評論
打印
Sort of. I'm going to explain briefly, how that happened
對吧 算是吧 我將簡短的描述 我是如何飛黃騰達的
I want you to understand just how mysterious careers can be before you go out and have one yourself
我希望你們在走出校門追尋自己的事業(yè)前 能夠明白事業(yè)發(fā)展本身是多么神秘
So I graduated from Princeton without having published a word of anything, anywhere
我從普林斯頓畢業(yè)的時候 從來沒有在任何地方任何時間發(fā)表任何東西
I didn't write for the Prince or for anyone else
我沒有為the Prince刊物 或任何人寫過任何文章
But at Princeton, studying art history
然而在普林斯頓大學 作為藝術史系的學生
I felt the first twinge of literary ambition
我第一次有了在文學界施展抱負的沖動
It happened while working on my senior thesis
這是在我寫畢業(yè)論文的時候發(fā)生的
My adviser was a really gifted man professor named William Childs
我的導師是個超有天分的人 William Childs教授
The thesis I wrote for him... I tried to explain how the Italian sculptor
我畢業(yè)論文的題目是 研究意大利雕塑家Donatello
Donatello used Greek and Roman sources that's actually totally beside the point but I've always wanted to tell someone
如何借鑒了希臘和羅馬資源 其實這跟今天的題目半毛錢關系都沒有 只是我一直喜歡讓別人知道
God knows what Professor Childs actually thought of it but he helped me to become engrossed
神知道Childs教授是怎么看待這個題目的 但他卻幫助我全心投入
Actually more than engrossed, totally obsessed
不只是全心投入 根本就是癡迷
When I handed it in I knew what I wanted to do for the rest of my life
當我交上論文的那刻我知道了 我這一生想要從事的事業(yè)
I want to write senior theses. Or, to put it differently, to write books
寫高級論文 或者說 寫書
Then I went to my thesis defense
然后我去了論文答辯
It was just a few yards from here, in McCormick Hall
地方離這不遠 就在McCormick廳
I listened and waited for Professor Childs to say how well written my thesis was
我等待著希望聽到Childs教授告訴我 我的論文寫得多么好
He didn't. And so after about 45 minutes I finally said
但他沒有 于是等了45分鐘后 我終于問
So. What did you think of the writing?
那你怎么評價我的寫作呢？
Put it this way, he said. Never try to make a living at it
這么說吧 他說 千萬不要靠這個謀生
And I didn't, not really
所以我放棄了 其實不是
I did what everyone does who has no idea what to do with themselves
我做了所有人不知道該做什么時做的那件事
I get out of the college and went to graduate school
去讀研究生
