Hei's Journal

The Wisdom of Psychopaths

Rating: 6

2026-09-30

The moment I finished this book, I felt a huge sense of relief. It was quite a challenging read for me, both in terms of vocabulary and content. That said, I found the central idea the author was trying to present genuinely intriguing. Throughout the book, he draws on numerous stories, conversations, and experiments involving experienced researchers and professionals in the field to illustrate different perspectives on psychopathy. It is a pity that I was not able to read fluently enough to fully grasp every part of the journey. Even so, the book made me feel like an observer sitting in on fascinating discussions and investigations that challenge the way we view psychopaths. Rather than presenting simple answers, it encourages readers to question their assumptions and consider a more nuanced perspective. I cannot say that I fully gained the “wisdom” of psychopaths after reading the book. Some of the conclusions the author draws felt somewhat reliant on causal relationships that I am not entirely convinced by. However, I do understand the broader message he is trying to convey: psychopathy itself is not inherently good or bad. Many traits commonly associated with psychopaths can also be found, to varying degrees, in ordinary people. Instead of viewing psychopaths and non-psychopaths as two opposing categories, we might think of them as people with different combinations and settings of psychological traits. From that perspective, studying psychopathy can help us better understand which traits and behaviours may contribute to effectiveness and functionality in everyday life. One idea that particularly stayed with me was the metaphor of psychopaths driving a powerful sports car too fast. In many cases, they know exactly what they are doing, but they often place little weight on anything beyond immediate rewards and gratification. While that tendency can clearly become destructive, the metaphor also raises an interesting question: could we become a little more effective if we were less constrained by past experiences and less fearful of an unpredictable future, allowing ourselves to focus more fully on the present moment? Perhaps that is the real wisdom I took away from this book. Being bold is not about “faking it until you make it.” Rather, it is about having the courage to engage fully with the present, without being overwhelmed by fear, regret, or emotion. When we are not blinded by those forces, we may be better able to make the best possible move with the information and opportunities available to us right now.

逐玉 (Pursuit of Jade)

Rating: 6.5

2026-07-01

呢本書係之前大熱嘅電視劇逐玉嘅原着小說。唔太想追陸劇嘅我見到套劇評價咁高就諗住搵本書嚟睇下，估唔到分咗成6本書出嚟，內容長到我追住睇都睇咗成個星期。我諗可能劇評太高分令我都有啲期望，所以睇完書反而覺得一般般。劇情一開始既鋪陣同設定的確幾吸引人追睇落去，不過去到中段就開始已經有啲主角光環同又係嗰啲套路嘅感覺。我幾鍾意佢感情線係有慢慢推進嘅，尤其係男主角方面都寫得幾細膩同合理；不過兩位主角嘅主線任務就略嫌唔夠清晰，感覺筆者用咗好多文字去建構敘述政治背景但都唔係好到point。所以一開始個世界冇咁複雜、故事集中喺男女主角既互動嗰時其實係幾好睇，大概係去到之後女主入軍隊、兩人聯手去搵十七年前慘案嘅答案時個劇情開始亂亂地就冇咁有追看性。睇到最後仲發現佢用咗番外篇去補完其他角色嘅角度，當中有部分其實用番外篇先建構返到個故事既完整性，我就覺得呢種操作係稍為遜色咗啲。喺主文入面如果可以疏理好少少人物利害關係or交代多少少background先入主線應該會比較理想。平心而論，有機會係純粹內容唔太係我平時睇嘅故，同埋我無辦法唔拎坤寧(陸劇寧安如夢嘅小說)比😶‍🌫️權謀方面而言，坤寧嘅鋪墊實在係太出色又合理，劇情上就睇得好開心。咁比較或者唔係太公平，不過overall我就係覺得逐玉嘅政治角力方面比較單薄，所以相對冇咁精彩。but 都好睇嘅，主要係可以追下有少少古文feel嘅中文書同感受下男主對女主嘅感情（非常女性向）, which is already pretty nice for me.

The Murder on the Links

Rating: 8.5

2026-05-26

A fantastic read! The tension builds perfectly—just when you feel like the truth is a step away, the story twists, and the real truth isn't revealed until the final ten pages. Absolutely amazing; I was completely hooked. At first, I thought Hastings was just dragging his feet and getting in Poirot's way. However, I quickly realized he was acting exactly how a normal person would actually behave at a crime scene. Before long, their dynamic really grew on me, and I loved watching their interactions. Plus, the way the detective's mind works is absolutely fascinating to follow.

BMS Fundamentals

Rating: 8.5

2026-04-30

A fantastic recap for my own career development. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to understand the world of BMS. It covers everything from fundamental knowledge to the advanced considerations of a seasoned BMS engineer. From my perspective, it comprehensively spans all the domain knowledge required for success in this field—ranging from basic electronics and mechanical theories to software and application design. While it may not dive deeply into every individual topic, it serves as an excellent, comprehensive overview of the essential concepts and mindset a BMS or control engineer should possess. As engineers, we must always keep up with shifting industries and technologies, but let us never forget that engineering fundamentals are the indispensable foundation of our profession.

The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes

Rating: 8

2026-03-12

The Sherlock Holmes series is an all-time classic for a reason—the stories are brilliant and total page-turners. Honestly, the only downside is the older language. It takes a little extra effort to get through the non-modern phrasing, but the mystery is well worth it.

Criminology - A Complete Introduction

Rating: 8

2026-02-27

I found this book by chance at TK Maxx and bought it for a friend who loves criminology. While waiting to head back to Hong Kong to give it to her, I've been reading a chapter a day. Surprisingly, it’s a very accessible read for a non-native English beginner like me. Aside from some technical jargon, the vocabulary is simple, and the concepts and logic are explained beautifully. The author also uses plenty of historical UK cases to back up his theories. As a complete newcomer to the subject, I found it fascinating. It gave me a fresh perspective on crime, social structures, and order. While I might not dive deeper into the field, it’s a highly recommended read for anyone who has ever wondered what criminology is actually about.

The Thursday Murder Club

Rating: 8.3

2025-12-30

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