你永遠也料想不到會在台北遇見誰。上星期我和家人到一家咖啡廳，那咖啡廳的老闆跑來問我要不要和台灣的知名作家白先勇先生見面，因為他恰好坐在附近接受媒體訪問。我心想，這麼好的事怎能拒絕呢？照片就是我們和白先生的合影（我太太Kathy手裡拿的幾本書就是他的大作）。白先勇被公認為華文現代小說家的翹楚，以寫下《孽子》和《台北人》等極具影響力的小說和短篇故事聞名。他和美國也關係密切，因為他曾經在加州教授文學多年。我個人對現代小說的品味偏好獨樹一幟的作家，如費茲傑羅（我經常嘮叨孩子，要他們讀讀《大亨小傳》）和納博科夫（曾為康乃爾大學教授）。白先生，謝謝您和我們分享片刻時光！ --- 梅健華 #FromAITDirector
You never know who you might run into in Taipei. Last week, I was out with my family at a local café when the owner came by and asked if I would like to meet famous Taiwan author Pai Hsien-yung, who was seated nearby and was being interviewed by a local reporter. Well, who could refuse that offer? So here we are with Mr. Pai (Kathy is clutching a batch of his books). Pai Hsien-yung is considered one of the foremost stylists of Chinese-language modern fiction and is known for penning influential novels and short story collections, such as “Crystal Boys” and “Taipei People.” He also has significant connections to the United States, having served as a literature professor in California for many years. My own tastes in modern fiction tend to favor unique stylists like Fitzgerald (just ask my kids how I’ve harangued them to read and like “The Great Gatsby”) and Nabokov (himself a professor at Cornell). Thanks, Mr. Pai, for sharing a few moments with us!…km
