代，被歸類為傳統產業的印刷業，對你我的日常生活依舊扮演著舉足輕重的角色。試想，如果某天醒來，身邊不再有紙本型錄、報章書籍、包裝禮盒等精美又便利的日用品，會呈現出怎樣的混亂局面？而這些支撐著經濟社會正常運作的印刷製品，全都來自一群戮力同心、成天與死線（Deadline）奮戰的職人們。

這本《印刷業抓狂日記》正是以漫畫形式，述說這群自稱印刷男孩的從業人員，在印刷產業修羅場裡的點點滴滴。雖然內容是從幽默搞笑的角度出發，但作者也不吝於分享許多印刷領域的專業術語與常識，並以標註的方式點綴在每一頁的書側。校正、修訂、色差與裝訂。隨著書中故事的進行，我們陸續看到印刷男孩們如同推著巨石上山的薛西弗斯一般，日夜不停地重複處理層出不窮、又不斷重演的課題。

身為系列作的第二本書，內容格局也從技術操作面逐步擴大到經營層面。書中討論到，隨著3C產品普及，以及紙張、機具與印刷原物料成本不斷攀升，印刷公司的經營日益困難，逐漸演變成只有少數大型集團企業才有辦法生存的惡劣環境。中小型公司的數量持續減少，只能承接大公司轉包出來的案件，賺取微薄的代工利潤。嘲諷世界上有本錢的人才能贏者全拿的流行語「本多終勝」，沒想到也在印刷產業中一一得到驗證。寓教於樂是一個我很不想使用的老詞，但這本書確實實至名歸，足以成為將娛樂與知識推廣結合在一起的優秀典範。

Even in today's digital age, where almost everyone carries a smartphone or other electronic device, the printing industry—often categorized as a traditional industry—continues to play an indispensable role in our daily lives. Just imagine waking up one day to find that printed catalogs, newspapers, books, gift boxes, and countless other convenient and beautifully designed paper products had suddenly disappeared. What kind of chaos would that create? Behind these printed materials, which help keep our economies and societies functioning smoothly, are dedicated professionals working tirelessly together, battling deadlines day in and day out.

*The Printing Industry Meltdown Diary* tells the story of these workers—who proudly refer to themselves as the "Printing Boys"—through the medium of manga, capturing their everyday struggles within the often unforgiving world of printing production. Although the book approaches its subject with humor and comedy, the author is equally generous in sharing professional terminology and practical knowledge from the printing industry. Helpful annotations are scattered throughout the margins, enriching the reader's understanding as the story unfolds. Proofreading, revisions, color matching, and binding—page after page, we watch the Printing Boys confront an endless stream of recurring challenges. Like Sisyphus pushing his boulder uphill, they repeat the same demanding tasks day and night, only to face them again the next day.

As the second volume in the series, the book expands its scope beyond technical operations and delves into broader business and management issues. It discusses how the widespread adoption of digital devices, combined with the rising costs of paper, machinery, and printing materials, has made operating a printing company increasingly difficult. The industry has gradually evolved into a harsh environment in which only a handful of large corporate groups can survive. Meanwhile, the number of small and medium-sized printing companies continues to decline. Many are left with no choice but to accept subcontracted work from larger firms, earning only slim manufacturing margins in return. The popular saying "capital wins in the end"—a cynical observation that those with greater resources ultimately take all the rewards—turns out to be just as true in the printing industry as it is elsewhere. "Edutainment" is a rather overused term that I would normally avoid, but in this case it is entirely appropriate. This book serves as an excellent example of how entertainment and knowledge can be successfully combined, making specialized industry topics both accessible and enjoyable to a wider audience.

吃便當：人生解決不了的煩惱，就一口一口吃掉吧！

 

ISBN：9789869695039

自從公司辦公室搬到一個鳥不生蛋、遠得要命的國度後，午餐要吃什麼就變成了每天苦惱的小課題。它就像卡在鞋子裡的小石頭，問題不大，卻總是惹人心煩。妙的是，就連吃午餐這件事，也有人能寫成文章。《吃便當》一書的內容，其實源自《鏡週刊》的網路單元。每則文章都以一位受訪者的午餐為引子，帶出他／她自述的人生故事；薄薄一本書，卻能讓讀者看見人生百態。

46篇故事，就是46段截然不同的人生。短短幾千字的篇幅，濃縮的卻是數十年的生命歷程，箇中的酸甜苦辣，比桌上的菜餚還更有滋味。或許是出於想讓書籍更有賣點的私心，書中收錄的人物，相較於你我身邊常見的街坊鄰居，算是一群更有故事的人。因此，書中有許多同志、喪偶、失婚以及孤兒等角色，或言簡意賅、或舉重若輕地述說自己的人生路途，以及目前的生活現況與態度。

看完全書後可以體會到，人們與父母的相處方式與教養模式，是形塑一個人個性與思維最重要的關鍵。絕大多數走偏、走岔的人，往往都是因為起點的一點微小偏移，最後便一路錯了下去。浪子回頭的故事也從來不少，但伴隨而來的，往往是已逝的親情，以及再也挽不回的青春。愛情與經濟的挑戰，也是人生旅途中不可避免的課題；有人從中成長，也有人因此深陷泥沼。若要用一句最白話的俗諺總結這本書，那就是「一樣米養百樣人」。而在翻閱過這麼多人生起落之後，也讓人深深感受到，「平安、平淡就是福」這句話真正的意義。

Ever since our company office relocated to a godforsaken place far, far away, deciding what to eat for lunch has become a small daily dilemma. It’s like a tiny pebble stuck inside your shoe — not a serious problem, but irritating enough to constantly bother you. What’s interesting is that even something as ordinary as lunch can become the subject of a book. The content of the book Eating Bento actually originated from an online column published by Mirror Media. Each story begins with the lunch of an interviewee and gradually unfolds into a first-person account of his or her life. Though slim in size, the book offers readers a vivid glimpse into the many facets of human life.

Forty-six stories represent forty-six completely different lives. In just a few thousand words, each piece condenses decades of experiences and emotions. The bitterness, sweetness, struggles, and joys described within are even more flavorful than the dishes laid out on the dining table. Perhaps out of a desire to make the book more compelling, the people featured in it are, compared to the ordinary neighbors we encounter in daily life, individuals with particularly remarkable stories. As a result, the book includes people who are LGBTQ+, widowed, divorced, or orphaned, among others. Some recount their journeys succinctly and directly, while others speak of them with calm restraint and quiet strength, sharing both their past experiences and their current outlook on life.

After finishing the book, one cannot help but realize that the way people interact with their parents — and the parenting styles they grow up under — plays a crucial role in shaping their personalities and ways of thinking. Most people who lose their way in life often begin with only the slightest deviation at the starting point, only to continue drifting further and further astray. Stories of prodigal sons returning home are never rare, but they are often accompanied by irreversible losses: family bonds that can no longer be repaired and youth that can never be reclaimed. Challenges involving love and finances are also unavoidable parts of life’s journey. Some people grow through these hardships, while others sink deeper into despair because of them. If one were to summarize this book with a simple old saying, it would be: “The same rice feeds a hundred different kinds of people.” After reading through so many rises and falls of human lives, one comes to deeply understand the true meaning behind the phrase: “A peaceful and ordinary life is a blessing.”

馬偕牧師：從加拿大到台灣斜槓人生的冒險與創新

 

ISBN：9786269688821

小時候生了一場大病，多虧台北馬偕紀念醫院的醫治，才總算健康地長大。直到去年搬家入籍淡水，通勤往返間常看到淡水馬偕醫院，也注意到淡水老街裡有一條幽靜小巷叫馬偕街，便興起了想多了解馬偕博士的念頭。我找到這本《馬偕牧師：從加拿大到台灣斜槓人生的冒險與創新》童書，以淺顯易懂的文字，描寫馬偕一生對北台灣土地的熱愛與貢獻。

雖然這是由教友執筆而成的傳記，卻能秉持平實、不浮誇的文字，不帶傳教色彩地向青少年學子傳達馬偕不平凡的人生。在清末時期，台灣人多數仍在窮山惡水的環境中為生活奮鬥，即便有些大戶人家過著平順安穩的生活，但絕大多數的市井小民生活條件相當貧困。此時，遠從加拿大來的基督教長老教會年輕牧師，不知是天意還是巧合，選中了台灣作為他終其一生傳教事業的落腳地，真可謂天佑台灣。

當時南台灣的台南和高雄較早開發，已有外國傳教士設立教會，因此馬偕毅然決然地朝北台灣的淡水港作為傳教基地。以此為中心，他向外擴展教會版圖：東向宜蘭，南向桃竹苗。可以說，北台灣長老教會的根基，都是彼時馬偕一步一腳印地在荒郊野嶺「走」出來的。早期他甚至透過替民眾免費拔牙來吸引人潮講道，也真的讓許多原本飽受牙痛之苦的人受洗入教，或成為傳教過程中的助力。

馬偕博士對北台灣的貢獻多不勝數。除了前述一生替人拔牙兩萬顆的壯舉外，影響最大的，應該就是成立北台灣第一家西醫院偕醫館，原址就在淡水的馬偕街上。之後，更由長老教會出資成立了眾所周知的馬偕紀念醫院，成為北台灣的重要醫學中心。另一項許多台灣人可能不知道，但影響日常生活甚深的義舉是，馬偕曾從外國引入九種蔬菜種子，以改善先民因長期營養不良造成的易病體質：高麗菜、花椰菜、豌豆、紅白蘿蔔、番茄、西洋芹、大頭菜和甜菜。未來在菜市場看到這些蔬菜時，應會感念馬偕的恩惠。

此外，現在已改制為真理大學的理學堂大書院（又名牛津學堂），是當時北台灣第一間西方學校，甚至打破男尊女卑的封建思想，開設了第一間女子學校淡水女學堂，原址在今天的淡水純德小學。馬偕領先時代近百年地推行女性應有的平等受教權。建設這些醫院、學校的資金，都是遠從加拿大長老教會信徒奉獻而來。可以看見理想型的宗教組織，小則移風易俗、安定人心，大則造福社會、扶弱濟貧。

個人淺見，雖然近年來台灣瘋媽祖等民俗活動逐漸受到重視，投入了大量人力物力舉辦，但多半仍侷限於信仰層面的益處，無法對大眾民生產生具體、積極的幫助。若台灣佛道教能將對神明的誠心與力量，轉化為促進社會向上提升的具體行動，如同台語俗諺講的「要神也要人」，將是台灣之福。

When I was a child, I suffered a serious illness, and thanks to the treatment I received at Taipei Mackay Memorial Hospital, I was able to grow up healthy. It wasn’t until last year, after moving to and registering in Tamsui, that I frequently passed by Tamsui Mackay Hospital during my commute. I also noticed a quiet little alley in the old street called “Mackay Street,” which sparked my curiosity to learn more about Dr. Mackay. I found this children’s book, Pastor Mackay: From Canada to Taiwan – A Slasher Life of Adventure and Innovation, which uses clear and accessible language to depict Dr. Mackay’s lifelong love for and contributions to northern Taiwan.

Although this biography was written by a fellow believer, it maintains a straightforward and unembellished style, conveying to young readers the extraordinary life of Mackay without any missionary agenda. During the late Qing Dynasty, most Taiwanese people were still struggling to survive in harsh and remote environments. While some wealthy families lived relatively stable and comfortable lives, the vast majority of ordinary people faced severe poverty. At this time, a young pastor from the Presbyterian Church in Canada—whether by fate or coincidence—chose Taiwan as the place to devote his life to missionary work, truly a blessing for the island.

Southern Taiwan, particularly Tainan and Kaohsiung, had been developed earlier, with foreign missionaries already establishing churches there. Mackay, therefore, resolutely chose Tamsui Harbor in northern Taiwan as his missionary base. From there, he expanded the church’s reach eastward to Yilan and southward to the Taoyuan, Hsinchu, and Miaoli regions. One could say that the foundation of the Presbyterian Church in northern Taiwan was built step by step by Mackay, literally carving out a path through the wilderness. In the early days, he even attracted crowds to his sermons by offering free tooth extractions, which truly helped many people suffering from dental pain to receive baptism or become supporters of his missionary work.

Dr. Mackay’s contributions to northern Taiwan are innumerable. Beyond the feat of extracting 20,000 teeth in his lifetime, one of his most significant achievements was establishing the first Western-style hospital in northern Taiwan, the “Mackay Clinic,” originally located on Mackay Street in Tamsui.

Later, with funding from the Presbyterian Church, the well-known Mackay Memorial Hospital was founded, becoming a key medical center in northern Taiwan. Another act, perhaps unknown to many Taiwanese but profoundly affecting daily life, was Mackay’s introduction of nine types of vegetable seeds from abroad. This initiative helped improve the health of local people who had long suffered from malnutrition: cabbage, cauliflower, peas, red and white radish, tomato, celery, rutabaga, and beetroot. Seeing these vegetables in the market today, one should remember Mackay’s generosity.

Furthermore, the “Lixuetang College” (also known as the “Oxford College”), now transformed into Aletheia University, was the first Western-style school in northern Taiwan. It even challenged the feudal mindset of male superiority by establishing the first girls’ school, “Tamsui Girls’ School,” whose original site is today’s Tamsui Chunde Elementary School. Mackay was ahead of his time by nearly a century, promoting women’s right to education. The funding for building these hospitals and schools came from Presbyterian Church believers in Canada. This shows how an ideal religious organization can, on a small scale, improve customs and stabilize people’s minds, and on a large scale, benefit society and support the disadvantaged.

In my personal view, although in recent years Taiwan has increasingly focused on folk activities such as the “Mazu Festivals,” which involve large investments of time and resources, they mostly remain confined to faith-based benefits and do not produce concrete, practical improvements for the general public. If Taiwan’s Buddhist and Taoist communities could transform their devotion and energy toward the gods into concrete actions that promote societal progress—just as the Taiwanese saying goes, “serve both gods and people”—it would be a true blessing for Taiwan.

東京書店奮鬥記

 

ISBN：9789861052632

日本漫畫以職場為背景的題材多不勝數，自然也找得到經營實體書店為主軸的作品。《東京書店奮鬥記》便是一部描寫在中型連鎖書店擔任店長的主角，憑藉無與倫比的衝勁與真誠，在各種職場難題與人際關係中迎刃而解、順風順水的故事。

故事背景設定在2010年，因此貫太郎任職的太陽花書店不可避免地正面臨網路書店與電子書的雙重挑戰。然而，若讀者期待作者會編織出逆轉局面的經營巧思，恐怕會有些失望。老實說，這部漫畫對實體書店的經營管理著墨不多，全書重心皆放在貫太郎周遭的人際互動。其故事節奏即便改編成日劇也毫無違和感，說不定這正是漫畫編輯最初的野心。

一位47歲的大叔，在日本職場中展現完全不讀空氣的魯莽舉止，反倒獲得老闆青睞、同事信賴、鄰居歡迎，甚至擁有異常的女人緣。只能說在日漫中，即便是在畫風寫實的職人漫畫裡，依然存在著主角威能。不過，比起誇張的《島耕作》，貫太郎也僅是擁有路人等級的幸運值罷了。

全系列共七集，描述主角(已婚!)與初戀情人的故事大約就佔了三分之二。然而情節安排頗具解謎趣味，看著看著便將其視作愛情故事，興致盎然地一路翻閱下去。遺憾的是，原作者岩重孝先生已於2012年過世，故事因此戛然而止於劇情邁入最高潮的時刻。生命充滿無常，沒想到在假日悠閒地看部漫畫，也能再度體認到這個道理。

Japanese manga set in workplace environments are abundant, and naturally there are works centered on “running a physical bookstore.” *Tokyo Bookstore Struggle* is one such story. It follows a protagonist who works as the manager of a mid-sized chain bookstore. With unmatched drive and sincerity, he manages to resolve various workplace challenges and interpersonal conflicts with apparent ease, sailing through them smoothly.

The story is set in 2010, so the “Sunflower Bookstore” where Kantaro works inevitably faces the dual challenges of online retailers and e-books. However, readers hoping the author will craft clever business strategies to turn the tide may be disappointed. To be honest, the manga doesn’t delve deeply into the management of physical bookstores. Instead, its focus lies almost entirely on Kantaro’s interactions with the people around him. The pacing feels perfectly suited for a TV drama adaptation, and one might even suspect that this was the editor’s original ambition.

A 47-year-old man behaving in a brash, “doesn’t read the room” manner in a Japanese workplace somehow earns the favor of his boss, the trust of his colleagues, the welcome of his neighbors, and even remarkable success with women. It can only be said that, even in more realistic, profession-focused manga, the phenomenon of “main character privilege” still exists. That said, compared to the exaggerated *Shima Kosaku*, Kantaro merely possesses a modest, background-character level of luck.

The series spans seven volumes in total, with about two-thirds of the story devoted to the (married!) protagonist and his first love. The plot is structured with a puzzle-like appeal, and before long, it becomes an engaging romance that keeps you turning the pages. Unfortunately, the original author, Takashi Iwashige, passed away in 2012, and the story comes to an abrupt halt just as it reaches its climax. Life is full of impermanence—unexpectedly, even a leisurely weekend spent reading manga can serve as a reminder of that truth.