21 Days of Reading Wrap-up and Winner List

As April drew to a close, the sound of turning the final page felt almost weightless.

From April 7 to April 27, over 21 days, we followed Charlie as he climbed toward brilliance and slowly slipped back into loneliness. We wandered with Shi Tiesheng through the quiet paths of the Temple of Earth, learning to slow down with the changing seasons, and reflecting once again on life itself through the meditations of Fragments from an Illness.

And now, WKU Library chapter of the "21 Days of Reading" program has come to its final page.

For 21 Days, They Kept Reading

21 Days of Reading was never an easy journey. And yet, some stayed with it every single day until the very end.

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From now until May 31, 2026.

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Library Service Desk, SLAC 3F

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They Read the Books in Their Own Way

The most moving part of reading is never simply finishing a book, but having someone willing to slowly speak their thoughts and feelings aloud.

Selected Insights

        @苏煦凯：好运设计章节中，史铁生意识到生活的本质和真相：生命的意义不在于“设计”出一个无懈可击的好运，而在于接受命运给定的那副牌，然后把它打出自己的声音。 所谓好运，不是逃避苦难，而是在苦难中依然能爱、能写、能记住地坛里的每一寸阳光。他最后写道：“生命的价值，就在于你能够镇静而又激动地欣赏这过程的美丽与悲壮。”没有设计是完美的，但每一个认真活过的过程，本身就已经是完美。真正勇气是在害怕后依然选择面对，用上自己的全力来对抗难以解决的挑战。——《我与地坛》

        @张雨竹：这本书最残忍的地方在于：查理变聪明后才发现，变聪明并不能让他被爱。他以为智商提升能换来尊重和友情，结果只是更清楚地看见别人眼中的厌恶。智慧是一把双刃剑——它让你看见真相，但真相往往让人更孤独。如果可以选择，你愿意做一个快乐的傻子，还是一个痛苦的聪明人？——《献给阿尔吉侬的花束》

        @林诗钰：刚开始读《病隙碎笔》，其实有点不太适应，因为不像《我与地坛》那样有具体的故事和画面，这一部分更碎，更像是在和自己对话，但慢慢读下去，会感受到一种很特别的力量。史铁生说自己“职业是生病，业余在写作”，这句话听起来有点轻，但其实挺沉的，因为生病对他来说已经不是一段经历，而是一种长期无法逃离的状态，可是在这样的情况下，他并没有把自己完全困住，反而在这些“病隙”里不断思考关于时间、命运和人生的问题。对比我们现在的生活，好像每天都很忙，但很少真正停下来认真想这些事情，而他是在最受限制的时候，反而走得更深、更远。所以读这一部分，我最大的感受不是简单的“励志”，而是被提醒：很多时候，限制并不会让人变得更狭窄，反而可能让人更专注地看清自己和这个世界，他被困在身体里，却在思想上走得很远。   ——《病隙碎笔》

        @yongno：我被一种明亮的哀伤所击中。这是手术后智力狂飙的巅峰时刻——他一夜之间读懂了《鲁滨逊漂流记》，在凌晨四点猛然感到"脑子里的东西都理清了"，甚至到达了纪尼安小姐所说的"高原期"。然而，斯特劳斯医生的警告如影随形：智力成长将超越情感成长。当查理仍天真地写下"我的朋友都很聪明，他们人也很好的"时，这种纯真与即将到来的觉醒形成刺痛的对比。最令我动容的是"高原"这个隐喻——它既是攀登的成就，也暗示着平顶之后的下降；查理正站在智力的山巅，却不知前方是更高的山峰还是坠落的悬崖。这段报告中的错字逐渐消失，仿佛那个善良纯真的查理正在死去，而一个敏锐焦虑的新查理正在诞生。这让我深思：如果清醒意味着孤独，我们究竟该选择温暖的蒙昧，还是痛苦的真相？ ——《献给阿尔吉侬的花束》

When Charlie Speaks: An Offline Themed Talk on "Flowers for Algernon"
2026.05.08

@樊奕汝同学

@yongno

        创作灵感：左边的玫瑰对应着查理最后的心愿，铅笔则代表着查理记录进步报告的过程。右边的小男孩就是查理，他伸出手去触碰他“唯一的同类”——困在迷宫里的阿尔吉侬。迷宫代表着他们共同的人生，最后的一句话倾注了查理对阿尔吉侬最后的牵挂。

Perhaps, years from now, you won't remember the exact day you completed your final reading check-in. But you may remember a sentence you came across late at night;a moment of silence during a sharing session; or a book that quietly kept you company when you were at your most exhausted.

Perhaps that is the meaning of reading. It may not make life easier, but it can give us a little more strength to face it.

Thank you for reading with us until the very end.

Content | GU Mengmeng & LIN Yujia

Layout | YE Yingtong

First Review | TANG Lianyi

Second Review | REN Yuanyuan

Third Review | XIE Zhiwu