University Days of a Nobel Prize Winner

Author: Li Zhen / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: If the life of a Nobel laureate is compared to a racing track, then this book is a motivational guide titled "Finding the Starting Point." In each chapter, the 40 masters share their stories of discovering the starting point of their lives. Their later achievements prove that the starting point they found during their university years was exceptionally correct. Did their search for this starting point go smoothly, or was it full of twists and turns? In this book, you will find complete answers. The book selects 40 masters from the 106 Nobel laureates, focusing on their university years to see how they made the best choices at the starting line of life and achieved their goals through extraordinary efforts. Each laureate has a moving story and inspiring experiences, as if they are standing or sitting before us, telling their own best university stories in a gentle manner. We hope that you, too, can experience this wonderful feeling while reading this book.
If the life of a Nobel laureate is compared to a racing track, then this book is a motivational guide titled "Finding the Starting Point." In each chapter, the 40 masters share their stories of discovering the starting point of their lives. Their later achievements prove that the starting point they found during their university years was exceptionally correct. Did their search for this starting point go smoothly, or was it full of twists and turns? In this book, you will find complete answers. The book selects 40 masters from the 106 Nobel laureates, focusing on their university years to see how they made the best choices at the starting line of life and achieved their goals through extraordinary efforts. Each laureate has a moving story and inspiring experiences, as if they are standing or sitting before us, telling their own best university stories in a gentle manner. We hope that you, too, can experience this wonderful feeling while reading this book.
After being publicly humiliated by a noblewoman, the dissolute young man Paul Victor Grignard had a sudden awakening and resolved to reform himself, leaving behind a letter to study abroad. In the letter he left for his parents, he wrote: "Please do not inquire about my whereabouts. Allow me to study diligently, and I believe I will achieve some accomplishments in the future."
In 1892, the 21-year-old French youth Paul Victor Grignard decided to leave home, with his destination being the renowned Lyon University. Upon arriving at Lyon University, Grignard spent almost every day in the library—reading, taking notes, and attending lectures. Every day, he was busy as a top spinning. His diligence was extraordinary, almost to the point of neglecting sleep and food, but he remained troubled and frowning. His studies did not go smoothly. This situation came to the attention of the elderly professor Paul. When Grignard confessed his experiences to the professor, he was surprised to learn that this diligent and eager-to-learn young man had such an unexpected background.
A wayward youth is rejected in love
Grignard was born into a wealthy family of shipowners, and his family had a comfortable economic condition. His parents were very indulgent, giving him whatever he wanted and never criticizing or disciplining him. By the time he was old enough to attend school, his parents had sent him to school early, hoping he would become a knowledgeable and well-mannered person, and even hired a private tutor to guide him. Unfortunately, Grignard had already developed bad habits of being pampered and idle. He never studied diligently in primary or secondary school and, of course, did not learn much. Worse still, his parents could not control him, and no one else dared to do so—who would want to offend this wealthy and powerful boss? The indulgence of his parents created a wayward youth, a second-rate scoundrel, in society. Grignard himself was also arrogant, believing that everyone in the city feared him, this "hero."
In the autumn of 1892, at the age of 21, Grignard was still doing nothing but indulging in pleasure and entertainment every day. One day, a high-society ball was held in Saint-Malo, and Grignard, with nothing to do, naturally seized the opportunity. On the dance floor, he noticed a beautiful and dignified young woman sitting opposite him, with an extraordinary temperament—such girls were rarely seen in Saint-Malo. Grignard approached her to ask her to dance, but she remained seated and unresponsive, showing disdain. The young woman had heard of Grignard's misdeeds and had never danced with such a carefree and dissolute youth. Grignard had never encountered such a firm rejection before, especially not in front of so many people—where could he put his face? This sudden blow left Grignard disoriented. He felt angry, annoyed, ashamed, furious, and resentful, standing there unsure of what to do.
Later, Grignard learned that the young woman was Countess de Potier, and he couldn’t help but break into a cold sweat, perspiring. He composed himself and thought, "I must find a way to save face," so he walked over again to apologize to the Countess. But the Countess had long wanted to teach this unruly scoundrel a lesson and was not impressed by Grignard’s apology. She merely gave a cold smile, her face filled with contempt, and pointed at Grignia, saying: "Enough, enough. I have long admired your reputation. Please quickly leave and stay away from me. I hate seeing people like you, these idle and frivolous scoundrels, blocking my sight!"
The spoiled Grignia was utterly humiliated at this point. His arrogance, pride, and tyranny vanished completely. For years, Grignia had been feared and respected in Saint-Malo, but he was completely defeated by the Countess’s words. Fortunately, Grignia still had some self-respect. Realizing his shame, he became determined and shut himself in, reflecting on his behavior. At his age, a grown man of five feet tall, he had no skills or virtue and had become a "public nuisance." He thought of the time when the Countess had scolded him and everyone around was laughing, while his friends and followers were all hiding, afraid to show their faces—how humiliating!
After understanding his own behavior and recognizing his mistakes, Grignia felt a sense of relief he had never experienced before. Since he had found the root of his errors, he should correct them immediately. Grignia resolved to leave home and wrote a letter to his family: "Please do not look for me. Let me start anew, and I will overcome myself and achieve some accomplishments."
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