Uneasy Living cover

Uneasy Living

Rating 3.3
Word count
142K words
Chapters
54
ISBN
9787510434822

Tags

Summary

Uneasy Living is a collection of forty articles selected from renowned global business magazines. Their authors depict forty highly representative ways of life in today's society: foreigners living and working in China, the privileged "rich second generation," migrant workers from the countryside, and the young dreamers who drift north to Beijing carrying nothing but ambition. Through firsthand observation and vivid detail, the essays reveal the struggles, hopes, and contradictions behind ordinary urban existence. Together the pieces have been hailed as "a panoramic scroll of contemporary Chinese urban life."

Editor's review

An Uneasy Life is not a guide offering clear solutions but a mirror reflecting the widespread spiritual predicament of contemporary people. With keen observation and a quiet touch, the author He Li probes the anxiety, alienation, and uncertainty spreading within people despite an era of material abundance. The book's value lies in the precision of its diagnosis—it does not simply blame external pressures but guides readers to examine their complex relationships with the times, with others, and with themselves. The writing is restrained yet insightful, avoiding cheap comfort or impassioned criticism; this calm narrative style is itself a powerful response to 'unease.' Reading this book is more like a deep conversation with a wise mind: it does not promise you peace, but it promises to let you see more clearly the contours and roots of that 'unease'—and that seeing is itself the first step toward inner order. For modern readers who feel lost in the noise, this book offers rare space for contemplation and a framework for understanding.

Who it's for

A good fit for

  • Readers puzzled by their own anxiety, confusion, and similar feelings who wish to understand them deeply rather than simply eliminate them
  • Intellectual readers interested in social psychology and the spiritual condition of modern people
  • Readers who prefer quiet, introspective, philosophical works over utilitarian guidance
  • Explorers in a life transition or a phase of redefining values who need intellectual reference points

Not a good fit for

  • Readers seeking concrete action steps, quick psychological adjustment techniques, or success-study methods
  • Readers expecting light entertainment or strongly narrative fiction

Reading tips

  1. Read in a relatively quiet, undisturbed environment so you can follow the author's train of thought into deep introspection
  2. Keep brief notes of passages that resonate with or provoke you, as a starting point for self-dialogue
  3. Do not feel you must finish it in one sitting; treat it as a companion for a period, dipping into any chapter when you feel the need

About the publisher

New World Press China · Founded in 1951

New World Press is a comprehensive publisher whose list spans documentary literature, popular science, military studies, literary appreciation, social sciences and essays. Its titles reflect a broad editorial vision: documentary works such as Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption and A Civil Action; classic translations including On the Origin of Species and On War; and literary works such as Six Records of a Floating Life and Wu Guanzhong's selected essays on beauty and painting. Its authors include Laura Hillenbrand, Charles Darwin, Carl von Clausewitz, Shen Fu and Daniel Everett, showing a balance between translated and original works. Publicly available information on its fuller publishing profile and features is limited.

Contents

  1. 版权信息
  2. 写在前面
  3. 职场——办公室,一个失去安全感的地方
  4. 沉重的责任
  5. 从成功到糊涂
  6. 尖叫
  7. 那些高强度工作的人
  8. 我们为什么没有安全感
  9. 饼干公司里的隐形权威
  10. 品质——那些行走在追求品质生活的“没品道路”上的人们
  11. 雾都中的老外
  12. 战斗在厨房
  13. 人人都爱达芬奇?
  14. 创业——特立独行的人做与众不同的事
  15. “如果”只有24小时
  16. 78个股东的咖啡馆
  17. 千人合作型饭馆
  18. 游戏——玩物并非丧志,游戏亦可指引人生
  19. 书店:这门奇怪的生意
  20. 30岁之前不要存钱?
  21. 下一次,谁是国王
  22. 不多不少,及时信任
  23. 修行——活着是种修行,帮我们悟出幸福的真谛
  24. 没多久,他就孤零零一个人了
  25. Easy至死
  26. 失位者得先
  27. 我有一片夜空
  28. 慢节奏打酱油岁月
  29. 幸福没有标准答案
  30. 人需要走出去
  31. 理想——走在羊肠小路上的梦想者
  32. 不一样的京胡
  33. 放大镜背后的真相
  34. 其实我是一个导演
  35. 乐谱——我们是城市这篇“乐章”上忽快忽慢的音符
  36. 快的六百年
  37. 新疆时间·毛驴的慢生活
  38. 纽约时间·慢得理直气壮
  39. 北京时间·迷失在家门口
  40. 放弃就是一种慢
  41. 艺术——平凡的工作做到极致,就成了艺术
  42. 像小贩一样卖东西
  43. 用时间创造不朽
  44. 赶场
  45. 阅读——除了书,还有很多事物能让我们读懂生活
  46. 再见,独立书店
  47. 我们去哪里谈论国家大事?
  48. 社区的内心秘密
  49. 只剩下噱头
  50. 大众——每个人本身就是一本生活故事会
  51. 毒枭的女人
  52. 克林顿已成历史
  53. 被需要的 心理咨询师雷明
  54. 铃木美妃:悠长假期

FAQ

Is this book a psychological self-help book?
Not entirely. It leans more toward social observation and philosophical essays, focusing on analyzing phenomena and inspiring thought rather than offering standardized self-help exercises or treatment plans.
Will reading this book make people more anxious?
Quite the opposite. The book's core value lies in 'understanding and clarification.' By clearly depicting the shape of 'unease,' it helps readers turn chaotic feelings into objects they can examine, potentially gaining a cognitive perspective that transcends anxiety and easing the fear that comes from the unknown and the vague.
What is the background of the author He Li?
He Li is a veteran Chinese media professional and columnist who has long followed social change and individual fate. His writing is known for its depth of thought and sharp prose. His grasp of contemporary social moods combines a journalist's acuity with an intellectual's depth of reflection.

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About the author

何力 Author

Public information about He Li is limited. What can be confirmed is that his writing covers social science and finance, with three works in the collection: Silly World, Stupid Business; Another Europe; and An Uneasy Life. Judging from the titles and categories, he focuses on the practical logic of the business world, observations and writings about European society, and the sense of uncertainty in contemporary life, with topics that lean toward real-world issues and cultural comparison. His writing is not confined to a single field; instead, it links economic phenomena, social observation, and everyday experience, showing a style that combines description of phenomena with a questioning awareness. Because information such as dates of birth and death, nationality, and educational background is unavailable, a complete picture of his life cannot yet be drawn. Based on the existing works, He Li writes for general readers concerned with social and current issues, offering a readable observational perspective between finance and social science reading.

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